Women and men united to end violence against women and girls is the International Women’s Day March 08, 2009 theme of the United Nations. It is an ambitious and hopeful theme. However, ff seriously put into action, it has the power to disrupt the present violently oppressive status quo in many societies across the world. I welcome the disruption.
Yesterday, I attended a worship service put on by a church related women’s organization. Their theme for IWD was Women Of Courage. Given the increasing incidences of violence against women and girls in this country, women of the church (who are not exempt from being viciously beaten) do need a lot of courage.
The woman who preached the day’s message encouraged women to regain their courage. Women should know their value, strengthen their faith, and recover their determination. She used as her focus Hebrews 10:38-39 & Genesis 3:15.
When she started with the Genesis passage, I grew very tense. That’s my usual mode when I hear preachers from a conservative background tackle the story of Eve and Adam in the mythical Garden of Eden. I am yet to hear any woman from her conservative church background preach anything liberating for women from Genesis 1-3.
Therefore, I schooled my features as I know my members are very keen on watching my reaction to any teaching/preaching that suggest that women be passive under oppression. I was pleasantly surprised. Not blown away now mind you. But pleased she did not forever damn Eve and all her daughters. Of course she ignored the inherent difficulties in the text but that aside she did a great job at encouraging women to action.
It was to call women to regain their courage to choose and to make the best decisions they can. Sometimes those decisions are disobedient ones, made with the best intentions such as to provide for your family. When such moments occur, women should never begin to devalue themselves because God has not devalued us. Her encouragement was not suggesting that God condones wrong. Her point was that where society so easily write people off for making mistakes – God never gives up on us.
She went on about how the offspring of Eve will bash the enemy’s head. I confess it does sound like fighting violence with violence. We hardly need more of that in an already violent world. Especially, when most of that violence is directed against the weak and powerless like women and girls (children on a whole). Once again, though she was encouraging women to affirm their victory over their enemies and challenges in their lives even when it looks like you are losing the battle. So she was not advocating literal violence.
But one woman commented afterward, that she used to take a battering from her husband. One day she got fed up of the beatings, and fed up with herself for taking it. She got the courage and hit him right back. When she saw his surprise, she got closer to him and said, and if you hit me again I’m going to break your hands. He never hit her again. She divorced him shortly after that incident she said. Now I wonder how many women really feel like that – tired of being told not to go the route of violence.
Every woman knows her circumstances and what she can put up with. Some never live to respond like Jennifer Lopez in the movie Enough. They were killed or murdered in a violent relationship. And some women who suffer are too afraid to do anything about their situation. It is for ALL women that the call comes today – get the courage to make a change. Regain or develop the courage to do something about ending the violence not only for yourself but for other women and girls as well.
For the preacher, Eve’s offsprings were both daughters and sons and the promise for the son is the promise for the daughter. I’ll suspend my ‘trained’ Biblical exegesis for a while and go ‘Hooray’!! Yes. Women its about time we exhibit the courage that this promise gives us. We have the strength to crush the head of the adversary who continue to deceive men (and even other women) to perpetuate violence against women and girls.
Historically, and still in too many places today the daughters of Eve are treated like the enemy. It is our heads that continue to be bashed in, battered, and traumatized by Eve’s male offsprings. So when will men – who stand to benefit from the institution and practice of violence join with women to to bring about its end?
Like the sister said – We are not of those who shrink back (Heb 10:39a ) So let’s have the courage to keep the faith. Stand on the promise that the faithful will be rewarded and even though some perish along the way, there are signs that the present order of things is changing.
Blessings of Grace and Peace to all my sisters across the world – Take heart and be courageous the Divine is on your side.
Marvia
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