Why are women often treated almost like second class citizens in a lot of mainstream religions?

Question

Controversial question day today!

It seems to me that in some of the bigger mainstream religions that women are often expected to serve the man, obey the man's word, and live a life according to men's rules. I am guessing that's because of how men were the ones to write those religious texts and they were strong in their beliefs that men were the dominant ones (and I am being extremely nice in that description. I actually believe far worse about them). Keep in mind that I am not just talking about Western culture being an influence here although it absolutely still plays a part when talking about religion.

So why (or who not) do you think women are treated like second class citizens in mainstream religions?

BCRanger10 · Accepted Answer

How do you define "second-class citizens" and how do you see this in action?

First things first. The sex of the writers has absolutely nothing to do with it. Men have written stories about strong, competent women and women have written likewise of men.

If one reads the Old Testament in entirety and context, they'll see many examples of women being treated fairly (like Numbers 27, for example), performing heroic acts and being praised by the Israelites (the entire book of Judith), and otherwise having value. Scott Hahn thinks there's significance in Genesis to Eve's more direct acceptance of responsibility for the fall of man ("the serpent beguiled me and I ate."), whereas Adam passed the buck off to her, and even to God himself ("The woman whom YOU gave to me..."); Adam didn't even mention the serpent, but just said "it's her fault."

At the coming of Jesus Christ and His Passion, Death, and Resurrection though, men and women are raised to greater worth and dignity. Some will inevitably point to, say, Ephesians 5.22-24 and ask how and why that is. To that, I point to verses 25 through 32 and note that there is more in number and kind that is put upon the man regarding how he provides for, protects, and leads his wife and children, both materially and spiritually; if you've seen The Passion of the Christ, then you have an idea of what a man does every day according to his calling.

And this is something that just needs to be pointed out: Men have to follow the "rules" as well.

A man carries a heavier burden in Christian marriage and Christian life than most people think or appreciate. I just think that with that in mind, it's not asking a whole lot for a Christian woman to be cooperative, submissive, encouraging, and supportive, especially if she wants and can reasonably expect one man's love, affection, and sacrifice. And if that somehow translates into her being a "second-class citizen", well...okay, I guess, but that's just not the case. It is a lie, it is from Hell, and it is of the Devil. And no, I'm not exaggerating, joking, or being hyperbolic. I 100% believe that. And that is me, in turn, "being extremely nice."

Lliam · Accepted Answer

I think you nailed it. Men wrote those religious texts and claimed they were inspired by
"God". In their imaginations, God had all the characteristics of a human, except he was all powerful. And men claimed their divine authority from Him.

The men who wrote those texts were from war-like, patriarchal cultures where physical strength was dominant and might made right. Men could own slaves, including female slaves, and women were expected to be obedient, submit to sex, bear children, work hard and be quiet.

4ngelic · Accepted Answer

Because as you said they came from very patriarchal societies, but also they all influence each other. Like judaism, christianity and islam, for ex, are all the same religion in a sense. The old testament is judaism, islam believes in the old and kinda the new testament and sees Jesus as the second most important prophet after mohammed. Religions also had to bend to the politics and morality of the ruling class to be adopted as the official religion. Like christianity was pretty 'feminist' at it's inception actually. But it ended up twisted into something deeply patriarchal.

Agape93 · Accepted Answer

Because we are. In most we are considered chattel, living property. Or like in Islam, we are at best, half a person. In Judaism, we could be bought and sold as slaves or wives.
Christianity we are meant to be subservient and silent. Etc.

genericname85 · Answer

Cause these religions were made up in a time where women didn't play a major role in the survival of the family outside of rising the children and doing some minor things here and there cause. It's pretty much a chicken or egg question if you wanna know whether the separation of the tasks was first or the biological differences (males being significantly stronger to do all the important things) but the reason they had the say was cause they did all the important things. Once women started doing that as well cause technology allowed for it, they did get a say. But that wasn't the case for most of human history.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

In general, women aren't treated fair worldwide!
My religion (christianity) doesn't order the wife to be a servent to her husband, it's all about respecting her man's decision, to take card of him because he is her everyrthing and to love him because he is simple the love of her life and her family and the father of her kids...

Men always focus on what the women have to do but never focus what they must do in return!

Men shall respect their women and treat them the way they treat themselves, they must love only their women, work hard to care and provide for them, no one is superior, they are both equal but each has a different role in life!

There is no such thing as men are the masters and women are the slaves, a man and a woman complete eachother... etc

Now when it comes to these new feminazis, they should be treated less than a slave!

Staglioni · Answer

Because unless a man really has control over himself and his life you have power over us because we want you, and wanting someone or something puts a person in a weaker position and we haven't really collectively figured out how to deal with that so we use organised systems to keep you down instead.

I may have just said too much.

jshm2 · Answer

They aren't.

It's the laws and political systems that are making women have to go through those hoops to get the same things as men. Today in the USA a women makes 75 cents to every dollar a man makes. All legal and above board. That isn't "religion" enforcing that disparity.

But what you think is a "suffrage" for women today is what men had to go through in the past. It's what all the wars and revolutions were about, to throw off the yoke of royals and servitude to the Epstein classes.

Hence women today are behaving like entitled brats if they don't understand the struggle all have been through. Not just themselves.

Trying to hide it as "culture" or "religion" is fucking lame, and you know it.

postaldudePL123 · Answer

The primary purpose of religion has always been control specifically, establishing a strict hierarchy of who controls whom. When you strip away the mythology, it’s a system designed by men to position themselves as the ultimate authority. By framing this patriarchal hierarchy as "divine will," the men who created these religions somehow managed to convince women to surrender their autonomy and accept an inferior role. Ultimately, it’s not about spirituality it’s about power and maintaining a rigged social order.

MrChinaski · Answer

The main purpose of religion is to pacify intra-tribal relations so the group can focus on beating on neighbouring rivals. Controlling women, sharing them evenly among the warriors, is a means of pacification.

Man beat chest. Man make fire.

Smileygirl2000 · Answer

I agree it's like we are meant to be servents/ baby makers and nothing more. I assume it's misogyny because nowhere in the Bible does it day woman are meant to be baby makers and servents. Women of the Bible actually had Joba. They often worked along side their husbands

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Because religion is pure ish and meant for people in particularly men to enrich themselves off stupid people and control women for their own pleasure and desires.

I'm religious mys but I only follow the Bible, not a damn thing what some religious leader has to say.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Women are not treated as second class citizens under Christianity. There are multiple verses about how men are meant to cherish their wives and forsake all others. Women are PROTECTED in ways that men are not and this is reflected in literally every aspect of human civilization, including religion. Men are the disposable sex and women are elevated.

AviatorTom · Answer

That feeling is rooted in history. Consider the Roman Catholic Church, for example. Only men can be ordained and celebrate the sacraments. Women can only serve simpler roles, mainly as assistants.

Amur8711 · Answer

Women are naturally more submissive in general leading to a more subservient role in general even if you remove religion out of the equation. Actually lots of western religions give more power/rights to women than what naturally would be there without the religion. If you look at how most Indian and Asian women are treated expecially around a hundred years ago go we would say women were oppressed. But its actually been western culture and religion that has had influence on those religions as well that maybe we need to treat women more equally.

I hope this all made sense and this is just my uneducated opinion based on the basic details I know of the world.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

I believe that hierarchical systems historically preceded organized religions, so religions just carried on with an already established formula?

slatyb · Answer

Because they are run by men for men and enough women go along with it that they don't have to change. But this is changing.

WhitneySnow · Answer

That is a very good question! I suppose the answer is because of the patriarchy, but I don’t know any more details.

NathanDavis · Answer

because for religion, they are religions are about control, so...

Bricealan · Answer

@ez-bri-z_v2 I think they are, and there should be no doubt in anyone's mind about that.

AngryCarl3 · Answer

Well if you look at Christianity the Bible was written by men and the priesthood were all men.

exitseven · Answer

Men do not want to give up their position in society.

Anonymous · Answer

Because Abrahamic religions are patriarchal.  I don't like it either... because I like dominant girls, and patriarchy teaches women to be submissive - less options for me.

Anonymous · Answer

Because religion is/was founded and controlled by men and is now an archaic institution that should be banished to history like dickensian diseases

_Jenny_ · Answer

@ez-bri-z_v2 Men are Dominant but I don’t really care because I’m submissive

Dargil · Answer

Especially PCUSA, Episcopalians and Methodists which ordain Lesbians as clergy?

Godihateyou · Answer

Because they earned it. They are selfish evil creatures.

eagle1951 · Answer

i never understood that either

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Maybe because they were made second.

Why are women often treated almost like second class citizens in a lot of mainstream religions?

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