>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.
>
Speaking as an eighteen year old college student, I believe I am one of the
"young people" you are referring to. I am very interested in putting my
feelings into words. I grew up Jewish, was raised belonging to every type
of Synagogue from Orthodox to Reform, and for a while, even considered
becoming a Rabbi. what changed all that? When my grandfather died, our
Rabbi learned that he had worked three jobs at a time to keep food on the
table, and the Rabbi turned hi nose up at us and refused to lead the
services of mourning after the funeral. I stepped in. I knew the services,
and I had been leading the Sunday school services at the synagogue for over
a year. (I was teaching there). When the rest of the community heard that
I was leading the service for my family and friends, I got both barrels.
(this was a reform community!) "A woman cannot lead the Shiva service" I
heard this over and over. I became disgusted.
I still attend high holiday services in respect for the family members of
mine that died for Judaism (Dachau, Auschwitz, and some other less famous
camps) But I am no longer a Jew. I cannot worship a deity that forbids
womyn from praying, or practice a religion where in a Rabbi may turn their
nose up at a family because they are not white-collar.
I fell in with a group of Wiccans, they were very kind to me, and expected
nothing from me. I now consider myself a pagan and I worship the goddess in
her three forms (maid mother and crone), and I revere Gaia (the earth
mother). This makes more sense to me. Paganism believes that people are
people, and no-one needs to be subservient to any one else. The main tenant
of paganism is :
And it harm NONE! do what thou wilt.
This I like.
Sorry about my prattling off topic, but you did ask... ;)
Becca
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:07:06 PDT