Monday, April 10, 2006

More-on Bumper Stickers

Memo to the woman driving down Williams Blvd this morning who had the "Jesus is my Co-Pilot" bumper sticker...

First, just because you think Jesus is your co-pilot doesn't mean that he's going to take the wheel while you talk on the cell phone in traffic, and almost cause two accidents by swerving out of your lane twice.

Either Jesus really isn't your co-pilot, or Jesus is a lousy driver.


Memo to the witch commuting on I-10 Eastbound this morning...

We do get the point that you're a witch. The "my other car is a broom" sticker gets the point across - as do the other 22 bumper stickers plastered all over your non-broom vehicle. Sometimes brevity is the soul of wit.

Regarding the one that claims "obedient women are never remembered in history," there is some truth to this - and not just regarding women. Jeffrey Dahmer, Lee Harvey Oswald, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Chairman Mao, and Caligula are all examples of disobedient men who have been remembered in history. Indeed, a great way to get into a history book is to be a murderer, thug, dictator, or other disobedient type.

Most men (of both sexes) will never be written about in a history text - especially those who don't make headlines for cannibalism or mass murder. In fact, the best way not be be remembered in secular history books is, as the witch of I-10's bumper sticker proclaims, be obedient - especially to God's law. And indeed, our secular culture hates women. Femininity is discouraged, motherhood is mocked, maternal devotion to husband, family, and divine mandate is held in contempt. Law-abiding women who are obedient indeed, like their law-abiding obedient husbands, will likely never have an entry in Encyclopedia Brittanica.

But there is one genre of history where the bumper sticker is flat-out wrong: Church History. Indeed, if witches really want to find history books that honor womanhood and elevate femininity to the realm of the pedestal, one can study the history of the Christian Church. Read how womanhood is honored in Proverbs 31. Read the stories of great women in Scripture who, obedient to God, find themselves with an incorruptable crown of glory, not to mention being extolled in the best-selling book of all time. Indeed, the most adored woman of all time is the Blessed Virgin Mary - whose obedience and humility endears her to all Christians. She is a saint for all to love and emulate. She is the Mother of God. No man could ever claim such an honor.

In Church History you can read about great women, courageous and obedient women, faithful women, who have been canonized and made heroines to men and women alike. From the days of martyrdom in the Church at the hands of bloodthirsty pagan zealots, right up until the present, women continue to serve God as obedient nuns or as obedient wives and mothers.

Obedience and womanhood are not popular these days, except, for example, among traditional Christians - who hold both obedience and womanhood in the very highest esteem.

Too bad paganism, witchcraft, and the secular culture hate women and hold womanhood in contempt.

4 comments:

OSC said...

Indeed. Your second experience leads me to recall the Re-Imagining Revival of 1998, where Eve "is celebrat­ed for her act of resistance. All were encour­aged to sing. 'Taste and See how good is the fruit that falls from the tree. Taste and see how good is the fruit of the garden.' The Re-­Imagining Conference con­cluded with an invitation for all to take a bite of the apple in solidarity with Eve." I suppose this witch would have felt quite at home.

Norma said...

Unfortunately, Christian men, theologians and pastors both, have not held women in as high esteem as Jesus did.

Rev. Larry Beane said...

Norma:

Indeed, you're right about this - just as Christian men have not held other Christian *men* with the esteem they should have, as well as the fact that Christian women, too, fall short of the glory of God.

Human history is a sad and sorry matter of sin and continual disobedience.

Sadly, instead of repentence, many modern Christian theologians, men and women alike, are turning *away* from Jesus, the cross, the God-given hierarchy that He established, and His Word - instead opting for self-made religion: be it the New Age cults that promise everyone can be a god, or the goddess cults - that have wormed their way into once-faithful Christian churches (as osc points out above).

We all need to repent! Men need to honor their wives and love them with the same self-sacrificial love that Jesus has for His bride, and women need to honor their husbands in godly submission. Our "culture of death" discourages both.

All of us, men and women alike, all need to repent of our collective lack of submission to God, and our sinful focus on the self.

Thanks for your comment!

Orycteropus Afer said...

Brother Larry, your bumper sticker posts have, collectively, won you the Aardie. Feel free to drop by and collect it at your convenience.