Question of the Day:

Why do you think God created a "subconscious"? I mean, do you know how much trouble these things cause people?! Why would God think it was cool to let us absorb all these weird, whacked-out beliefs and then stick 'em in some dark corner of our brains. And there they sit, just waiting to bite us in the buttocks...and what's worse is that we don't even know where the attack is comin' from!

It's like a man minding his own business, walking down the street and suddenly he starts just pounding himself to a pulp! Briefcase flying! Glasses shattered! Dresscoat in the snow! Blood running down his face! Everyone's staring in horror! And then...

He stops...collects his things...
And limps off mumbling something about "this part of town"!

"Dude, do you need a doctor?"

Ya-huh, buddy, he needs a doctor and a padded wall.

Here's what I think...God didn't make the "subconscious", we made it. God made us to be whole people, not people divorced from ourselves. Yet, that is what we are. On the whole, we are unwilling and afraid to look inside. We are unwilling and afraid to admit our own responsibility for the messes we make. We are unwilling and afraid to suggest that we might be living our lives out of lies. Unwilling and afraid to be honest with ourselves.

God didn't make the subconscious, we made it. Each and everyone one of us make our own day after day after day.

Let me just give this one caveat. I do understand that much of the subconscious is created in childhood as a way of protecting ourselves against things that children cannot understand. I don't mean to be yelling at children! My concern is with folks walkin' around in adult bodies who are still living like children.

So let us now examine the subject of this blog in light of the subconscious. When a young woman grows up in an environment where she is taught that her position in life is to be always under the authority of a man, she will incorporate that into the structure of her world.

Men are to be the "head of the household", the "spiritual leader". Women must "submit" to their husbands, need "male authority" over their heads.

Now, couple these thoughts with the fairytales that tell little girls that the greatest thing that could happen in their lives would be to get married to Prince Charming.

Come with me now and visit imagination. See with me this young girl sitting in her Sunday School class. She is intelligent and gifted and even at this young age, she seeks God. Suppose now her teacher asks some Sunday School question. She knows the answer, but no one else does. So, she answers. Suppose this is a recurring theme. She knows the answers and no one else seems to know - or as children are sometimes prone to - no one else seems to care.

What will happen when this girl begins to be interested in boys? Her highest goal is to find "Prince Charming" and marry him. Clearly, Prince Charming is suppose to her "spiritual leader". Only, unfortunately it's hard to follow someone who's behind you!

The choice is quite clear. Lie about who you are (hear: become stupid, ditzy girl) and be "loved" or be honest and never reach your highest goal.

And so, hidden in the subconscious of many "submitting" women is the realization that they actually have the power to stand on their own. What do you think this may lead to?

Until next time, ponder that.

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 1/15/2004 05:54:00 PM