Being female

[dramaqueen]

Intellectually women and men are equal. Physically or emotionally we are complimentary but never equal. What i am mostly bothered with is the place of a woman not only in today’s society but her place in the Church. In Society women have contributed a lot in degrading their image with the whole feminist extremism. Church, however should have done more to support women but it didn’t. Women have absolutely no decision making power within church where are excluded from every major decision and i always wonder why. Sure there are great woman saints to serve as a role model but woman in general plays a submissive role to a man. Even when I read Bible i always come back to the question: Why God created woman with intellect if we are only supposed to bow to every man and obey his every wish?

Then again some questions may never be answered no matter i want it to be.

God bless

 

[dramaqueen]

I think one of woman’s greatest strengths is that women are considered morally superior to men.

This stereotype keeps getting proven false, as more and more women get into higher business careers and elected office. But overall, at the end of the day, women have this “moral superiority” thing going.

Where on earth do you live? Seriously? I have never experienced being treated as superior (in any form way or shape) by any man. I have traveled a lot and lived in different cultures but i have never seen any evidence of what you are suggesting. Woman are mostly treated in negative way as sinners, fragile, week, too emotional or even the extreme of being only capable of promiscuity (yes even in 21st century there are cultures who only view women as such - i have witnessed this with my own eyes). If you are man and believe this then kudos to you. pass the word around pls. and if you are a woman then know that this is a very small consolation to all the repressed woman around the world.

 

[Major_Minor]

What is so terrible about a woman being feminine?

What is it about post modern 21st Century western thought that makes so many women feel that “Strength” in females needs to be expressed in a masculine way? Feminine grace is one of the great beauties of this world… and yet so many women want to prove they are not like that. You see only a few basic feminine stereotypes in media: The Grrrl power masculine macho manly girl, the Barbie doll/Princess diaries spoiled brats, the bleak nihilistic alterna-girl… seriously, the Bible and church history are filled with beautiful women worthy of emulating.

If the question you’re REALLY asking is: “Where is a female Biblical role model that will be acceptable to the world” Well, then you are going to have to ask yourself what’s more important to you: The world or holiness.

As for wage discrepencies… you really better face the facts that women CEO’s haven’t altered womens wages very much either. A broad stroke generalization would be simply because: A male will not have to leave because he got pregnant. Some women come back to the workforce after pregnancy, some do not. This is a fact of life that doesn’t fit a politically correct view of the world.

But then most politically correct views usually live on some ideal plane that never really touches or live on this earth.

 

[beckycmarie]

On this topic, the Apostolic Letter below by Pope John Paul II is a must-read:

Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women)

(For those short on time, here’s a 4-page summary: Summary of Mulieris Dignitatem)

 

[diggerdomer]

On this topic, the Apostolic Letter below by Pope John Paul II is a must-read:

Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women)

(For those short on time, here’s a 4-page summary: Summary of Mulieris Dignitatem)

For the purposes of this Thread, what do you see as the singularly relevant point from Muliaris Dignitatem?

 

[dramaqueen]

On this topic, the Apostolic Letter below by Pope John Paul II is a must-read:

Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women)

(For those short on time, here’s a 4-page summary: Summary of Mulieris Dignitatem)

I find it absolutely fascinating how not a single woman was present in this council. How can group of men completely fathom woman’s place in Church or understand her position without allowing woman to be part if it?. Am i the only one that sees irony in this?
Why do i need to b simply content with being quite little girl and appreciate what i have, pray my rosary and leave men to their business? I am just as capable or making the right decision as well as bad ones as any man (including bishops) out there.

I am not a feminist do not get me wrong. I know that a woman has a place in society and Church i just feel that woman is not appreciated enough intellectually. Church has done a lot in neglecting woman’s value for centuries and i see very minuscule (if any) progress in church toward improving this issue. Maybe it will take a looooong time before council of Bishop wakes up and smells the roses. I just pray that i will see it before i die.

God bless

 

[Monica4316]

I don’t think that “equal” should mean same.

For example… women can not be priests, not because they are “lesser” ,but because that is not their role in the Church. Just as men can’t be nuns.

When people feel like the Church downplays women, - I remind them of thinking about Our Lady, who the Church considers second only to God Himself. There are also many great female Saints.

But men and women are supposed to be different.

 

[roselily]

As a female myself, I often wonder where to look to see what God wants me to do. Since original sin, men and women have been divided. God created us equal, however sin divided us as it divides everyone. Now we cannot understand each other.

Throughout history we have been fighting for equality. Today, I find that we still don’t have equality. Yes, legally we do, however culturally we don’t. We still have double standard for women, but we also have double standards for men. We say boys can’t cry, men must be physically strong, etc. In a way, we are weakening BOTH genders.

Then we have “girl power.” In TV shows, when the strength of a female is questioned, she will say,“Hey, I’m as tough as you are” and then that topic would be abandoned.
I write and I find it difficult to create female characters even though I am one! I find that the only image I can bring up of a woman is one who is weak and needs rescuing or one who is “manly” and tough but mean; just a man in a woman’s body. I find none of these acurate.
But it also leads me to wonder about real females. We don’t or we shouldn’t fall into one of these catagories. There is something more, something in between these two stereotypes.

Now often I hear people say that the ideal picture of a man is Christ, Christ on the cross. That is, a man who has sacrificial love. I agree, but then I wonder: How about women? Now the obvious person to look to is Mary! And yet, the more I look at Mary, the more I see of Christ himself. I see sacrifical love. A mother who suffered with her son, let her son do what he needed to b/c it was right, but loved him with all her heart to the end. I see sacrifical love again.

So my basic point is, not only should men look to Christ on the cross as an example of perfection, but women should too. I know men are called to love women as Christ loved the Church, but I also think women should too. I also think it should not only be love through sexuality, but love for all people. In general, I think being female is imitating Christ.

Any comments/ideas?

God Bless

In the Bible, there is much said what should I learn.

"Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.

1 Peter 3:3-4

And it is so right since the most important relationship is us between God; I will always remember that gentle and quiet spirit is very precious in God’s sight: still I like be beautiful. But I like dress very simple and good for a Christian woman. I like nun’s clothing.