To be fair though, yesterday's WT lesson had a picture of a sister doing construction work. She was on a scaffold, with a hardhat, harness, the whole 9. Women in Bethel do run forklifts, and do other jobs that we usually take for granted are men's jobs. So maybe things are changing a bit.
Sexism and the Organization
by brotherdan 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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zoiks
This used to give me pause, as well. I am glad to be away from the constant references to wives being expected to "prepare a nutritious meal"... I think that was the wording. So strange.
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snowbird
To be fair though, yesterday's WT lesson had a picture of a sister doing construction work. She was on a scaffold, with a hardhat, harness, the whole 9.
About dad-gummed time!
Syl
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brotherdan
That is true. However the context was that sisters can help in quick build kingdom halls. :-) There were comments about how the society likes sisters to operate the machinary because they are gentle with it and make sure it stays pretty.
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no more kool aid
brotherdan, I got so sick of comments like this : What can the women folk do to make the home run smoother? Make a make ahead dinner a little earlier on meeting nights. Give the younger children a nap and bathe them so as to not bother father when he gets home. I just hated the assumption that I was home all day. And because I worked I would get the sad look from the sisters and a comment like "oh how much longer do you think you will have to do that"? NMKA
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superpunk
The bible was written at a time when women were regarded as property, second-class citizens, and reflects that overall world-view.
Is it any wonder that a cult who ascribes to biblical literalism (infallible/inerrantism) would subscribe to this archaic viewpoint, and reflect it in their "advice" for women in the organization?
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brotherdan
Exactly Kool Aid, that was my only point. I didn't want to read into anything that's not there. But I think that this way of thinking either encourages male chauvinism or puts down families that choose to live in a different way. Of course it is obvious that this would be done after seeing how things work in bethel. That's the way of life there. There are NO male housekeepers. NONE. There is a 1984 Orwelian type of control that goes on and they try to pressure you into their robotic mold. I think this filters out into the congregations as well.
Why do you think women can't do anything in the congregation? Can they even work the sound mixer? Nope. How bout Mics? Nope. How bout give out magazines or territory? Nope. But they CAN prepare meals for the pioneer school. The CAN help clean the KH. Isn't that nice?
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NiceDream
BrotherDan - I'm in Canada...I wonder if that was part of the manuscript?
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elderelite
Why do you think women can't do anything in the congregation? Can they even work the sound mixer? Nope. How bout Mics? Nope. How bout give out magazines or territory? Nope. But they CAN prepare meals for the pioneer school. The CAN help clean the KH. Isn't that nice
Oh but you are wrong about that Dan. Sis can do all those things you mentioned... IF there is no brother available to do it. its in the OD book. To one up you on something else... when i was at bethel we had to go through "housekeeper training". The sole intent was to show us new boys what it was like to be a lowly housekeeper. I'm not kidding. It was concidered demeaning to have to go through this training before we were assigned our "big boy" jobs. I hated it even then. I REALLY got to hate it once i got to know some of the housekeepers. they turned out to be great sisters and very good friends. I have a long standing gripe with the way women are looked down on in this organization. The sad reality is that many sisters are far smarter and much more capable and kind than some of the elders i serve with. If you want to have men "take the lead" in a garden of eden type sense, fine (see blondie's comments from this weeks WT) but the way our org portrays it sends it down the dominering route.