Denny opened this thread by comparing the dead body counts of feminism to those of Nazism and communism; but, while I agree with his observation that feminism is "a philosophical nightmare" and one of the "most wicked deceptions yet devised by men [sic.]," I do not think we can lay the blame for all of those dead babies at the feet of Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan in the same way that we rightfully can in the case of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao, etc. I think Darwinism, naturalism, and materialistic hedonism, much of it male-driven, has had at least as much to do with the number of babies murdered in their mothers' wombs here in North America and around the world as feminism.

There is undoubtedly a great deal of synergy and overlap between these ideologies, and all of them are diametrically opposed to a biblical worldview; but abortion is the bitter fruit of all of these (and more) and not merely feminism alone. Nevertheless, if one wishes to look at primary factors or influences contributing to dysfunctional families, divorce, illegitimacy, and abortion, feminism definitely belongs in the top three or four.

I agree with Pilgrim, President Edwards, and the rest who deny that male chauvinism "causes," is "a product of," or explains the rise of feminism, though I think I can agree with Tom's final formulation that it "feeds feminism," and with Doulos's claim that it is "mostly to blame for women being interested in feminism." While the soil in which feminism grows and flourishes is, as Rev. Edwards rightly observes, the sinful depravity and lusts of the human heart, male chauvinism and misogyny are powerful fertilizers without which it is doubtful that the fields would produce such a bountiful harvest.

While the topic of this thread is feminism and not male chauvinism, we have been focusing on the effects of feminism upon women; but there are many dangerous effects of feminism upon men as well. What most men chiefly desire from their wives is respect, and feminism not only denies this but in the process helps turn out men who are not worthy of respect --- men who have no sense of protective responsibility, sacrificial love, grace or chivalry. Feminism is not the "cause" of this, but it "feeds" men's sinful desire to abandon their God-given roles and responsibilities, which are quite demanding to say the least.

My wife and I lived in an "egalitarian marriage" (the "ideal" of non-radical feminism) for a number of years (this is before we were Christians) and both of us suffered enormous emotional and spiritual pain and damage as a result. We have also had a very hard time recovering and embracing our God-given roles because of so many years imbibing the cultural values of feminism, which are now part of the very air we breathe (at least for my generation). At any rate, if anyone else out there is having similar problems, I highly recommend a book by William Hendricks and Robert Lewis called Rocking the Roles <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/BigThumbUp.gif" alt="" />. While it ain't scholarly, it is very practically oriented and helpful to recovering feminists and those who are just beginning to rediscover God's design for marriage.



Vicit Agnus Noster,

Brad Hammond