Empowerment?

I have a real problem with the word Empowerment...you know the one buzzing around.

Here is the definition from Free Dictionary:
em·pow·er  (m-pour)

tr.v. em·pow·ered, em·pow·er·ing, em·pow·ers

1. To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. See Synonyms at authorize.

2. To equip or supply with an ability; enable: "Computers ... empower students to become intellectual explorers" (Edward B. Fiske).

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em·power·ment n.

Usage Note: Although it is a contemporary buzzword, the word empower is not new, having arisen in the mid-17th century with the legalistic meaning "to invest with authority, authorize." Shortly thereafter it began to be used with an infinitive in a more general way meaning "to enable or permit." Both of these uses survive today but have been overpowered by the word's use in politics and pop psychology. Its modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. The word was then taken up by the women's movement, and its appeal has not flagged. Since people of all political persuasions have a need for a word that makes their constituents feel that they are or are about to become more in control of their destinies, empower has been adopted by conservatives as well as social reformers. It has even migrated out of the political arena into other fields. · The Usage Panel has some misgivings about this recent broadening of usage. For the Panelists, the acceptability of the verb empower depends on the context. Eighty percent approve of the example We want to empower ordinary citizens. But in contexts that are not political the Panel is markedly less enthusiastic. The sentence Hunger and greed and then sexual zeal are felt by some to be stages of experience that empower the individual garners approval from only 33 percent of the Panelists. The Panel may frown on this kind of psychological empowering because it resonates of the self-help movement, which is notorious for trendy coinages.

The problem with saying anything about empowerment means that someone outside of myself is giving me permission to have power.  Reversing this, it means they can take my power away too.  I am a strong believer that we came from Heaven with a God given right to Celestial power that is part of being a Spiritual being having a Human experience.  No one on Earth can give me that power.  No government, counselor, person or entity gives me my power.  However, abusers, manipulators, and all around bad guys will persuade me to give my power away.  Blind obedience is surrendering my power to my parents, abuser, church or government.  I was trained to give blind obedience.  It was drummed into me with implied death threats.  My mother gave the example of the little boy that didn't obey his grandfather and backed close enough for the lion to reach through the cage and kill him.  She told me this tale when I was a little girl.  The message I got loud and clear is OBEY OR DIE.  I do not believe in blind obedience.  Occasionally, I would tell my children I didn't know why I felt a certain way when I asked them to do something but for the most part I tried to give them a reason they should obey me as young children.  Now they are adults.  I love chatting with them and sharing experiences, I have zero expectations that they should obey me.  If they take my opinion into consideration, fine.  If not, that is OK too because they have the power to make decisions for them.  KavinCoach explained to me that I had power.  Wow, was I ever confused on that one.  He told me that he wanted me to feel empowered and he realized that I felt like I needed permission to ask for and do things for myself.  He would be very happy to know that I no longer need to be empowered.  I know that I have power and I came to Earth and was born with power.  I do not need someone else to empower me. Just get out of my way, I have all the power I need.




Learning to trust God again, where real power come from.
http://pushingjesus.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/being-a-perpetual-victim-is-never-gods-will/