Sarah Mally

I read this to find out what is being taught as a part of the Purity culture and Christian patriarchy. I was looking for insight into things that do not make sense to me. This book certainly provided insight, but it was not good for my perception of Christian patriarchy.

I could nit pick all the things that bothered me about the book, but there were two thing that really stood out above all the other issues.

I came across this gem on page 109: "The world still suffers today because of Abraham and Sarah's attempt to figure out their own solution to their problem of not having a son." Did you really just label Islam as something causing the world to suffer? If you think your religion doesn't have an equally oppressive and bloody history, you are certainly ignorant of your religion's history. You also contradict yourself. Isn't it God who allows a child to be conceived by opening and closing the womb? Doesn't that mean than God intended Ishmael to be born? For all the fuss in this book about God's plan, the author can't seem to make up her mind about how God's plan works.

Secondly, I absolutely reject the notion that I, a female, should only want to be a stay at home wife and mother. I am not my husband's servant. We are equals. I cannot imagine that following the rules of this book and becoming a man's servant will yield the best possible marriage. That honestly sounds like hell. I seriously question the thinking of anyone who believes that doing A and B and C will guarantee the happiest marriage ever.

And why the heck didn't the king just send a knight down to the moat and kill the alligator? I seriously question the governing prowess of the king.

This book will do (and has done, from what I understand) great damage in the hands of impressionable young girls. You are more than a man's servant. You can be a good Christian and be a nuclear physicist, pilot, chef, police officer, historian, engineer, librarian or anything else you want. You don't have to get married or have kids of you don't want to. Christ does not limit you. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise.… (altro)