DU feminists: do you have links with info about misogyny in Christianity/the Bible?

[WildEyedLiberal]

I am writing a term paper (for which I got an extension due to life circumstances, that's why I'm still working on it after Christmas) about the religious roots of misogyny in modern Western culture. Basically what I'm looking for are examples of a) specific Bible verses that are misogynist, such as the story of Lot and his daughters, etc; and b) actual incidences of people using Christianity or the Bible to justify denying women rights, like that one Republican congressman who said men couldn't rape their wives because as a Christian wife it was her godly duty to put out whenever her man wanted some :eyes: I know these incidents exist, but I can't remember the particulars, and if there are sites out there that have actual examples, I'd be really grateful. TIA.

Disclaimer: This is not an anti-Christian post. I am Catholic. However, there is a clear history of religion being used to justify treating women like dirt, and that's what I'm looking for right now.

[PeaceNikki]

1. Sexism in the Bible

http://members.shaw.ca/tfrisen/Bbl/Sexism/Sexism.html

[PeaceNikki]

2. Examine God's sexism - from God is Imaginary

http://godisimaginary.com/i30.htm

[LARED]

3. For a slightly different twist

you might consider that the NT actually elevated women's roles in society within a historical perspective.

[laconicsax]

14. Yes.

from a commodity to be bartered and sold to a personal slave.

[Katherine Brengle]

15. And how.

You are exactly right, one slavery to another with very little tangible difference.

[babylonsister]

4. Huckabee's the most current example I can think of:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/12/11/mike-huckabee-women-should-submit-to-their-husbands/

Mike Huckabee: Women Should Submit To Their Husbands
By: Logan Murphy on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 at 10:32 AM - PST

Via Daily Kos:

Huckabee’s opinion on gay marriage is out there, but we should also be publicizing Huckabee’s opinions on heterosexual marriage. Specifically, what he believes about a women’s role in a marriage.

In August of 1998, Huckabee was one of 131 signatories to a full page USA Today Ad which declared: “I affirm the statement on the family issued by the 1998 Southern Baptist Convention.” What was in the family statement from the SBC? “A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ.” Read on…

The Huckster is trying his best to hide his full gospel, but somehow I doubt this factoid will attract more women to his campaign. If you needed further proof that this religious extremist will set our country back even further than President Bush has, look no further. Of course, what do we expect from a man who lobbied to have a convicted serial rapist paroled for political gain.

UPDATE: (Nicole) BeliefNet has rated Huckabee a perfect 10 on the theocrat scale, but that’s still not enough to win over Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins.

[Chovexani]

5. Wiki is your friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_about_women

As with anything on Wikipedia, it's only a starting point. Check out the copious amounts of references and external links at the bottom of the page.

[noel711]

6. sexism in scripture

PM me privately, and I'd be glad to give you scholarly details.
I have a master's in divinity, and wrote my senior thesis on women in scripture.
I'd rather not site things on the board here because there are some posters here who go ballistic in conversation about Christianity and scripture.
Be very careful what you find online. There is a lot of bogus info online that has no scriptural/scholarly basis.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Courtesy of the Freedom From Religion Foundation

http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/women.php

[defendandprotect]

8. As a Catholic, of course, you're aware that the Pope/Vatican still does not acknowledge

the full personhood of females as it acknowledges the full personhood of males.

That's still a quite limiting religion for females --- where the Vatican continues to say
that women are inferior, second-class humans.

And, basically, with Christianity, you're talking about organized patriarchal religion ---
very little of it has changed.
The hierarchies of these religions are still male-dominated.

From the highest perspectives, it is said that Hebrews wrote the Bible in order to cement patriarchy.
The Bible, of course, underpins patriarchy, as all of the organized patriarchal religions do.

I think that Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were probably also the most outrageous in expressing
their relgious believes on females; probably available easily on the internet.

[iamjoy]

9. Try Skeptics Bible Online

It has all sorts of documentation on sex, women, cruelty, etc.


http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com


The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of woman's emancipation. -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton,

[laconicsax]

10. Some new testament examples

Matthew 5:32/19: 9 Divorce is only ok if the wife cheats.
Matthew 24:19, Mark 13:17 Pregnant and nursing women are bad and will suffer greatly at the end of days.
Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18:29-30 Men who abandon their families (incl. wife and children) will be rewarded
Romans 1:27 The "natural use" of women being to satisfy the sexual urges of men
1 Corinthians 7:1 It's bad for a man to touch a woman
1 Corinthians 11:3 Women are to be ruled by men
1 Corinthians 11:4-7 If a man prays with an uncovered head, it's bad, but if a woman does it, she should be punished
1 Corinthians 11:8-9 Women belong to men
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Women are forbidden to speak in church, and may only speak at home if their husbands give them permission
Ephesians 5:22-29, Colossians 3:18-19 Wives must submit to their husbands, husbands must love their wives 'with their bodies.'
Ephesians 5:33 Wives must revere their husbands.
1 Timothy 2: 9 Women must dress with 'shamefacedness'
1 Timothy 2:11 Women must only lean in silence
1 Timothy 2:12-14 Women are forbidden to teach or have any authority over men because in the 2nd version of creation, Adam was created first. (Compare Genesis 1:27 and 2:22)
1 Timothy 5:5-16 Widows and how they are inherently bad
2 Timothy 3:6-7 Women are easily led astray and will never come to understand God if they are 'ever learning.'
Titus 2:5 If a woman isn't obedient to her husband, God is blasphemed
1 Peter 3:1-7 A recap of the above
2 Peter 2:8 Lot, having offered his daughters up to two angels saying, 'do with the as you please,' was a righteous man.
Revelations 14:3-4 The 144,000 'saved' will not have been virgins not 'defiled with women.'
Revelations 19:2 'The great whore corrupted the entire world with her fornication.'

The old testament is also full of stories of the wickedness of women, women causing the downfall of men, women being responsible for the bad things in the world, etc.

edit: remove accidental smilies.

[Swamp Rat]

11. Here's a few biblical verses:

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
— Proverbs 12:4

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
— Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
— Colossians 3:18-19

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
—1 Peter 3:1-2

Woman was created to be a companion and helper to man.
— Genesis 2:18-24

Young women should be taught to be obedient to their husbands. This does not mean woman has less ability or less value than man. But someone must be in charge to make decisions in the home. God has determined that this responsibility belongs to the man.
— Titus 2:5

[AnnieBW]

12. The Great Cosmic Mother

by Monica Sjoo is a fantastic reference, if you can find it. She and her co-author really dig into their research. Good luck with your paper. I hope that you find it illuminating, plus get an A. :D

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Cosmic-Mother-Rediscovering-Religion/dp/0062507915/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198975421&sr=1-1

[CorpGovActivist]

13. Amazon.com and Library of Congress Website

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-2495088-6761523?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=women+bible

http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?Search_Arg=women+bible&Search_Code=FT*&PID=8423&SEQ=20071229194530&CNT=25&HIST=1

Hope that helps.

Best,

- Dave