There’s an interesting new film that will be released in summer 2007 produced by the Gunn Brothers titled “The Monstrous Regiment of Women.”  They show from a consistently Christian perspective how feminism has had a devastating impact on the church, state, and family. (BTW, the film’s title is borrowed from that of an essay The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women written by John Knox, the great 16th-century Protestant Reformer in the history of Scotland, against the reigning female monarch.)  I’m quite excited about the production of this film because I heard it’s an excellent documentary that demolishes the feminist worldview especially as, sadly, it’s infiltrated even many churches today.  And some of the ladies in the film are wonderful women and some of whose writings I had the joy of reading before.

Most feminists like to promote the egalitarian view that men and women are equal in everything; that women can do everything a man does.  There is no question that there are certain women who may be more capable than some men in performing some things; however, the issue is not ability, but rather whether or not a particular role is designed to be her lot in life and suits God’s original design for women.  I truly believe the Bible teaches us that men and women are certainly equal in worth, though they differ in roles.  But of course, distinction in role implies neither superiority nor inferiority.  The feminist movement has harmed many people with its worldview on motherhood, children, career, women in military, social culture, etc.  In fact, in order for the movement to work, feminism has to totally marginalize the place of the stay-at-home wife and/or mother and degrade any work that isn’t done for a salary.  There’s nothing inherently wrong with a woman who works per se, but it is harmful when done at the expense of her children and family.  Regrettably, many women today are ashamed to put their family as a career and in priority over a work outside the home, in light of the feministic spirit and attitude prevalent in society and many churches today.  And many men are ashamed, too, if their wives become homemakers because they’d rather have a wife who appears “accomplished” according to society’s standards.  Or perhaps they prefer her to lighten their responsibility of providing as a breadwinner; or they may simply think being a homemaker is a “no brainer” job that provides no mental stimulation (even though work outside the home is by no means the only source of learning and intellectual stimulation).

This reminds me of a particular incident when I was eating lunch in a Chinese restaurant a while back.  At the table next to me, a lady was talking with a man who appeared to be her financial advisor.  He asked her about some of her future plans and reasons for her financial investments.  To which she hesistantly responded, “Mmm, well, it’s for a stupid reason really,” obviously trying to shy away from answering.  The man then proceeded to inquire again just in different words.  She finally replied shyly, “Well, I wanted to be a full-time mother to raise my two small sons.”  But … how is that a stupid reason, though?  It is a pity that the lady seemed hesitant and embarrassed to say she wanted to be a full-time homemaker, as if others may judge her to be incompetent, unambitious, or “not bright enough” to have a job outside the home, even though in reality she desired her family to be her career.  She wishes to prioritize her husband and children over her personal ambitions and her own agenda.  Well, actually … her husband and children are her agenda.  That is her calling.  I’m reminded of Titus 2:3-5 which exhorts the older women to “encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”  It seems such a high and honorable calling to be able to impact society by raising a generation of godly Christian sons & daughters and to invest time in training their hearts and minds in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

I love the following quote by John Piper when he exhorts women to their high calling in family and ministry:

That you not assume that secular employment is a greater challenge or a better use of your life than the countless opportunities of service and witness in the home, the neighborhood, the community, the church, and the world.  That you not only pose the question: Career vs. full time mom?  But that you ask as seriously: Full time career vs. freedom for ministry?  That you ask: Which would be greater for the Kingdom—to be in the employ of someone telling you what to do to make his business prosper, or to be God’s free agent dreaming your own dream about how your time and your home and your creativity could make God’s business prosper?  And that in all this you make your choices not on the basis of secular trends or yuppie lifestyle expectations, but on the basis of what will strengthen the family and advance the cause of Christ.

Posted: Tuesday, December 19th, 2006 at 3:20 pm. Category: Godly Womanhood.
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