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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Examination of the Good Wife

I intend to examine the 1955 article, "The Good Wife's Guide." I will probably start on Monday. First, though, I want to knock out a few expectations, and then establish some:

1) I am speaking from the position of failure. I can tell from experience what does not work. However, whether I fail or succeed, I find out what works and what is right from God's revealed word: The Bible.

2) Since I have always drifted along on the waves of feminism, without really staking a claim on it, I am not an expert, and I welcome any one's comments or expertise. I have not studied it or fought for or against it. I have seen some of the devastating effects on women and culture, but I am not positive that they are the direct result of feminism, or if they are the result of other influences in our society. I do think that they are very closely tied to it, though.

3) Since I am, relative to my age, a novice on Biblical womanhood, I am not an expert, and I welcome any one's comments or expertise.

4) I am going to take the points out of order. I will start with "A good wife always knows her place." It is a highly volatile statement, and, I think, highly misunderstood. It is a good place to start, and it will serve to lay the foundation for the remaining points.

5) After that, I may group some things together, because they are points of advice that represent a principle; like examples of or exceptions to a rule.

I am pleased to already have a discussion going on this subject. Please feel absolutely free to discuss, rebuke, refute, or debate. I hope that everyone will be respectful. I have lived on both sides now. I, and my Saviour will love you.

I will stand on nothing but Scripture. All other ground is sinking sand.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I am pretty sure the 1955 article is a hoax. Snopes.com (the website that provides information on hoaxes) could not find any evidence that this was a real article.

I really appreciate your willingness to be skeptical of claims that feminism is to blame for things that you may not like in today's society. Feminism, whether you agree with it or not, is too often used as a convenient scapegoat.

Linda

Rachel Pierson said...

Dear Linda,

I thank you for reminding me of my commitment to take up this task of commenting on this article. I was dismayed by the scope of it, and let it slide into oblivion.

As to its veracity: I have a friend, whose hobby is old publications. She says she has quite a collection. I thought I had asked her about this article, and that she had said that she remembered seeing it. I asked her again yesterday, and she confirmed that she remembered seeing it. So, although I have heard that snopes.com does not confirm it, and no other internet source will definitely confirm it, the question still remains. I would be interested in seeing the publication myself, but given the controversy, my friend might decide to charge admission to see it when she uncovers it. It is simply not that important to me.

Regardless of the authenticity of the article, it is the content that we want to discuss. Are some of the points just bits of philosophy or style that are arbitrary and can be dismissed with no consequence? Are there any bits of wisdom to be gleaned from this that, although they rub us in 2008 the wrong way, would have prevented heartache if they had been maintained?

How far have we come, baby? ...and has it all been worth it? I will not be so quick to let feminism off the hook, or to think of it as a helpless or innocent scapegoat (I can't imagine feminism taking that sitting down!), but I will also not lay on its head actions, intentions, or consequences that don't belong there.

Although, as I said, it is the air I breathe, I am not a friend of feminism, and I will warn you if I see danger to your soul.

Warmly,
Rachel