WOMEN'S RIGHTS & RELIGION RARELY MIX WELL
What is the major reason the most militant Moslem terrorists do not want any encroachment on their carefully crafted culture? Women's rights, or in the case of the militants, lack of women's rights. The male leadership wants to hold onto their privileged place in that society. Multiple wives? Sure. And what do you think is waiting for a terrorist who bombs innocent civilians? Scores of young virgins to serve him in paradise. No schooling for women. Insistence on wearing clothing that covers their faces and bodies and allows them no individual expression. They must remain silent. No driving autos. No speaking up to their husbands. No choice in who their marriage partner will be. Subservience to their male leaders and/or to their husband. Separated in most activities from the more lenient activities of the men. This is a religion that is afraid of women. This is a religion that is weak and must show its strength through violence to anyone who challenges its practices. This is a religion that does not listen to others, but wants to force its will on others.
Much of this is true of most religions in their extreme elements. But we tend to overlook the lesser position we assign to women in our own religious practices. The majority of Christians in the world do not allow women to serve as clergy. The head of the church [patriarch or pope] must be a man. Religious ceremonial rites place women in a secondary role. And the more militant is the form of Christianity, the more male-dominated it is. Please-please don't try to ply me with examples of tokenism in a specific denomination or sect. The majority of Christians have beliefs that are more akin to practices from the Dark Ages than the 21st century. Strict religious adherence equals inequality.
And so it is with most religions in the world. At the base of all this hocus-pocus and voodoo is a fear of women. And men, not having enough self-esteem to play on a level playing field, concoct all sorts of tactics that are pieced into religious practices that make things seem righteous and rosy (as long as the women know their place in them). Once world societies evolved a little, and men could not dominate women by hitting them over the head with a club, men had to go to more and more extremes to put together religious practices to keep women in their place. After all, that is what the male description of what constitutes God is: a man. Listen to him!
What impact do you think there would be on world peace if these fears and religious practices were eliminated in the world?
Examine your own religious beliefs and practices. Look carefully and objectively into them. If you are honest with them and with yourself you will see how camouflaged are these gender inequalities. But they are nonetheless real.
When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?
