MBA 16: Addressing the Divide From the Women’s March

When I posted the blog this weekend dissecting the “Guiding Vision and Definition of Principles” from the women’s march, I never expected the kind of attention that it would receive. And while I stand behind my words, that one post was never intended to be my defining moment. I value balance, and there is only […]

The post MBA 16: Addressing the Divide From the Women’s March appeared first on Mama Bear Apologetics.

When I posted the blog this weekend dissecting the “Guiding Vision and Definition of Principles” from the women’s march, I never expected the kind of attention that it would receive. And while I stand behind my words, that one post was never intended to be my defining moment. I value balance, and there is only so much you can include in a single blog post.

In this podcast Rebekah and I take our own advice from previous podcasts and hash through both the good and the bad from the march. Our goal as Mama Bears is to embrace the good, and reject the bad. However, we cannot do this without first understanding the landscape of the argument. Thus, we first discuss the good we can affirm from the March on Saturday. And while most of the feedback regarding my article was positive, I want to affirm the individuals who had valid critiques and address their concerns. 

We cannot embrace the good and reject the bad if we don't first seek to understand.
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Secondly, we discuss where the controversy is stemming from. Women’s rights are not a controversial topic, and I know few people who would disagree that violence against women is wrong. So why all the controversy? In this podcast, we discuss portions of the book Rules for Radicals and compare it with what we saw going on at the march.

Finally, Rebekah and I share 4 important tips for engaging in productive and God-honoring dialogue regarding this (and really any) controversial topic. This is an important moment Mama Bears! We cannot afford to be unwise in the way we handle controversy. (Colossians 4:5) We are called to be in the world, and yet not of the world. This is a difficult concept for adults, let alone for kids. Now is the time to model what that means. Join Rebekah and me on our journey, addressing the divide left from the women’s march.

Summary of topics discussed:

A brief description of the original six questions from the podcast we are not going to air.

1) What good can we affirm in the March?
2) What do they mean by “spontaneous?” (It was touted as being a “spontaneous” demonstration, although there is evidence that it was extremely well organized.)
3) Where did the money come from? (There is evidence that it was extremely well-funded.)
4) What were they marching for? (This was later turned into the blog.)
5) Where were all these women when it was democrat men who were the perpetrators?
6) Why were some people uninvited? (i.e. the pro-life groups who were uninvited)

What is the good we can affirm?

Women have fought for the freedoms we enjoy now
There is still legitimate injustice for women

The Stanford rape case
My friend’s doctor molestation case
Abuses and cover-ups by churches

Women have a larger burden than men in taking care of children, and running the house, and working
“Women’s liberation put women in the workforce, but it didn’t put men in the kitchen.” – my husband.
** Although we didn’t mention it in the podcast, I want to affirm all the men that are awesome, help in the home, and share domestic responsibilities like champs.
We honor those whose God ordained mission fields take them to places like this march.

Where is the divide coming from in the women’s march? Why such a divide?

The advertised goals are not the actual goals, as witnessed in the official women’s march statement of Guiding Vision and Definition of Principles.
Those who marched for the advertised goals of women’s rights hear critique and think that people are critiquing women’s rights, when they are not. We are critiquing the liberal agenda attached to the banner “women’s rights.” (If you aren’t sure what I mean, see blog here)
Those who critique the march are not accusing all who marched with affirming the principles laid out in the Guiding Vision document.
What we are seeing are the principles laid out in the book Rules for Radicals. (See quotes below)

Where do we go from here? How should we address this and have productive conversation?

Remember that the battle is not against flesh and blood. (Ephesians 6:12) People are not our enemy, and treating them like they are is only playing into Satan’s schemes.
People are being held captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies. (Colossians 2:8) Treat this like a hostage situation – attack the idea, not the person. If you can’t get a clear shot, don’t take the shot. (Rebekah and I will discuss this at length in the next podcast, MBA episode 17.)
When having debate, always use the other side’s original documentation. It makes for less misunderstanding and accusations of putting words in people’s mouths.
Discuss with your children and friends what things are worth being unified on and which issues are worth dividing over.

Ex: As pro-military as I am, I would not march in a march that included the “right to kill illegal immigrants” as part of their agenda. That is abhorrent to us, but yet we are ok marching with a women’s march and having the right to kill unborn children as part of the defining principles.
We are called for unity in Christ, not unity with the world.

People and resources mentioned:

Saul Alinsky – wrote book Rules for Radicals
Article “Oklahoma court: forced oral sex is not rape if victim is unconscious”

Although I discovered that snopes had something to say about it here.

Verses on unity:

1 Corintians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Ephesians 4:11-13 : So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Colossians 3:13 – 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Ephesians 4:3 – 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Philippians 2:1-2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Quotes:

Quotes from Rules for Radicals

When asked about how to protest Vietnam, Alinsky recommends first organizing a protest around something uncontroversial. “Remember: once you organize people around something as commonly agreed upon as pollution, then an organized people is on the move. From there it’s a short and natural step to political pollution, to Pentagon pollution.” Pg xxiii – (see Guiding Vision and Principles page 2 paragraph 2)
When talking to a Russian lecturer at Stanford, he asks Alinsky “Where do you stand on communism” to which Alinsky replies, “That’s a bad question since the real question is, assuming both of us are operating in and thinking of the world as it is, ‘Whose Communists are they – yours or ours?” If they are ours, then we are all for them. If they are yours, obviously we are against them. Communism is itself irrelevant.” Pg 57. Let’s substitute the word “feminist” in there:

“Where do you stand on [feminism]?” “That’s a bad question since the real question is, assuming both of us are operating in and thinking of the world as it is, ‘Whose [feminists] are they – yours or ours?” If they are ours, then we are all for them. If they are yours, obviously we are against them. [Feminism] is itself irrelevant.”

“We repeatedly get caught in this conflict between our professed moral principles and the real reasons why we do things–to wit, our self interest. We are always able to mask those real reasons in words of beneficent goodness — freedom, justice, and so on. Such tears as appear in the fabric of this moral masquerade sometimes embarrass us.” pg. 58
“it is axiomatic that a single-issue organization won’t last. An organization needs action like an individual needs oxygen. With only one or two issues, there will certainly be a lapse of action, and then comes death. Multiple issues mean constant action and life.” – pg. 77-78; the reason we see so many issues presented in the list of Guiding Principles
“Men will act when they are convinced that their cause is 100 per cent on the side of the angels and that the opposition is 100 per cent on the side of the devil.” pg. 78

Hillary Morgan Ferrer

Hillary Morgan Ferrer is the founder of Mama Bear Apologetics. She is the chief author and editor of Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies and Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality: Empowering Your Kids to Understand and Live Out God’s Design. Hillary has her masters in Biology and has been married to her husband, Dr. John D. Ferrer, for 15 years. Don’t let her cook for you. She’ll burn your house straight to the ground.

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