Women who regularly go to to church/temple?

Question

How do you approach the built-in sexism of organized religion? For example, no female Catholic priests. No female Baptist deacons. etc, etc, etc.

I'm not talking about faith. I'm talking about organzied religious institutions.

Well, it seems that the common denominator is that the ladies tolerate the sexism in organized religious institutions because they believe that's how God/Jesus wanted the role of women to be.

Thanks all!

Answer 1

in a christian or baptist church they have female ministers and preachers and deaconess..... but that's about it.
its just the thought that a man is better than a woman..... sucks that even in religion its sexist...

Answer 2

This is an excellent question.

I was raised Catholic, and sometime during high school I realized that there was no place for me within the current structure of the Church proper to take on a leadership role, outside of becoming a nun. That's when I started looking toward the lay ministries: music, community service, mission work, etc. Though I would never choose to lead a stereotypical "religious life" of a preacher or a sister (I am now married - marriage and religious vocation are mutually exclusive in the Catholic Church), I have found ways to be active in my faith and in my community through the religious institution to which I belong. I have also found some very strong and inspiring female role models through participation in this religious institution.

Living a christian life, and a strong spiritual life, through community involvement seems more genuine to me than getting hung up on the gender of my priests. And I choose the church as one of my doorways into that community.

Answer 3

Thank you so much for asking this question! I thought that I was the only one who took issue with the seemingly universally degratory view that our major religions take toward women. I'm not going to be of much help here, however, because I don't know how to approach these organized religions .... nor do I see a way to separate my own spirituality -were I to choose one of these religions- from the sexism of the organized practitioners of the religion. From what I've seen in most Christian circles, the women of the church come to believe themselves as fitting into a divine plan of sexual heirarcy - with men above the women. I will not do such a thing because their beliefs go against my egalitarian foundations - and they are foundations. I'm thinking of looking towards a goddess based religion in hopes that I'll find a more egalitarian viewpoint there.... but I don't know ... If you'd like to talk further about this, you can email me at [e-mail] - or you can IM me on Yahoo, my sn is beatinggowoninsanegirl ... (btw that stands for Gears of War the 360 game - I'm beating it on insane ... heh)

Answer 4

I hate it. It's disgusting.

I'm a pentecostal ( by religion) but I would change in a second if I could. I still live at home with my parents so I dont really have a choice. I feel forced to go to church every sunday, and half the time I dont want to be there.

I don't appreciate the lack of respect given to women in the church, when women make up the church largely.

An example, My old church and another church ( that recently broke up) merged into one larger church. There was a woman pastor who lead the second half. The first half has a big issue about letting her sit on the rostrum with the men. About her being called a pastor. I remember my father saying "They don't honor female pastors" and he believed it was right.

Now, because she no longer feels welcome in this new merged church, she preaches at other churches. It's wierd, like she abandoned the new church she helped create, but that's because they would not honor her call to be a pastor.
She doesn't even sit on the rostrum anymore. She tried to gain respect, but I think she saw it as a losing battle ( it's more about tradition than faith sometimes) and just kinda...gave up.

I don't hold it against her, however.

We don't even call her pastor anymore, just sister. And no one seems to question or fight the reasons why.

It's wrong.......


Alot of women in general seem to feel bad about going up on the rostrum, but I know thats only because some of them were raised to feel it is inappropriate.

Answer 5

My upbringing is none of what you are promoting and has not anything to do with my reply for your query. WTF does it topic if my dad and mom have been divorced or no longer? Or if I comply with an equipped faith? Or if I used to be abused or adored? November is proper in that KNOWINGLY dozing with anyone who's married suggests a loss of morals and individual individual. However, your query is approximately who's in charge while a married character has an affair. The reply to THAT query is: the character who has an affair is one hundred% in charge for disrespecting and betraying the character they took thier marriage vows for. And for what it is valued at, I suppose married persons are off limits.. Now.. how will you reconcile that? Someone who would not screw a married guy, however nonetheless believes the blame for an affair is at the character who's married...??

Answer 6

That's one of my biggest beefs with organized religion.
I put that aside to go to church, though.
The God/dess I worship understands that there are many things wrong with the church named after Him/Her, and S/He will deal with it at some point. Until then, I cannot let imperfection in the church keep me from worshipping the God/dess of my understanding.
I go to church because I need to be in a community of people seeking the same spiritual ideals as me. There is no feeling like being in church and all worshiping together.
Good luck

Answer 7

The Central Place of Sexuality in God’s Plan

Sex is by no means a peripheral issue. In fact, Pope John Paul II says the call the “nuptial love” revealed through our sexuality is “the fundamental element of human existence in the world.” It doesn’t get more important than that. He even insists that we can’t understand Christianity if we don’t understand the TRUTH and MEANING of our sexuality.

From the beginning to the end, the Bible itself is a story about marriage. It begins in the Book of Genesis with the marriage of Adam and Eve, and it ends in the Book of Revelation with the “wedding of the Lamb” - the marriage of Christ embodies this love. He comes as the heavenly Bridegroom to unite himself forever to his Bride - to us (his Bride).

Yes, God’s plan from all eternity is to “marry” us- draw us into closest communion with himself. God wanted to reveal this eternal plan to us in a way we couldn’t miss, so he stamped it right in our very being as male and female. This means that everything God wants to tell us on earth about who he is, who we are, the meaning of life, the reason he created us, how we are to live, and even our ultimate destiny is contained somehow in the truth and meaning of sexuality and marriage. This is important stuff. The Church is wiser than I am. I have been burnt many times - fallen - made many mistakes - prodigal daughter, and now, just want to find and to live the truth. Why would I ever want to be decon, priest, bishop, or pope? That's silly to me.

However, I do teach pre-schoolers & kindergarnders religious education, and that makes me super happy.

Answer 8

THAT is one of the reasons why I no longer practice a monotheistic religion. I read the Bible cover-to-cover when I was 11, and I was horrified by the treatment of women. The sticking point was Lot's poor daughters ... sacrificed to the mob so that two strange males (who happened to be angels) would be safe.

Answer 9

I don't take part in it. I read the bible and I want to throw it away, but I must burn it to properly dispose of it. I may not like the ideas, but I still will treat them with respect. The bible goes against my conscience. It is unhealthy to go against ones conscience.

Answer 10

I accept it because the Lord said it. Why would you want to go to church to worship a Lord if you don't want to do what He says? I enjoy being a woman. It doesn't bother me in the least to be submissive to my husband. I have no desire to be the preacher in a church. I will do my job in the capacity God gave me. I am happiest this way.