♪♫Touch me again and I'll cut off your hand
There are some things you'll never understand
You do not dance everyday with the fear
Of living in headlights, the hunted, the deer
-Kiki Rockwell, Burn Your Village♪♫
I began to suspect that the Church had something against women when I was in my 6th year at my new private Catholic school. Despite my model Christian upbringing, I had recently been expelled. Being instructed by Nuns was a different experience, and I was reflecting on their uniform dress and specifically their Veils. I often saw religious head coverings mocked on TV—except, notably, when it came to Catholic veils. In the wake of September 11th 2001 some years later, this observation would dramatically become more mainstream.
I continued to ponder clothing in the clergy with Priests, Deacons, and yes Popes. The Church showed preference toward men and what they chose to wear along with the collar; not least of which would be an 18K gold cross, and a platinum ring with over 75 carats of diamonds owned by Pope Paul VI (Pope from 1963-1978). I'm still waiting on an answer on why that's cool by god when modesty is so important, or so I had been taught.
When I got older, I began to read the bible in earnest, trying to find some supporting reasons why the Nuns would dress one way and the Men another. A phrase I've learned lately is "Believing the bible makes you a Christian, reading & understanding the bible makes you an Atheist." Well, eventually that came to be for me. As I sat there reading the Bible, reading up on what I could I came to realize the Bible had several concerning things to say about women. The verses I found are listed at the end of this entry.
The Fucked Up Verses included details on (my descriptios of the verses at least): "Women are property, deal with it", "Women are less valuable than a man, "Women should be quiet and subservient to men", and "Women's blood is unclean and deplorable, but Jesus' blood is Ambrosia."
See, originally I wanted to discredit all of this "Old Testament" stuff because Jesus' big TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read) was "Love your neighbor as yourself", but Timothy wasn't Old Testament... was he? And shit, he said women have no authority over man, that women should be silent. How many of you heard "Shut up, you're just a girl!" growing up? Cuz I heard it yelled at my friends in early years. . . Do you wonder where they got such a thought, too?
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene depicted Mary as a close companion and trusted disciple of Jesus, and post Crucifixion she offers guidance and teachings of Jesus to anxious disciples. When challenged by Peter as to her authority, he is reminded by another disciple that Jesus loved her most. (The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is available on my site here.)
I mention Mary because she, like Asherah, should have had more influence in the accepted bible. Asherah, god's wife, also has little influence in the bible, reduced to casual name-drop but little else. Yet as Abrahamic religions moved toward Monotheism, she was cast aside and faded into obscurity. What would occur societally if the concept of 'god' was represented as Male & Female?
In recent years, I have seen some progress towards women being allowed into positions of Leadership within the Church. I'd like to acknwoledge the denominations of Christianity that do allow women in their ranks. I also pay homage to the Sikhs who view men & women as equals. Certainly, there are more accepting churches now than there were, but the tide is slow to turn.
If you have a different experience where your church did see women in leadership, I would love to hear your story! If you do not have any women in positions of Leadership within the Church you attend, I challenge you to be curious and ask their position on Women in leadership. See what they say, understand what they mean, and react appropriately to your path of life.
I know that I am not raising my children in the Church, because I truly believe that would be setting them up to silently accept that they are a lesser value than their divine birthright. My suspicion grew to distrust, which grew to conviction. I have no doubt left in my heart that the bible despises women.
Numbers 31:17-18 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
1 Timothy 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (1 Timothy 2:12)
Deuteronomy 22: 28-29 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.”
Exodus 21:7-11 When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. 8 If she does not satisfy her owner, he must allow her to be bought back again.
Leviticus 27:6 “...for a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver”
Questions for consideration: