Real Relationship Advice

It has been going on since recorded time. We have taken it for granted. There have been spikes in history where people spoke up and some changes were instituted but ultimately, the oppressors found a way around the new rules.  The oppression of women is not new in our society. There are biological, archetypal and psychological rationalizations for such oppression. Many of the reasons relationships fail come from an archaic understanding of what women bring to the table. When we are ‘less than’, then subjugating is easy, like leashing your dog. Today we will tackle the justifications for keeping an entire gender down.

Over 2 billion people refer to themselves as Christians. Christians believe in the Old and New Testament. Their belief structure is based on Jesus as the son of God, borne of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried only to be resurrected 3 days post in fulfillment of the scriptures and to deliver us from evil. The belief is strongly based on the idea that Jesus forgives our sins and we get to have fun in heaven when we die. Some Christians take a literal interpretation of the Bible while others interpret the Bible.

Roman Catholics have long believed that the story of Adam and Eve is just a story. They adhere to the tenets of evolution. However, it is the root of Adam and Eve where we find the spark or shall we say, the seed of hatred towards females. Adam was told that the earth was made for him and he had dominion over all ‘lesser creatures’. Eve was made of from his rib to be his equal but she was made for him thus still less than.  Eve was ‘seduced’ by the serpent and then caused the fall of Adam by ‘making’ him eat from the apple. Eve, the first woman, was a temptress and led Adam away from God. Because of this, we are stained. Eve was the cause of original sin. In fact, Biblically, even God had Eve bear the brunt of the punishment.  They were both cast out of paradise but she also received the pain of child birth. In Christianity, the fall of man was caused by a woman and forever more we will all take the brunt of Eve’s sin.

There is something very thematically enduring about his story. First, over 2 billion people know it. Also, a man’s downfall, a man’s distraction, is seen as woman. Do you think that may have something to do with how men see women now? Definitely! Early church fathers have taught that women are the root of sin. If not for women, would we have ever left paradise? Women are seen as spiritually unclean due to menstruation (Leviticus), women should be silent in church according to Corinthians, wives must submit to their husbands (Collossians and Ephesians) and ultimately ‘he will rule over you’ (Genesis) was the command of God when he punished Eve. So it goes to reason that men must tell us how to live our lives since we are incapable without them. We would only run off and sin again without the strong hand of our masters.

Yes there has been some evolution of man since the beginning of time and there are many other religions in the world that subjugate women. However, the root of the problem lies in the fear that men have that women will distract them from their goal of being pure. We can either be their helpmate or their condemnation. This belief is widely held across religions and cultures. The belief that men rule the world due to some divine proclamation is also believed by most. As such, we as women, regardless of the strides of women’s rights and feminism, continue to fight this battle. We are only as equal as they allow us to be …is not equality at all. It’s a ruse to get into our pants.