Why are religions (including Christianity) so sexist?

Question

I am so sick of religions doing everything they can to keep women out of positions of power both in the hierarchy of the religion and in the hierarchy of society. If people were still using religious texts to widely support racism or other forms of bigotry (for example using the Bible to justify slavery - there are several passages that have been used for centuries for just that) would people put up with it? A "mainstream" church in NY just decided women shouldn't teach men so they fired a Sunday school teacher who taught for 50+ years because of her gender. Should women not be teachers? Should we be treated like children, or less than? Weddings still use phrasing such as "subvervient" and "obey" when referring to the roles of wives. Religoius texts have a lot of writings that modern people have dismissed - why is it that men are still working to exploit their religions and religous texts to discriminate against women? Why should women put up with this inequality? I find it disgusting.

Answer 1

You're right. Religion is a powerful force for patriarchy. Perhaps in the past patriarchy helped tribes survive, but it has long outgrown its usefulness. We need women to have more influence -- there's too much testosterone running the world.

Answer 2

In the book of Acts, Luke describes the role of women served as prophets (Acts 2:17-18; 21:9) and teachers (Acts 18:24-28). Jesus himself taught all people, irregardless of gender, as equals, surprising the "religious right" political bloc of the day, the Pharisees, causing them more reason to want to crucify him.

Please don't let the actions of a few Christians (who are also entitled to their opinions, however we may disagree) speak for the entirety of the faith...and please don't generalize Christians based upon this one incident.

I'm sorry that you feel this way about us...

Answer 3

there is faith and there are the individuals who follow that faith, and in the top, the individuals who follow it are greater influential than the tenets of the religion because of the fact each and each individual has their very own version. regrettably, it somewhat is one question to which Jainism isn't the respond. i would not say animistic strategies are unavoidably non-sexist the two. you're able to get someplace with Daoism, yet returned, this may well be right down to the adherents quite than the concepts.

Answer 4

Men and women are equally valuable in the eyes of God but our roles are not equal (the same) as God pointed out in scripture. That doesn't make us less valuable than men - just different with different jobs to perform. Some might argue that women are the ones with the real power in churches and in the world since we can bear children and teach them from infancy what we want them to know while men are running the churches from "positions of power". And the bottom line is if you're in a marital relationship or a church relationship or any kind of relationship someone has to be in charge. What's wrong with letting the guys lead? I'm okay with that.

Answer 5

uhhh - because our society is based on a mentality that "might is right" .. which pretty much precludes anything BUT a patriarchy!!

I mean, really - how would greedy people get ahead in a matriarchy!! all nurturing and supportive-like.. bad for business!!

end sarcasm.

you may be interested to know, however, that there is growing evidence that the male gender is on the decline (thanks to environmental pollutants) .. so who knows - you may get a matriarchy after all !

Answer 6

I am a female and I strongly believe Christian are not sexist. In a wedding, yes, woman had to obey their husband but husband and to love their wife.

Is it more difficult to obey or love? An employee must obey a boss' instruction but that do not meant that he/she has to love the boss. So a man has a "more difficult" task here.

Furthermore, the first person that Jesus choose to talk to after He resurrected is a WOMAN not even one of His male disciples.

Answer 7

Because the bible tells them so... and that church that dismissed the sunday school teacher said, "Christian courtesy motivates us to refrain from making any public accusations against her," whatever that means. Did they find out she had a child out of wedlock 40 years ago? Who knows.

Most religious texts have wording that makes women subservient. I think it's because men long ago realized that we are the more rational of the species and writing that into the bible as "god's belief" puts women in their place and keeps women from showing up the men intellectually. :-)

Answer 8

dont take negative. i dont know much about christianity but still believe that any restriction on women is just for her own benefit. woman is weak when she is single but feel herself protected and stronger when she has husband at her side. this is something un-neglectable fact.
i m a muslim and i know ppl talk alot against us in sense that we r deprived from our rights but the fact is that we are leading more happier n peaceful lives in our homes. we are protected by our religion, our govt and by our men. it makes u feel good when u r treated as flower or some precious gem, that every one is taking so much care of you. since u have mentioned only religion here so i can tell you that in Islam,

- paradise is said to be under mother's feet.
- education is compulsory for all men and women.
- a person who brought up 3 daughters, adorned them with good manners and education, will be sent directly to paradise.
- daughters will become a protecting shield against the fire of hell for their parents.(means if the girl is virtuous, she will go to paradise but she will save her parents also, if in case her parents were sinners, some how).
- muslim women are given the right of divorce. she can give divorce to her husband. there is a clause in wedding agreement for this.
- islam says all men n women are equal, but the best is virtuous-est and modest among all.
- muslim women r given the rights in property.
- wedding cant take place with out girl's consent. also during wedding frist of all the girl is asked and then the boy.
- in marriage boy is suppose to write a certain amount (agreed between girl, gril's parents, boy and boy parents) for his bride that he is supposed to give her right away as soon as the agreement is signed or as decided by the girl/bride. this amount is basically for the protection of the bride. yea if the girl refuses to take the money, thats up to her decision.
- muslim lady can do job to assist her hubby financially.
- a muslima is given the right to chose husband of her own choice. she can expose her feelings to her parents.
- a muslim lady have the right to ask for a separate home after marriage. there is no compulsion of living with her in-laws.

and so on. i cant quote everything here. actually i really dont understand that ladies from west usually talk against us that we are not free, and we r like slaves to our husbands but the fact seems to be different. u ladies are not happy even after getting all type of freedom n rights. still u want more. and God knows what is that more.

Answer 9

Religions are sexist because they were written in a time when Men were dominant, and the role of women was to submit to the man. The fact that things change is just evidence that religions are the work of man. Surely a God who can travel through time and space would word his commands so that they will stay relevant forever.

Answer 10

one example. the actual ancient calenders were of the women's menstrual cycle. mother godess worship were everywhere. its only the creation of christianity and islam that the role of women was set aside. they even made women look bad, making eve is the one that ate the apple, mary magdeline a whore, forcing muslims to cover up their women like throphys.
stupid religions. made to control the masses. i am a man but i believe that god is a girl.