Posts Tagged ‘women’

Excellent talk on TED by Sheryl WuDunn author of Half the Sky. Our century’s greatest injustice is the discrimination of women by men! It’s time men stop abusing their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters and realize women are humans deserving equal rights just like them.

If I were asked to state what I thought the single most important message I could share with the world was, my unequivocal answer would be “women’s rights are human rights”. Down through the centuries women have been denied equal human rights with men solely because of their gender. Some of the biggest perpetrators have been institutions founded on the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The doctrines promoted by these religions teach that women are to be in subjection to the men, who in turn deny women the basic human rights that they themselves enjoy. These doctrines deny women the right to be educated as men, or to even be able to teach men. They teach the idea that women were made by God for the pleasure of men and must be subject to him, when in reality men are created from woman.

1Cor.11:7-9 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

 

Gen.2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Instead of woman being flesh and bone of the man as the Bible teaches, all humans come from and are literally part of the flesh and bone of the woman. A good comparison is that of constructing a building, both male and female contribute to the plans or “blueprint” (DNA) of the building, but it is the woman who supplies all the materials (flesh, and blood) to construct the building.

As long as lies concerning the equality of women are taught as God given doctrines by men, women will continue to be denied their equal rights as humans. The message that “women’s rights are human rights” is a message that needs to be preached from every pulpit and spoken from every mouth, until we live in world where all humans are treated equally regardless of race or gender.

A very simple test to determine whether the Bible or any other religious book truly treats women as equal human beings with men is to ask the question: Are the same human rights that are afforded men given to women?

If one finds any human right that a man enjoys, but denies to a woman then that teaching is clearly biased toward the male and should be noted as such and rejected. It’s long past time when all people should be treated as equals no matter what race or gender they are.

The women who have rights today would not have those rights if they would have sat back and waited for God to mete them out. One can look around the world at women living in countries ruled by religious men and see they are no better off than women were hundreds, or thousands of years ago…men are still dominating them and denying them basic human rights. This should tell women of all faiths that you can’t sit around and wait for a god to give you what he denied you in the first place. We must join together and raise our voices declaring “Women’s rights are human rights!”

One of the worst aspects of the faith that the Bible teaches is that it promotes the idea that one group of people (men) have the right to deny the other group (women) the same freedom of equal rights that they enjoy. To be able to live up to our full potential as humans is a right that all people should share regardless of gender, or race. We all share this planet equally, and all should partake in its abundance, the male gender has not been given exclusive rights to ruler-ship over the female gender as biblical teaching promotes.

Below are some of the worse offenders in the New Testament part of the Bible regarding male authority over women. These teachings come from the mouths of the Apostles of Christ, those upon whom the doctrines of the Christian faith have been built. Whether or not one wishes to accept these teachings as coming from God, one must accept that they are taught in the Church as doctrines given in the Bible. The harm, and suffering to women that these doctrines have elicited are far too numerous to mention…they run the gamete from domestic violence to burning women at the stake accused of being witches. It’s time for Christian women to wake up to what the Bible really teaches and declare with one voice that it is WRONG!

1 Tim. 2:11-14 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

 

1Cor.11:3-10 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God….But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

 

1Tim.5:9- Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan.

 

1Peter 3:1-7 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation (conduct, behavior) coupled with fear (phobos: fear, terror, dread). Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge (intelligence), giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker (asthenes: weak, sick, feeble, impotent) vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

 

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

 

Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Ever since the dawn of civilizations, women have been treated unequally in male dominated societies, whereas in goddess cultures partnership is the standard. My guess is part of the reason is due to the fact that many men feel inferior because they can’t bear children, so to make up for their deficit men have suppressed women. Women constitute half of the human population and bear the other half, so the power to change cultures is available to women, but it must start in the home. If every mother taught her children to view male and females as equals, within one generation there would be a tremendous change!

The time is long overdue when the women of the world need to rise up as one voice demanding equality as humans. The same rights that are afforded men because they are members of the human race should equally be afforded women…no exceptions! Every woman has the power to speak out, even if it is only with one small voice teaching her children. One by one as women join together, an army of voices will be heard that cannot be silenced, for far to long men have played the role of the bully and used fear to oppress women and strip from them basic human rights…now is the time for change! Any religion or belief system that does not recognize human rights equally among both genders needs to be looked at long and hard…no “God” who supposedly created women with the ability to bear children, would in turn cause her to suffer at the hands of men because she is the child bearer. It’s time for the hand that rocks the cradle to teach her children that all humans have equal rights.

No matter what ones take on the Bible is, whether it be the inspired Word of God, or an historical account of men’s ideas about God, an undeniable fact remains that the Bible promotes sexual violence against women. I have listed a handful of verses below to show the extreme abuse that women have endured at the hands of men, condoned and promoted in the pages of the Bible without a single reprimand recorded against such barbarism. In each of the passages I have listed, men have inflicted sexual violence against women, and in each of the cases there is not so much as one word of condemnation written against their horrendous deeds.

It is time women and men alike raise their voices denouncing this sexual violence targeted specifically at the female gender. These passages that I have listed are just a few amongst the many contained in the Old Testament part of the Bible, and for the most part are ignored by believers, but what does that say about peoples moral values? The Old Testament contains the whole of the biblical writings of Judaism, and over half of the Christian Bible that Jesus said not one “jot” or “tittle” would pass away from. How can it be that all one hears is silence from the religious communities that hold these texts to be God’s moral laws? This is an issue that needs to be dealt with and it’s time the voices of those who care about human rights be heard. Sexual violence in never okay, even when it’s promoted in a book considered by millions to be the Word of God…it’s always WRONG, Wrong, wrong!

Gen. 19:5-8 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Num.31:15-18 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

 

Deuteronomy 21:10 When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

 

Judges 19:23-26  And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. When the men would not listen to his host, the husband seized his concubine and thrust her outside to them. They had relations with her and abused her all night until the following dawn, when they let her go. Then at daybreak the woman came and collapsed at the entrance of the house in which her husband was a guest, where she lay until the morning.

 

Judges 21:11-12 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan…..14) And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not….20) Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

As hard as I try I can come to no solid reason as to why sexual violence against women is not condemned in Scripture except to say that those who wrote the Bible did not view those deeds as human rights violations, but then what does that say about biblical morality? At the very least one would think that the many explicit sexual violations against women contained in the Bible should be exposed as examples of man’s wickedness instead of promoted as commands from Yahweh. So, the question remains unanswered as to why the sexual violation of women in the Bible is not condemned? Biblical morality is either right or wrong; it doesn’t change with the times. If it is immoral today to sexually violate a woman, then it was immoral three thousand years ago to sexually violate a woman. Women are humans and have rights over their own bodies just like men do, they are not the property of men as the Bible promotes. It’s time to speak up and condemn human rights violations wherever they are found, even in the “Word of God”!

The greatest gift a mother can give to her children is the experience of equality. Imparting the wisdom to her children that all people are equal is a precious gift that will lead the bearer of that truth on a journey of greatness…serving as a tool to accomplish anything the heart desires. Raising and nurturing a child in an environment of equality and respect of all people can in one generation change the world, thus making it a better place. The power that lies in the teaching of a mother is so far reaching that it can influence a child their whole life and in many cases sets the course of their destiny. Each person can make a difference…

The damage that has been done to the cause of equality for women in western societies by the influence of biblical thought is enormous. Many men who down through the ages have held the Bible to be the word of “God”, have promoted the idea of female inferiority, therefore inflicting great harm to the rights of women. From childhood many boys and girls raised in Christian homes are taught that the place of the female is below that of the male, consequently a negative mindset is developed from a young age that views women as being inferior to men, thus promoting men having authority over women. This in turn causes many acts of discrimination and violence to be perpetrated against women by men who believe they are acting according to “God’s” will by keeping women in their place.

Sad to say, many Christian women have also fallen victim to this false notion promoted by the Bible that says women are to be in subjection to men, and their place is in the home. Women need to start taking the control they have available to them as mothers by teaching their children from birth to respect both male and females as equals in all walks of life. When males are raised with a sense of being equal to females their attitudes are formed by thinking in terms of partnerships rather than dominance. How a child is taught in their early years determines their outlook on life, thus if a boy is taught to view girls as being totally equal, then that is the mindset he will grow into adulthood having…consequently there will be far less violence perpetrated against women by men. Using positive influence rather than negative is the compassionate way to raise our children, thus setting an example that enriches and uplifts the lives of all who participate. Let us always choose equality!

Most Christians have been taught that the Bible is the word of God and is a guide book for believers on issues of morality, and ways to train up our children in righteousness. God is portrayed as our heavenly father, whom earthly men should pattern themselves after. So, let me ask this simple question using the Bible as my guide book: Is this an example of a loving father….?

Deut. 22:28-29 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold (seize) of her, and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

I should hope that no sane person would say yes. Just imagine, a young girl is seized and raped by a man, all the man is required to do under God’s law is to pay the girls father 50 pieces of silver, then the man is obliged marry the girl he just raped and never divorce her! All I can say is fortunately our “loving” heavenly father doesn’t make the laws in our modern society. It’s time to wake up, take off the blinders and see what the Bible is really saying.

Here are a couple more biblical examples showing how a father would rather give his daughters to be raped in order to protect the honor of his male guests. The truly sad thing is that there is not one scintilla of rebuke for the actions of the father….they are in fact condoned!

Gen. 19:5-8 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

 

Judges 19:23-25 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

If these verses aren’t enough to make your blood boil, I think you better read them again. This is the Bible that children in Sunday school and their parents in Church are being taught is the word of their loving heavenly father.

The thought recently occurred to me how different the Bible would be if it had been written by women instead of men. Life through the eyes of a male is very different then that of a female; for one thing the nature of a male is much more aggressive and focused on strength and control – quite different from that of the female.

It is quite apparent – biblically speaking – when one examines the overall nature of Scripture, you can see that much of the content and themes are focused on fighting, control, power struggles, women used for reproduction instead of partners, and God presented in a very masculine way. Imagine for a moment, what the nature of the Bible would be if it were given from the female perspective, which is just another of the many reasons to stop and take a second look at the idea of the Bible being the word of God. Do people really think that the cosmic mind behind all that we see is going to present his existence to us in such an unbalanced and lopsided way, only giving one side of the whole picture?

Life must be in balance in order for there to be unity, and harmony. There is a place for the aggression and physical strength of the male, but it must be equally balanced with the feminine qualities to give us life at its best, working together to create one body. Because the Bible is written by men from a male perspective, the focus tends to be on the masculine, leaving a gapping void on the feminine side.

The human experience is not just male, even though most of history is presented totally from the male perspective – half of life is female. My greatest desire is for people to be able to learn from the mistakes of the past and understand that for almost the entire span of written human history, half of the picture has been missing, so it is time now to begin to fill the void and let go of the misconceptions that have come about because of ignorance. Instead of hanging onto the errors of the past let us journey on ahead opening our minds to truth….life is balanced – male and female.

A common theme that runs through most of the worlds’ major religions devised by men is the MISTREATMENT, and INEQUALITY of women. What one finds is endless squabbling between man and god about things like how many wives a man can have, if he can divorce his wife, who’s property a woman is, and what rights does she have concerning inheritance, is a woman impure longer after she has a female baby than after she has a male baby, if a man claims a woman is not a virgin what punishments are inflicted upon her, or if he accuses her of adultery because he is jealous what must she suffer? Sometimes a man can have a pagan wife (Ruth was a Moabite), other times he cannot, sometimes it’s okay to keep the pagan virgin women for themselves, other times they must kill them all. Should women cover only their heads, or their entire faces, can a woman speak in church, or must she be silent, will a woman be saved by childbirth, or not, must a woman submit to a man as her head, or not? Bottom line: does a woman have any rights aside from those given her by a man? The list could go on and on, but I think my point has been made….it looks man made.

The one thing above all else that tells me the Bible is entirely of human construction is its viewpoint on women. No creator of the magnitude and intelligence it would take to form the heaven and earth with all of its fine tuning would stoop to such pettiness, and perversion, as to create a species called the human animal, that must obey a set of such blatantly skewed laws and rules (that no one can, or should keep), as those portrayed in the Bible.

We have written history as an example of how men have felt about women down through the ages….the Bible just exemplifies those feelings, and attributes it to a god. Men have always used their physical strength and power to promote their superiority and suppress those who are weaker, but those who adhere to the Bible justify it by declaring god made the laws!  The same holds true for many of the other major religions of the world.

In many places in the Old Testament women are considered the property of the man, and are little more than sex slaves at the beck and call of their male masters, all of this is condoned by the god of man’s making. This is by no means exclusive to the Bible, ancient and modern cultures alike are riddled with such examples, but the sad thing being is that in the majority of the cases the reason for the inequality is attributed to a teaching of that particular religion’s god or gods.

The huge gaping wound created by the Old Testament’s promotion of the abuse of women, has only become a festering, pus infected sore, with the advent of the New Testament, and continues to ooze its infection into modern times. It has become crystal clear to me that what caused the Bible to become a dead book, has now come full circle and caused its stinking corpse to be buried.

As my vision becomes clearer, and clearer, I see there is absolutely no way a book such as the Bible that shares a common theme of abuse, and inequality of women with most of the worlds major religions, can ever again hold any credence as being the word of god….for me it’s dead, and buried – RIP – that is not to say that the Bible in and of itself  is not a wonderful treasure of ancient literature that reflects the human experience of God.