I have been thinking about this whole Proverbs 31 controversy and there is one thing which comes to mind: Christian women are often encouraged to start a business whether they need money or not, and this money-making activity is seen as something spiritual. Other activities a lady at home can pursue are not seen in this light. For instance, if you say that you spent several hours reading a book or watching a movie, the reaction will be totally different, even if the book/film had a Christian content.
Now some families obviously need the extra income which the wife brings and it's better if she can earn it from home, especially if the couple have small children. Other ladies have creative hobbies which they can turn into the source of income with little inconvenience. So far so good, but what if the family are wealthy? Suppose the husband is a doctor, and the wife would rather play tennis in her free time then sell stuff on the net? Does it make her a bad person/woman?
It's interesting that when men keep working long hours for the sake of making money they are called workaholics and criticised for neglecting their families. I've read somewhere about a woman who was on the TV explaining how she had to divorce her husband because he was always working and didn't give her enough attention. So when a man makes money for the sake of money, it's wrong, but we praise women who do the same! Isn't it strange?
I detect a feminist double standard over here. Feminism, unfortunately, has crept into the church, too. Now Jesse Powell from Secular Patriarchy posted an article today where he points out that money and money-making is masculine:
Money is masculine. Let us remember that. Work or paid employment is
masculine; work then pays us money so money by extension is masculine as
well. Making money is something that men are good at and that women
are not so good at; making money being a strength for men and a weakness
for women. This is consistent with money being masculine or an area of
male superiority.
If his theory is correct, it means that by criticising hard-working men as workaholics and encouraging women to start businesses and make money we encourage men to become more feminine and women more masculine, thus promoting androgyny which is exactly according to the spirit of this age with its emphasis on so-called equality. Definitely something to ponder over!
Making money is masculine indeed, it is Adam's job to earn the living and feed Eve. Many make a confusion between working and making money. Women have their own realm of activities, but earning the living is something against feminine nature. I find it interesting how Eve put her hands on the prohibited fruit in order to man-up her life and make life in Eden "better" and "more profitable". Why should she have asked Adam for his opinion, she could have managed everything on her own, couldn't she? This is the dawn of feminism. Women in the workforce should be an exception and a tennis-playing doctor's wife is nothing to condemn. Nobody bothers me while reading or admiring a sun-set either, although I have my very strict to-do lists to manage.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra, I always value your perspective! It's true that women have their own duties as opposed to men, I think the differences between the sexes are something to be celebrated, not erased.
ReplyDeleteAnon boycott, the majority of my readers are American women:) I don't appreciate that sort of comments. Please refrain from spamming my blog in future, if you want your comments to be published.
ReplyDelete@Sanne
ReplyDeleteHe won't be back. Although Divorce does send some men into fruitcake mode(especially because of the misandric feminist culture that facilitates 40-50% divorce rate).
Yes, I saw him spamming other blogs with the same link.
ReplyDelete