Importance of the Family Structure and Gender Roles is the second installment of the What Would Jesus Do series in YBC’s attempt to explore truths about the Republican Party platform and their biblical relevance to disprove “Christian liberalism” as morally sound. Of course, this series is of best use to “Christian liberals and not opponents of theism or Christianity altogether. That argument will have to wait for another blog. The series does not attempt to prove that all conservatives and republicans adhere to these principles, it merely suggests that THEY SHOULD. So, in the wake of new-wave feminism as a complete 180 degree turn form the movement’s original suffragette motives, I thought I’d discuss the importance of the Family Structure and Gender Roles. Family values are political and social beliefs that hold the nuclear family to be the essential ethical and moral unit of society.
Familialism (though not directly a Republican concept) is the ideology that promotes the family and its values as an institution. The phrase has different meanings in different cultures. In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, the term has been frequently used in political debate, especially by social and religious conservatives, who believe that the world has seen a decline in family values since the end of the Second World War. But the term is vague, and means different things to different people.
For decades now, the Republican Party has used the issue of family values to attract socially conservative voters. While family values remains a rather vague concept, social conservatives usually understand the term to include some combination of the following principles (referenced in the 2004 Republican Party platform):
• Promotion of "traditional marriage" and opposition to adultery
• Support for a roll back of aspects of Feminism and support for a traditional role for women in the family.
• Opposition to same-sex marriage
• Support for policies that encourage "adoption over abortion
Promotion of "traditional marriage" and opposition to adultery. Traditional marriage I must point out, did not become referred to as “traditional” until untraditional marriage became popular less than 10 years ago. Homosexual, “Open” and Polygamous marriages would fall into this untraditional category. In the religious and political sense, it is defined as a legal marriage between one man and one woman, in no deviation from this strict standard. And although contradicted by the pro-sex feminism, which seeks to empower women through sex by reducing double standards associated with female promiscuity, the bible promotes monogamy, virginity and physical purity in the following verses:
“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders” (1 Corinthians 6:9)
“It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.”(Matthew 5:31-32)
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” (Hebrews 13:4)
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”(Genesis 2:24)
Support for a roll back of aspects of Feminism and support for a traditional role for women in the family. Modern liberal feminists are at odds with biblical depictions of women. They often feel ‘minimized, discounted and oppressed’ by God’s intentions of their creation.
Then the man said: “This is at last bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. This one will be called Woman, Because from man this one was taken.
But what, I ask is minimizing about this? :
“The Wife of Noble Character…
She is worth far more than rubies…
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar…
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks…
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
She is clothed with strength and dignity…
She speaks with wisdom
and faithful instruction is on her tongue…
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness…
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”(Proverbs 31:9-31)
The arrogance involved in assuming that women are more important than, or should be perfectly equal to men, is undeniable. Women are special in God’s eyes, as is explained here:
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man..... In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. (1 Corinthians 11:8-9,11-12)
Women who read these passages should not feel threatened, but proud. Women are bearers of great responsibility, whether or not it is identical to a man’s responsibility is irrelevant. Further, God has high standards and expectations for women:
“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with … gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”(1 Timothy 2:9-10)
“And, In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” (1 Timothy 3:11)
Similarly, men have standards they must uphold:
“Now the overseer must be the husband, of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church? “(1 Timothy 3:2-12)
If God had little concern for women as his creations, he would not bother to address us with a moral code, a code that will allow us entrance into everlasting life.
Opposition to same-sex marriage. In the previous entry several passages about marriages were discussed, but also important are God’s opinions on relationships and sexual identity. These feelings influence the biblical perspective of marriage and family. One man and one woman create a nurturing atmosphere for child bearing, the negative influence homosexuality can have on raising children inspires the following verses, and is ere-go reason for this message in the Republican Party platform:
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.(Leviticus 20:13)
“…He walked in all the way of Asa… doing right in the sight of the LORD.The re’mnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he expelled from the land. (1 Kings 43-36)
Now that the gnarly specifics are out of the way, gender identity and transgender ideas are addressed here:
“The woman shall not wear that which pertianeth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”(Deuteronomy 22:5)
Support for policies that encourage "adoption over abortion”. It is common knowledge that abortion is acceptable in the liberal media and referred to as a woman’s choice, and further, a woman’s right and equal rights policy. But the flaw I find in this argument is that if all this was true, there would be no need to suggest that this choice is not murder. It is perfectly acceptable in a secular world to say: I want an abortion, if this is murder, so be it. But pro-choicers at large do not have the gall and honesty to view themselves as perpetrators of violence, so they look to scientific experts to ease their own guilt by convincing themselves that they have not murdered a child, but rather pressed the delete button on their keyboard. Christian liberal however, have no excuse in this matter. As they often take a “live and let live” approach to the issue, they should keep in mind that God holds an entirely different perspective:
And if men…strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage… then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life." (Exodus 21:22-23)
This verse is very powerful, because it not only condemns wrongdoing, but suggests that others have a moral obligation to do so also. It is then against bible philosophy to turn a blind eye to wrongdoing. Liberals too often confuse judgment with false judgment, Christians should adhere to:
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24).
This means God does want us to use our ability to reason, so long as we are not shallow in our opinions and judgments of others.
Surely we can rationally agree that taking life, life that you did not create, but merely bear, of an innocent weak vessel which cannot fend for itself, is of far greater importance than say, judging someone based on their wardrobe; and for that matter, we reserve the right to speak out against wrongdoing. Life, in the bible, is the most precious gift and is spoke on often:
For Thou (God) didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee…Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)
’The book’ referred to here, in which there are records of all life is known as simply “the book of life,” it is mentioned again in Revelation, the final book of the bible. The verse beautifully and plainly states that God knew all humans before even our parents knew they were to conceive us. The verse exemplifies not only God’s love of life, but the active role he plays in our creation prior to even our birth from the womb. Our souls and bodies belong to God; so our mother, although our earthly parent does NOT have the ultimate authority over our lives, and has the responsibility to let us enjoy the gift Jesus suffered so greatly to ensure for us.
Now that we’ve explored some biblical and conservative definitions of the family, we should compare how the left has recently described such values in their own way. For example, in his acceptance speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, John Kerry said "it is time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families." As outlined in the Democratic Party platform, liberals and Christian liberals alike outline acceptance as the essence of family values:
• Acceptance that men and women are the same
• Acceptance of same-sex adoption
• Acceptance of the non-traditional family (single parent households, same-sex marriages)
Groups such as People For the American Way, Planned Parenthood, and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays have attempted to define the concept in a way that promotes the acceptance of single-parent families and same-sex monogamous relationships.(Small divergence: the practice of monogamy has been absolutely ravaged by modern society in no greater numbers than by homosexuals, who by and large have 200X more sexual partners than heterosexuals, approximately 500 or more partners by age 60, according to Bell and Weinberg.) The following secular arguments debate the aforementioned ideas:
Acceptance that men and women are the same. While anatomically men and women are obviously different, the psychological differences between man and women are less obvious and not 100% conclusive. They can be difficult to describe, yet these differences can profoundly influence how we form and maintain relationships that can range from work and friendships to marriage and parenting.
At the heart of sensitivity is our capacity to form, appreciate and maintain relationships that are rewarding. For men, what demonstrates a solid relationship is quite different from that of most women. Men feel closer and validated through shared activities. Such activities include sports, competition, outdoor activities or sexual activities that are decidedly active and physical. While both men and women can appreciate and engage in these activities they often have preferential differences. Women, on the other hand, feel closer and validated through communication, dialogue and intimate sharing of experience, emotional content and personal perspectives. Many men tend to find such sharing and involvement uncomfortable, if not, overwhelming.
Rationally, you MUST accept, expect and respect these differences.
The Acceptance of same-sex adoption and acceptance of the non-traditional family (single parent households, same-sex marriages) are here grouped in this final pose because they have equally destructive potential.
The single parenting principle often begins with single parent homes and ends with child-headed households. Including short-and long-term economic and psychological disadvantages; higher absentee rates at school, lower levels of education, and higher dropout rates (with boys more negatively affected than girls); and more delinquent activity, including alcohol, drug addiction and criminal behavior.
Same Sex marriages although recent in study are not much more productive. They are significantly less stable and shorter on average compared with marriages between a man and woman. Consequently, homes with a homosexual adult inevitably contribute to substantially higher rate of changes in adoptive homes. This has nothing to do with our society: A study in the Netherlands, a gay-tolerant nation that has legalized homosexual marriage, found the average duration of a homosexual relationship to be one and a half years.
“Due to the high incidence of psychological disorders among children who enter the adoptive care system,” those “living with a practicing homosexual in the adoptive home,” are especially “ vulnerable to psychological damage and an increasing inability to adapt,” Rekers' study said. The study by Professor George A. Rekers was the basis for rulings in the state of Florida prohibiting the adoption of minors by same-sex couples.
While LGBT Parenting groups claim economic factors and societal pressure are the sole causes for these differences they escape the admittance of fact: Children raised outside of a nuclear family structure are pre-disposed to certain psychological, educational and emotional deficiencies at far greater numbers than children raised in this structure.
What could exhibit more ‘family planning’ than a marriage with a responsible, financially and mentally stable man and woman? A man and woman informed that there are attributes both sexes possess that are necessary to instill values and health in a child. Children, naïve and inexperienced by definition of being, are already susceptible to sickness, irresponsibility and reckless or deviant behavior, let alone when one of the fundamental concepts upheld by the Republican Party platform, (and more importantly supported by the bible) are missing or left to chance.
Familialism (though not directly a Republican concept) is the ideology that promotes the family and its values as an institution. The phrase has different meanings in different cultures. In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, the term has been frequently used in political debate, especially by social and religious conservatives, who believe that the world has seen a decline in family values since the end of the Second World War. But the term is vague, and means different things to different people.
For decades now, the Republican Party has used the issue of family values to attract socially conservative voters. While family values remains a rather vague concept, social conservatives usually understand the term to include some combination of the following principles (referenced in the 2004 Republican Party platform):
• Promotion of "traditional marriage" and opposition to adultery
• Support for a roll back of aspects of Feminism and support for a traditional role for women in the family.
• Opposition to same-sex marriage
• Support for policies that encourage "adoption over abortion
Promotion of "traditional marriage" and opposition to adultery. Traditional marriage I must point out, did not become referred to as “traditional” until untraditional marriage became popular less than 10 years ago. Homosexual, “Open” and Polygamous marriages would fall into this untraditional category. In the religious and political sense, it is defined as a legal marriage between one man and one woman, in no deviation from this strict standard. And although contradicted by the pro-sex feminism, which seeks to empower women through sex by reducing double standards associated with female promiscuity, the bible promotes monogamy, virginity and physical purity in the following verses:
“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders” (1 Corinthians 6:9)
“It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.”(Matthew 5:31-32)
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” (Hebrews 13:4)
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”(Genesis 2:24)
Support for a roll back of aspects of Feminism and support for a traditional role for women in the family. Modern liberal feminists are at odds with biblical depictions of women. They often feel ‘minimized, discounted and oppressed’ by God’s intentions of their creation.
Then the man said: “This is at last bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. This one will be called Woman, Because from man this one was taken.
But what, I ask is minimizing about this? :
“The Wife of Noble Character…
She is worth far more than rubies…
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar…
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks…
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
She is clothed with strength and dignity…
She speaks with wisdom
and faithful instruction is on her tongue…
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness…
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”(Proverbs 31:9-31)
The arrogance involved in assuming that women are more important than, or should be perfectly equal to men, is undeniable. Women are special in God’s eyes, as is explained here:
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man..... In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. (1 Corinthians 11:8-9,11-12)
Women who read these passages should not feel threatened, but proud. Women are bearers of great responsibility, whether or not it is identical to a man’s responsibility is irrelevant. Further, God has high standards and expectations for women:
“I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with … gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”(1 Timothy 2:9-10)
“And, In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” (1 Timothy 3:11)
Similarly, men have standards they must uphold:
“Now the overseer must be the husband, of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church? “(1 Timothy 3:2-12)
If God had little concern for women as his creations, he would not bother to address us with a moral code, a code that will allow us entrance into everlasting life.
Opposition to same-sex marriage. In the previous entry several passages about marriages were discussed, but also important are God’s opinions on relationships and sexual identity. These feelings influence the biblical perspective of marriage and family. One man and one woman create a nurturing atmosphere for child bearing, the negative influence homosexuality can have on raising children inspires the following verses, and is ere-go reason for this message in the Republican Party platform:
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.(Leviticus 20:13)
“…He walked in all the way of Asa… doing right in the sight of the LORD.The re’mnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he expelled from the land. (1 Kings 43-36)
Now that the gnarly specifics are out of the way, gender identity and transgender ideas are addressed here:
“The woman shall not wear that which pertianeth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”(Deuteronomy 22:5)
Support for policies that encourage "adoption over abortion”. It is common knowledge that abortion is acceptable in the liberal media and referred to as a woman’s choice, and further, a woman’s right and equal rights policy. But the flaw I find in this argument is that if all this was true, there would be no need to suggest that this choice is not murder. It is perfectly acceptable in a secular world to say: I want an abortion, if this is murder, so be it. But pro-choicers at large do not have the gall and honesty to view themselves as perpetrators of violence, so they look to scientific experts to ease their own guilt by convincing themselves that they have not murdered a child, but rather pressed the delete button on their keyboard. Christian liberal however, have no excuse in this matter. As they often take a “live and let live” approach to the issue, they should keep in mind that God holds an entirely different perspective:
And if men…strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage… then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life." (Exodus 21:22-23)
This verse is very powerful, because it not only condemns wrongdoing, but suggests that others have a moral obligation to do so also. It is then against bible philosophy to turn a blind eye to wrongdoing. Liberals too often confuse judgment with false judgment, Christians should adhere to:
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24).
This means God does want us to use our ability to reason, so long as we are not shallow in our opinions and judgments of others.
Surely we can rationally agree that taking life, life that you did not create, but merely bear, of an innocent weak vessel which cannot fend for itself, is of far greater importance than say, judging someone based on their wardrobe; and for that matter, we reserve the right to speak out against wrongdoing. Life, in the bible, is the most precious gift and is spoke on often:
For Thou (God) didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee…Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)
’The book’ referred to here, in which there are records of all life is known as simply “the book of life,” it is mentioned again in Revelation, the final book of the bible. The verse beautifully and plainly states that God knew all humans before even our parents knew they were to conceive us. The verse exemplifies not only God’s love of life, but the active role he plays in our creation prior to even our birth from the womb. Our souls and bodies belong to God; so our mother, although our earthly parent does NOT have the ultimate authority over our lives, and has the responsibility to let us enjoy the gift Jesus suffered so greatly to ensure for us.
Now that we’ve explored some biblical and conservative definitions of the family, we should compare how the left has recently described such values in their own way. For example, in his acceptance speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, John Kerry said "it is time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families." As outlined in the Democratic Party platform, liberals and Christian liberals alike outline acceptance as the essence of family values:
• Acceptance that men and women are the same
• Acceptance of same-sex adoption
• Acceptance of the non-traditional family (single parent households, same-sex marriages)
Groups such as People For the American Way, Planned Parenthood, and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays have attempted to define the concept in a way that promotes the acceptance of single-parent families and same-sex monogamous relationships.(Small divergence: the practice of monogamy has been absolutely ravaged by modern society in no greater numbers than by homosexuals, who by and large have 200X more sexual partners than heterosexuals, approximately 500 or more partners by age 60, according to Bell and Weinberg.) The following secular arguments debate the aforementioned ideas:
Acceptance that men and women are the same. While anatomically men and women are obviously different, the psychological differences between man and women are less obvious and not 100% conclusive. They can be difficult to describe, yet these differences can profoundly influence how we form and maintain relationships that can range from work and friendships to marriage and parenting.
At the heart of sensitivity is our capacity to form, appreciate and maintain relationships that are rewarding. For men, what demonstrates a solid relationship is quite different from that of most women. Men feel closer and validated through shared activities. Such activities include sports, competition, outdoor activities or sexual activities that are decidedly active and physical. While both men and women can appreciate and engage in these activities they often have preferential differences. Women, on the other hand, feel closer and validated through communication, dialogue and intimate sharing of experience, emotional content and personal perspectives. Many men tend to find such sharing and involvement uncomfortable, if not, overwhelming.
Rationally, you MUST accept, expect and respect these differences.
The Acceptance of same-sex adoption and acceptance of the non-traditional family (single parent households, same-sex marriages) are here grouped in this final pose because they have equally destructive potential.
The single parenting principle often begins with single parent homes and ends with child-headed households. Including short-and long-term economic and psychological disadvantages; higher absentee rates at school, lower levels of education, and higher dropout rates (with boys more negatively affected than girls); and more delinquent activity, including alcohol, drug addiction and criminal behavior.
Same Sex marriages although recent in study are not much more productive. They are significantly less stable and shorter on average compared with marriages between a man and woman. Consequently, homes with a homosexual adult inevitably contribute to substantially higher rate of changes in adoptive homes. This has nothing to do with our society: A study in the Netherlands, a gay-tolerant nation that has legalized homosexual marriage, found the average duration of a homosexual relationship to be one and a half years.
“Due to the high incidence of psychological disorders among children who enter the adoptive care system,” those “living with a practicing homosexual in the adoptive home,” are especially “ vulnerable to psychological damage and an increasing inability to adapt,” Rekers' study said. The study by Professor George A. Rekers was the basis for rulings in the state of Florida prohibiting the adoption of minors by same-sex couples.
While LGBT Parenting groups claim economic factors and societal pressure are the sole causes for these differences they escape the admittance of fact: Children raised outside of a nuclear family structure are pre-disposed to certain psychological, educational and emotional deficiencies at far greater numbers than children raised in this structure.
What could exhibit more ‘family planning’ than a marriage with a responsible, financially and mentally stable man and woman? A man and woman informed that there are attributes both sexes possess that are necessary to instill values and health in a child. Children, naïve and inexperienced by definition of being, are already susceptible to sickness, irresponsibility and reckless or deviant behavior, let alone when one of the fundamental concepts upheld by the Republican Party platform, (and more importantly supported by the bible) are missing or left to chance.
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