Why Is it the Girls who Hang in There?

by snugglebunny 39 Replies latest jw friends

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  OrphanCrow

  VI: It's known, according to studies, that women make up the majority of worshippers at all churches. Why exactly is not known but it most probably has to do with their psychological nature.

  Actually, the reason has far more to do with external factors like...oh...say...imbalance of power in the culture at large.

  Religion attracts powerless people. That is why more women turn to religion - for a sense of empowerment - for a lot of women, it is the only source of power they have.

  And by the way...it is sort of humorous to read the responses of men who project the standard stereotype of women "being more sensitive" and having emotional shortcomings, etc. And it is funny that it is the men commenting on this thread and not women. Poor, poor women...they don't even understand themselves what is happening...poor things.

  The underlying issue is not personality/psychological/emotional shortcomings of the female sex.

  The underlying issue is that men, in our patriarchal society, have taken women's power away from them. Men have taken more than their share of the pie, leaving women in a position to look for ways to feel what it is that they deserve, as a fundamental right - their own power.

  Unfortunately, religion offers a delusional state of self-empowerment, when it is anything but that. It becomes a catch-22 for women - be powerless or join a religion to feel powerful - a religion run by men. It is a lose-lose situation for women.
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  Village Idiot

  OrphanCrow,
  

  And by the way...it is sort of humorous to read the responses of men who project the standard stereotype of women "being more sensitive" and having emotional shortcomings, etc....

  The underlying issue is not personality shortcomings of the female sex.
  

  I don't consider a more sensitive nature, either in men or in women, to be a shortcoming.
  
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  OrphanCrow

  VI: I don't consider a more sensitive nature, either in men or in women, to be a shortcoming

  I don't either - it is just a personality trait. That is all.

  However, in the context of this discussion, it is a less than desirable trait.
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  Village Idiot

  OrphanCrow,
  

  However, in the context of this discussion, it is a less than desirable trait.

  I realize that the context of this discussion pertains to authoritarian religions but I'm thinking about religiosity in general including liberal churches. They are more inclusive than other more conservative religions and do not have strict, oppressive rules (Think Unitarians).
  
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  JeffT

  My wife was mentally out of the JW's before I was, she had more religious (nonjw) background than I did and knew what they were teaching wasn't in the Bible. She'd joined due to family influence. When that disappeared she was done with it.

  We joined another church when we left, she ended up working there for something close to twenty years (teaching preschool), but ended up losing the job because she wouldn't knuckle under to the men running the place.
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  OrphanCrow

  VI: I'm thinking about religiosity in general including liberal churches. They are more inclusive than other more conservative religions and do not have strict, oppressive rules (Think Unitarians)

  True. There are more inclusive religious faiths. But, that does nothing to change the overarching phenomena of religion existing within a patriarchal culture at large.

  It is within that larger context that the overall powerlessness of women is seen. And hence...a larger proportion of women belonging to religions than men, regardless of the nature of that chosen religion.
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  steve2

  Religion attracts powerless people. That is why more women turn to religion - for a sense of empowerment - for a lot of women, it is the only source of power they have.

  If only women could get "a sense of empowerment" from religious devotion! In fact, religion legitimates women's subservience to male patriarchal beliefs - which is anything but empowering. Religion robs women of power and as consolation prizes gives them a sense of being looked after and taken care of. Of course, men too can find their lives devoid of meaningful power within these religious groups but at least males can work through some of their "issues" by rising within the ranks and lording it over others - which is why JW elders are - like their clergy counterparts in Christendom - drunk with local power.
  
  
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  Crazyguy

  I think if it wasn't for woman there would of never been an organized religious group, ever.
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  OrphanCrow

  steve: If only women could get "a sense of empowerment" from religious devotion! In fact, religion legitimates women's subservience to male patriarchal beliefs - which is anything but empowering. Religion robs women of power and as consolation prizes gives them a sense of being looked after and taken care of.

  I know. It is a delusion, isn't it?

  crazyguy: I think if it wasn't for woman there would of never been an organized religious group, ever

  Lol! Now that is funny. Religion is simply a cultural phenomena - it exists. And it isn't women's fault! Lol! Too funny...it must have been the apple, huh?
• 

  Spiral

  I might be the exception because I left first. But, a big part of me leaving was just getting tired of having to bow to elders, some of whom (in my area) could hardly read well enough to do a bible reading, but thought they knew everything about me and what I should be doing. And, why believe the Bible (an ancient, clearly flawed book of writings) and give that power over your daily life?

  I've always been an independent thinker, though, and truthfully, was never very popular in JW land.

  Mr. Spiral is 4th gen JW so it was harder for him, but as it turns out once I said enough he was fine with it (and promptly grew a beard, lol). We've never been happier and the relatives really can't stand it.

  I do think a lot of women feel powerless and need structure and tribe so they look for a religion. There are a lot of people (not just women, but perhaps more women because of social constraints) who need to feel included in something "bigger" than they are as a "mere" human, to guide them through life's "mysteries". Lately I have been really surprised and puzzled to observe how women will play along when, obviously, they are smarter than the particular men involved. (You'll have to take my word for that part.)

  Hopefully, as society evolves women will continue to gain more power. I hope for that for my grandchildren!