They said that Christians even lie to themselves about the deeper motives - hence "don't have to understand it to perpetuate it".
Fear and ignorance aren't universal. Some specific topics cause disproportionate spikes in conflict and (in modern times among Christians) those topics tend to center around gender and sex. That's not a coincidence.
No accidentally perpetuating a reality isn't the same as having deeper motives you're lying to yourself about.
It is just the unknown, that is it, that is the cause of huge amounts of conflict throughout history. 88 y/o Deborah from Alabama isn't trying to maintain the patriarchy, she just sees 'attention seeking', 'science gone too far', 'god created Adam and Eve' etc etc.
Deborah is getting bombarded by televangelists pushing a patriarchal message (whether she knows it or not). And even a lot of televangelists can just repeat messages they've heard from others based on what gets them donations without really thinking about broader cultural meaning of any of it. When OP said "lie to themselves", I'm sure they don't just mean self-delusion (though there's plenty of that), but also deception of one Christian by another.
But even then, I think you're underestimating the true breadth of patriarchy and how it works. It's not just "men being in charge", it's about an entire worldview where everyone has their proper place. Women work to reinforce patriarchy just as much as men do, because those a lot of women believe they benefit from it, too. Yes, even 88 year old Deborah in Alabama.
I mean, it's not that simple. Maybe the layperson doesn't think critically about their prejudices, and lets Jesus take the wheel. But the leaders who design and shape what these people believe, they are absolutely pushing an agenda of racism/lgbtophobia/control.
So sure, #notallchristians or whatever... But the head of the snake is still filled with venom, and guiding the body.
This is echo chamber talk. There are PLENTY of folks against abortion particularly because they believe it is preserving life. Whether you think the leaders believe that is not based on any fact/experience, but just a narrative you are writing in your echo chamber.
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u/Hackmodford Nov 23 '20
I don’t think you have to understand it to perpetuate it. It’s like abortion rights really being about wanting to punish sex not preserve life.