By Pamela Rose Williams
Proverbs 21:19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Have you seen something like this? Invitations to participate in the Female Blackout on social media? One such message that I received over and over again was one that said this:
“Tomorrow, female blackout from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Its a movement to show what the world might be like without women. Your profile photo should just be a black square so that men wonder where the women are. Pass it only to women … It’s for a project against women abuse. It is no joke. Share it.”
Now, I want to be perfectly clear from the beginning that I have great compassion and concern for the “abuse against women” in our nation and even in our world. I do not contest that we should be in fervent prayer for the abused as well as for the abusers. But what I take issue with on this whole “female blackout” thing is that many, many women are participating in it with no knowledge whatsoever of where it even began. And so I thought it was about time to share the “Christian” and Biblical world view as to why no woman who is a follower of Jesus should be taking part in this protest.
Where Did A Day Without Women Start?
This event was in the planning stage before the USA Presidential Election of 2016. It was inspired by the “Day Without Immigrants” or “Bodega Strike” which was being planned for February 16, 2017. This “Bodega Strike” was in protest of President Donald Trump’s plans to deport millions of illegal immigrants and even build a border wall. The movement encouraged immigrants not to work and not to spend money on that day and even to neglect to send their children to school. In addition, it was a protest to “racial profiling” in the US.
The initial “Women’s March” that happened on January 21, 2017 — the day after President Trump was inaugurated — advocated legislation and policies mostly regarding human rights but also included women’s rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, reproductive rights, the natural environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, and freedom of religion and workers’ rights. News reports and films of the event showed that this was a group of women who were loud, and foul-mouthed with no regard for the leadership of the United States of America that was put in place as the result of a fair and equal electoral process.
“A Day Without Women” was actually a strike that was held on March 8, 2017 on the annually celebrated International Women’s Day which commemorates the international women’s rights movement of the 19th century later known as the feminist movement or the women’s liberation movement. These organizations are the voice of issues such as: sexual harassment, sexual violence, reproductive rights, maternity leave, equal pay and domestic violence. A Day Without Women in the US really had nothing to do with any of these issues of feminism, but instead was a direct attack on the President of the United States for the policies that I mentioned earlier. A Day Without Women encouraged women to stand together in rebellion of the leadership of the United States of America.
Female Blackout Day on Social Media
So then comes that “Female Blackout Day” which is the offspring of this Women’s March encouraging women to “disappear” from social media and a “project against women abuse”. We are all encouraged to teach the world what it would be like without women.
Why Christian Women Should Not Participate
Though we live in this world we are called to not be “of the world”. What this means is that when we go about our daily lives and we make choices to do or not to do something it should be through the view of what the Scriptures say. When we see something that is happening and it goes against all that we learned to be true in the Bible, we should avoid it (them):
Romans 16:17–18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Much of the platform in the feminism movement is against what the Bible teaches as right. Here are a few things that come to the top of my head:
- It speaks out against the men that God has given to us as providers and protectors. They absolutely hate that the Bible teaches that the husband (man) is the leader in the marriage and that the wife (woman) should place herself in voluntary submission to that leadership (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 3:18). God placed the man in the leadership role to maintain order in the marriage — without a leader there is disorder and confusion and God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. You need only to read the 1st Book of Corinthians to see what happened to the church when the women took over — it was utter chaos!
- This feminist movement supports the idea that women can marry women and men can marry men — which is in total opposition to God’s Design for marriage, which is of course, one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:6; Ephesians 5:22-33; Hebrews 13:4).
- Many of the outspoken leaders in this movement have been recorded as men haters and will do anything they can to elevate women above men. But God is not a respecter of persons and loves us all the same and so should we do the same (Romans 2:10-15). He offers salvation to all, regardless of gender, it is His gift to us (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:1; John 3:16-17).
- This movement and these organizations go against God’s word which promises that leaders are put in place for our good and not for evil. Regardless of whether or not you like who is sitting in leadership, you ought to give respect to that leader which God has ordained.
Romans 13:1–7 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
One other thing that bears mentioning — because it has been hidden and the media is unbelievably silent on — is the fact that many, many men are victims of abuse. The reason why we don’t hear much on this is because the vast majority of men that are victims of abuse do not report this fact. Since abuse of women statistics are based upon reported incidents it only goes to reason that if men are not reporting it, the statistics are considerably skewed. Last I read, 40% of the total domestically abused victims were men. When we as women promote the “Female Blackout” and “A Day Without Women” or any other of the issues advocated by the feminist movement we are insulting the men that suffer from the same things.
You have heard it said “All Lives Matter” — so then why would we participate in such a one-sided cause?
If you are a victim of Domestic Violence (also known as Intimate Partner Violence IPV) or you know someone who is, I urge you to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233. They will help find you the resources you need to get out of your dangerous situation.
