The Devil made me do it
Okay, so I've hit this before.
After all the arguments for subordinating women have been shown to be self-serving lies, what are misogynists left with? They have only one feeble argument that is still deferred to and shown undeserving respect across the world, even by people who should know better: “God told me to. I have to treat women as lesser beings, because it is inscribed in my Holy Book.”
Ophelia Benson and Jeremy Stangroom are the editors of Butterflies and Wheels, the best atheist site on the web. In Does God Hate Women? they forensically dismantle the last respectable misogyny. They argue: “What would otherwise look like stark bullying is very often made respectable and holy by a putative religious law or aphorism or scriptural quotation . . . They worship a God who is a male who gangs up with other males against women. They worship a thug.”
Every major religion’s texts were written at a time when women were regarded as little better than talking cattle. Their words and commands reflect this, plainly and bluntly. This book starts with a panoramic sweep across the world, showing – with archetypal cases – how every religion has groups today thumping women down with its Holy Book.
<SNIP>
There are people in all religions who have – through theological contortions – managed to leave behind literal readings of the text and invent a less foul God to believe in. It is not for atheists to say that one group of believers is right and the other is wrong, as we think they’re all wrong. We can note that the less literalist a believer is, the easier he is to live beside, but we will only discredit literalism and force reform if we are honest about the words of the texts, rather than trying to soft-soap believers.
By the end of this book-length blast, Benson and Stangroom have left religious hatred of women in rubble. Anybody not addled by superstition will have to conclude that such bigotry deserves neither respect nor deference. It does not deserve the taboos that today surround it. It deserves the opposite: contempt – and relentless, unyielding opposition.
Ophelia Benson and Jeremy Stangroom are the editors of Butterflies and Wheels, the best atheist site on the web. In Does God Hate Women? they forensically dismantle the last respectable misogyny. They argue: “What would otherwise look like stark bullying is very often made respectable and holy by a putative religious law or aphorism or scriptural quotation . . . They worship a God who is a male who gangs up with other males against women. They worship a thug.”
Every major religion’s texts were written at a time when women were regarded as little better than talking cattle. Their words and commands reflect this, plainly and bluntly. This book starts with a panoramic sweep across the world, showing – with archetypal cases – how every religion has groups today thumping women down with its Holy Book.
<SNIP>
There are people in all religions who have – through theological contortions – managed to leave behind literal readings of the text and invent a less foul God to believe in. It is not for atheists to say that one group of believers is right and the other is wrong, as we think they’re all wrong. We can note that the less literalist a believer is, the easier he is to live beside, but we will only discredit literalism and force reform if we are honest about the words of the texts, rather than trying to soft-soap believers.
By the end of this book-length blast, Benson and Stangroom have left religious hatred of women in rubble. Anybody not addled by superstition will have to conclude that such bigotry deserves neither respect nor deference. It does not deserve the taboos that today surround it. It deserves the opposite: contempt – and relentless, unyielding opposition.
I haven't yet read the book so I can't comment on its research or content. But I have read other books with similar themes, most recently Susan Squire's I Don't: A Contrarian History of Marriage. She posited that, because women quickly learn their (male) mate's weaknesses, men feel emasculated, and need to exert control over women in order to restore their sense of potency.
Also, too often, in many cultures, the measure of a man is ... how many children he sires. (Fooled ya.)
That's obviously a simplistic distillation but it will do for the purposes of this blog post.
The thing about religion is, it's man-made -- and almost always patriarchal. God is always male, the priests and rabbis (except in very progressive churches and temples) are always male, and the dogma always favours males.
It always turns out badly for women.
Case in point: Those whacky Christianist movements now spreading in the US which are all about women staying home and making babies. And let's not even get started on the crazy Islamists, or the out-there ultra-religious Jews.
So anyway, how come virtually all of the anti-choice commenters on this blog are men?
UPPITY WOMAN DATE: Almost forgot to h/t Chrystal Ocean.
Also, too often, in many cultures, the measure of a man is ... how many children he sires. (Fooled ya.)
That's obviously a simplistic distillation but it will do for the purposes of this blog post.
The thing about religion is, it's man-made -- and almost always patriarchal. God is always male, the priests and rabbis (except in very progressive churches and temples) are always male, and the dogma always favours males.
It always turns out badly for women.
Case in point: Those whacky Christianist movements now spreading in the US which are all about women staying home and making babies. And let's not even get started on the crazy Islamists, or the out-there ultra-religious Jews.
So anyway, how come virtually all of the anti-choice commenters on this blog are men?
UPPITY WOMAN DATE: Almost forgot to h/t Chrystal Ocean.
Because men are the only ones who care about children. Heh.
Posted by: hysperia | July 08, 2009 at 07:27 PM
Yes hysperia, and women almost always state the obvious.
Antonia, just curious if you include Wicca in the "bad religions" group. I'd also advise you to at least skim a book before you tout it. Can't tell a book by its cover and all that.
Lastly, my own opinion about religion today is that it follows more from old tribal/cultural traditions than any true interpretation of the "sacred text". That is why North America, founded largely on getting the heck out of Dodge (Europe) has a great many female ministers in the Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches while back in Blighty the Anglicans are still fighting amongst themselves on the issue (England still having a strong class system hangover). Muslims in North America tend, after a generation or two, to become positively secular compared to their cousins back in the old country. Women become freer to choose their own path in life, style of dress etc.
True there are still many fundamentalist fringers in all the sects. Like the poor, they will always be among us. Otherwise life would be too boring.
Posted by: mozo | July 09, 2009 at 01:37 PM