tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572095228809360173.post5126041464061134137..comments2023-03-25T21:30:11.712+08:00Comments on My Black Bikini: Grrrrrrrrrl Power!Maureenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978319002478511193noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572095228809360173.post-12461067560664378742011-09-06T08:32:59.166+08:002011-09-06T08:32:59.166+08:00I had not heard of Jael. Nor had I heard of Debora...I had not heard of Jael. Nor had I heard of Deborah (the woman whose name I was given in the temple). Even though I had read the Bible several times I had obviously not picked up much from their obscure inclusion there and our Sunday worship didn't do much to highlight them. I've copied a piece from feministmormonhousewives to help explain:<br /><br />"Then there is that other celebrated prophetess, Deborah. She wasn’t just a woman accepted as some wise oracle to seek for advice. Also a judge, Deborah held real political power. Better translated as “chief,” judges led their followers into battle–in other words, Deborah was successful in mastering the roles typically associated with masculinity. The tribal champion, Barak, refused to undertake the campaign against the Canaanites unless he was accompanied by Deborah (a campaign which was ultimately won by the decisive and bold actions of Jael, another woman). I was really peeved that the lesson manual (lesson 19) sidestepped all this. Their take? “Deborah–the Strength of a Righteous Friend.” From a prophet and war chief to friend? I don’t think so! Ignoring the manual, I made the discussion of Deborah as prophet the center of that part of the lesson. My class was very candid. They knew that Deborah was obviously something more than a prophet in the most generic sense, someone who preaches of Christ or who receives personal revelation. This was obviously some calling, something akin to the men we call prophets. No rationalizing, no extemporizing some equivalence to Relief Society president. They admitted that Deborah doesn’t fit into the model presented by conventional LDS theology. There must be something more: what exactly, they couldn’t tell. Someday I hope we’ll have “The Rest of The Story.” For now, I suppose I must just appreciate that we have some stories and examples, fragmentary though they may be, of women in the Old Testament."<br /><br /><br />I think I'd find it interesting even now to seek out these women in 'history' (?). I think there are probably some more very interesting stories there that I never noticed. Squashed and minimised by the patriarchy, pooh to that!Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978319002478511193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572095228809360173.post-65574011853494706472011-09-05T14:29:37.085+08:002011-09-05T14:29:37.085+08:00I was very focused on the few biblical heroines as...I was very focused on the few biblical heroines as a kid. Jael was my favourite - blood thirsty indeed!Mandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04615563913854946465noreply@blogger.com