The art is beautiful, as is the explanation of all of the details. I got teary-eyed! I'm saving the link so that I can just send people here instead of having to defend Bathsheba in comments.
Recently, a Facebook friend posted the meme "David defeated Goliath but lost to Bathsheba. Our real giants are the desires we haven't killed yet." I replied, "David lost to his own lustful desires. Bathsheba was the victim." A man responded, "David lost because He disobeyed TORAH whereas the king is at war w his troops. He did not thus placing himself in sin already. Bathsheba COULD HAVE SAID....NO! She knew better she's married! Both are guilty."
My response: "The prophet Nathan would say otherwise. He accused David of sinning by taking an innocent woman from her husband and then taking his life. Bathsheba was not accused of sin. She could not have said no to the King. He had all of the power. This needs to be read in light of the time it was written. Women had no power."
It's so frustrating to always see women of the Bible portrayed as temptresses. It's a lot easier to paint us all with the broad brush of Eve complex than to actually read the Bible. Thanks for this beautiful image that paints her in the nuanced and brilliant colors she deserves.
Hey Beth, beautiful as always. Interesting, something I read last night on “X” and responded to about growing up as a conservative Christian girl in a sexualized environment of a Christian school, triggered a thought this morning about David and Bathsheba. I was thinking about how in that church and school Bathsheba was talked about as a temptress. “She was wrong too” they’d say. This is how we were treated as girls in the church and school. They’d say, “If your shorts are too short you are causing guys to have impure thoughts.” Purity culture was on our shoulders. Your perspective is totally different. I like it and I thank you. 🧡
So grateful for this post. (And I do wonder what on earth the Veggietales crew was thinking when they decided to adapt that story. I like them, too, but good grief. There are SO MANY OTHER STORIES.) Thanks for pointing out *Vindicating the Vixens,* as well. That is an excellent book.
The art is beautiful, as is the explanation of all of the details. I got teary-eyed! I'm saving the link so that I can just send people here instead of having to defend Bathsheba in comments.
Recently, a Facebook friend posted the meme "David defeated Goliath but lost to Bathsheba. Our real giants are the desires we haven't killed yet." I replied, "David lost to his own lustful desires. Bathsheba was the victim." A man responded, "David lost because He disobeyed TORAH whereas the king is at war w his troops. He did not thus placing himself in sin already. Bathsheba COULD HAVE SAID....NO! She knew better she's married! Both are guilty."
My response: "The prophet Nathan would say otherwise. He accused David of sinning by taking an innocent woman from her husband and then taking his life. Bathsheba was not accused of sin. She could not have said no to the King. He had all of the power. This needs to be read in light of the time it was written. Women had no power."
It's so frustrating to always see women of the Bible portrayed as temptresses. It's a lot easier to paint us all with the broad brush of Eve complex than to actually read the Bible. Thanks for this beautiful image that paints her in the nuanced and brilliant colors she deserves.
"Bathsheba could have said no" is one of the stupidest oft-repeated mis-tellings of Scripture ever. Maybe the stupidest.
thank you and I love your level-headed responses.
Hey Beth, beautiful as always. Interesting, something I read last night on “X” and responded to about growing up as a conservative Christian girl in a sexualized environment of a Christian school, triggered a thought this morning about David and Bathsheba. I was thinking about how in that church and school Bathsheba was talked about as a temptress. “She was wrong too” they’d say. This is how we were treated as girls in the church and school. They’d say, “If your shorts are too short you are causing guys to have impure thoughts.” Purity culture was on our shoulders. Your perspective is totally different. I like it and I thank you. 🧡
yuck. It's really hard to believe how heavily these misinterpretations are used.
So grateful for this post. (And I do wonder what on earth the Veggietales crew was thinking when they decided to adapt that story. I like them, too, but good grief. There are SO MANY OTHER STORIES.) Thanks for pointing out *Vindicating the Vixens,* as well. That is an excellent book.