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The Anglo-American author Christopher Hitchens wrote in his book God is not great: How religions poison everything. "Violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive towards children, organised religion ought to have a great deal on its conscience." According to Hitchens, the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are the source of bigotry and discrimination against women. In addition, the monotheist religions are affecting our lives on a daily basis, in this essay, I will illustrate how monotheism is detrimental to women's rights.
Monotheist religions are discriminatory against women for two main reasons, the first reason being the explicit call for gender inequality. For example, Christianity states the following. “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence" The Islamic religion states “A male shall inherit twice as much as a female.” Quran 4:11. Furthermore, Judaism states in paragraph 35, section 14 “A woman is invalid [to testify]." The examples above are proof that monotheist religions teach their followers to think women are worth half of that of a man and are invalid to testify in a court of law. Moreover, sexism in monotheist religions can be observed in much of the Middle East such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. Or even in the United States where religious wingnuts try to limit a woman's right to choose. It is self-evident from the texts above as well as real-world examples that monotheist religions perpetuate a view that women are incapable of intelligent decision making.
Secondly, monotheist religions are discriminatory against women not only because they advocate women should have less legal rights than men, monotheist religions also promote degrading views of women. For example, the first illustration of Judaism's daily prayer states "Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has not made me a woman" - Morning Blessings, Art Scroll Siddur, p. 12. In addition, Islam states "Among the inmates of Heaven women will be the minority" (Sahih Muslim 36: 6600). Moreover, in the Christian story of Adam and Eve, after both Adam and Eve eat the Apple, it is Eve who is punished with grievous pain in childbirth. Once again from the examples provided above, it is evident that monotheist religions promote a sexist, belittling view of women.
From the examples above, it is without doubt monotheist religions promote men to view women as second-class citizens, sinful and should be punished for crimes they personally have not committed. I am a woman who believes strongly that men and women should be treated equally under the law and enjoy the same freedoms as men do. This is why I oppose monotheist religions.
Monotheist religions are discriminatory against women for two main reasons, the first reason being the explicit call for gender inequality. For example, Christianity states the following. “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence" The Islamic religion states “A male shall inherit twice as much as a female.” Quran 4:11. Furthermore, Judaism states in paragraph 35, section 14 “A woman is invalid [to testify]." The examples above are proof that monotheist religions teach their followers to think women are worth half of that of a man and are invalid to testify in a court of law. Moreover, sexism in monotheist religions can be observed in much of the Middle East such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. Or even in the United States where religious wingnuts try to limit a woman's right to choose. It is self-evident from the texts above as well as real-world examples that monotheist religions perpetuate a view that women are incapable of intelligent decision making.
Secondly, monotheist religions are discriminatory against women not only because they advocate women should have less legal rights than men, monotheist religions also promote degrading views of women. For example, the first illustration of Judaism's daily prayer states "Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has not made me a woman" - Morning Blessings, Art Scroll Siddur, p. 12. In addition, Islam states "Among the inmates of Heaven women will be the minority" (Sahih Muslim 36: 6600). Moreover, in the Christian story of Adam and Eve, after both Adam and Eve eat the Apple, it is Eve who is punished with grievous pain in childbirth. Once again from the examples provided above, it is evident that monotheist religions promote a sexist, belittling view of women.
From the examples above, it is without doubt monotheist religions promote men to view women as second-class citizens, sinful and should be punished for crimes they personally have not committed. I am a woman who believes strongly that men and women should be treated equally under the law and enjoy the same freedoms as men do. This is why I oppose monotheist religions.
Bibliography
Al-hadith, (Sahih Muslim 36: 6600)
Christopher Hitchens, God is not great: How religions poison everything, New York, Werner twelve, 2007.
Talmud Laws of Testimony, paragraph 35, section 14
Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought. Vol. 32, No. 3 (Spring 1998), pp. 97-99
Quran 4:11, “Women,” Dawood, p.77
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