Casual sexism in Watchtower literature

by slimboyfat 57 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • sd-7
    sd-7
    I read. The entire article seemed to be written only for the girls. Arguments include 'no potential husband would want a woman who has slept around' and 'women who put out are always fun to date but never the ones men marry', etc. I was really kind of shocked (and NOTHING shockes me about that religion anymore). I checked the beginning again to see if there was anything anywhere that said "a young woman asked..." and there wasn't.

    This logic doesn't even entirely hold from JW perspective. What they're trying to do is humiliate women who do have sexual experience and make them feel worthless or unlovable by a 'pure JW man'. While out of the other side of their mouth praising the prostitute Rahab as an example of how 'God dignifies women'. Shameful. How well do they expect this sort of thing to be accepted by the public?

    It was pretty obvious to me that the women in the congregation were across the board smarter than the men. It was the men who were consistently incapable of decent reading skills. Frankly I would've been glad to see some female Watchtower readers, and that's just the beginning.

    But yeah, I never did get the 'head of a woman is the man' concept. If we're all human, then we're all equal, we just have different equipment. I always thought marriage should be a partnership of equals who work with each other towards a common goal, not a place where there's a pecking order between husband and wife.

    I think we need a Caleb's parents video here. Caleb's Dad: "You need to be wearing your head covering if you are going to pray in my presence! And TAKE THOSE PANTS OFF! Only I wear the pants in this family!!!"

    --sd-7

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot
    sd7 - "This logic doesn't even entirely hold from JW perspective. What they're trying to do is humiliate women who do have sexual experience and make them feel worthless or unlovable by a 'pure JW man'. While out of the other side of their mouth praising the prostitute Rahab as an example of how 'God dignifies women'."

    It's never been about logic.

    Given what you just called attention to (well done, BTW; I hadn't caught that) and the awareness that they must have regarding their own use of propaganda techniques and psychological manipulation, it's entirely possible that they're doing it specifically to keep R&F JW women emotionally conflicted, off-balance, and thusly dependent on the Mother Org.

    Sometimes individuals who suffer from undiagnosed or undisclosed mental illness play those kind of head games with their partners/spouses to retain control in the relationship.

    (They also often accuse others of the very debilitation they themselves suffer, I might add.)

    sd7 - "How well do they expect this sort of thing to be accepted by the public?"

    Pretty sure they don't give an at's rass how their ideoogy is "accepted by the public" unless it significantly impacts their bottom line.

  • dropoffyourkeylee
    dropoffyourkeylee

    Julia, thanks for posting the Hitler link. It appears to be a rally, perhaps one of the famous Nuremburg rallies, later than 1933 but before 1941 when Rudolf Hess flew to Scotland and was captured. What strikes me is the style of oratory, the bombastic statements, sustained pauses and applause between almost every statement, are similar to the JW conventions in the 60's and early 70's. Maybe that was typical oratory in the 30's and 40's, but I have only seen it in two places: JW conventions and Hitler's speeches. It is propaganda and mass manipulation, plain and simple.

  • rebel8
    rebel8

    Is it something new? Really Slim, I thought I had bored you to death already with my repetition of my 2 favorite quotes.

    Watchtower 1961 December 15 pp. 767-768 Questions from Readers

    • How can girls guard against temptation in this sex-crazy world?...

    In answer to this question, we can learn about nature and sex from the bovine family of mammals, both wild and tame.

    Large herds of cattle, both male and female, wander over the plains feeding. Ordinarily the male or bull would not think of approaching the female or cow for sex purposes. If he did approach he would not receive a hearty welcome, but, rather, he might be gored by the cow's horns. There is no petting or sex relations between bull and cow permitted, because the female is not in physical condition to breed. The bull seems to understand this and keeps in his own place. However, when the female of the species is in condition to breed, she makes the matter known. If there is no male in the herd, she will go elsewhere looking for one and she is unsettled until she finds one and then is bred by him. Now she is contented, and the end result is a calf. In this connection it is interesting to note that the male animal has no season at which he is not willing to engage in the breeding act. <--So ladies, it's not the man's fault for being horny. It's YOUR fault if you are and you allow sex. Yes, that is the exact message plainly stated from the platform in the 70s and 80s in my congregation, which often referred back to this very article.

    If we humans would take a lesson from these creatures, we would learn something of importance in matters of sex, as to its purpose and the results of its operation.

    As with a cow, when a young girl who has reached her puberty is in physical condition to conceive and become pregnant, her sex emotions are greatly aroused... If the boy friend should become sexually aroused and lets her know it and then she yields her body to the advances of the amorous boy friend, she is likely to become pregnant as a result of just one sex experience of this kind...

    When the ovum, that is, the egg cell from which the baby starts, is at large or is on its way from the woman's ovary through her Fallopian tube to the uterus, there it remains for an uncertain length of time, which varies greatly with different females. Then is the time when conception can take place if the ovum is met by a male life sperm. During that same time the female is sexually aroused and is ready for the sex act that at this time will cause a baby to result. This bearing of children is the sole privilege of the female. In fact, this is one main reason for creating the female of the human species.<--Again, this was a common message taught. The reason for my existence was to be an assistant to a superior male boss and to breed for him.

    ...if a girl understandingly takes care of herself while the ovum is at large and is causing sex disturbance and cravings within her, she will be able to act like a true lady of irreproachable morals at all times.

    Awake! 1967 August 22 p.27, 28

    The apostle Paul, in giving instructions on congregational meetings of Christians, stated, among other things: "I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man." (1 Tim. 2:12) ... Just why did the apostle state this rule?

    This rule is based on a principle that governs the relations between the sexes, namely: "...the head of a woman is the man..." (1 Cor. 11:3) The logic of headship must be apparent to all. If two or more intelligent persons are to cooperate, there must be organization, and for organization to be successful there must be a head.,,not so readily appreciated is the statement that man exercise headship over the woman and that therefore woman should not exercise authority over the man.

    However, the facts show that the headship of a man is both somatically and psychologically sound and in the best interests of all concerned, even as we shall see. Thus a leading authority on the human body (soma), Gray's Anatomy (1966 Edition), tells the interesting fact that as regards the human skull there is no difference between the male and the female until the time of puberty; but then as adulthood is reached the difference becomes more and more apparent. The female skull is lighter and its cranial capacity is about 10 percent smaller than that of a male...

    ...where the quality is the same the larger brain size has an advantage. Thus Science News, April 1, 1967, told of twenty African children who were so extremely undernourished in the first few years of their lives that "head circumferences...averages an inch less that the others, indicating smaller brain." And over the years all these were found to have verbal, mathematical and perceptual capabilities far below those of other children. Implicit in these findings is that man is advantaged by a greater brain size.

    That it is in the best interests of both sexes for man to take the lead is also supported by psychological evidence. One of New York city's leading psychiatrists and psychoanalysts, Dr. Marie N. Robinson, in one of her books, which deals with certain frustrations of married women, skillfully demonstrates by case histories that many of these particular frustrations can be ended if women will but recognized the fact that the way their bodies are made gives evidence that it is intended for man to be the head. As she expresses it, women must learn the art of "eternal acquiescence" and "deep altruism" in dealing with their husbands if they want to find happiness.

    The children also stand to benefit when the Scriptural principles governing the sexes are followed. To woman falls the lot, not only of conceiving and bearing children, but also, to a great extent, of nurturing them in their earliest infancy and on to maturity. It stands to reason that for a mother to do justice to her task she must have an abundance of love and devotion, she must have much patience, great gentleness and mildness and be extremely sensitive to the needs of her offspring from infancy onward, if they are to thrive.

    It follows that her entire personality must be of such a sensitive and gentle nature as to do justice to the delicate needs of the tiny developing minds and bodies. However, an abundance of such qualities does not go hand in hand with those needed for leadership and meeting stern challenges. More than that, by the Scriptures' limiting the woman's role in the congregation it makes it more likely that she will have the needed time and energy to look after the needs of her family properly. So, while she may have other interest, she should never forget that as a wife her career is caring for the physical, mental and emotional well-being of her family.

    The Scriptural position might be said also to take into consideration woman's biological nature. As every woman in the prime of life is well aware, she has certain difficult days each month during which she cannot give of her best and during which she very much appreciates her husband's showing her consideration. But if she had responsibilities of oversight and was required to hold forth regularly on the public platform regardless, either her performance or her health would suffer. Recognizing the factor, God's Word counsels husbands to dwell with their wives "according to knowledge, assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one." -- 1 Pet. 3:7.

    ...His is a difficult assignment, but for it he has also been equipped. Truly the Scriptural position is seen to be sound, practical and wise. Happy are all those governed by it! -- Eph. 5:25-33.<--We were constantly drilled to be happy about being subject to males. Those who aren't happy about it aren't following the scriptures!

  • rebel8
    rebel8

    Ok, wondering if it was a new thing in the 1960s? Nope. This one is hilarious. LOLOLOLOLOL!

  • Iown Mylife
    Iown Mylife

    A thinking brain in a female body - the worst enemy of ignorant, immature, control-hungry "theocratic" males.

  • Mum
    Mum

    Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ there is no male or female, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free. Their rejection of Christ gives them free reign to classify some human beings as inferior in some way they never really explain, because there is no explanation.

    Men have upper body strength. It's a simple physical phenomenon that keeps women down. He can hurt you if you don't obey.

  • 2+2=5
    2+2=5

    This is one of my personal favorites, italics are mine,

    'As a housewife scrubs even the hidden corners of her kitchen to keep her home clean and sanitary, a repentant person should work hard to clean up his thoughts....'

    This gem is from the Jeremiah book.

    Everyone in the congregation understand? The kitchen is no place for a man, and the house should be kept clean by 'the wife'.

  • Julia Orwell
    Julia Orwell

    Wow rebel8, I didn't know the wt said all that sexist claptrap in the 60's and 70's as I converted in the late 90's! Gosh no wonder so many Jw girls my age raised by women of the 70's etc generations were such vapid personalities.

    Funny, an older brother who was like and uncle to me who had a strong cool wife who was like auntie to me, said to me that I would have a hard time getting a man because I'm educated, intelligent and outspoken. I knew he was right and for years I'd never even looked at Jw born ins for that very reason! Now I understand just why most of them are so bad. My dad thought they were such idiots because here I was, this independent intelligent woman, and not one Jw guy was ever interested in me. He was attracted to my independent, intelligent mother and thought it incomprehensible that intelligent men would not like me.

    I never told him Jw men were mostly unintelligent because independence and intelligence are not valued.

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    rebel excellent quotes, especially the last one.

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