Peace and all Good!
I’d just like to add one final thought about this, I hope the OP won’t mind the slight drift from the stated topic for the thread.
Without getting into a full blown discussion of Higher education & it’s merits I’d just like to say that if a young woman feels called to dedicate her life to being a stay at home mother which is a wonderful thing then she would not, strictly speaking need a higher education for this. Although there’s no reason she shouldn’t go to college as well. I always understood Raylan Alleman’s point to be that Higher Education isn’t necessary for family life & motherhood (but it may be helpful in some respects), and given campus life these days it may not be good for the Spiritual life of members of either sex.
Note, I didn’t say because a woman should only be a stay at home mother or anything like that. I’m just offering my thoughts & saying that a higher education isn’t always necessary in life & people shouldn’t feel pressured into it.
God Bless
No women should ever feel trapped. I think it’s extremely unwise to discourage women from pursuing a degree because there is no
need for one.
If she were to become widowed at a young age with children. If she were to marry a man who cannot or will not support the family (regardless of marriage prep and good intentions this frequently happens). If the husband finds himself unemployed for an extended period of time. If the husband finds himself indisposed (injured, sick, both) and cannot work for an extended period of time.
If mom has nothing on her resume besides “homemaker” since the age of 18, she is not going to be able to do much besides low-skilled, low-entry job and most likely won’t be able to cover the mortgage, groceries, utilities and bills for an extended period of time. Even if she were to help.
If her only option is to literally find a new husband, and quick, because the bills are piling up and she can’t manage on her own…then there is a major problem.
If she doesn’t want to pursue a degree…that’s one thing. That is her choice. I don’t even think this should be a mutual decision between a husband/wife. If she wants to further her education and gain job training and skills…she shouldn’t be discouraged by anyone.
It’s extremely surprising and discouraging seeing this kind of an argument. I’m all for Church teaching but twisting words and scripture that places a women completely under the thumb of her husband is wrong. And even suggesting that a women has no
need to pursue higher education or do anything that is related to honing job skills because that could get in the way of her job as a mother and homemaker…is wrong.
Raylan Allen’s arguments can do some serious damage to the mindsets of both young women and men. They’ve been argued here on CAF before.
Given the current economy in most westernized nations…it would be almost suicidal for a young family to rely solely on a husband’s ability to provide for the family. If he loses his job…which is, at this point, likely…a family is seriously handicapping themselves if their only option is he gets another job right now because…well the wife is supposed to be a homemaker…she’s not supposed to go into the workforce to provide. Her providing is not an option. We planned it that way by forgoing college and any kind of job training outside of the home.
I’m a homemaker and a stay at home mom. But I do have a resume and plenty of job experience. I’m finishing my degree because my husband did lose his job and couldn’t find another that paid as much as the first one.
we realized dry quickly that it isn’t wise to rely on only the husband to work and provide.
Sometimes a family needs to go into survival mode. Most families will be there and one needs to be prepared.
