Post by bree on Dec 12, 2009 20:35:18 GMT -5
Hello, this is a fascinating site and I'm thrilled to have found it.
I'm Bree, I'm 32, married for 5 years and have 2 kids. (and I'm done!!)
I grew up in a Christian home and my parents took us to a Wesleyan church. It is a really large church so there was a mixture of qf families, homeschoolers, and more modern, forward thinking folks who are conservative theologically. My parents were hippies who grew up in nominally Christian homes, so when they were born again in the late 70s, they had friends in the Wesleyan church, but they still were fairly modern in their choices--going to R movies (and taking us kids), drinking socially, but still being pretty Bible based and socially conseravative.
I went to a conservative PCUSA college and loved it there, and studied political science and theology. After college I was on my own in the DC area and was free to completely make my own choices. I chose some lifestyle decisions that were in conflict with my upbringing, but wonder of wonders, none of them really hurt me that much!
I was never too wild but I broke some boundaries I always felt were stupid.
I met my husband and we dated for 2 years before we got married. He's 24 years my senior and he and I went to an Episcopal church together for 4 years. I liked the people and the Book of Common Prayer but they were a tad too liberal for me in that some people there didn't believe in sin and the gospels as literal. After our first baby was born we decided to try a different church and went PCA. It was fine but I know there we were kind of like my parents are in their church--more liberal but we were able to do our thing and skip the Babywise nonsense and still be quite happy there.
When we moved last spring to another state, we looked at the local PCA church and it was crazy--it is "integrated worhsip" and the pastor and his 11 children made up about 1/3 of the membership and his wife was pregnant. The website also said "we don't *require* members to homeschool but we counsel it. No thank you!
So we are at a Nazarene church and we love it. Theologically we think they're right on and we love the people. People make a church, after all, right? But it is a jean-wearing hair cutting church with no homeschoolers. So we fit in fine. Plus they ordain women, which I feel passionate about being in favor of.
Long story short, I am a Christian Feminist. I'm pro life, but I'm also pro woman. I think the purity ring movements, the qf movements, dresses only, submission, and other things are taken to extremes that really demean, oppress, and ultimately damage women. I am fascinated with hearing people's stories who got out of those situations. I'm passionate about helping educate young Christian women that while it is very good to be conservative about sex and it is rewarding and wonderful to be a wife and mother, you should also pursue as much education as you want, stand up for yourself and be an equal in marriage, and have a career if you want it, too. Being a woman is spectacular and I love it, but I also love having a career, reading whatever I want, and being partners with my husband in everything we do.
My husband is 56, I'm 32 and our son will be 3 in 2 weeks and our daughter is 18 months old. I work full time and my husband is retired and is a stay at home dad. He's amazing with our kids and it is a beautiful thing that he's so incredibly good with them.
I look forward to joining in your discussions!
I'm Bree, I'm 32, married for 5 years and have 2 kids. (and I'm done!!)
I grew up in a Christian home and my parents took us to a Wesleyan church. It is a really large church so there was a mixture of qf families, homeschoolers, and more modern, forward thinking folks who are conservative theologically. My parents were hippies who grew up in nominally Christian homes, so when they were born again in the late 70s, they had friends in the Wesleyan church, but they still were fairly modern in their choices--going to R movies (and taking us kids), drinking socially, but still being pretty Bible based and socially conseravative.
I went to a conservative PCUSA college and loved it there, and studied political science and theology. After college I was on my own in the DC area and was free to completely make my own choices. I chose some lifestyle decisions that were in conflict with my upbringing, but wonder of wonders, none of them really hurt me that much!
I was never too wild but I broke some boundaries I always felt were stupid.
I met my husband and we dated for 2 years before we got married. He's 24 years my senior and he and I went to an Episcopal church together for 4 years. I liked the people and the Book of Common Prayer but they were a tad too liberal for me in that some people there didn't believe in sin and the gospels as literal. After our first baby was born we decided to try a different church and went PCA. It was fine but I know there we were kind of like my parents are in their church--more liberal but we were able to do our thing and skip the Babywise nonsense and still be quite happy there.
When we moved last spring to another state, we looked at the local PCA church and it was crazy--it is "integrated worhsip" and the pastor and his 11 children made up about 1/3 of the membership and his wife was pregnant. The website also said "we don't *require* members to homeschool but we counsel it. No thank you!
So we are at a Nazarene church and we love it. Theologically we think they're right on and we love the people. People make a church, after all, right? But it is a jean-wearing hair cutting church with no homeschoolers. So we fit in fine. Plus they ordain women, which I feel passionate about being in favor of.
Long story short, I am a Christian Feminist. I'm pro life, but I'm also pro woman. I think the purity ring movements, the qf movements, dresses only, submission, and other things are taken to extremes that really demean, oppress, and ultimately damage women. I am fascinated with hearing people's stories who got out of those situations. I'm passionate about helping educate young Christian women that while it is very good to be conservative about sex and it is rewarding and wonderful to be a wife and mother, you should also pursue as much education as you want, stand up for yourself and be an equal in marriage, and have a career if you want it, too. Being a woman is spectacular and I love it, but I also love having a career, reading whatever I want, and being partners with my husband in everything we do.
My husband is 56, I'm 32 and our son will be 3 in 2 weeks and our daughter is 18 months old. I work full time and my husband is retired and is a stay at home dad. He's amazing with our kids and it is a beautiful thing that he's so incredibly good with them.
I look forward to joining in your discussions!
