It's Sunday morning, and if you're a religious person you're most likely headed to Church. You arrive to hear a male preacher speak the word of your God. He recites many verses directly from the Bible, but let me ask this - does he ever address the misogynist or sexist ones? Do you ever address these personally? It's easy to pick & choose what verses from the Bible you believe apply to you.
For centuries the Bible has been the book or guide to life. People foster its meanings as a core to their beliefs. As a friend of mine, Melissa (daughter of a preacher) says "Most religious people can't think for themselves." I believe this statement is true when speaking in reference to codes of gender. Women are held inferior to men throughout the Bible and in society. When we're little we take on assumed roles in which we acquire by what we're taught. We see how other's around us act in different environments and adapt to fit this "norm." When things are normal to us, we are comfortable to the idea of how they exist in our lives. Therefore they go on without question.
Sexism runs rampant through the Bible; let me give you some examples.
"Women should remain silent in churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission..."1 Corinthians 14:34
1 Timothy 2: 11-12 "Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection." "But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness."
Oh did I mention misogyny as well?
Genesis 3:16 "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
Deuteronomy 22: 28-29 "If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on 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." This passage is implying also that a woman is the property of her father, and she's less of a human because of being a victim of rape!
I could go on, but I assume you get the just of it. This idea of women not being equal to men has been deeply ingrained into the mind-set of a society that is ultimately based on religion and has been from the beginning. An idea that has led to us allowing women to be left with facing some of the most horrendous treatment from men. This skewed belief that is still imprinted into a lot of present day mind-sets has also led many women to follow this idea that they're not equal to men. Many of which probably don't even realize that they're in compliance, because it is so normal to them!
I do believe every one is entitled to their own beliefs. Everyone I believe also knows the difference between what's right, and what's wrong. So as a society we have to start questioning what's normal. Even in the most comfortable environments we occupy. We have to ask hard questions, and try to understand why we live in a society that is so tolerable to inequality, sexism, and violence.
To end violence, misogyny, sexism, and create equality for women it's going to take cultural change! So what does that mean when we live in a culture that is highly based on the Bible's teachings? Not saying this is the only cultural norm that needs redefining, but it is a big one.
J
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