More Powers Of The Dis-empowered.

[bobby1933]

Elizabeth Janeway Dies; Feminist Author (washingtonpost.com)

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Comments

[reginaterrae]

My first thought was "faith", so it's interesting that Janeway included "doubt" on her list. I think, though, that doubting the powerful is a 'power' of the weak, and faith in a power greater than the humanly powerful is another.

[bobby1933]

As i said, its been thirty years since i read the book. It crossed my mind to get a copy (i read the library's) but i doubt that i will at this late date. Janeway traveled in a different circle so while i was pleased that her ideas about power were so similar to mine, i could not expect them to be the same. I think that "doubt" is not so much religious doubt but doubt about official stories. Though i never thought of her as a feminist (which she was) she would say that refusal to believe in woman's "place." would be a geed example of the doubt she is talking about.

On the other hand, i think i agree with you about faith, if we are talking about faith in the God of the mystics, the faith that drove Martin Luther King, Jr. or the early feminists.

[amaebi]

As a White person I used to be a bit bemused by African-American congregational liturgies of God's worthiness. And then I thought how often African-Americans have had unworthy folks demanding their worship.

I think that doubt of authorities who claim to be the universe, combined with faith the there is better, even better ultimacy, go together.

[bobby1933]

"Authorities who claim to be the universe." I like that but wonder if it is not more often an assumption, a given, for people with power. Perhaps the first thing power corrupts is people's perceptions of reality, first and foremost the perceptions of those in power.

[amaebi]

I'll go for a combination of humility and rage.

This morning I read a Young White Male Pastor's blogpost on submission and how "we all hate submission" and how central to Christian practice submission is. Without specifying submission to what. I don't perceive anything particularly Christian or noble about submitting to cultures or regimes as they roll over and oppress others.

I suspect that submission has something of a fetish role in YMP theology.

[bobby1933]

Yes, humility is a power! Rage i will have to think about since it seems that the powerful are quite capable of rage also.

"nothing...noble about submitting to cultures or regimes the roll over and oppress others." Amen, and again i say, Amen.

Whose submission to what?

[amaebi]

I think the humility and the rage have to be combined for them to function as power for the disempowered.

[bobby1933]

Hmmmmmm! For rage to be a power of the weak it must be combined with humility. Can humility functionas a power alone?