[Thread.] My mentions are now full of stories of women survivors who, because of "complementarian" teachings like those of Paige Patterson of the SBC (a man, btw), were discouraged by their pastors from seeking safety from an abusive husband....
Each one of these survivors is so courageous - true women of valor. (And these are just the ones who have survived, the ones who are free to speak.) Many tell me they were ostracized from their church when they finally left. Y'all, I've heard this story *hundreds* of times....
...What really gets me about Patterson's latest remarks is the complete disregard for children in abusive homes. His "pastoral guidance" means children must watch helplessly as their mother is beaten by their father, subjecting them to emotional trauma & potential physical harm.
...Patterson praises the woman who comes into his office with two black eyes, celebrating her faithfulness. So what about when the kids come in with black eyes? Does he pat them on their backs for being brave little soldiers?
The fact that there is not even a thought of contacting authorities or a shelter tells you everything you need to know about why churches & denominations like these protect abusers. When a man commits a crime against his family, it is handled "in house," by church leaders.
Bottom line: Despite what Patterson and Piper and all these guys say, PATRIARCHY IS NOT ABOUT PROTECTING WOMEN; IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING MEN....
Patriarchy is Donald Trump receiving endless "mulligans" for adultery, sexual assault, peddling porn, & demeaning women, while complementarians debate whether women should be allowed to be police officers & how many black eyes they should get before leaving an abusive husband...
White, conservative evangelicalism can do all the rebranding it wants, but it will look nothing like the Jesus it claims until it repents of its idolatrous relationship with the unholy trinity of Patriarchy, White Supremacy, & Religious Nationalism.
Patriarchy isn't from Jesus; it's from the Devil. It's from the ugliest, darkest parts of ourselves and the world. May it be exorcised from the SBC, the broader Church, and every corner of this broken world.
