How Women Have Been Kept “In Their Place” – Theology Essay

How Women Have Been Kept “In Their Place” – Theology Essay
Ever since Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, misogyny has been a central part of all cultures. It has been argued that men used this myth to become more

powerful than women, and that they have come up with other reasons to remain on top. For example, male scientists have proved that men are superior, and the Church has condemned women for witchcraft and as being “lustful allies of the Devil who wean men from God” (Kitzinger, 1). There are many more ways in which the patriarchy has kept women “in their place,” many of them cruel and some even deadly. What I will show is that these methods could not be effective unless they were supported by religion.

Since humanbeings has appeared on the surface of the world, they have to worship. This is a need. As a result, religion is old as the world.

Religion is very important for people, so religious objects, prophets and holy places have a big importance who believe in them. Also, statements in the holy books are very valuable.

In many holy books, there are statements that make men superior against women.For instance, according to a hadith, the Prophet Muhammad states that, as he stood at the at the gate of hell, he observed that, ‘Most of those who entered there were women.’Not only in Islam,but also in Christianity these kind of statements are accustomed. Martin Luther says that, ‘If they (women) become tired or even die, that does not matter. Let them die in childbirth, that’s why they are there.’As it seen, there are many harsh words against women .

Woman is the one, who gives birth to a child. She also is the one who brings up her child with her magical emotions. They are sacred creatures. Nature gives them that power. Men, who are afraid of this power, always used religion . They want to control women. In order to control women, in many societies, women is still being tortured. In that kind of societies , men want women to sit ‘in their place’. They only want them to give birth to their children and men want women to serve themselves. They also use women for their needs. Whenever they want , men can have their meal ready. If they are angry men can use women to relieve themselves. In addition to these men can have sex whenever they want. When they are acting like this woman doesn’t have a value as a human and a mother.

In many societies, in order to control women, there are many traditions. For instance, in India, women are wanted to commit sati after their husband’s death. Sati is a horrible tradition. According to this tradition, if a woman’s husband die, she have to throw herself into the fire. She has to do it without thinking now that, she is taught that she is living for her husband. After her husband dies, there is no reason for her to live. This tradition reveals that society sees woman as nothing without her husband. It is a clear proof of horrible applications are being done in order to control women.

In Islamic cultures, people are more connected to religion. It can be seen clearly owing to the fact that, religious rules are being used in social life. It is predictable that in these cultures, there are many strict rules to control women. Also in that kind of societies, misogyny is a big trouble. Women and men are not equal. In these conservative societies, men are claiming that they are superior than women. They say these according to Islam.

Every year many women is being killed on account of the fact that, they are being seen with a man, who is not their relative. It is a big offence. Women also has to wear special clothes that cover their body, except their eyes, from the head to the wrist. If a woman shows her face from the window she also be killed. These examples are very little near the other rules. Women is being killed because of ‘not sitting in their place’. Thousands of girls and women accros the globe (mostly in the middle East) are murdered in the name of family honor. Their male relatives kill them freely and they say that it is a ‘honor killing.’ It is more saddening that men who commit the murder go unpunished or receive reduced sentences.

Women are taking many punishments all over the globe mostly in the conservative societies, whereas men can live freely. This is revealing many facts about controlling of the women. It is obvious that, women and men not have equal rights.In an article published Friday 27 August 2004 in the Germany-based internet newspaper Iran Emrooz,
Dr. Hoseyn Baqer Zadeh, an Iranian human rights activist, observed that the laws of the Islamic Republic are the ‘most inhuman, segregationist, insulting and discriminatory’ against women.’While, according to Islam-based laws, a woman accused of adultery faces capital punishment, a man can have several wives and commits adultery wtihout punishment’, he observed. Dr. Hoseyn Baqer Zadeh’s statements, reveal the unequality more clear.

Another dreadful tradition is the female circumcision. This tradition is widespread in Egypt and most of the Islamic countries. The operation is very painful. Also, there is a high probability of infection after circumcision. By this meaningless operation, women’s sex life is dead. The aim is to prevent premarital sex. This horrible tradition is the another evidence of men’s want of controlling women. Dr. Mawaheb Mouelhy, who has been fighting to stop ‘female genital mutilation’ states that, ‘Religion is not the number one reason.’ Despite this statement, some people think that, this tradition has a religious backround. This taught make it easy to use religion for controlling women.

It is obvious that most of the terrorists has come from conservative societies. Misogyny is widespread in conservative cultures. Mohammed Atta, the terrorist involved in the September 11 crime against humanity, left behind a surprising will. He sternly warned against women being present at his funeral or at his grave at any later date. This want of Mohammed Atta reveals his misogynist culture more clearly.

In misogynist cultures, women means devil. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi taught that female beauty was a manifestation of the devil himself. In his text ‘Dhamm alhawa’, he wrote that the ‘beauty of women is one of the poisoned arrows of the devil’. It is no wonder , therefore, why Islam teaches that hell is largely populated by women. In the roots of misogyny, there is a fear of men from women. Men are afraid of women to have a social life.

To sum up,it is being tought that men are using the myth of Adam and Eve to be superior against women. They think that they have to prevent women to join social life. It is being argued that, men doesn’t want women because of the fear of losing their places on top. Men want women to stay at ‘their places’. They want to use them as machines, only for providing their needs and wants. To have what they want, men always used religion.Also,men are effected by religion. Religion have a big role in people’s life because of this men’s methods ,to be superior, has become more effective. It is clearly seen that, tortures to women, will go on till men give up the want of being superior. Religions will always exist. If men continue wanting to be on top, women will sit ‘in their places’ till the end of the time. It is all about men.