Is God Good for Women?
It seems I’m always saying thank you these days. It’s nice. People are confirming my heartfelt belief that humankind is essentially good. So before I digress further, I wish to thank Robert Reed from WFM 98.2 who interviewed me last week. He took my radio appearance virginity, and he was gentle. Thanks Rob!
However, a troubling trend is rising. A question about the play, which was asked at the Q&A in London, was similarly asked by Rob. It’s regarding the death of priest by a young girl and what it all represents.
I could be nonchalant and say ‘it doesn’t mean anything’. I could be indifferent and say, ‘I just fancied killing off a clergyman’. But it really did mean something and I didn’t simply want to stab a priest. The play was my frail attempt to represent how I think religion treats women, which is pretty badly in my opinion. Although, I must admit, hundreds of thousands of deeply religious women world wide disagree with me and it’s their opinion I’d like to hear.
So I ask you, is God good for women?
With the help of My Manchester & People’s Voice Media, I’ve decided to make a short documentary on the question. So if you are a woman based in Manchester U.K and would like to take part, (by having a short filmed interview) let me know.
Picture Credit: lunaea.com
Copyright: lunaea.com
Depends on which deity, I suppose. If you’re speaking of the Abrahamic deity(ies), then I would have to say no. From everything I’ve read, and the main reason I broke from those religions, it promotes the subjugation and spiritual/mental enslavement of women. Of course, there are those that disagree. However, I feel that most religion requires some sort of enslavement. In general, it does not seem healthy or productive for the rational mind regardless of your gender.
danaofthebells
November 25, 2008
God isn’t the same as religion.
Are most of the dominant forms of organized religion good for women? No.
Is God good for women? Depends on how strictly these women adhere to tradition. There are many non-traditional approaches and interpretations of scripture for even the most historically oppressive-to-women religions.
ubuntucat
November 25, 2008
I will cede that they are not synonymous at the very core. However, it is difficult to separate the two because it is through religion that most people find companionship with their fellow man.
I suppose the question is, at that point, can we have a concept of Divinity without any of the trappings of a religion? And, at that point, does it matter what we call Divinity as long as the basic concepts are the same? What do those concepts need to be? And, after that… how do we define Divinity itself?
danaofthebells
November 25, 2008
For me it depends on who or what you perceive God to be and what belief systems you have taken on board from your religion. I prefer to be out of any box and connect with what connects with me. So I lean more towards the Goddesses of the World, who represent the full spectrum of what it is to be a woman
Z
November 26, 2008
Brother / Sister in Faith,
The Almighty is much misunderstood by many, some claim to believe and yet believe not.
I’ve touched on the Topic “Who is The Almighty Allah” See:
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/who-is-allah/
I’ve also touched on Topics such as “The True Religion” I will soon be posting a new article taking from the Blessed Holy Bible…
It will be called “Islaam in the Bible” giving reference and very indepth answers.
All over the world Priests, Missionaries, Rabbis are reverting to Islaam…
Some may Question but why are all our religious scholars becoming Muslim.
The Answers might just be in my blog posts.
Find out More from Former Christian Priests, Missionaries, Rabbis etc…
Search for the names listed from my blog posts and you’ll get their details should you have any questions.
With love to all for the pleasure of Allah.
Al-Farooq
alfaarooq1
November 26, 2008
Yes The Almighty Allah is good for women.
Have a look at the Holy Quran and see how Allah brings the woman up lifted to their rightful place as equal to a man.
The final Messenger of Allah Mohammed Peace be upon him, told his followers that the best amongst you men is he who is best to his wife.
Many years ago it was common amongst all nations, religions etc… for men to kill their baby daughters and burry them alive.
Men used to see women as a problem in the family and as useless to the family name etc…
Then Allah had revealed it is from the man whom the sex of the child comes, life is dear to Allah,
Mohammed Peace be upon him was the best of men for all of time.
He changed history by spreading the word of Allah.
I’m not one to market my site you had a question here and I gave you a link as an answer.
With love and respect for the pleasure of Allah.
Al-Faarooq
PS: I would give my life to defend the honour of my sisters in this world, I already have for christian and jewish women who was at hand of a group of rapist.
I had a gun to my head but by Allah I overpowered them.
alfaarooq1
December 4, 2008
Here you will find Muslim marriage information and true stories to reflect from:
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/muslim-marriage-information-stories-to-reflect-from/
I like your blog post because you stand up for your sister rights.
Apart from the link provided above here is a sad story not sure if you’d read through it:
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/a-time-to-face-the-truth-the-true-religion/
alfaarooq1
December 4, 2008
Have a look at these two and decide…
Women in Islaam:
Marriage info etc…
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/muslim-marriage-information-stories-to-reflect-from/
The SAD news…
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/a-time-to-face-the-truth-the-true-religion/
alfaarooq1
December 4, 2008
Here are your answers
You would love to read this…
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/muslim-marriage-information-stories-to-reflect-from/
Then there’s always the very sad news too…
You might not want to read this I cry everytime I read this!!!
http://thetruereligion.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/a-time-to-face-the-truth-the-true-religion/
alfaarooq1
December 5, 2008
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A Time To Face The Truth: The True Religion? « The True Religion
December 5, 2008
Al-Farooq, Al-Farooq, you seem to have forgotten to answer the question in your blatant attempt to advertise your own Blog.
Come on now; is the idea of God good for women?
alexmorrisroe
December 6, 2008
I’m not sure Allah has changed misogyny at all. I think the murder, rape, and oppression of women is still rife worldwide and it is naive to purport otherwise. Every religion claims to respect women, but the more important aspect is whether the ambiguous, subjective, and largely cultural term respect is felt by the individual woman as respect. The very fact that male dominated religions make the rules of what respect is for women, without understanding their spiritual needs is surely outdated, dismissive, and ill-founded?
The very idea that a ‘male’ god ‘brings the woman up lifted to their rightful place as equal to a man.’ suggests women need to rely on a man/male god to release them from male oppression. A thought that leaves me feeling uncomfortable and queasy. Not only because it suggests women are completely passive in their experience of life, but also that the only hope women have in the face of such oppression is a male god. A male god who may well be subliminally re-enforcing the oppression to begin with.
P.S. The event you refer to in your post sounds horrific. I’m glad you came out unscathed.
alexmorrisroe
December 6, 2008
Sadly, I’m still not convinced that any faith with a patriarchal hierarchy, i.e. a male god, and predominantly male prophets, saints, and scholars are productive spiritually, emotional or psychologically for women. I think, for the idea of ‘god’ to be of benefit to women ‘his’ gender needs removed to reveal a more gender neutral or multi-gender friendly ideal. I feel a reinterpretation of scripture, tradition, is long over due. As is the introduction of women in the normally male dominated roles within all faith organisations if women are to gain from god/and or religion. I feel the straight-male-symbolism and language surrounding the idea of god is unhelpful to women struggling for equality worldwide. A straight-male-god assumes women’s spiritual inferiority regardless of her role in human creation, and therefore creation of the universe. Surely these unquestioned ideas regarding a male-divine-creator run contrary to the natural order seen within nature. In nature both sexes are needed to create life, not one (apart from hermaphroditism when self-fertilization occurs). Moreover, the woman grows and nurtures this life within her to fruition. She is the incubator, without which humanity would fail to survive.
I think for God to really benefit women we need to ask some really important questions
1. What is god?
2. How do women personally experience the divine?
3. Where are the empowered/ing women in religious history?
4. Does an authoritarian god, with all his ‘male’ attributes, such as logic, reason, control, vengeance, aggression, organised, linear thinking, etc undermine feminine qualities of creativity, compassion, intuition, emotion, receptive etc? Making them seen as lesser or more immature, irrational, neurotic tendencies?
5. Most importantly we must ask does the status quo of a straight-male-god benefit the world? The overwhelming bias in favour of a straight-male-god must, to my mind, lead to a spiritual imbalance corrosive to the soul, culture, and society, one that fails to fulfil women or for that matter men.
Surely a human-being, owning male & female hormones & chromosomes are neither fully male nor female, but a balance of both. The gender stereotypes upheld by a male god must therefore undermines both sexes equally, leading to psychological and spiritual impoverishment that serves to cage the soul, not liberate or develop it in any comprehensive way.
alexmorrisroe
December 6, 2008
zzrFM2 Thanks for good post
johnny
December 29, 2008
Yes the Idea of The Almighty Allah is good for women.
Maybe your understanding of Womens rights in Islaam is not so much.
Allah is not male nor female, Allah sets the laws…
When it comes to the rights of women being fulfilled we have to look at their surroundings.
alfaarooq1
December 30, 2008