Christian women come hither...

[RachelR]

OK, this thread isn't intended to be a discussion/debate thread so I am posting here rather than in Various Topics so that it can be seen by more members.

I have a cause and/or effect English paper due and my sources can only come from interviews.

The topic of my paper is the causes of why women participate or choose not to participate in a religion (Christianity) that many deem to be oppressive towards them. If you'd like to help me with this by answering the following questions (either by replying here or via email) I would greatly appreciate it!

1. Name (real name, first only)

2. Age (sorry, I really do need this, lol)

3. Religious affiliation (Baptist, Methodist etc..)

4. What is your education level (high school, some college, college degree etc..)

5. Were you brought up in this religion or did you convert? If you converted, what brought about the conversion?

6. What was your family dynamics like growing up? Was your family traditional (father head of household) or was your mother the dominant one?

7. How staunch are you in your religious convictions? For example, do you go to church regularly? Are you active in your church? If your church doesn't believe in women wearing pants, do you still wear them? Why or why not?

8. Do you believe women in your religion are oppressed? Please give examples and explain why you feel the way that you do.

[GRACE]

Sounds interesting, here is my info if ya like:

1. Grace
2. 29
3. Baptist
4. College Degree
5. Brought up in the religion
6. Traditional and Violent
7. DO NOT attend church at all!
8. Unfortunately, I am not active enough to know-- sorry!

[Tprspouse]

1. Name: Lisa

2. Age:31

3. Religious affiliation: United Methodist, but I do attend Catholic mass.

4. What is your education level: High School and some college.

5. I was brought up as Methodist, my husband and children are Catholic.

6. My family wasn't exactly traditional, because in my opinion I wouldn't put divorced parents in that category. A traditional family is a Mother and a Father who are together to raise their children in the same house. After my Mom was remarried, my family with my stepfather being the head of household turned into my traditional family. But at first, it wasn't like that.

7. I go to church as often as I feel I need to. I am not the type of person that believes that you are not a good person with good qualities and morals if you stay home and pray instead. I go to church on holidays and with my husband and children occasionally. Since my children have mass during school (private catholic school) I will sometimes accompany their class to mass on Monday mornings. I am probably not the best role model for my children, but I am not Catholic and do not have to abide by thier religious obligations.

8. I don't believe that the women of my religion (church) are oppressed at all. Some other religions, I have a difference of opinion. I will not name them, because I am not going to judge other people. But my religion, I'd say no.

I hope this helps!

[ 10-17-2002, 03:49 PM: Message edited by: Tprspouse ]

[Niteshift]

Just curious Raychel, why limit it do just women? Going for a specific point?

[Mrs. Fish]

1. Name : Christina

2. Age : 22

3. Religious affiliation : Christianity

4. What is your education level : 4-year college

5. Were you brought up in this religion or did you convert? : my grandmother is very religious and I grew up with my grandmother for a part of my child-hood and taught me how to pray and read the bible to me and explained versuses to me.

6. What was your family dynamics like growing up? I would say my mother.

7. How staunch are you in your religious convictions? I go to church to listen to the sermon and that's it. I don't participate in church activities because it seems that church people has this desire to know everything about each and every person who attends that church so I try to remain discreet about my life.

8. Do you believe women in your religion are oppressed? Please give examples and explain why you feel the way that you do. No, because women choose to be christian, catholic, etc. and in christianity, I don't feel that women are forced to believe any aspect...it's by choice.

[RachelR]

Yes, it is only limited to women. My paper is on why women would choose to or not to participate in a religion that many deem to be oppressive towards them. The Christian religion really isn't oppressive towards men but is overly restrictive on women, imo anyways.

Thanks for the responses already everyone.

[Sam]

1. Name (real name, first only)Sam

2. Age (sorry, I really do need this, lol)46

3. Religious affiliation (Baptist, Methodist etc..) Close to Baptist but independent.

4. What is your education level (high school, some college, college degree etc..)
4 years
5. Were you brought up in this religion or did you convert? If you converted, what brought about the conversion?
I was brought up in another religion but saw hypocracy in the more legalist religion

6. What was your family dynamics like growing up? Was your family traditional (father head of household) or was your mother the dominant one?
Traditional

7. How staunch are you in your religious convictions? For example, do you go to church regularly? Are you active in your church? If your church doesn't believe in women wearing pants, do you still wear them? Why or why not?
I study the Bible every day and go to church often

8. Do you believe women in your religion are oppressed? Please give examples and explain why you feel the way that you do.
In our religion the men are to love women as Christ loved the church. Christ was forgiving and full of grace and did not oppress anyone so I would say no they are not oppressed but placed on a pedalstal.

[Mitzi]

1. Real name...Janie
2. 52 (Had to take deep breths before that one)
3. Catholic
4. 2 college degrees
5. I converted. My H is Catholic and, after attending some masses with him, I loved it.
6. My mother RULED. It was a very dysfunctional family
7. I attend mass every Saturday but am not active in my church. I thik my church frowns on pants but I wear them and see many other women wear them also.
8. No, I do not feel we are oppressed. I believe our religion has changed quite a bit in the last few years. I think it needs to do more changing, such as allowing prists to marry and taking responsibilty for the priests that child molest. They should not be allowed to be priests.

[SGT Dave]

Posted by Tprspouse:

quote:

---

5. I was brought up as Methodist, my husband and children are Catholic.

---

Tprspouse:

That brings to mind the scene in We Were Soldiers where Hal Moore (Mel Gibson) is praying with his children, who, like him, are Catholic, but their mother is a Methodist.

Moore realizes the smallest girl (about 3-4 YOA) isn't praying with him and asks her why she isn't praying. She says (and it's so cute):

"I don't want to be Catholic-I want to be a Nethodist like moma!"

Raychel-

I know from past posts you choose not to be Christian, but it's only an outsiders opinion that women participating in modern mainstream Christianity are "oppressed." That is just another "view" that some agnostics, atheists, and general critics of religion of any kind use to justify their positions.

Indeed, in many families and households, the woman is usually the STRONGER Christian-and it's not because they're just backwoods, un-worldly, and uneducated. Many have seen the blessings that God bestows by living in accordance with his Word, and see the benefit of acknowledging God's influence, living Christian lives, raising children in a Christian home, etc.

I realize this misconception is based very loosely on some of the Old Testament, and certain practices such as some churches and denominations not allowing women to wear dresses, not allowing women to serve as deacons, pastors, etc., and Scripture such as the one saying that women are to "remain silent" in the church, and so forth.

Except for some RARE exceptions (Branch Davidians and the likes!) most people (men AND women) are in their various religions because they choose to be. If they feel "oppressed", certainly they can find a church more accommodating. Heck, in this day of gay and lesbian denominations, it seems anyone can find a church!

NOTE: I am not saying that God will actually bless ALL denominations that today's people think up to suit their individual tastes, but if they choose to worship, I am saying they can find a church that suits them and hope for the best!

Please don't take ANY of this post as a slam-I'm actually wanting to help you see this issue like someone "on the inside". However, knowing you are somewhat negative toward Christianity generally, and rereading your original question, I would liken your asking women in modern mainstream Christianity how they feel about being "oppressed" is the same as a police critic coming to this board and asking us: "How do you feel about repeatedly violating people's Constitutional rights?"

[RachelR]

Dave,

I was brought up as a Christian and am well aware of an insiders view as I used to be one.

This is an informative paper, not an argumentative paper. This paper is actually being written from a neutral stance and I am exploring many causes of why women would choose to or choose not to follow this religion when many in the world, Christians and non-Christians alike, deem it to be oppresive towards them. Yes, I've actually spoken to some Christians who admit they are oppressed by their religion but follow it for other reasons.

And.. my question wasn't how women feel about being oppressed, I asked if they feel they are oppressed. There's a vast difference in those two questions. I liken my paper to asking the causes of why people choose to smoke or choose not to smoke when many feel it is unhealthy.

I'll try and post the finished paper when I am done so you can see how I went about it.

[JeeGirl]

Here you go...

1. Jeanine
2. 32
3. Catholic
4. HS Diploma/Business School Degree
5. Brought up Catholic
6. Traditional and LOUD
7. Used to be forced to go as a child. Only attend now for Weddings and Funerals.
8. I don't feel that women in my Religion are oppressed, however, I do feel that in many other Religions that is the case.

Hope this helps!

[Snoopy1]

1. Eileen
2. 69
3. Christian (Disciples of Christ)
4. High school
5. Did not attend church or Sunday School as a child, mainly because my father did not attend church. We lived on a farm and it was too far to walk. When I graduated from high school we moved to the city and my mother located a church of our faith so she and I took the bus. I have always been grateful to her for doing this.
6. Traditional
7. I attend church regularly and am active in the women's groups and various activities. I also help prepare and serve communion when asked. There are also women in the ministry. There are no restrictions against women (such as wearing pants) that do not also apply to men. The rules vary depending on the part of the country. Some churches are a little more liberal than others.
8. I do not feel oppressed. I believe the bible teaches that God loves everyone, regardless of sex, race, etc., so being oppressive toward any group would be a violation of the teachings of the bible. We are not required to tolerate adultery or physical and/or mental abuse from our husbands just because they are the head of the family.

[Piper]

As you know, I'm not Christian, but I thought I'd throw my answers in, use them or not as you wish.

1. Michele

2. 30

3. Once Catholic (strong Irish/German) now Wiccan

4. Some College

5. Brought up Catholic

6. Traditional Military Home

7. Every Sunday like clockwork we went to Mass.
I also went to Catholic school, as my mother and her brother went. That's just how things were.

8. I feel very free in my spirituality as it is now. I think a lot of women in organized religion are oppressed, either by their own choice or someone making that choice for them. I can see in some instances, where women have been brought up with their religion all their lives and that is all they know. Without exploring other options, how would they know they are oppressed? Something to ponder perhaps.

[InSane1]

1. Gina
2. 30
3. Catholic
4. Associates degree
5. Born and raised to be catholic
6. Very traditional in regards to discipline, but very egalitarian between parents (still is).

7. I only go to church when I miss it. I havent been to mass in four years, but do go in and pray occassionally. Most often it's when I really need guidance.
my convictions:
1. I always cover my hair when I go into church. I also have my little girl cover her hair when she goes to church. Don't ask why, I just read a passage one day and I promised God I'd never again enter church without covering my hair. It had something to do with covering a womans glory.
2. Promises- I beleive that Promises are for God to keep and man to break. Therefore, I make very few promises. #1 is one promise I made to God (so far so good).
3. Guarding my heart- I realized a while back that guarding your heart is a major task to learn and do. To better explain, God knows my heart and that I act in good faith. I'm not malicious, or vindictive and I don't give in to any act that I think would compromise my integrity knowingly. Not saying im perfect... cause everyone here knows I can really get bitchy sometimes
OH and one more thing
4. I always make the sign of the cross after I pray. I generally say aloud, "in the name of the Fahter, Son, and Holy Spirit" (then I kiss the fingers I just made the sign of the cross with and say "thank you, amen". (traditionally taught to me by my father.)

8. NO! Not in America. In other countries I suppose we as Americans might think that, but its just part of their culture. So if we are talking about American women. NOPE.