Why I'm a feminist.

This is really funny.

Yes, that must be it. Thank you for the morning chuckle. I love irony.

We need to do something about the level of discourse on A2K. I'm tired of being insulted for my ideas, tired of seeing others get insulted for their ideas, and tired of interesting threads descending into mud fights.

Much better than reality eh?

Do you understand that this is the sentiment echoed by literally every person on A2K that disagrees with feminism???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

I have tried to engage in reasonable discourse.

I have stated my opinion clearly and unemotionally. I agree with the other side on many issues and I have told them where I think they are right. And, I haven't personally attacked anyone.

I am not an all or nothing type person. If I agree with the other side on something, I am happy to meet in the middle. I would love to be able to discuss real issues... such as how men and women talk, or body image or dating culture.

I haven't found anyone on the other side that is willing to discuss issues in a reasonable way with polite disagreement.

If there is anyone who would like to do this, I am here

EMOTIONS (UNCLEAN SPIRITS)

2 Cor 7:1
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
James 4:1-4
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Gal 5:16-17
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Matt 18:8-9
8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.
9 "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
Rom 7:13-21
13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
Rom 9:16-21
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth."
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?"
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
2 Tim 2:24-26
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Eph 2:2-5
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
2 Cor 5:19
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Mark 1:15
15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
1 Pet 4:1-2
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
Gal 5:18
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Gal 5:24
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
John 14:26
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
2 Cor 5:5
5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Matt 11:12-13
12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
2 Cor 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Gal 6:8-9
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Rom 13:13-14
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
(NKJ)
xxx Emotions or passions are unclean spirits. They enfluence us by very strong feelings. They agree with the devil. They are part of our outer person. Our inner man is our spirit and soul. Our spirit is the mind of our inner man, and our soul is the body of our inner man. Our outer person is where the unclean spirits live and the devil and our guardian angel. Our guardian angel gives us the right thoughts and the devil gives us the wrong thoughts. We need the Holy Spirit(verses) to discern who is who. Unclean spirits only torment us when we are not feeding them. when we are giving into them or feeding them they dont torment us they make us feel good because we are feeding them.

Col 3:5-10
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
(NKJ)

Gal 5:18-21
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(NKJ)

1 Tim 6:7-9
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
(NKJ)

Matt 10:39
39 "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
(NKJ)

Matt 16:25
25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
(NKJ)

Mark 8:35
35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
(NKJ)

John 12:25
25 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
(NKJ)


Matt 12:43-45
43 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 "Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."
(NKJ)

ALL controversial topics lead to mud fights here, always. This place was very poorly and naïvely designed if the intent was to promote cogent discussions and knowledge. But beyond the designers, the participants also have a responsibility to make it work.

Pretty much all I've got from the "anti feminist" comments here is that women don't actually experience sexual assault/harassment etc that often, it happens to men just as much, and what about men? Really, the poor men? What about them?!

Maybe instead of talking over women with a booming loud BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ME voice (which by the way, men have had for years) you shut up, listen to what experiences we're having and think "right, what can I do about it?"

It may be something as simple as telling the guy at the bar who says "look at that skirt, she's asking for it" that in fact, no, she's not.

I haven't looked at the whole thread but once in a while, some feminist says something reasonable, no?

I am not saying my own debating style is perfect, far from it. But this is a collective phenomenon. We are all complicit in this process. Some more than others perhaps but i want to stress the collectiveness of it. It's a vicious circle we're all trapped in. And not a very original one either...

You peddle too many clichés. I never ever heard a man says: 'look at that skirt, she's asking for it' or anything approaching. 'Look at those legs', 'look at this ass', yes, but there's nothing wrong in appreciating beauty, is there?

Please do not behave in a sexist way, thank you.

I agree with to an extend, all other issues, you are very fair minded, and you are right, I haven't seen any insulting towards other here from you. Sometimes, I admit, I get frustrated and try to be insulting, it rarely works out the way I want it.

From what I gathered, you have an issue with the word, feminist and what it connotes.

I wouldn't consider myself a feminist as in I don't really concentrate on just feminist political issues and I have nothing against men and I do realize men have their own issues. Such as child support and decisions regarding whether their child gets aborted or not. That issue is so complicated. However, I do agree with most of what I have heard regarding feminist issues. The trouble is your views are so far apart with most of those who agree with feminist issues, it is hard to discuss it rationally.

I think you missed the part where she said, "she's asking for it," which takes a step further than simply admiring someone. Perhaps she and others (including men) have it something approaching it in bars and such places.

Of course they do. When someone says something I agree with (and it happens quite a bit) I tell them so. I have no problem with this.

My political views and my views on woman's issues in general are pretty progressive. In any practical matter my opinions will probably be more in agreement with Izzy and Germlat then will Nonono.

I would love a reasonable discussion, and yes I am perfectly happy having opinions in the middle (or mostly to the left).

I have what i think are reasonable disagreements with feminism. I would be happy to discuss them with anyone here is a respectful, thoughtful way.

You can't just make stuff up like this. Factually speaking there hasn't been a single comment here saying that women don't actually experience sexual assault (please provide a link and I will gladly admit that I am wrong). It doesn't help your argument to make statements that are clearly factually incorrect.

You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.

That's exactly what I take issue with. I never heard any man (or woman) say that. Have you?

They wouldn't be clichés if we didn't have material to work with.

yes

many many times over the years

in social situations

at work

in casual conversation

You're telling me that it's sexist to point out the fact that rape of drunken women happen because of the mentality that "she's asking for it" anyway (whether because of how she looks, whether she's promiscuous etc)

But it's not sexist to quite literally equal women just to their "legs" and "ass".

What the actual ****?