Thursday, August 28, 2014

Honorable Women Suffer (The IFB's Strange Woman)





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.)


QUOTE: Part I, Leah's Good and Quiet Character Results in Many Children
But you know what impresses me most about Leah? And I think you ladies would agree with this. She loved a man who did not love her. Now I wanna tell you, that is character. And had she lived in the twentieth century, her contemporaries would say ‘forget it, just go jump in a lake’, and she’d leave the relationship. Twentieth century woman would do that kind of thing, but not Leah. She loved a man who did not love her.