This
post is part of a series examining the “strange woman” doctrine.
The
concept of a “strange woman” is an unofficial
doctrine**
held by some Independent Fundamental Baptists concerning sexually
abused girls: They become human garbage and things to be used, to be
dispensed with in whatever way is convenient to those who have charge
over them. Note that many doctrines in a high demand group are not
formally documented but become part of the oral tradition or the
hidden
curriculum**
of their culture and are often more powerful rules than the formally
stated ones.
Ron
Williams of Hephzibah House offers a very lengthy sermon about this
insidiously taught doctrine causing pastors confront occurrences of
sexual abuse in their congregations and in educational settings.
(Full sermon transcript available HERE.
Audio available HERE.)
Jacob is Always Righteous
Men can
behave corruptly but, paradoxically, they are declared righteous by
God. (This does not appear to be true for women because of the sharp
distinction he implies. His mother, Rebecca, designed deception and
was responsible for his situation, but he steps away from the past
with purity and the very name of Israel.)
™
QUOTE:
Part
I Jacob's
History
The
old heel grabber, the poacher, the conniver, the sneak. You could
call him by many adjectives, couldn't you? And yet, Jacob was a
righteous man. [. . .] Jacob had a lot of flesh in his life... But
ultimately, he came to be called Israel.
[.
. .] He lived up to his name, and in that sense, he conspired with
his mother Rebbeca to do so.
™
QUOTE:
Part I, The
Unfortunate Picture of, Our Hero, Jacob
Even
though he's a righteous man, he allowed his lower nature to control
his life on too many occasions, and here's another example,
Double
Standards for Williams' Favorite Women
™
QUOTE:
Part I,
Leah's
Children Have Better Character
Then
verse 21 of chapter 30, Dinah comes along and ominously Dinah means
‘judged’, kind of a cryptic expression for what we’re gonna see
coming later.
Why is
this presumed to be a judgement against Rachel as opposed to a
judgement against Jacob for setting up a home in a foreign land full
of pagans?
™
QUOTE:
Part I, Rachel's
Poor Character Results in Few Children
So
here’s a girl who was willing to give her own husband a concubine
in order to gain the children that she so desperately wanted, and
unfortunately, Leah would follow her example, but Rachel did it
first. And then Leah did, unfortunately, follow her example.
Leah
does exactly the same thing that Rachel does, but when Leah does it,
it isn't so bad. This is also what Abraham does willingly with
Sarah. Were Abraham and Jacob both helpless and passive in this
scenario? Williams takes what is not written and claims that the
text supports his own ideas.
™
QUOTE:
Part II, The Troubling
Response of the Family
These
sons come on the scene, verses 6 and 7, Jacob’s sons, and they
realize this wasn’t God’s perfect plan. And you know I don’t
see anything wrong with brothers trying to protect their sisters, in
fact, I… I kinda like that idea. I kinda like the idea of brothers
saying “hey boy, you better keep your hands off my sister. I’ll
rearrange your face.”
Dinah is
sinned against by a man who then agrees to do right by her, and her
passionate brothers are so offended that they go out and murder all
of the men in a city in retaliation. Yet Dinah is left to bear the
shame for their actions as well as those of her rapist. Her family
has to run yet again, and none of it has to do with her. Why does
Williams think that it's a good thing that her brothers acted rashly,
even if they did so out of what was a good motive at heart?
