The Dance of Gender Differences
Christianity was created by men, the bible was written by men, religion has been controlled completely until very recently by men. Women and men most often are born with different traits (not always.) God created us different so we would bond across those differences, which working together could make each other and the world a better place. The Working Together in a dance is the goal…..different strengths are needed for different challenges and times. To have balance there needs to be freedom to take turns leading in the dance. The spiritual journey changes us throughout our life. At 87 I’ve recognized how I have changed my view of everything, including God and Jesus and other religions, over my journey. Jesus fleshes out the spiritual journey in a way I personally can learn from, so he’s my “go to” guy. But I figure I will probably still be seeing new aspects of our life journeys on my death bed! No person or religion has all the truth, nothing but the truth, even with the help of God (which would make us equal to God!) Once we recognize that we are all one and that God is Love by any name, we can trust the spirit within. Then we can roll with the changes in this life. It is a school for learning to Love…our own unfinished, so flawed , selves and thus even the enemy who is unfinished like us but in different aspects. We actually NEED each other to help us become whole.
Posted on November 9, 2024, in A Jesus kind of Love. The Sacred Laughter of the Sufis. The Spiritual Journey rather than a Religious Country Club. the Called, not the Chosen., Age and transformation., Always two imperfect, bit legitimate sides to every issue, Caring across differences, Differences in Grace for Different personalities., Differently timed spiritual journeys., Understanding our Enemies frees us to Love them. and tagged Love starts with loving the enemy within us., Most of the problem is that we are the blind fighting the blind., Our unfinishedness is our challenge not our sins., The dance of our differences leads to wholeness or holiness. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Laughter: Carbonated Grace 
Gender. I recently sat in a meeting with a bunch of older Christians. I’m seventy-four, so you know they had to be ancient. They were arguing about women assuming leadership roles in the church. The side that felt women should be more visible were convinced that scripture, which speaks against women being pastors was more culturally based instead of dictates from on high. The other side believed in the inerrancy of the Bible and that believers should take the word as absolute truth. As they vehemently argued, I found myself thinking that this discord is playing right into the desires of Satan, whom they all recognize as the sewer of chaos. Irony?
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Wonderfully expressed! I love how open minded you are towards all people on God’s path. If I may ask, have you found a church that connects with you and encourages you? That Christian community element is a major step I haven’t taken – but like you my views aren’t textbook and I’d love to include my children.
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I have attended quite a few denominations and been a guest speaker in most. The church I have been active in for the last twenty-five years is Presbyterian USA …the liberal branch of Presbyterians. Politically and their active hands on involvement with the homeless and their communion service being open to anyone that wants to participate and acceptance of LGBT…?….fit my intellectual take on most things. But as a born-again Charismatic Christian I often am closer as a Christian to people I disagree with politically. My conversion to belief in God and an experience of His unconditional Love fleshed out in Jesus and of amazing miracles and the Holy Spirit gives me a lot inn common with more fundamentalist Christians. Most Presbyterians USA are more about the here and now and helping others physically and not being prejudiced against minority groups because they don’t take all the Scriptures literally. Which works for me….because to me there’s a difference between fact and truth. My spiritual journey began as a Catholic child. When I became disillusioned with the religion I didn’t realize I had made it my God and so I lost faith in God. I came back to God and Jesus through friends who gave up an easy affluent life to be missionaries with Campus Crusade for Christ. So I came back to Jesus and God outside any denomination. I returned to the Catholic Church because I saw it as the largest mission field available to me. to my surprise Vatican II was bringing about changes similar to Martin Luther’s. I worked with a lot of denominations though. Of course many Catholics including a lot of clergy had a very hard time with the changes. The same differences in personality that tend to split us politically, split us religiously. After doing every ministry, even new ones for women, I realized my gift was basically cheerleading for Jesus….which is preaching, not teaching. (This is God’s humor because I always looked down on Cheerleaders in school as not intelligent.) Any way, God used this to get me to a religion that my husband could finally join and experience the unconditional Love of God instead of thinking he had to earn it. I belong to a Study Group of mostly retired teacher who are Methodist, Episcopal, Church of Christ, Baptist and ?.. I give talks that include my faith in Jesus and God and frankly they “get” it better than half the people in my church. And funnily, quite a few Catholics follow me on face book! I’m trying to write a spiritual memoir, but it’s going very slowly. One thing I do know is that whatever the denomination, the Pastor/preacher will influence it. The Catholic Bishops change the priest pastors every seven years and I’ve recognized that they place a liberal for seven years in a church and a conservative in it the next seven years!!! And they all have gifts….they are different gifts. … but they are all important. But it does sometimes play havoc for those that hate change! This is probably no help at all for you! Just pray, listen, and watch through scripture, people, specific situations. God has used movies, songs and something someone says to finally make something click for me. I’ll pray for you. You pray for me. Yay Us! Yay God!
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Thank you for sharing your experience with me. ❤️ It helps me see what a journey faith is.
My Grandma planted the seeds of faith in me as a little girl. She’s Catholic. She would bring me to mass, and I was baptized and received my first communion.
I was raised in an atheist home though, and those were my beliefs until I had my children.
My children went to preschool at a Presbyterian USA church. The community there seemed very welcoming and warm. I donate food to their food bank. I’ve never attend church there.
My brother and I both speak and learn about faith with my Grandma. We go to her church sometimes for events like watching The Chosen show with a group and a deacon who helps us reflect on what we saw. But I only rarely go to Mass with my Grandma.
I’m torn. I think I struggle to step outside the Catholic Church due to my connection with my Grandma, yet I’m not sure if it’s a good fit.
But from reading what you’ve shared maybe I just need to give them both a try. You seem to have found a good fit with the Presbyterian USA church, and I do relate a lot to what you share.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, and for your prayers. I pray for you as well. ❤️
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Yes, when my children got to a certain age is when I went back to searching. I miss the community I experienced in the Catholic Church. The problem these days is that whomever the pastor is influences that church and the teaching of our children. Mine have become disillusioned with religions, though not with God.
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