Mary Kassian and her husband, Brent, who make their home in Canada, are celebrating their 25th year of marriage and have three young adult sons and one daughter-in-law. Mary is a distinguished professor of Women’s Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and is the author of several books including The Feminist Mistake and In My Father’s House. She was a speaker at the True Woman ’08 Conference.
If Bella were my daughter, I’d warn her loudly and clearly about falling for a counterfeit version of true romance. In the real world, the Bellas who fall for the Edwards usually don’t live happily ever after. In the real world, twilight turns to night.
The holidays are upon us, and the chances of a single gal being cornered
by well-meaning relatives and lovingly interrogated about the status of
her love life are . . . about 100 percent!
Today is the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. So I want to take this opportunity to raise my voice with others around the world condemning the abuse of women.
The second part of Israel's new law places strict limitations on how much models can be edited in advertisements. Any ad that makes the models look thinner is now required to be clearly labeled as "photoshopped" or "enhanced." Similar to the warning labels on cigarettes, the labels on photoshopped ads imply that "ingesting" these images might be bad for a girl's self image and emotional health.
If you hear someone tell you that complementarity means you have to get married, have dozens of babies, be a stay-at-home housewife, clean toilets, completely forego a career, chuck your brain, tolerate abuse, watch "Leave it to Beaver" re-runs, bury your gifts, deny your personality, and bobble-head nod “yes” to everything men say, don't believe her. That's a straw (wo)man misrepresentation. It's not complementarianism. I should know. I'm a complementarian. And I helped coin the term.
Sexual violence is a problem that ought to concern us all. However, I fear that SlutWalks do little to improve woman's lot. In fact, they arguably exacerbate the very problem they say they're trying to solve.
A whole generation of girls is being raised to believe that men are inconsequential. Take the T-shirt a friend of mine spotted for sale in Target, for example . . .
The "look." The tilt of the head. The flip of the hair. The sway of the hips. The deliberate caress of a curve. The cross of the legs. The leisurely forward lean. The titillating exposure of skin. The brush of the bottom lip. The cat-like stretch. The lingering touch . . . by the time a female reaches adulthood, she's typically been well-versed in all the classic flirt moves.
For years, I had a scrap of paper posted on my fridge with the antidote to becoming a grumpy old lady. Do you want to know what it said? Before I tell you, let me explain what motivated my quest to keep this prescription on hand.
I’ve been digging my way through several books written in and about the 1800s, and was surprised to discover that a “true woman” movement isn’t unique to this generation.
I admit it. The topic of woman’s appearance is trivial compared to the war on the other side of the world–but given the reality of our culture, it’s a battle that hits much closer to home.
In 1 Timothy 2:9, the Lord provides three guidelines that help Christian women figure out what and what not to wear. Asking yourself these three questions will help you figure out how to dress.
The message we are hearing this International Women’s Day is that women will only be equal when they assume the same roles as men. Enforcing “sameness” will uphold woman’s worth and dignity. I beg to differ.
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So what are we to do? Should we start playing “Leave it to Beaver”
re-runs and tell women they’d be happy if they followed June Cleaver’s
example? Should we encourage them to start wearing high heels and pearls
while vacuuming? Should we run advertising campaigns that glorify the
value of ironing, or disparage women who can’t bake cookies from
scratch?
Most change happens gradually. A child slowly learns to read. Braces slowly straighten teeth. A bush is slowly trimmed and shaped into a hedge. But then there are those changes that happen all at once. They are “Click!” or “Aha!” moments when our perspectives suddenly shift, and we begin to see the whole world in a different light.
While this alpha woman trend is celebrated by those who have swallowed the feminist/egalitarian claim that male-female roles are interchangeable, the reality is that the majority of alpha women are dissatisfied with their breadwinner status. It appears that an alpha woman married to a beta boy puts an unnatural strain on a couple’s marital and sexual relationship.
In this final episode of the Girls Gone Wise book blog, you'll hear
about a Wild Thing who discovered the alternate ending . . . the
happily-ever-after one that we all dream about. You'll find out how you,
too, can choose that ending for your story.
You're invited to a party! In fact, you're invited to two. The catch is,
you can't go to both. You''ll have to make up your mind which one to
attend . . .
Next Tuesday, I will be joining host Chris Adams LIVE on the LifeWay Women’s Video Livestream Webcast to discuss the ministry
challenges and opportunities of living in a world gone wild. Join us as
we discuss how you can seize the moment to help women discover the
meaning of womanhood, and live according to God’s beautiful design.
Does it surprise you to know that a woman who willingly forfeits gratification can be infinitely happier
than the one who insists on her right to indulge?
Does it surprise you to know that a woman who willingly forfeits gratification can be infinitely happier
than the one who insists on her right to indulge?
"Wild Things" are intent on filling their homes and closets with designer-label fashion and all sorts of beautiful things—but if you’re smart, you’ll set your heart on getting so much more!
Some women are so needy for attention and affirmation that they cling to men like plastic wrap to a piece of raw meat. But women who try to quench their neediness through relationships with men are usually left feeling parched and dry.
If Bella were my daughter, I’d warn her loudly and clearly about falling for a counterfeit version of true romance. In the real world, the Bellas who fall for the Edwards usually don’t live happily ever after. In the real world, twilight turns to night.
"If you play with fire, you're going to get burned" is how the old saying goes. But so many women throw caution to the wind and ignore boundaries, thinking it would never happen to them.
“How far is too far?” How much can I mess around with my boyfriend before I cross the line? That’s the question that Christian girls usually ask. But I don’t think a young woman can figure out where to draw the line until she figures out why God created sex and what it’s all about.
Anything guys can do, girls can do better. Right? Well maybe-maybe not. But according to the Bible, roles aren’t based on who’s more capable or competent, or whose turn it is, or who wants to have a go at it.
The Girl-Gone-Wild is adept at the hunt. She sets up traps, and then lies in wait--focused and highly alert for prey. She’s fixated on getting what she wants. But her nets ensnare far more than her intended target.
Popular mass media perpetually drips messages about gender, sex, and relationships into our minds. The trouble is, it often promotes false or counterfeit images of what womanhood is all about.
An Islamic cleric recently blamed earthquakes on immodest female clothing. Outraged by this statement, Jennifer McCreight, a 22-year-old student at Purdue University in Indiana, invited women to . . .
My family just had the enormous joy of celebrating my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary. Seizing the occasion, I asked my mom to come up with a few tidbits of marriage/relationship advice to share with you on the blog.
Men are not women. They are not genderless. They are not androgynous.
They have an innate, God-given bent to initiate and be heroes. They want
to untie the world from the tracks of complacency. They want to get
their hands dirty. They want to answer the call of manhood. They want to
be MEN . . . and what’s more, they want women to be women.
Besides the expected beer commercials (getting the girl), and annoying chicken commercials (getting the food), and voice-over babies trading stocks (getting the money), there were a few commercials during this year's Super Bowl that illustrated men were getting frustrated.
Taking out the trash has never been so complicated ever since the suburban municipality I live in instituted a new garbage collection system last year. I am so grateful that the Lord has such an uncomplicated, effective system for us to get rid of the garbage in our lives!
"Mr. Right When You Need Him" promises to be a woman's consistent supporter in an inconsistent world, her number-one protector, and her first and foremost fan. And that is the desire of a woman's heart, isn't it?
There's nothing unusual about the idea that scantily clad Betty would use her seductive charm and kisses to "train" a man. The classic Betty Boop, and women throughout history, have used that tact. But the other message on the box was startling.
Our Creator delights in making things according to His unique design. That's why snowflakes are different. That's why male and female are different. That's why each individual is different.
Being good is bad. Being bad is good. That's the message communicated in Rachel Simmons' book The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence.
Have you ever noticed that it’s the simplest, most unassuming things that often have the most worth and value? It’s the things that seem on the surface, so very ordinary, that are often the most profound.
Managing the influence of multi-media in your child’s life is one of the biggest parenting challenges of our day. Here are just a few suggestions . . .
If marriage is patterned after Christ’s covenant relationship to the church, and its most ultimate purpose is to put THAT relationship on display, then staying married is not primarily about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant. The aim is markedly different.
One of the most precious things you can do for your family is to establish family traditions–routines that become familiar, repeated, and cherished, and that identify you as a family unit.
What I saw stopped me dead in my tracks. The aisle had been transformed. From top to bottom, beginning to end, it was stocked full of colorful balls of yarn. I stood there gawking in amazement.
Oakley concluded that women needed to be educated about how bitter and demeaning housework and caring for children really was, and to be convinced to reject this traditional woman’s role . . .
According to the disciple John, the true indicator of the extent of our love for God is the extent of our love for those around us ... especially the individuals who really irk us.
“King of the Castle” is a silly, childish game, but unfortunately, it’s a game that’s played in the lives of most adults–albeit on a much more sophisticated level.
In modern English, "meekness" carries the stigma of cowardly acquiescence. But the meekness of the Bible—the meekness manifested by God and given to the saints—is a strong, active, volitional, courageous attitude.
It’s a common perception that women who believe in submission are either doormats or stupid. But I’ve believed in submission for a very long time, and I am neither.
If your finery were taken away, and the hidden, inner parts of your heart exposed, would you look more or less beautiful? How much beauty is in your heart?
Until we present our young women with a new and beautiful vision of womanhood–a biblical vision . . . a high and noble vision that speaks to their true identity and purpose–they will continue to pursue the modern sexualized ideal, and slither further down the slippery slope.
There’s one Southern phrase that I’m quite drawn to: “Steel Magnolia.” I love the phrase, because to me it speaks to the essence of womanhood. The image melds beauty with perseverance, softness with backbone, delicacy with durability, sweetness with stamina.
We tried. We really did. We embraced education, careers, prominence. We despised all relationships and responsibilities that would hold us back. We moved marriage, mothering, and homemaking from the top of our lists to the bottom–or crossed them off altogether. After all, we were so much more enlightened than our fore sisters were. The world had revolved around men, but it was our turn now.
Last summer, my son, Matt, who had just moved back home after being away for eight months, came into the kitchen, gave me a huge hug, and exclaimed, “Mom, thank you SO much for folding my laundry!” My first thought was to check his forehead to see if he was running a temperature . . .
Last season, TV viewers cast nearly 500 million votes in support of their favorite contestants on American Idol. It’s natural to express praise for that which we enjoy . . .
A few years ago, in front of a packed coliseum of hockey fans, a young hockey player skated off the ice, collapsed beside the player’s bench, and went into violent convulsions . . .
We think that we’ll get more out of life and relationships if we demand our rights and maintain control. But the Bible teaches that we get a lot more blessing when we trust God and do things his way.
This past summer, at my son’s wedding, I found myself reminding him of the words my mother spoke to me at my wedding, and many times since: “Always remember that love is a choice.”
Stanton felt so strongly that the original text of the Bible was bad for women that she put together a “revising committee” to . . . make recommendations to women about which parts of the Bible they ought to condemn and ignore.
