John Eldridge presents a view of men and women that I personally believe is endlessly damaging. If you’re not “wild at heart,” you’re not a man and if you’re not “captivating,” you’re no woman.

Meh. John Eldridge just makes excuses for people to be as shallow and surface-loving as the rest of the world — only he looks to the victorian world rather than the Bible.

Women, in my experience (and my life), want what everyone wants: to be valued for who they are. Not what they look like, what they can do, whom they can please. We want recognition of our humanity and to be treated with respect and compassion.

But, well, I guess its all moot. This is a 2 year old post and I’m singing the same old song I always have.

Hrm. I promise not to comment on every old post that makes me think. Maybe.

Dean - Would love to know how your dad is doing. He was a very important person in my life during those seven years of preaching in Searcy.

Quite frankly, I am getting so weary of all the well-meaning ultra-conservative “spam” e-mails I receive…some of them spin history around so blatantly to prove their point that I have even resorted to replying to the sender, informing them that just because I am a Christian who in intensely patriotic, who has a fond interest in history, and who is also a registered Democrat, it does NOT mean that I don’t support our troops, wherever they are, or that I follow the party line, whether it be Republican or Democrat or Libertarian. They are trying to compare apples to oranges! I’ve even expressed that today it seems people “follow” a political line like hysterical lemmings, without any thought or study of the issues. The lack of critical thinking skills is so obvious in today’s world . ALL Christians should vote responsibly…they should be informed with no blinders on. This nation needs to stop this polarization, blind loyalty, and extremism in politics in the name of Christ, and we, as Christians, should look more closely at what Christ really taught, as we exercise our privilege and responsibility to vote. It’s all about loving each other and doing what is good for all, and not labeling or judging each other. We’ve already observed the relationship of corporate greed and politics. How much of this has filtered down to the actions of professed Christians? What does the Bible teach us about greed? No, we do not need politics in the pulpit, but we sure do need to hear more about the ultimate message of Christ, to do more as Christ asked us to do, and to BE more Christ-like rather than keep our focus on “liberalism” or “conservatism”.

Of note…one of my political “heroes” was a Christian. He was one of the most humble, kind, selfless, and respected individuals I have ever had the joy of knowing, and was a member of the House of Representatives for many, many years…a voice of reason and wisdom. He was a member of the CofC. I can’t even remember what “party” he was affiliated with…all I know is that he was a Christian in it’s truest form. If there were more people like him in our nation’s leadership, I don’t think we would be having all the problems we have today.

Thank you for helping to open the mind of young person many years ago. I kept the outlines of your sermons, written by me in elementary and jr high, for many years, and I will keep the ideas they inspired for the rest of my life.

Dean Priest Jr - Conway, AR

Ever read any of the “Free in Christ” series by Cecil Hook’s books? They’re all free and online at http://www.freedomsring.org under “Books”. Some of my favorite ideas from him:

“Unity does not mean conformity”

“In Romans 14 and elsewhere Paul called for consideration of persons with scruples about meats, days, and circumcision, yet he did not permit them to bind diet, days, or circumcision. We must not continue to allow contentious people to limit Christian liberty by binding their convictions.” (his chapter on “The Remaining Restriction for Women” in the “Free to Accept” book is Awesome!)

“We in the CofC have emphsized study of the scriptures…becoming lawyers of the word…evaluating legal requirments” I would say lawyers indeed.

I’m not always so sure that a deeper reading of the scripture gets you anymore understanding of God. The first century believers didn’t have all the scriptures, and yet they were considered disciples? Right?

Read _Captivating_ in its entirety and with a generous heart (Stasi and John are, after all, your brother and sister in Christ) before you rush to pious conclusions about what the Eldredges may or may not be saying. One can criticize _Captivating_ for a number of reasons and on a number of levels, but a failure to understand the uniqueness of each woman is not one of them. If all that Stasi and John have accomplished with _Captivating_ is to remind our utilitarian, results-oriented, success-obsessed culture of the essentiality of beauty to an understanding of God and the worship of God (and, by extension, Satan’s obsession with destroying it), they will have done us a great favor.

qb

It is sort of like the DaVinci Code, which is probably another blog that I missed and don’t want to get into. Or anything else for that matter, just because so-and-so doesn’t like it, or him, or that idea doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t. Read the book, watch the movie, meet the person, be informed. Take it or leave it. But to make another person feel badly because they didn’t like it or did is very much the same as the other topic of this post, Republican or Democrat?

I have read most of “Wild at Heart”, excerpts from other Eldredge books, and read a number of interviews with him. I know enough to be familiar with his ethos as it pertains to gender roles, and this editorial backed up my prior knowledge. On the other hand, he’s never met me, so he hasn’t the slightest idea what THIS woman wants.

I shudder to think of a young couple who ties themselves in knots trying to fit (or waits for a partner to fit) these roles when it’s not necessarily how God created them as personalities. Don’t scoff; I’ve seen it happen.