Day: October 23, 2007

I don’t generally comment about films, movies or books all that often for the sole reason that there is often great misunderstanding when one recommends a book or movie – especially when the recommendation is for only a portion of a book or movie and not the entirety. I’m not so sure any of us can ever blanketly recommend entirely any book or movie – especially if that book or movie deals with controversial matters… but some controversial matters are not personally controversial, but are socially controversial.

Such is the case with The Monstrous Regiment of Women. While I may unreservedly recommend it, I still reserve the prerogative to identify comments in the film that I might wish had been said or worded differently. But, mygoodness, I think the very same thing about my own writings and conversations… I think from time to time (okay, many times!): O, how I wish I had worded that differently or how I wish I hadn’t said such and such or O, my, I should have emphasized this point rather than that point. You know… all those conversations that play back in your mind long after the fact – maybe even years later.

Clearly, no film could aptly address all the consequences of ‘the monstrous regiment of women’ (or the unparalleled rule of women) in our society. Time and space does not allow for all that might’ve been said in the film or what can be said now, so, I believe it is incumbent on viewers to examine each aspect the film addressed and the consider how far reaching the ‘feminist movement’ has been in their own lives and how deeply they themselves have been ingrained to believe and accept unbiblical behaviours and lifestyles.

Oft repeated mantras become dogmas and believers are just as susceptible as non-believers in Christ to follow culture or adapt to society – and, really, this is to our great shame. And it’s because we have not known the Scriptures. Because of this, we then accept societal norms as ‘truth’ and attempt to line them up with Scripture instead of starting first with Scripture – a What saith the Scriptures? approach to life instead of the other way around: what saith the world? It’s happening all around us in the church today. Consider how churches are patterning themselves after the world instead of on the Word in an attempt to gain the world. No, this isn’t scriptural at all though it really seems like it should be! We’re very pragmatic in our approach to lots of things in life – church building and evangelism is no exception. But Jesus said that He will build His church. All the special programs and make-it-look-like-the-world so-that-the-world-feel-good-here techniques are completely unbiblical. O, they are no doubt an attempt to be right – but that’s the trouble with starting with society instead of starting with the Word.

My point in saying all of that is to demonstrate how feminism has become widely accepted even in – especially in — the church today. The myth of equality is accepted as truth – so much so, that perhaps at the first viewing of The Monstrous Regiment of Women one might bristle at the ‘archaic’ attitudes against women. One might be conditioned to such a point as to accept the feminist deception and think – wait… everyone is equal and every woman ought to be able to do whatever she wants.

But then when the film is finished, one might just take a step back and say: Wow! Women have been sold a bill of goods – have been duped into believing – and living – a lie! Maybe even saying, I have bought the lie, too.

Saddest of all, Christian women join hand in hand with those who live out the lie and deny God’s special design and calling for women. Christian husbands send wives off to work outside the home while they’re content with reversed roles and except in extreme cases of disability this ought not be. And in those extreme cases of disability, there can still be the proper balance of headship in the home even though the outward might look otherwise. The wife is not head of the husband.

Does this mean that women are never to have jobs other than homemaking? Does this mean that women cannot do whatever they want? Does this mean women never work outside the home? Does this mean men are to rule over women in every place? Does this mean that women are relegated to a subservient role to every man? No. What it does mean is that women are not to rule over men. Plain and simple. It means that God has designed men to lead – to lead their wives, their children, their homes and the nation. God has a specially designed order with specially designed benefits and blessings.

The counterfeit has stolen and damaged that design.