Things I Don’t Do As a Christian Woman
To watch this in video form, check it out on Youtube here.
I saw some Youtube videos with this title and wanted to do my own. ;) I’m 100% assuming these videos were going to be some sort of patriarchal B.S., and didn’t click on them to save my sanity and algorithm. So here’s my list of things I don’t do as a Christian woman. Keep in mind that these are all things that at some point I believed were requirements for Christian women. They’re not. :)
Believe the bible is inerrant.
The bible is a library of wisdom, including both Hebrew mythology (which I place on equal ground with all other world mythology— some wisdom, some nonsense) and the story of Jesus. I just really like Jesus. :)
Believe in Penal Substitutionary Atonement.
This is the theory that says there’s an angry god and Jesus had to die to take our punishment because we’re so sinful. A lot of Christians think this is a non-negotiable, but there have actually been many accepted atonement theories throughout Christian history, and it is only recently that this became the only “acceptable” one. My personal favorite is Moral Exemplar, which says that Jesus came to save us by giving us the perfect example of how to live. Or there’s Scapegoat Theory, which says that Jesus had to die not because God needed someone to be punished, but because humans demanded it. Look up atonement theories. It’s really fascinating to see all the different ways to view salvation.
Practice submission without thought to my husband.
We submit to each other, depending on who is the expert on a topic, who is the most passionate about a subject, who is the most clear-headed in the moment. I don’t submit to him just because he’s the one who was born male.
Attend churches where only men are allowed to be pastors.
If being born with a vagina precludes someone from being a representative of God’s love, I’m out.
Follow any sort of modesty code.
I wear what’s comfortable. I’ve been there, done that with all the modesty rules (which is how I got sucked into patriarchal Christianity in the first place— a story for another time). Now I wear what’s comfortable. Is anything I don’t want showing showing? Am I protected from the sun? Can I move freely? Those are my rules.
Live a sinless life— or even pretend to.
I’m trying to be more like Jesus. Really, I am. But I’m a human just like anyone else. I get angry for no reason, gossip more than I should (I’m working on that SO MUCH), hate certain groups of people (primarily based on political party, honestly)… I don’t have all the answers. I will try to be more perfect every day, but never pretend to be.
Vote republican.
I hate that this has even become a thing. That if you are a Christian you MUST vote for the pro-life candidate and screw all the other issues. I vote on a myriad of issues, and in every vote try to consider what would be most loving to the poor.
Worry more about my own faith than my impact on the world.
I practice contemplation so I can serve. But my calling is to serve the world. I don’t think that just “believing in Jesus” is enough. If I’m not bearing fruit, I’m not actually following Jesus. So I think more about fruit than I worry about doctrine.
There you have it. Eight things I don’t do as a Christian woman. Wild Christian women among us, what do you not do that’s outside the evangelical norm?
I get that this is controversial, so please remember that the comment section here is a safe place for people who do NOT fit the evangelical, patriarchal Christian norm. If you do, you don’t need to leave a comment. :) There are plenty of places for you elsewhere on the internet. Anything that feels like an attack on my people will be deleted for their (and my) emotional safety.