"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them…. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:26-27,31).
Men and women are equal with one another and before God. They are equal image bearers! They are both good! Imagine that! Now imagine if we believed that right now in this nation! Oh, the good and the healing that would come!
In our time, something is at work – same old witchcraft, new century. I want to tell you today about an old, regurgitated kind of evil for 21st century America. Evil does not consider the time or century it is in when it chooses to deceive the hearts of a nation or a people. In our time, evil presents itself as logic, light, safety, strength, and protection with a twist of Christian religion and patriotism, a heavy dose of control and fear (the hallmark of witchcraft), and much insecurity. This is not new, just an attempt at different variety or perhaps something easier to stomach in our modern age. It has come for the hearts and minds of men, and it is bent not only on their destruction but the destruction of women and children. We may be a long way from the Garden of Eden, yet Evil’s tactics and motives remain the same concerning men and women: 1) convince men that women are not like them in any way and are inherently bad (and must be controlled), 2) convince men they are not good either, 3) Convince men they helpless victims of women’s equal image bearing status in God’s eyes (this is where insecurity and fear come in). These are the oldest tropes (i.e., lies) in the playbook designed to detract from the universal, God-given truths in the starting verses of this blog. This witchcraft has not only slithered its way into our mainstream society (politics, media, writing, and intellectual thought), but it has also taken up residence in the Church wearing an honestly well thought out, but disgusting costume called “Biblical Manhood.” “Biblical Manhood” is a softened version of misogyny using specific misinterpreted and mistaught scriptures on “female submission” and “male headship.” Such Evil could probably not get many well-meaning Christian men to agree to outright misogyny and call it by that name nor get them to agree to knowingly treat their wives and partners as misogynists do – like children and objects. Throw in some tweaks in the wording and presentation, and a healthy dose of victimhood and you’ve got men (Christian and non-Christian alike) right where you want them – afraid, insecure, and helpless with a macho mask on trying to hide it all. I like a practical approach when exposing witchcraft and evil so allow me to give you a real-life example from a conversation I had a few weeks ago that exposed the very thing I am describing to you.
I had a conversation (if you want to call it that) with a professing Christian man. He seemed “nice” about it, but that niceness was fake – not to mention he stood in the middle of the room and blocked my path to make one of his points.
The conversation started without provocation with this statement; "Feminism has ruined everything" and I felt like a cornered rat (for a moment anyway). The deception: victimhood and “poor me” instead of responsibility for whatever action or inaction preceded this statement. I have no doubt he feels bad about himself and is very insecure based on some things I know about him and his recent past. This is very heart breaking to me because I believe that deep pain causes poor self-image and insecurity. This is not an excuse for him or this behavior, I am simply choosing to see the deeper reasons behind such statements.
[I will offer the Church this brief tidbit where feminism is concerned. Perhaps if the Church had not deemed women unable to lead (baseless scripture misinterpretation) and stopped using the term "equal but", feminism would not have been necessary in the first place. When the Church gave up her responsibility to come along side women as equal partners who are equal image bearers – we forfeited our right to criticize feminism.]
I patiently listened.
He continued with statements like:
"Women have more debt than men." (I looked this up, it's not true) The deception: “women are bad (and must be controlled).”
"Equal pay for equal work is not really what it claims to be." (yet women's wages have steadily gone up since the 1970s because of women's activism) The deception: inability to see reality. Again, he is insecure and feels bad about himself.
"Women are too emotional." (again, not true) The deception: “women are not like us at all and are bad.” The truth is men have just as much emotion as we do, they have not been shown how to express said emotions nor has our society allowed them to in healthy ways. Evil has no use for emotionally health men, they aren’t easily deceived nor manipulated into the witchcraft and lies many of these statements put forth.
He implied this statement without directly saying “Women don't need to take out credit.” The deception: “women are not like men at all and are bad.” This also conveyed to me a need for control.
"Divorce is too easy." The deception: “women are bad (and need controlled).” Again, he feels bad about himself.
"Successful women don't get married much. They have to turn on masculine traits they won't/can’t turn off." (I know successful women who are married, happy, don't act masculine, and their partners are not afraid of nor intimidated by their success) The deception: “women are bad (and need controlled).” This statement reflected a lot of insecurity and fear as well as a need to feel wanted and be in control.
I do not know what prompted these statements. When I could get a word in, I provided healthy, kind, and truth-based counter points. I made it clear without being unkind that I was not intimidated by nor afraid of him, and that I did not believe his arguments. I excused myself from the conversation (and he moved out of my way to let me by when I firmly told him I need to be able to move by). Jesus was and is always with me.
I believe Evil is feeding men in our nation the victimhood mentality narrative about women and equality. I also believe Evil is feeding on men’s unresolved insecurity, trauma, fear, and desire to feel needed and wanted to deceive them. Evil is feeding men the false narrative that if they can “just be in control and in charge everything will be okay.” Yet, being in control and in charge won’t take away their pain. This belief system had not made the man’s life easier who cornered me in his living room. He was not a “leader” I wanted to be around. I certainly didn’t feel “safe or protected by a man of God.” He didn’t sound like Jesus at all. I do not know who he is listening to but whoever it is, they too are deceived. I am convinced I was just supposed to stand there, take it, and agree that night. He learned otherwise.
Deception is the flavor of the year in America or at least in the men complaining (and sometimes screaming) loudly right now about feminism, faith, and host of other social aspects of American life– Christian or not. Let me be very clear - Christian or not, these men suffer with insecurity, mother wounds, and dysfunctional fathering - spiritual and otherwise. These men, Christian and non-Christian alike, are offering "safety" and "protection" in exchange for their control over others and the expectation of the ability to do what they will and "be in charge" no matter the outcome. There is no covenant, there is only a mimic of covenant. These men can be nothing more than mimics of Jesus’ character. Their hearts remain unchanged. They do not know Him. They are fake and they push fake statistics on women and the family, women and finances, feminism, and even God Himself. They run around yelling "I'm the leader", even though they have yet to go anywhere. If they do claim Jesus, they pretend to know Jesus and his heart, but their hearts are far from him. They expect men, women, and children alike, to tolerate their abuse and evil. They look good and say all the "right words." They are whitewashed tombs - very dead on the inside and very dangerous to women and children. They are hypocrites! Church, they are the wolves inside the walls.
What of the self-professed misogynistic, non-Christian man? You know, like Andrew Tate. They are more authentic than their "Christian" counterparts! They aren't trying to be something they are not and talking out of both sides of their mouth. They at least don't profess Christ in the same breath they are saying, "we have to protect women and keep them safe and that means we have to be in charge all the time. We must lead. We are the leaders and only us! They are too emotional and can't make decisions as well as we can. They are supposed to put up with us, no matter what we do." I am not saying they are good men. I've known a few, they aren't good men. They are equally dangerous to women and children and yet they are not hypocrites – they are exactly who they say they are in word and deed. There is no righteousness in misogyny. There can be no righteousness from these unrighteous men. Unrighteous men do not operate in the spirit of Christ. They operate from the motive of power and in the interest of self as does witchcraft. There is no righteousness in witchcraft. You can’t operate in witchcraft and the spirit of Christ; they are fiercely opposed to one another.
I will close as I opened, with truth and an additional warning.
Ladies, you are good because God says you are good. You are equal image bearers because God says you are so. No man can take this from you.
And to the wolves within the walls and other men of deception I say - repent while there is still time. I leave you with this:
Isaiah 47:10; You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your “wisdom and knowledge” mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
Proverbs 26: 24-26; Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts, they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts (e.g., pride, deceit, wickedness, the love of lies, the love of violence, the love of evil, the love of hurting others). Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly (in other words, in front of all).
Without fear,
Elizabeth
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