can you be feminist and still be a Christian?

Question

for anyone who doesnt know the answer dont answer.... Feminism are concerned that all literature that we have from the past is written by men, so all the signs of what women should be like come from men..... surely the same goes for the bible!?

Answer 1

You can NOT be Christian and still be a feminist, because that would make all your beliefs null and void.

Answer 2

The answer to you headline question is - you could call yourself one, but you would probably make a very bad one, and would be in need of some serious redemption. Belief in a womens right to choose abortion would do it, without looking deeper. Men didn't write all the literature by any means. Women have inspired men down the ages to achieve many things, music, literature, invention etc etc. Does that make it invalid because females inspired it?

Women, have always had more personal power than men through their sexuality. To cast them as passive victims, as feminists try to do, is just plain wrong. The more ambitious women, tend to be more man like in their attitude. Feminists come to mind here as being chauvinistic.

Your sub-text makes it appear that literature written by men is all about telling women how they should live/behave. I am sure that nature had a great deal to do with how the male/female roles developed. Literature, is mainly reflective of life, and not directive. If things written by men can't trusted by women then nothing written by feminists should be trusted by men.

The only thing that feminists are concerned with is in finding as many ways as possible to diminish the male role, whilst at the same time, trying to give the impression that they are doing it out of a sense of altruism. Because they can't fit into the traditional female role, they want to change the attitude of all females to match their own.

I have a feeling that your question is a little loaded in the sense that you have probably decided what the answer is. Anyway, feminism is very tiresome.

Answer 3

If one ascribes that the Bible was directly influenced by God to be written then it would not have come from men even if the hand that wrote the words were male. As to the overall question, as feminism is most noted as being concerned with personal relations and God possesses a personal relationship with all of humanity then it still stands to reason that the answer is yes.

Answer 4

Mmm tricky. Ethically... no. Why, because as you rightly say we have lived (and still do) in a patriachial society. The Church, one of the main movers and lawmakers in society is truly patriachial. Ergo , how many women are on the religious benches in the House of Lords? None!

The purpose of Feminism is the emancipation of women within the whole of the social fabric. Therefore to subscribe to Feminist priciples AND be a practising christian seems to me to be an anomily, if not unacceptable. Especially the church's views on homosexuality ... so out of touch.

Why pay homage to a man and his followers that belittles women and holds them in scant regard, as do most if not all religions I can think of. Particularly our Moslem friends.

No, in order to assert the rights of women there is no place for christianity per se.

However, morally, one can adopt the christian teachings of tolerance, care and assistance for the poor and weak and old amongst us.

So, there we are, a quick overview of my position that disagrees one can be both a femisist and a christian. I welcome debate.

Answer 5

In my opinion, and I follow no religion, is that the story of Jesus is about a man that fought against the establishment of his day and also against the bankers of his day. And he was put to death for that.
So as I view feminism, and yes im a man who true looks at women as equals if not higher, it can be somewhat put in the same catagory. with an exception. Feminism WAS created by man. If more women would truely see the motivation really behind the movement, then I could put it 100% in with Christianity, because then they would also be fighting, I think, for the right reasons.
IMO, feminism as been corrupted and steered in a realy bad unnatural direction. If only more would wake up to that, feminism would ROCK.
hope this answer fullfills your criteria.

Answer 6

You can be a gay republican, so why not? Question is, does the combination make any sense and where do your loyalties lie when the two are in conflict, as these two are likely to be...

It is important to note that MANY early Christain sects were founded on gender equality but were rooted-out as herresies by the early church, the first pope Paul, being a notorious masoginist even for his day.

As with any prefabricated belief system, best just take what you need and leave the rest.

Answer 7

I believe Christ was born a man simply because men at the time wouldn't listen to women. Reading through the Gospels, I noticed that it's only really men that get told off by Jesus. I imagine the principle's the same right through the bible. Therefore yes - it's perfectly possible to be feminist and Christian.

Answer 8

Look at the source!
I'm a Christian, but believe in equality. The Bible was written over thousands of years, with very old sensibilities, because of the times in which it was written...
Read the Word, not the 1000 year old chauvinism!

Answer 9

Yes, you can be both as these are two ideologues that are not as black & white as many on both sides of the fence like to paint them as...

Christianity is a faith that is based on the teachings of Jesus. The tenant of this faith is that Jesus is the direct divine son of God. Feminism is the belief system that states that gender is generally a social construct & that as a society we should not limit a person's life choices based on the sexual biology of the individual.

Where the conflicts arise is in the associated beliefs of the two systems. Some believe that feminism has goals of destruction of family, encouraging unnatural desires, or seeking to strip away the differences of people. Others believe that Christianity has been co-opted by those who wish to kill others for gain (financial or otherwise), control the moral decisions of others, & force various peoples to live by codes that restrict their sexual & relationship choices. I feel that the truth lies somewhere between the two.

What I have found is that I am comfortable with holding both systems. I do believe in the divinity of Jesus as I believe that my god would not wish me to be punished for wanting to use the skills & talents given to me to better the world as I may see it. I so not believe the bible is the literal word of God as men (as recorded by history & not just “feminist” beliefs) have edited the bible’s words for their own gain. I believe that knowledge is encouraged by the spark of the divine but as divine creatures granted with free will, we have responsibilities to see the fruits of our knowledge, i.e. technology, used in a way that does not disrespect the wonderful creations we are.

Unfortunately, many Christians have lost the essence of faith in the battle of semantics over what was meant in the bible. I believe that The Divine Creator did not put me here to judge & control the actions of others but to create a world that embraces the things that makes us great. What’s funny is that the debates that are most virulent between many feminists & conservative Christians such as the issue of abortion, would be moot if the focus was on solutions and compromise instead of control. If there was an affordable, effective, openly accessed form of birth control for men & women, who would have an abortions that was not medically necessary? If parenting was supported so that wages were equalized regardless of who was working outside the home & were high enough that both parents did not have to work to support their offspring, wouldn’t that play a huge part in reducing the numbers of abortions that are chosen to avoid living in poverty with a child?

But that would involve actually listening to the experiences of each other rather than the assumptions of the ideologues.

Answer 10

I reckon so, lots of women had same influence as men in the bible....so long as u dont offend anyone.

Answer 11

Nope. The Bible clearly says that women are to submit to their own husbands (note it doesn't say "men" but "their own husbands"). Feminists think submission=slavery, which is not true.