The letter insert rant
Feb. 23rd, 2006 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
averygoodun42I skipped over the letter's insert because I didn't have the patience to read it while pondering the mystery of the letter itself. However, I dug it out of the recycling last night to show DH, and it was still lying on the table this morning. So over dinner I read that bit about mothering.
If a person from my mother's group sent this out, she is not a person with an intelligence level I could ever tolerate.
(ie: she's a complete dunderhead.)
"An inspiring Example of a Godly Mother
"When you think of mothers, do you view them as "women with children," or as valued caretakers? Many examples in the Bible suggest that God views motherhood as an important, godly commitment."
(Note the word commitment.)
"One such example can be found in the story of Hannah. Unable to bear children, she cried out to the Lord to give her a son. As she prayed in the temple, she vowed to commit her child solely to priestly service if God would allow her to be a mother. (I Samuel 1:11)
"When God granted Hannah's request, she was faithful to honor her promise. After giving birth to her son Samuel, she delivered him to the temple and dedicated his life to serving the Lord.
"Though in our modern culture we are not asked to deliver our children to be raised by our church leaders (HA!!! The hell we aren't! The church leaders just don't go to the trouble and expense of feeding and changing them, as we teach their ideals) we can learn from Hannah's example. Clearly she trusted God and believed He would answer her prayer. She fulfilled her promise to God and was rewarded for her obedience.
"Because of her diligence and faithfulness, Hannah's son Samuel became an important biblical figure..."
I choose to view that example differently. Okay, granted that times were different back then, and a woman not bearing children was seen as a less than stellar example of the sex. The thing is, Hannah's husband said he loved her, even without children! So she was more concerned about society's view of her, than her husband.
Next is the message about faith and whatnot. She asked to be a mother. She promised to give her son up if God deigned to give her a "man child."
So, bearing a child makes a woman a mother just as donating sperm makes a man a father?
I don't think so.
Where's the commitment in that? How is that an example of a 'godly mother'? She donated her child to the church, as if he were an article of clothing. In fact, once she weaned her son, she took him up to give to the temple along with a sack of flour!
Fine example of motherhood, that.
Now, I know I'm probably reading more into this than I should, but you'd think that they could find a better example of a "godly" mother. It's not like the Bible is exactly short of them. Take Mary, for example. She didn't even get the chance to pray for a son, but was, ahem, forced by God to bear his son. And, since God wasn't exactly corporeal, she had to raise him. He turned out to be a fairly important biblical figure as well. Possibly more important than Samuel.
"Never underestimate the influence a godly mother can have upon her children."
Imagine how important Samuel might have been if Hannah had actually raised him. If she'd been an actual mother. If she had so much faith in God, imagine how much faith Samuel might have been raised to have knowing he was a miracle in his mother's eyes, instead of being just a youthful tool for the church.
"Find time to say "thank you" to a special mother in your life today."
If this is someone thanking me, I'd appreciate they think about what message they're sending before opening their mouths. I may not be the best mother in the world, but at least I'm accepting the responsibility of raising my son.
*grumble-grumble*
If a person from my mother's group sent this out, she is not a person with an intelligence level I could ever tolerate.
(ie: she's a complete dunderhead.)
"An inspiring Example of a Godly Mother
"When you think of mothers, do you view them as "women with children," or as valued caretakers? Many examples in the Bible suggest that God views motherhood as an important, godly commitment."
(Note the word commitment.)
"One such example can be found in the story of Hannah. Unable to bear children, she cried out to the Lord to give her a son. As she prayed in the temple, she vowed to commit her child solely to priestly service if God would allow her to be a mother. (I Samuel 1:11)
"When God granted Hannah's request, she was faithful to honor her promise. After giving birth to her son Samuel, she delivered him to the temple and dedicated his life to serving the Lord.
"Though in our modern culture we are not asked to deliver our children to be raised by our church leaders (HA!!! The hell we aren't! The church leaders just don't go to the trouble and expense of feeding and changing them, as we teach their ideals) we can learn from Hannah's example. Clearly she trusted God and believed He would answer her prayer. She fulfilled her promise to God and was rewarded for her obedience.
"Because of her diligence and faithfulness, Hannah's son Samuel became an important biblical figure..."
I choose to view that example differently. Okay, granted that times were different back then, and a woman not bearing children was seen as a less than stellar example of the sex. The thing is, Hannah's husband said he loved her, even without children! So she was more concerned about society's view of her, than her husband.
Next is the message about faith and whatnot. She asked to be a mother. She promised to give her son up if God deigned to give her a "man child."
So, bearing a child makes a woman a mother just as donating sperm makes a man a father?
I don't think so.
Where's the commitment in that? How is that an example of a 'godly mother'? She donated her child to the church, as if he were an article of clothing. In fact, once she weaned her son, she took him up to give to the temple along with a sack of flour!
Fine example of motherhood, that.
Now, I know I'm probably reading more into this than I should, but you'd think that they could find a better example of a "godly" mother. It's not like the Bible is exactly short of them. Take Mary, for example. She didn't even get the chance to pray for a son, but was, ahem, forced by God to bear his son. And, since God wasn't exactly corporeal, she had to raise him. He turned out to be a fairly important biblical figure as well. Possibly more important than Samuel.
"Never underestimate the influence a godly mother can have upon her children."
Imagine how important Samuel might have been if Hannah had actually raised him. If she'd been an actual mother. If she had so much faith in God, imagine how much faith Samuel might have been raised to have knowing he was a miracle in his mother's eyes, instead of being just a youthful tool for the church.
"Find time to say "thank you" to a special mother in your life today."
If this is someone thanking me, I'd appreciate they think about what message they're sending before opening their mouths. I may not be the best mother in the world, but at least I'm accepting the responsibility of raising my son.
*grumble-grumble*
