One of My Problems
I'm going to express an opinion that may not be very popular with some people. In fact, I know people who would not like what I am about to say. Just remember; my opinion is just that -- mine. Yours is just as valid.
I have some real problems with the Promise Keepers program. They are many (my problems). I could make a list, but this evening I am only going to focus on one of them.
I'm going to explain this problem of mine by example.
I was reading Sheila Walsh's book Extraordinary Faith. In it, she tells a story of a taxi ride she took one weekend in one of the cities where Women of Faith was having an event. Her taxi driver asked her what she was doing in town. She explained it to him, and he told her that he wanted to come to see it. She told him that it was mainly geared for a female audience, but he said, "I think I need to come and hear it." She got him and his wife front row seats for that weekend's event.
We have a United Methodist Men's group at our church. They meet once a month for breakfast -- sometimes with a program. I have absolutely no problem with an all-men's group. In fact, I think it's wonderful. However, I know that if this group of men had a speaker coming that I felt compelled to hear -- not just interested, but called by God to hear -- that I would be given a "front row seat."
Promise Keepers is a men's event. I have no problem with that. My problem is that no women are ever allowed. The only female report I found on the internet concerning what actually happens at an event was given by a woman disguised as a man. Women can sell books, snacks or t-shirts outside the event to raise money for the program, but they are never ever allowed to enter.
Therein lies my problem. Or at least the one I'm going to talk about tonight.
posted by Kim at 9:33 PM
4 Comments:
I hear where you're coming from, but I don't know if it's entirely accurate. I haven't been to a PK event for several years and things may have changed, but there were a few women at least a couple of PK events that I attended.
In 1995 in Indianapolis I saw a few women, plus one or two were on stage at times during the program. In 1997 there were some women at the Stand in the Gap rally in DC.
I certainly understand anxiety with the number of men involved and concerns that rallys will move into a bad area, but all of the content I heard was encouraging men to become better fathers, husbands and christians. Following Jesus' example of sacrifice and honoring women, not a return to patriarchal male power.
Again things may have changed, but that's what was happening in the mid-90s. As Carol says, if I am a Promise Keeper then she is a Promise Reaper.
http://www.promisekeepers.org/faqsconf221
They don't prohibit women from attending PK events. Also, there are many similiar organizations that only women are allowed at (Women of Faith comes to mind)
It's an interesting thought, and I'm not sure where I really stand. We don't have promise keepers here - but we did have a men's retreat weekend a while back. I was making food for them in the kitchen and heard the singing and it touched my spirit. You see in ourlocal church the men are severely outnumbered - but that day - men from many churches came together and it was wonderful to witness.
Their main speaker was the preacher in our Sunday service - so we got to hear him too. Probably quite a different topic and that's ok.
There were female pastors at a PK event in Philadelphia (I was one of them.) And our local church group oftens includes women in the gatherings and studies.
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