The following is not something I wrote, but something I've always felt strongly about.  I have grown up in the church, not a Baptist denomination but thankfully a more open-minded denomination.  My friend Merci posted this today on her blog, here.  I wanted to share it with my readers, also.
Thanks Merci!


Losing my religion for equality

* Jimmy Carter
* July 15, 2009



Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God.

I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.

This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries.

At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.

The impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives. They help explain why in many countries boys are educated before girls; why girls are told when and whom they must marry; and why many face enormous and unacceptable risks in pregnancy and childbirth because their basic health needs are not met.

In some Islamic nations, women are restricted in their movements, punished for permitting the exposure of an arm or ankle, deprived of education, prohibited from driving a car or competing with men for a job. If a woman is raped, she is often most severely punished as the guilty party in the crime.

The same discriminatory thinking lies behind the continuing gender gap in pay and why there are still so few women in office in the West. The root of this prejudice lies deep in our histories, but its impact is felt every day. It is not women and girls alone who suffer. It damages all of us. The evidence shows that investing in women and girls delivers major benefits for society. An educated woman has healthier children. She is more likely to send them to school. She earns more and invests what she earns in her family.

It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and practices - as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the battle for democracy and freedom.

I understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding controversy - and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we see it.

The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by former South African president Nelson Mandela, who offer their influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity. We have decided to draw particular attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in ensuring equality and human rights and have recently published a statement that declares: "The justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable."

We are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women. We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that all the world's major faiths share.

The carefully selected verses found in the Holy Scriptures to justify the superiority of men owe more to time and place - and the determination of male leaders to hold onto their influence - than eternal truths. Similar biblical excerpts could be found to support the approval of slavery and the timid acquiescence to oppressive rulers.

I am also familiar with vivid descriptions in the same Scriptures in which women are revered as pre-eminent leaders. During the years of the early Christian church women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and prophets. It wasn't until the fourth century that dominant Christian leaders, all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant positions within the religious hierarchy.

The truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views.

OBSERVER

Jimmy Carter was president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.

Yesterday we took Emma to camp.  She will finish Friday evening, then spend Friday night with her grandparents and be home on Saturday.  She was so excited to be going.

We went with her to her cabin, helped her make her bed (top bunk) and get settled in.  We met a few of the people there, exchanged hugs and kisses, and she was off showing off her cabin to someone she knows that is working there this week.

We stopped for dinner on our way home (I am still full!) and did a bit of shopping. Had plenty to keep us busy once we got home.  Then about 10:30 it hit me:  Even though she’s been gone for a week before, more than once, this time we won’t be able to talk to her while she’s gone!  No calls to say goodnight, no chats during the day to let us know what is going on, nothing!

I hope she is having a good time and doesn’t get too homesick.  She does make friends easily, and there aren’t many campers there this week so she should get to know them all quickly.

Now – let’s see how I handle it! Especially later this week while Chris is out of town and I am all by myself.  That will be my true test!

Happy Monday-after-a-holiday!  I know, ugh, right? 

I have been determined not to have a "baby blog" because that's really not me - but the past few weeks have been more than a little dominated by related things.  This morning I found myself singing "I feel icky, oh so icky, I feel icky and sicky and blahhhhhhhh!"  Yeah, that's been my dominant thought lately.  Then I brushed my teeth, the usual happened because of that, and I felt somewhat better.  Let's leave it at that.

This weekend we attended a wedding.  My "second dad" growing up was remarried.  He had a very serious illness recently, was hospitalized for quite a while.  I am so glad to see him happy again.  His face just lit up when his bride walked down the aisle.  And Emma unintentionally fit right in  - her yellow sundress with white sweater matched the wedding colors perfectly!  She ended up as the impromptu punch-server and had a great time.

We arrived home very late Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) so yesterday was a rest-day.  We finally HAD to go to the grocery store, though - the doggies were out of food!  Oh yeah, and we were out of several things too.  We decided to let Emma try staying home alone for the first time.  Her rules were simple:  Door locked, don't answer the door for anyone, even friend next door.  Don't answer the house phone (she has her own cell phone).  Call us if you need ANYTHING. 

We were at the store about five minutes when another storm hit.  Lately she'd decided she was afraid of storms and wouldn't stay alone when it was thundery out.  I asked Chris what he thought - phone call saying "hurry up!" or no call to prove she's old enough.  Sure enough, no call.  About ten minutes into the storm he called to check on her, and she was busy comforting the scared dog.  She was fine.

We made it home after about an hour, and she helped put away the groceries. She was so happy we let her stay home, kept giving us hugs and grinning.  She told me later it wasn't much different than last week when I'd go to work and she'd watch TV until Chris woke up (he was on vacation last week. Lucky him.).  She did have a point there.  And the dogs were in the house to protect her.  She even started dinner.

I didn't even worry all that much!  (Ok some, but not as much as I thought I would.)