Let the brainwashing end...

So I'm in the middle of the twilight zone. Of course all of these profound things are going to happen this week when I'm not sleeping, eating properly, or even functioning. Gah.

First off, I have just made the most amazing discovery. I was in Annika's room tonight, reading her some stories, and I came across this book, Minou, that I had and loved when I was a child. Wayne had come across it about four months ago and told me he didn't like the message, but I had waved him off with a "whatever," and kept the book. Tonight, as I was reading, I was literally floored to discover several things. There not only is an underlying message to the book, but the message is blatantly spelled out in the rear in a section for parents. The section also includes sample activities to do with your young girls as you share the message with them. It also includes guidelines for raising your daughters to agree with the message.... which basically states that girls MUST learn how to work and take care of themselves because boys will no longer do it.

Some of the advice given to parents was absolutely appalling. To quote a few: "Avoid rescuing girls, help them become problem solvers. Use gender neutral labels. Encourage risk taking in girls and care-taking in boys. Read what children are reading and point out sexist messages. Write protest letters together. Try role reversals at home. Let dad do the dishes, son bathe the baby and sister take out the garbage and mow the lawn. Introduce women to the workplace early."
Basically everything my favorite ministry, Vision Forum, is fighting against.

(If you are unfamiliar with them, you can and should read their statement of beliefs about biblical patriarchy here)

I realized also that the woman who wrote the book is the Executive Director of the Girls Club of Santa Barbara, where I spent a great deal of time, and who also wrote this sort of unspiritual devotional, called "Choices: A teen woman's journal for self awareness and Personal Planning."

I thought back on the YEARS I spent reading a portion of that book every night and planning and plotting my way into failure as a biblical wife and mother, filling myself up with information and knowledge based on lies the feminist agenda put forth and which I swallowed up with relish. Unbelievable. I felt cheated! Most of all, I felt fascinated.... I know that my parents believe the best solution is not indoctrination but EXPOSURE to ensure that their children are able to make decisions with the whole picture in mind, but I can't help but wonder if I HADN'T been exposed to all this crap early on, would I have suffered as much or been as out of control? Probably not. I think there is a definite case for protecting your children, and for training them to recognize right from wrong (though this doesn't have to mean living in a bubble at all.)
Now I have tons of spiritual work (prayer) to do for release from all these lies I've been holding on to for ever. Yippee.

I'm ever so grateful to have discovered this stuff BEFORE Annika was able to read it for herself. I mean really, I feel like I wasn't even given a fighting chance to be a Proverbs 31 woman from the start with my head full of this kind of garbage.

Also, in my stepford wives group here on myspace, I've been learning some amazing truths about the sexual relationship between husband and wife that have just been GNARLY. Ones that have really left me encouraged and also hit me hard.

Anyways, I was going to do section two of the submitted wife topic tonight, but as you can see I was sidetracked by a book about a cat and I can no longer think of anything else :P

I'm off to work on my Aracunia Patagonia Cotton Shawl, I am LOVING knitting that baby up. Pics soon.