This came across my email again today - I've seen it before. I get a lot of propaganda from various political sources, not quite sure how that happened, and I don't necessarily agree with the group that included this Jimmy Carter quote - which prevented me from sharing the quote and adding my own little statement on Facebook - so instead, my blog gets to be the outlet for my commentary because today I need to say it. So there - I love being the boss of my little blog fiefdom (as I said earlier this week).
The quote:
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries. At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.... The truth is that male religious leaders have had -- and still have -- an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter.
The quote:
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries. At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.... The truth is that male religious leaders have had -- and still have -- an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter.
JIMMY CARTER, "Losing My Religion for Equality
My commentary:
I do not want anyone, or any religious or political institution or group, to "exalt" me or "subjugate" me, and I certainly don't want any of that nonsense based on my gender. You can admire me for anything number of things I have done or said or created, and I guess you could also criticize me for any number of things I have done or said or created. You and I are each a human being, in my mind we have equal status in the world as a human being. No-one should be on a pedestal or ground down underfoot. We can each be respectful and caring toward the other human beings in this world. Anything - person or dogma or whatever - that tries to pit you and me against each other because of some inherent categorization system that makes one human being more or less than another - one of us being deemed a Star Bellied Sneetch and the other a Sneetch Without for instance (credit to Dr. Seuss of course) - is wrong. Period.
Wholeheartedly agree - - we are all equal in the eyes of our creator no matter what our status in life, no matter our gender, no matter anything. Period.
ReplyDeleteWell said. And I totally agree.
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Happy A-Zing!
Good words.
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AMEN!
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