Religious Fundamentalism and the Subordination of Women - Essay Example

Religious Fundamentalism and the Subordination of Women Religious Fundamentalism and the Subordination of Women Religious fundamentalism refers to the traditional way of following religion by some group of people who oppose modernism, especially when it comes to religion. They do not believe in the progress society makes and refer to the Holy Scriptures as the conventional way to live and lead life. These Holy Scriptures might include holy books like The Bible and Quran or any other Holy Scriptures followed by a community or a certain society. These scriptures become a very important part for religious fundamentalists who look to follow it word by word ignoring science and other progress made by society. For religious fundamentalists, what is written in their books is more important than anything else. It is a way of life they insist on living as their past generations have also lived in similar fashion upholding any attempts of science and modern society to change their belief. The current paper focus on the argument that subordination of women does become a very important component of religious fundamentalism as the fundamentalists look to ‘literally’ follow each and every sentence of the Holy Scriptures, which might seem biased to the interest of women at times. Aune & Sharma (2013, p. 112) elucidate that the Holy Scripts have also shown women inferior to men, in some way or the other. It has made the most conservative group of religious people, religious fundamentalists, inclined in believing men are superior to women. Thus, they have a stern attitude towards women and are not in favor in liberating them. They feel that women should have a very limited role in society. The Corinthians mentions, “The man is not for a woman but a woman for the man. The man was not created for the woman, but the woman was created for the man” (Corinthians 11:3). Morin & Guelke (2007, p. 78) believe that these kinds of statements found in the Holy Scriptures have made subordination of women a necessary component among fundamentalists. Renavikar (2003, p. 176), Lindley (1996, p. 91) and Beers (1992, p. 139) explain that for people who take the word of the Holy Scriptures as the word of god will always follow what is written on them. Sometimes what is written on them is against the prosperity of the modern world but that is how religious fundamentalists see things. “You should not permit a witch to live. Those who commit adultery and sleep with men you are to burn them” (Exodus 22:18-20). Renavikar (2003, p. 176), Lindley (1996, p. 91) & Beers (1992, p. 139) explain that many women were burnt alive on countless of occasion up until the medieval times just because religious fundamentalists thought that they should not get away with adultery. Men were often spared of the crimes and women became victims of such crimes nearly four times than men. Although such practices are not done in the modern world but if the world was to be governed by religious fundamentalists then, there is a high probability that these medieval practices would come to existence again. “Let the women be silent in public places and do not encourage them to speak. They must learn to be obedient, and if they want to learn something then they could ask their husband at home” (I Corinthians 14:34-35). It again shows a part of a society in which such culture was prevalent not too long ago. Sered (1994) & Kraemer (1992) explain that religions are something that is tightly knotted with customs, tradition and culture. It is passed down to children and grandchildren. Some people are born and raised in a more liberal and religion tolerant entourage while some are born in a stern religious environment. A person learns, he adopts and then passes it down to his successors. It is how religion grows in a society. For religious fundamentalists, this rule is no exception. Pargament (1997, p. 211) & Ellens (2004, p. 276) elucidate that people who have learned to subordinate women in their family would most likely try to keep them under their control. It is how human psychology works. There have been people that have displayed and kept a stern behavior towards the women of their house, and there are people who continue to do so. Progressive thinking is something that is new to them as they are accustomed to follow the traditions of their ancestors strictly. It could be stated that Muslim societies are common examples of such progressive thinking.  Women are not allowed to interact not only with strangers but with also people they know and come across to in public places. In some parts of countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, women are not allowed to talk to their husband in public places. They normally learn from their brothers and husbands within the closed door of their house. It is a proof that religious fundamentalists carryon the same traditions as passed to them by their forefathers and often subordinate their women. Sharma (1994, p. 21) is of the opinion that it is to this reference of women in the Holy Scriptures that many fundamentalists believe women were made to serve men and should have limited roles in society. Fundamentalists believe that women are bound to men and their place in the world must be confined within the boundaries of the house. They do not like women to work as they believe they are the real bread earners. Fundamentalists would always favor women for practicing domesticity and look after the children. Hageman (1974, p. 211) believe that following such scriptures and putting them to practice only allows men to dominate women. They automatically feel they are superior and that they were the ones for whom God created the world. Women are thus degraded and have no say in their business. The Deuteronomy contains the following lines in one passage “When two men quarrel against each other and the wife of one man sees it and comes to the rescue by offering her hand then the husband has the permission to cut her hand” (Deuteronomy 25:11-22). Keller & Ruether (2006, p. 87), Brown (2007, p. 132) & (Apetrei & Louise (2010, p. 108) are of the opinion that these teachings from the Deuteronomy have been quoted many times in regard to the supremacy of man over his wife. People who strictly adhere to the Holy Scriptures believe that women have no say at all in the business of men. They could only speak, help and contribute if the male members of the society allow them to. If they do not give any such permission then women have no right to indulge or intrude in the society. Religious fundamentalists believe that a man can treat his wife the way he wants. School of Theology and Department of Sociology (2007, p. 156) penetrated that many fundamentalists believe it should be the husband that should be the final authority of everything for a woman. They believe that their religion have given them the right to control the actions of their wives, sisters, mother or any other females member related to them in the society. There should be no intervention from the government or any other local authority. Tolstoy (2014, p. 57) also believes that many fundamentalists believe that a man should not be answerable to anyone when dealing with his wife. Government and laws come second as he has more authority on his wife then the government. The attitude of the fundamentalists is direct a reflection of what the Holy Scriptures say. They believe that there should be no hesitation to punish the women if they get into their business without them wanting it. “If a man finds a virgin and lies down with her then he can keep her. If he is found on a bed with her and the news reaches the girl’s father or brother then the man can send the family fifty shekels of silver and keep the girl as long as he wants.” These lines are well explained by Crawford (1996, p. 76) & Azzam (2007, p. 17). They strengthen the position of male members in the society. The religious fundamentalists believe that women have no rights of their own. Although they do not have the same opinion that women can be used up as a commodity in modern world, the fact that its mentioned in Holy Scriptures concludes for many religious fundamentalists that women are just a product of consumption for men. Berktay (1998, p. 76) & Lucas (1994, p. 204) are of the opinion that many religious fundamentalists believe that women were created for the pleasure of men. The sole reason of god was to create a being that could take care of the sexual desires of men and bear them with children, preferably males. There is another quote from Leviticus to support this ideology. “If a woman has given birth to a child and if a male child then she will be unclean for seven days” (Leviticus 12:2). “If a woman has given birth to a female then she is to remain unclean for two weeks” (Leviticus 12:5). There is no clear explanation to why this is the case, but many religious fundamentalists believe that a male member of a society is twice as pure as his counterpart. Anderson & Young (2004, p. 127) are of the opinion that such practices can be found in some parts of the world, and India is one such example. In some small villages in India, women giving birth to female children are dealt with ignorance and isolation for weeks. They are considered unclean, and it is believed that if they interact with society then they could bring great evil upon the people living in it. Similarly, if a woman that has given birth to a female child interacts with another woman who is newly married, is pregnant or is planning to have a child will most probably fall under her influence and bear female children. For the sake of prosperity of the society, women in some societies in India are asked to stay away from the members of the community for certain period. It again shows the kind of attitude found in people of the past generations that adhered to the teachings of ancient Holy Scriptures. Anderson & Young (2004, p. 127) believe that because people have also prospered in small communities like in India, the customs and traditions of the forefathers have been closely followed and well attached by some modern religious fundamentalists. Such people do not give up these traditions as they are identified by it. Leaving these traditions would mean giving up on religion that people in some parts of India and Africa consider it extremely unlucky. However, people would always argue that subordination of women is not a necessary component of religious fundamentalism as modern man in modern society equally subordinates women. Women are molested and insulted in office places, more than ever at present. Every year the percentage in number of complaints is rising as more and more sexual harassment is being reported. Women are of the opinion that the workplace is not a safe environment for them as the male members who look to take their advantage dominate it. Some have also reported that they are considered weak, and only the best jobs are given to the male members. Religious fundamentalists often reply to this problem as a problem self created by women. They believe that women can also work from home and may avoid sexual harassment and all sorts of abuse (Tolstoy, 2014). In conclusion, religious fundamentalists have been following a family tradition and a religion of their forefathers. They have the same attitude like people in the past used to. They are against modernism and the fact that women should be freely allowed to roam and work in the society that has been made for the male members of the society to work. They believe word-by-word of the Holy Scriptures and to them the women is just what is literally described in those scriptures. Some of the beliefs might be strange to modern man, but they are what man followed a few hundred years back. It does not means that religious fundamentalists are ancients, but their teachings have been inspired by ancient scriptures. List of References Anderson, L. M. & Young, P. D., 2004. Women and Religious Traditions. 1st ed. Boston: Oxford University Press. Apetrei, S. & Louise, S., 2010. Women, Feminism and Religion in Early Enlightenment England. 3rd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press. Aune, K. & Sharma, S. &. V. G., 2013. Women and Religion in the West: Challenging Secularization. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing. 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New York : Oxford University Press.. Lindley, S. H., 1996. You Have Stept Out of Your Place: A History of Women and Religion in America. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press. Lucas, D. J., 1994. A History of Women in Religion. 2nd ed. Boston : Xulon Press. Morin, K. M. & Guelke, J. K., 2007. Women, Religion, & Space: Global Perspectives on Gender and Faith. 1st ed. New York: Syracuse University Press. Pargament, K. I., 1997. The Psychology of Religion and Coping: Theory, Research, Practice. 1st ed. New York : Guilford Press. Renavikar, M. D., 2003. Women and Religion: A Sociological Analysis. 4th ed. London : International Specialized Book Service. School of Theology and Department of Sociology, 2007. Everyday Religion : Observing Modern Religious Lives. 1st ed. Boston: Oxford University Press. Sered, S. S., 1994. Priestess, Mother, Sacred Sister: Religions Dominated by Women. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Sharma, A., 1994. Todays Woman in World Religions. 2nd ed. New York: SUNY Press. Tolstoy, L., 2014. My Religion. 2nd ed. Mesa: Scriptoria Books. Read More