It can be so refreshing to hear a pastor from time to time "GET IT"! Its sad that a time came in which it was his secretary was the victim, and she died from it. From her death came a voice, and he sure says a mouthful!
Friends, as we rally today in the awareness of the domestic violence that diminishes the integrity of men and women, and of our homes and communities, let us rally today, in the hope of domestic peace, and the assurance that it is never God's will that anyone of God's precious children, whether boys or girls, men or women, old or young - it is never God's intention - to use boy-friends and husbands as instruments of divine punishment or retribution. It is never God's intention that anyone live in fear in their own home. It is never the intention of God that anyone should live in captivity and fear. So let us rally in the hope of domestic peace, knowing that peace in our time is God's will. Let us rally in the hope of domestic peace, knowing that the kingdom of God is not reflected in notions about the home being a man's castle. Let us rally in the hope of domestic peace, knowing if you are a Christian, that Christ came to bring peace to you; knowing that if you are Jewish, that the peace of the house is the shalom of right relationships; knowing that if you are Muslim, that in Islam is peace; knowing even if you are not sure what you believe, or if do not believe, that there can be no justification, no excuse, no rationalization for harming those you have made a solemn promise to love.
To often churches speak from an enabling point of view, and often push people to endure the abuse because of their faith. Jesus and all his faithful followers that came after him that died - died for a purpose! That purpose was our faith in our God, and our way of believing and living as he would have us. Some would say that we would be in sin if we sought a safe place. Some throw the fact that "WOMEN" are to obey their husbands! They twist and turn so much it makes a person that is hurting more dizzy, confused and feeling abandon. We are to suffer together in fellowship at times, but in seems with domestic abuse sadly most are left to themselves.
We practice hiding, ignoring and even PERPETUATING abuse of all kinds onto both women and men within the christian fellowships. Our legal system is very slow moving at times of much help that is needed to victims, and sadly the church is even slower! People are placed in a REAL nasty position of being encouraged to stay within the home that abuse is happening, and when they do are at times sneered at about their decision - to either stay or LEAVE! People are placed in a hypocritical place of either leave the church, or stay and ignore the abuse within your home. BOTH ways they are giving up on the spiritual fellowship, guidance, support that they are very desperate need of!
I will close with another quote from the author, and if you click the link on the articles title it will send you to the entire thing.
All too often I hear the Scriptures of my faith quoted in justification of abuse and harm, when they were meant to provide God's grace for families like yours and like mine to fulfill their dream of peace. All too often, women who are seeking advice from their clergy or faith leaders have been told to go back, to put up with it, to be quiet and be more obedient, when what they should have been told was that their lives are precious in God's sight, and that the abuse they are experiencing is grievous to the heart of God. All too often, communities of faith have tacitly condoned the actions of abusers by their silence or worse yet have reinforced the patterns and cycles of abuse by defending the false sanctity of so-called traditional family values.
But God's intention for households of peace is given from the opening chapters of the Biblical witness, and is continued right through to the very chapters so often quoted from the Apostle Paul as justification for the subjugation of women: for in the same sentence where Paul so famously speaks of obedience, Paul commands: Husbands, love your wives, and never treat them harshly.
domestic abuse, domestic violence, submit, faith, pastor, enabling, peace in the home
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