I came across a blog last night that I found interesting, one entry in particular. I didn't check the date of the entry, but not too long ago the author had posted about women and religion. He mentioned Mary Magdalene, how she was a disciple of Christ, but not good enough to be one of the 12, and how just about every religion known to man is patriarchal, unfair to women, and at least a little bit misogynistic.
I know on its face, these allegations are generally accepted to be true. I can think of women wearing burkas, men allowed to beat their wives and daughters for even minor offences, Eve was given the dubious honor of bringing sin into the world when she listened to the snake, Delilah stripped Sampson of his famed power, Jezebel is synonymous with wickedness in women, and the list goes on.
I had to stop and think about this for a minute, because I would probably agree with his argument in some ways. I know the perception of women's roles in the world, particularly in Christianity, but I also know that God loves and treasures women just as much as men. I can't speak for other religions, but I think that the Bible at least has gotten something of a bad rap when it comes to how women are portrayed.
Mind you, the sinful, "pagan" women are pretty bad, Herodias asked for the head of John the Baptist and had him killed, Mical ridiculed King David and became barren because of it, Solomon's wives and concubines drew him into idolatry and away from God, etc. But they didn't fear or follow God, you couldn't expect much from them. The men of God, however were also shown to be sinful, fallen creatures: Noah was a drunk, Moses was scared and didn't want to talk to Pharoah alone. His anger and disobedience also kept him out of the Promised Land. David was an adulterer and murderer. Peter denied Jesus 3 times, and the disciples in general had a hard time understanding and believing in Jesus, even when he lived and worked with them for 3 years.
But when you read about the godly women in the Bible, you get a whole different story. Esther singlehandedly saved all the Jews in Persia, Mary submitted to God in what was maybe the hardest thing to believe ever - the Holy Spirit is going to make you pregnant and you'll be mother to the Son of God. Deborah judged Israel and led them into a huge military victory - at the request (and to the shame) of the male leaders of her time. Ruth refused to leave her mother in-law and followed her to find a new husband and a new home and a place in the lineage of Jesus. Rahab was a prostitute who also became Jesus' ancestor because of her heroic acts. Of all these women, the only negative information you read about them is that one was a prostitute. And also maybe that Sarah laughed at the idea that God might make her pregnant at 90. But she went along with it in the end, and she also has a place of honor.
These were strong women. They did amazing things in the face of frightening circumstances. These are women to look up to, to try to emulate. I doubt they'd really count as feminists, tho, so that might be why no one really pays that much attention. These were women who submitted, and in doing so found strength, which most people think is impossible. They feared God, which led them to honor and fame. Not always in their lifetimes, but God made sure that they are remembered. No doubt they were just as human as the rest of us; I'm sure Ruth and Boaz disagreed about a few things after they got married, Deborah might have been kind of bossy as a judge, but none of those things is recorded. These women get nothing but good press, there's no way you can tell me that God did not consider them very precious, just as precious as he considers me and every other woman he has handcrafted.
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