Jana, this is a real problem for me and I suspect this may be true for
more women than we realize. Spirituality and its corporate expression is
by my own choice an important part of my life, and interacting within
the church that I carefully chose in adulthood as being the least
male-dominated one that answered my needs is an ongoing challenge. Yet
just when I am utterly disgusted, I at last hear during the communion
ritual the wonderful words: "God who gave birth to you..." and then I
realize that all my ranting and raving during leadership functions is
not only being heard, but sometimes actually comprehended. And so I
stay, because to me this is important and someone has to keep do that
yelling. Perhaps it may seem to someone looking on that I'm accepting
oppression, but I doubt if my fellow members see me that way! "Suffer
fools gladly" is one Biblical command I've never been the least bit able
to obey....
Nina
Jana C. McCormick wrote:
> I found this an insightful novel. I appreciate the statements
> concerning
> female oppression and religion. I love the "Hail Mary Assumption" but
> I
> thought the ending and, especially, the character of Webster a
> cop-out.
> Why did this evil character, similar to the devil, have to be in the
> book? I
> felt this was an example of how we, as humans, want to blame our own
> behavior
> on a higher power instead of taking responsibility for it.
>
> The example of women's exclusion from religion is enough of an example
> for me
> of how men believe women are inferior. Even in this enlightened age,
> we have
> come a long way but not long enough (it is quite amazing when you
> think back
> 50 or just 20 years ago), women like myself still accept oppression,
> especially in religion. Perhaps, that is part of the reason religion
> appears
> to be in decline among younger generations.
> If this is not so, I'm sure someone will enlighten me? In my
> viewpoint, the
> younger (American) generation is not interested, a larger minority, in
> what
> biases and prejudices religion has to offer.
> Perhaps, I simply speak for myself. Many young people I know are not
> interested in putting their disinterest into words.
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