Some humans are more equal than others: Introduction

Last updated on: January 7, 2013 at 10:28 pm By Sarah Moon

Complementarian evangelical leaders like to pretend that their view of women is something other than exactly what it sounds like. They like to pretend that feminists (with our silly, womanly emotions) are just overreacting, misunderstanding, or twisting their words. “Real” complementarians practice godly, Christ-like leadership. They don’t dominate or abuse their wives. Feminists just don’t understand what’s really good for them–they don’t understand that complementarianism isn’t about a hierarchy. It’s just about separate roles. “Equal, but different,” as Mark Driscoll... Read more

Best of the Week!

Last updated on: January 6, 2013 at 10:35 am By Sarah Moon

Here are a few things from this past week that really shouldn’t be missed! I’ll start with one of the most beautiful things I’ve read in a long time: “The Body I Have,” by Dani Kelley And then she wrote this follow-up piece. Damn girl! Woman of Valor, indeed! “Existential perfection, problematic cultural systems, and being okay.” This Tumblr is more than a week old, but, especially if you frequent the comment sections of Christian blogs, you need to check... Read more

The privilege of purity

Last updated on: January 3, 2013 at 7:00 pm By Sarah Moon

I’ve spoken some about the purity movement on this blog. I grew up in it, and even when I still considered myself an evangelical Christian, I saw how much harm it had caused in my life. I’ve written before about how I “lost” the right to call myself pure because of sexual assault and later because of my own decisions. I’ve written about how dehumanizing the purity movement is toward people like me. But not everyone has to “do” something, or have... Read more

No, REALLY, I’m happy.

Last updated on: January 1, 2013 at 9:18 pm By Sarah Moon

Yesterday, I wrote about how, for the first time in a long time, I really do feel happy. Funny, though, how the happier I get the more people insist that I’m not happy at all. I get that a lot. “You’ve become so miserable and bitter.”…”Ever since you left church [read: the fundamentalist church] you’ve just been miserable.”…”Remember when you loved Jesus and church and you were so happy?”…”You’ve just become an angry feminist! Can’t you just enjoy your life?”... Read more

I’m happy.

Last updated on: December 31, 2012 at 3:00 pm By Sarah Moon

I’m happy. It feels good to say that and really mean it. Life has been a struggle ever since I can remember–healing from abuse suffered as a child and as a teenager–and life is still a struggle. But I feel like I’m winning. For the first time in my life I feel like I’m winning. I am healing. I am at peace with who I am as a person and as a woman, thanks to feminism. I am at peace... Read more

Plans for 2013

Last updated on: December 27, 2012 at 4:05 pm By Sarah Moon

I know I haven’t written in this ol’ blog as often as I should. Life’s been busy and exhausting. I keep telling myself I’ll get back to this someday, and I really do believe that’s true–especially since I’ll soon be quitting the fast food job that sucks away 90% of my energy and creativity. You folks can hold me to it. I’m a writer, damn it. I need to write. So here’s some of my New Year goals for the... Read more

When I don’t want to be a Christian anymore, I just believe in love

Last updated on: December 19, 2012 at 4:40 pm By Sarah Moon

I believe in love. I feel that I must take a moment to define my term as best as I can here. I’m not talking about romance or affection or coziness or anything else that we all sometimes call love. I mean the force that moves us to see others as fully human. The force that moves us to care, and to hope for (and more importantly work for) a world where everyone is seen as (and treated as) fully... Read more

Why?

Last updated on: December 16, 2012 at 1:48 pm By Sarah Moon

Trigger Warning for discussion of Sandy Hook Elementary shootings Why? I guess that’s what everyone’s wondering in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings this week. Why did this happen? Could we have prevented it? How can we stop it from happening again? As an activist, I turn my eyes to social structures, to laws, to ideologies of domination. I think of words from Martin Luther King Jr., from so many years ago, that apply still today: “we... Read more

A church “building project” that made a difference

Last updated on: December 7, 2012 at 4:18 pm By Sarah Moon

Many churches get super excited about building projects. These projects are supposed to represent big changes to the church, new ideas, progress, and relevance. Even the fundamentalist churches I’ve attended got excited about building projects, though these usually involved new gymnasiums where we could play the A.W.A.N.A “run around the circle and then go in for the beanbag” games rather than stadium seats or new stages for the worship band. Still, the idea is the same. If we build THIS, they... Read more

On apologetics

Last updated on: November 26, 2012 at 1:13 pm By Sarah Moon

Often I try to process my faith publicly, either through my blog or through facebook or twitter. Sometimes in personal conversations, although my introverted self has a rough time with that. Usually this is a good experience. I receive support and affirmation, “me too”s and “I believe something else but your way is cool too”s, or “have you considered ____”s. I have friends who know more theology than I do, who chip in. I have friends who are atheists who... Read more