Posted date: 2009-01-15

Posted By : Marc

The primary theme of right-wing religio-populism is the manhood of the Hebrew god. As a believer, I was always confused by the almost obsessively patriarchal bent of Christianity. From within the Catholic Church, it seemed to me that Catholicism with its priests called "Father So-and-so" and its weird anti-sex obsessions must really not care for females much. On exposure to members of other religions, however, I found that the creepy male-centrism of Catholicism didn't hold a candle to that of the Protestant faiths.

When I see things like the "Promise-Keepers", I only see the ingrained misogyny. The essence of these "movements" is that a man has a certain role to play as master over his family. His wife is his primary helper. He must provide for her as the most important servant in his little empire. She is the aide who will raise his offspring to maturity. Yes, she is a valuable asset. Such an asset she is, mind you, that apart from her chores of ensuring his successful reproduction, she occasionally provides extracurricular entertainment. So once a month or so, he should set aside an evening to allow her to extend him this courtesy.

Christianity is all about the maintenance of this patriarchal supremacy. If a woman steps out of line and no man is there to put her in her place (preferably by means of physical assault), then how will other women be forced to accept our very ordered patriarchy? It is every man's right - nay - duty - to slap down any member of his flock who raises a voice against the ruling patriarchy.

According to the Bible, Adam was created in the image of God (capital G God referring specifically to the Hebrew god Yahweh, or the Christian god Jehovah). Not Eve. Eve was a gift to Adam, a plaything. That God made Adam and not Eve in his image implies, then, that God is also in possession of the male form. The major differences between the sexually dimorphic human animal lie in characteristics directly related to reproduction. Further evidence lies in the scriptural use (at least in English versions of the Christian Bible) of the capitalized pronoun and possessive, He and His. As well, Biblical edicts relating to gender are markedly skewed in favor of the male.

The claim could be made that the God is beyond human anatomy and was merely assumed to be male by primitives with no concept of non-sexuality in higher life forms. But isn't that claim nullified by the Genesis Creation stories?

How would a true believer act when asked to explain her concept of gender as relates to her god? Does her god have differentiated male organs? Is her god driven to procreate? If not, why be anatomically correct? If so, shouldn't there be an entire pantheon of gods (or at least semi- and demi-gods)? How is the maleness manifested? Suppose her god is, contrary to Genesis, non-sexual. Shouldn't we, then, consider the god a female? It is natural to call a creator a "mother," even when describing inanimate objects. We refer to a "mother" star producing "daughters."

How would the "Promise-Keepers" react if they were told to start referring to their god as She and the Lady? If their god is truly non-sexual, this is simple semantics. Imagine presenting the concept of a female Jehovah to random believing males. What percentage of those conversations would end in death threats?




I'll leave you with what I consider one of the most illuminating lines from the Bible:

If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;

Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days."
- (Deuteronomy 22:28-29)

Obadiah: "Jedediah, you say you're planning to marry Mariah. Have you arranged a dowry with her father?"

Jedediah: "No. But I have 50 shekels, so I'm just going to rape her."