Ending Domestic Violence
Bob Carlton has an excellent post up titled What If Male Faith Leaders Stopped Bullying & Started Preaching The End Of Domestic Violence This Month ?. Because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month he calls for pastors and youth pastors (mostly males) to take a stand for good. He writes,
What I am saying is that:perpetuating a mindset where women are treated like property
where masculinity is equated with power and dominion
where jocularity and “radical” trappings are used to mask privilege and oppression
all of these things are the breeding grounds for the manner in which religion is far too often a co-conspirator in the domestic violence that is rampant in our world.
…
Rather than use our power to bully or sit silently or perpetuate violence, how Jesus-like would it be if men of faith worked to end violence and include women to their rightful place as ‘full humans, emotional and rational, leading and being led, protecting and protected, gifted and limited”.
Thank you Bob for this. I encourage everyone to go read the whole post.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Thank you. This is an area that needs light.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:25 am
I have developed 2 stock responses to domestic violence stories:
1. Just because people do something doesn’t make it right.
2. It’s ok to love your [father/mother/brother/etc] even though s/he did that to you.
These generally lead to relief at being given permission for the conflicted feelings people have. But dear Lord, save us from ourselves. I hear some terrible stories and they are often heavy secrets as well.
Speak out & reach out.