Pretending You’re Oppressed: The New Internet Fad

On top blogging sites like Tumblr and Livejournal, the biggest new fandom is no longer anime or evening fantasy drama, but that of “SJ,” a nickname for “social justice,” which refers to discourse on equal rights and how to, essentially, be kind and respectful to all people. As a trans person of color, I have used these platforms as a means of communication, of activism, and a way to maintain my own sanity in one of the rare environments in which I can sometimes feel both safe and totally myself.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there are many cases where it’s definitely needed. The recent shooting and death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman, who was initially let go on self-defense despite a recording of Martin screaming for his life and well-documented violence and racist comments, would be one of those cases. The still-existing legislation in the U.S. that makes it possible to fire transgender individuals for their gender identity would be another. There are legitimate issues that need to be addressed in our society, there’s no denying that. The need spawned things like Occupy Wall Street and SlutWalk, major movements evolving out of small internet conversations.
But as everyone on the internet knows, where there is light, there is dark.

What started as a movement by people who are suffering to try to help those of us who are privileged to understand their struggle has now become a mockery, hijacked by people whose only tangible shared problem could be described — and recognized by anyone with common sense — as social ineptitude.

They sit, watching equal rights discussions, hearing the terminology and logic, and take it for their own purposes. They quote famous activists far out of context to add that elusive air of legitimacy where it just doesn’t exist. By carefully and secretly treating their “fight” as equal to racism, transphobia, homophobia and classism, they worm their way into the real issues and cleverly tilt words designed to protect to disregard those who are at actual risk for losing their jobs and their lives.
The base of this false movement is “identity.” You’ve probably heard the term “identity politics” used to refer to people who believe that identity colors one’s experiences, and this idea is not without merit. Identity is an important concept, and is essential to the fighting of bigoted stereotypes and ideas about marginalized groups. It is very easy for people who have never lived or seen a certain kind of oppression personally to believe that it just doesn’t happen, even despite statistics. But people who seek to misuse the term take that concept all the way down the slippery slope. According to them, as long as someone identifies as something, it is true. No exceptions.

Think about that for a minute.
Do you identify as a butterfly? Then you are one. Do you identify as a pie? Then you are full of buttery, fruitilicious goodness. If you follow the “to each their own” philosophy, one could almost wave the basic idea as long as it didn’t interfere with, you know, reality. But this is the dark side of the internet, and it devours all common sense like a black hole eats light. And we’ve already crossed the event horizon. Anything not mainstream is “oppressed” in this wonderland. Wielding identity as a weapon, one can entirely remove themselves from personal responsibility for their part in harming others, and ultimately, any negativity at all.

Ever hear of otherkin, or otakukin? They refer to people who “identify” as animals or anime characters. I’m pretty open, do whatever you want as long as you’re not bugging me. According to some, though, lack of widespread acceptance of otherkin is contributing to mass otherkin oppression. Oh? Otherkin are being rounded up from their homes and killed? No? Are they being fired from jobs for being otherkin? Not that either, huh? Are they at least being disproportionately arrested and thrown in jail with sentences 60% longer than non-otherkin? Well then what IS going on? They’re… being ostracized on the internet. Oh.

But otherkin and their ilk have been around for ever. Try googling “Final Fantasy VII House.” Pick a time to read when you have a few free hours and a lot of booze. Now, there are newer, even more mockable “oppressions” coming out. You’ve heard of transgender and transsexual, let me introduce you to the new trans people: transabled and transethnic. Transabled people are disabled people hiding out in perfectly working bodies. They “identify” as blind, deaf, paraplegic and quadriplegic despite having never been so a day in their entire lives, and are well-known for talking about how hard it is to want to be disabled but unable to be. Transethnic people are white people who “identify” as a non-white race or ethnicity. They’re weeaboos multiplied by a million, with bonus “I learned about your culture in a book I read once so I know more than you.”

But not all the ridiculous “oppressions” are this out there. What normal people call “mild inconveniences,” some have blown up into full scale witch hunts. Like “kinky oppression.” The belief that people thinking your love of handcuffs in the bedroom is weird is exactly the same as getting beaten in the street for being gay, which leads to the coined term “vanilla privilege,” the preference and favoring of those who don’t engage in any kind of kink in society. Or “body mod oppression” and “goth oppression.” Oppression is just as easy as shopping for overpriced skull-themed clothing at Hot Topic, hopping down to the local tattoo parlor, and getting that box of two dollar head dye from the corner shop!

My personal favorite of these new, ridiculous “oppressions” is when people cross so far into this realm that, to them, the norm is oppressed. Fundamentalist Christians have been complaining about their supposed oppression for years, how they are now the ostracized and marginalized in our harsh modern society, and some people have decided to take a page out of their book.
“Demisexuality” is part of the “asexual” grouping. I’d tell you what it means, but demisexual people are confused about it too (and you’ll find about 100 conflicting definitions out there), so I’ll give my understanding. Demisexuality is when people only feel sexual desire for those whose personality they like, or to whom they are emotionally attracted. In other words, they make up most of the population. But they’re very oppressed, if you ask some of them. Oppressed how, exactly? No one knows, but you can’t expect them to provide any evidence. That would be wrong.

Personally, I think they all suffer from plain old “being boring” oppression. You know, the kind where you’re dull and you watch too much TV and you feel a desperate need to be cool, different, part of a group. One could almost say that “interesting” people are oppressive, flaunting their interestingness in your face, telling stories of suffering and pain, while you know you live in a comfortable 2-bedroom apartment your mom and dad paid for, drive in a car that you’ve never had to personally get fixed, and the most harassment you ever received in your life was being told you were weird that one time you wore neon orange lipstick and spandex to your junior prom in high school.

But besides being all very ridiculous, it does have a clear-cut, damaging effect to legitimate oppression, those where people are actually dying, becoming homeless, being forced into prostitution, and living in dire poverty, unable to get a hand up. When you take the words of those who truly suffer, not because they feel emotions while sitting in their middle-class home behind their thousand dollar computer, but because they spent 15 years in jail on a trumped up charge they didn’t even commit, and are now unable to get a job due to stigmatization that doesn’t apply across the board, those people now receive less of the sympathy and help they need to survive. For every person that complains that a disagreement on the internet about their catbunnyanimusparklegirl status triggers them (despite them continuing the argument until the wee hours of the morning), someone who is so triggered they can barely breathe, curled up, reliving trauma, is invalidated, ignored, and not provided what they need.
Ridicule the silly internet people, make fun of and dismiss their claims of oppression as not worth your time, but remember as you do that they’ve stolen from people who do need your help. Just because everyone is shouting at once doesn’t mean there aren’t still real voices to be heard.

Oppressed Syrians have divine right to fight back: Khatib

Imam and khatib at the Grand Mosque Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib affirmed the right of the oppressed Syrians to defend themselves against their oppressors.

“Blood of innocent people is being shed in Syria. No religious or moral scruples deter the butchers from perpetrating their brutalities. Almighty Allah has given unjustly oppressed people the right to defend themselves,” Al-Talib said while addressing the pilgrims and worshippers assembled at the Grand Mosque for Friday prayers.

Al-Talib also recited a verse from the Holy Qur’an meaning that victims of oppression had the permission to take up arms and that they would be helped by Allah.

The khatib reminded other countries in general and the Arab and Muslim countries in particular that it was the duty of the Arabs and Muslims to stop the aggressors who did not care for any human values.

“Let the Arabs and Muslims take practical steps to save the victims of oppression and stop the oppressor,” the khatib added.

He also warned the Syrian oppressors that divine punishment would be meted out to them.
He also called on the Syrians to unite so that their defense becomes strong.

During his speech the khatib also stressed the need to strengthen family relationship. He also lamented the failure of many couples to lead a happy family life, which led to the break up of families.

“It is painful to learn from statistical reports that the rate of divorce in the Arab and Muslim countries is between 30 percent and 40 percent. This is a frightening situation that demands efforts to find solutions for the issues that threaten a healthy family life,” he said.

He also warned against parents compelling sons or daughters to marry those who they do not like.

Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Qasim, imam and khatib at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, urged the believers to make the best use of the free time they have under their disposal especially when the vacations are round the corner. He urged students who have completed their academic year to devote their time to religious studies. He also wanted them to be dutiful to their parents.

“The vacation period is the ideal time for a father to get closer to his children and thus fill the void in their relations,” he said.

 

"Why Do Women Still Feel Oppressed?"

Are women happier if they submit themselves to their husbands? 

"Why do women still feel oppressed?"
I'm asked this all the time, usually by a guy who looks like he should have a toothpick handing out of his mouth.

While I would like to answer "Are you kidding?" I have, instead, decided to list just a few reasons why "the gals"' still feel as if we're not exactly making either making the rules or being permitted to play the game as well as we really could.

Take a deep breath, and get out your reading glasses. And if you're the guy with the toothpick, get out your dictionary.

Men have retained the right to make both governmental and church law, thereby legislating both official and unofficial systems of morality. "Wives submit yourselves to your husbands," women are told by the Bible. When women were denied the vote they were patiently told that their husbands voted as the "head" of the household.

The woman was the hands and back and womb of the household, even the heart of it, but she certainly wasn't perceived as being able to use her head. She could have no direct say in the formation of her government but was, of course, still subject to all the rules and laws legislated "on her behalf."

In Benjamin Wadsworth's "Puritan Marriage Manual," The Well-Ordered Family, or Relative Duties, a woman in 1712 was advised that even if she were not "inferior" to her husband, she was nevertheless unquestionably to act as his subordinate. Wives heard from Wadsworth that "though possibly thou hast greater abilities of mind than he has, wast of some high birth, and he of a more mean Extract, or didst bring more Estate at Marriage than he did; yet since he is thy Husband, God has made him thy Head, and set him above thee, and made it thy duty to love and reverence him. If therefore thou dost hate or despise him, revile or dishonour him, or disobey his lawful Commands; if thou dost usurp authority over him, much more if thou life up thy hand to strike him (as some shameless wretches will), then thou dost shamefully transgress the plain Commands of the Great God: thou dost trample his Authority under thy feet."

To go against your husband was, in effect, to take up arms against God himself. Lucifer, we remember, got into trouble for doing no more than this.

The Catholic Church positions women as subordinate to men, since "The man is the ruler of the family, and the head of the woman."  In an encyclical, or official papal letter on marriage and the family, Pope Pius XI gave the following instruction to his flock, "Because she is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone, let her be subject and obedient to the man, not as a servant but as a companion, so that nothing be lacking of honor or of dignity in the obedience which she pays."

This should not be confused with equality, however, since it is "The same false teachers who try to dim the luster of conjugal faith and purity" that wish to "do away with the honorable and trusting obedience which the woman owes to the man.  Many of them even go further and assert that such a subjection of one party to the other is unworthy of human dignity, that the rights of husband and wife are equal; wherefore, they boldly proclaim, the emancipation of women has been or ought to be effected." This is not an aim that can be endorsed, since the position of women remains what Milton had declared it to be in Paradise Lost.
Writing of Adam and Eve, Milton saw the chain of command as follows: "He for God, She for God in Him." Eve should worship the figure of God as he appears in the person of her husband. She needs a translator, a go-between, a man who will be able to understand the needs, rules and regulations of a god. Her husband should serve the Lord, and she should serve her husband. Heaven was presented as a sort of men's club which admitted women only when they had an escort. Certain faiths and congregations have allowed women equal access in spiritual terms, and in these houses of worship female leadership is not outlawed, and female lives are given a free range of expression.

Often, however, conservative religious groups regard women as naturally and correctly subservient to men.
There are now flocks of texts marketed to women suggesting that the only way to a happy marriage is for a woman to sit down, shut up, and let her husband make all the decisions. These tracts, distinguished by their reliance on "scripture" and their emphasis on making sure that women are fulltime homemakers,  are full of practical advice on keeping a marriage "alive"--such as meeting your husband swathed only in transparent Saran Wrap. ("If I waited around the kitchen wrapped up like that," grumbles my friend Kim, "My husband would put me in the microwave without even thinking. He would figure I was just a big leftover.").
A woman is encouraged to put aside her wants, needs, and dreams in order to be more accepting of her husband's desires. The rhetoric is different from Milton's, but the message is the same: she should be for God in him.

Luckily, Cynthia Heimel offers a contrasting vision for those of us who have trouble believing that God wants us to dress as French maids as a way to prove our devotion. Heimel suggests that we should not look for God in heaven, but in less intimidating places. "For God is always to be found at the back of the refrigerator behind the moldy tuna fish casserole," she writes, "Or sometimes He is found in the way the tailor at your corner lovingly stitches up the hem of your party dress, other times in the way a child sings along with a toothpaste commercial. Do not look for Him in the heavens; He only keeps a small locker there, only goes there to change."

More  radically, attorney Sarah Weddington, who argued the victorious pro-choice position in the original  Roe v. Wade case, was on a television talk show with an evangelical minister who offered to show her the path to the Lord. She turned to him and said, "I talked to God, and She doesn't remember you."

Depression Cure For All Oppressed Of The Devil

Law Law: I will forget you & I will forsake you: Jeremiah 23:39.
Grace: I will never leave thee nor forsake thee: Hebrews 13:5.
Endure to "the end" written to be saved (only) by grace (only).

Perhaps your own binding principles actually have you bound.
Perhaps your own laws(legalism) are making you mentally sick.
Perhaps such mental illness can man-i fest in many natural ways.
Perhaps law's worse case scenario is "the ministration of death".

Let not your binding principles also bind you until bad gets to worse and worse gets to worst: you too can bend over and double kiss your divided ass bye bye.
Consider the word "worst" does NOT even occur at all in the New Testament;
And the "worse" case scenario thereof in Revelation ends with grace to you all.

Law: Legalism is the root cause of depression is oppression,
in all them who "oppose themselves" with their own legalism.

Depression is a serious health condition affecting millions of people

Depression illness is a spiritual condition which can manifest in many natural ways: bi-polar dis-order, anxiety attacks, PTSD wretched feeling, insomnia, pessimism, fatigue, chronic pain, etc...the list is very l-o-n-g-suffering. Many are affected. Sadly, many victims of depression related illnesses become guinea pigs and cash cows for doctors and pharmaceutical companies who would forever treat, but never actually have a depression cure. For it has become a large part of their livelihood.

Let's look at America the Great, which has more of these things

America has more laws, violence, violent weather, and depression related illness. Survey says over 25% of America diagnosed and being treated for mental illness. Worse yet, medical experts contributing to the Harvard medical survey suspect another 30% have some form of mental illness, but not yet diagnosed or treated. Worse yet, another survey says going to a doctor is #1 cause of death in America. Another interesting thing about America is it has more legalistic churches, more crime, more criminals. Sadly, many such are in positions of power; the worst being POTUS: G.W. Bush, whom other leaders suspect is the #1 terror-ist in the world. At his second coming he boasted he'd take his rod of iron rule of law global in 4 yrs. At his first coming he notably favored sacrifice and vengeance; Issuing an ultimatum to all nations: you're either with or against us, as if he were an us: Not! For the evidence does not lie nor take sides, but does reveal he's one of them.

Depression is not only treatable with horeb-bull side effects, but curable

The law(church legalism), root source of dis-ease, dis-comfort, fear hath torment, is notably both natural and spiritual abuse: spiritually abusive as well as naturally, witch manifests naturally as depression related dis-ease: as bi-polar dis-order; panic attacks; anxiety and stress dis-orders; PTSD: feeling wretched; sadness; empty feelings; hopelessness; helplessness; insomnia; pessimism; restlessness; suicidal thoughts; fatigue; chronic pain; etc, etc, etc. The list of dis-ease is l-o-n-g.

Natural Cure: Flax seed oil capsules: inexpensive; readily available; work well.
(Note: if on any pharmaceuticals, wean off for 21 days while taking flax capsules)
(Note: if in any legalistic church, come out from among them: "sin[law] no more")

Spiritual Cure: Flush law as "dung", in favor of "grace is sufficient" (no law req'd)
(Note: even "another law", "the second" in Mt 22 & Rom 8 law law, is abusive law)
(Note: puffed up by another law can and will get you killed by such like also deadly)

Eternal Cure: Global awareness brings global understanding = global grace glory
(Note: Proverbs 4 exhorts "with all thy getting, get understanding" = "grace glory")

MANY shall come... to DECEIVE... shall deceive MANY

Many, deceived by many shall come... to DECEIVE... and shall deceive many, get suckered, duped, bewitched, fooled, deceived, into believing "another law" in Romans 7, notably "the second" in Matthew 22: 36-40 and Romans 8:2 law law, will make them free of the sin and death of the first law thereof. Error! Dis-comfort! Dis-ease! Torment! Wretched feeling! And eventually Death: A Dead End. Such is the new and dead way, a narrowmindead way witch is a draw back, not a go on; <-bwd unto "perdition": Hebrews 10:39 instead of fwd-> unto "perfection": Hebrews 6:1.

(draw back) Broad Way <- Narrow Way -> More Excellent Way (go on)

Law isn't right with grace us God in "heaven": "higher than the heavens"
Law is only what's right with God on "high" in left/right law/law "heavens"

As the movie Razor's Edge portrays, the narrow way can get as narrow and as sharp (two-edged sword) as a razor's edge, forcing (driving) those therein to either "draw back" or "go on"; And the draw back (witch many religious and political ministers of Satan call back to basics, or back to the Bible) is back to perdition, as noted in Hebrews 10:39's mention of two "them"s; One of which we are of, the one which moves on, goes on, unto perfection, is neither of two them, but "us-ward"; Which is to allegory say Grace (will never leave thee nor forsake thee) is neither of two laws and Charity (never faileth) is neither of two loves in Matthew 22: 36-40. For even the second law thereof is deadly, and the second love thereof shall fail, after is firstly uses and abuses you, dis-comforts and torments you, then kills you. Such is the inconvenient truth about Law <- Law, the two Beasts in Revelation 13; And after the second gives place and power to the first, then all hell breaks loose.

Second "Finished" = "place"; It gives "place" to the "devil": the law
First "Finished": the human race is one winner take all: His Grace

The same biblical concept applies to the two "finished"s in John 17 and 19; With "the second" finished thereof giving "place" to devil law: sin and death thereof, after firstly tormenting it's victims with much dis-comfort such as depression, which has seven layers of oppression, witch are are seven other spirits more wicked, returned to those vessels not purged of sin consciousness, due to "another law" giving place and power to the law of sin and death. MANY are the VICTIMS who missed the TAKE HEED 101 Class, notes TAKE HEED lest you be DECEIVED; Not to mention false Christs and false prophets shall DECEIVE even the elect if possible. Obviously it's possible, if so many elect-ed people are also depressed to the point of being on medication: diagnosed and being treated for depression related illness, the list of sorts of dis-ease being a very l-o-n-g list of dis-comfort; For the law was notably a schoolmaster witch failed every student(disciple) thereof: Exodus (all saved out of Egypt got destroyed); Romans 9:31; Hebrews 7:23; Jude 1:5. For Ghost-ly Law, albeit holy, notably gets both tempted and easily provoked unto "law worketh wrath" is destructive, not constructive. Grace is constructive. His Grace neither tempts(laws) nor can be tempted(lawed). Thereby His Grace cannot lie(law) nor die(law). Law Law notably does both. Selah law(lie) lovers. Blasphemy the Ghost is unpardonable sin, both in this world and the to come; And who hasn't said of Law: it's not fair, I know it's not fair, which is to blasphemy the ghost(law).

When connecting these biblical dots: "law" = "sin".
Whatsoever is not of faith is sin: Romans 14:23;
"AND" The law is not of faith: Galatians 3:12

Depression seems to affect twice as many women as men

Sadly many deceived by many want law (of divisional Jesus: made under the law: imputes sin and death) to come, again; As if once was not enough to fear and sorrow the entire planet with fear hath torment and law a ministration of death, by law imputing sin and death; Whether by OT law or by NT law, both of witch are abusive and deadly. Hence we find $ickness is the biggest busyness on the planet; And the global sorrows thereof are many, among many, deceived by many. Many are the mothers who received their sons home in a body bag; And got suckered into believing his sacrifice was pleasing unto God. Err! God NEVER desired sacrifice for sin NOR ever took pleasure in such law<=>law going to<=>fro earth.

    OT law: broad way, leads to destruction of property and life: dis-comfort
    NT law: narrow way, leadeth unto life, only by go on; not by draw back
    No law: is as [Life(Grace) + Death(Law) ] - Death(Law) = Eternal Life

POINT:
Grace: is neither of two "law"s, Charity: is neither of two "love"s, in Mt 22:36-40;
Where it's flat out noted "the second is like unto the first", it's law: sin and death.

"Higher" God: Grace: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee: Friend
"God on high": Law: "I will forsake you", the city, your fathers: "Enmity"
Christ is our peace who abolished the law(enmity): Ephesians2:14,15

More Excellent Way: Go on --> unto perfection
Broad Way <-- Narrow Way --> More Excellent Way
Neither broadminded nor narrowmindead, but alive unto God(Grace)
Alive unto God is via dying to the law, not dying by the law law of many.

Grace neither tempts(laws) nor can be tempted(lawed).
His Grace: Notably thereby cannot lie(law) nor die(law).
Which things are an "allegory" and a "mystery" to solve.

The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.

 

It is rare to find someone who has not lived with the feeling of oppression. Abraham Lincoln once felt such a heavy feelings of oppression that friends came to his house to remove all sharp objects and knives fearing that he would commit suicide. Lincoln even wrote in his diary, "I fear that I shall never be of any use to anyone because of these deep dark feelings of uselessness. No one likes to be oppressed by spiritual, political or work related superiors. It is difficult to bear up under the sufferings of being governed or treated harshly or with cruel injustice. When people are kept in subservience they are unable to maximize their potentials. To be consistently weighed down by people or organizations can lead to frustration, discouragement and serious depression. Christians have a great resource in the Lord for one who is eager to liberate those who are feeling oppressed.

David once wrote, "He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free." (Psa. 146:7) Let us look at some of the answers to the question of what should you do when you are feeling oppressed?

1. Ask the Lord to help you appropriate the fact that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. Paul wrote, "We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Rom. 8:37) In Christ, you have already been set free from sin, eternal death and enslavement to evil. We need to take advantages of our identity as children of a God who is greater than any problem.

2. Align your strength with others who are oppressed in standing up for the truth. Paul encourages the Philippians to overcome their oppressors when he wrote, "Make my joy by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." (Phil. 2:2) There is strength, protection and facility with a number of like-minded brothers and sisters intent on Christ's purposes.

3. Ask the Lord to fight the battles for you. The Lord is much better equipped to deal with your oppressors because He is over all people, organizations and situations. Resist the temptation to take vengeance in your own hands, but leave room for the wrath of God. He will repay. (Rom. 12: 19)

4. Overcome evil with good. Paul recognized that there is more power in love, truth and Godly service than in hostile intrigue. Claim the promise; "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom. 12:21)

5. Count your blessings in your present situation. Solomon once wrote, Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." (Proverbs 16:19) Consider how our dependence on the Lord increases our faith, Godliness and nearness to other godly people.

6. Use your situation to remind others of the Lord's refuge for the oppressed. The Lord may allow you to go through harsh times to bring hope to other hurting people. David wrote, "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." (Psa. 9:9) There is great fellowship with other people who are experiencing similar ill treatments. Use this for as an opportunity to advance the church in quality and quantity wherever you are.

7. Demonstrate through your life the power of Christ to release the oppressed. Take advantages of many opportunities to help the poor, the homeless and the downtrodden. Jesus