Women Treated Badly In the Name of Religion

Below is an excerpt from "On Faith," an Internet feature sponsored by The Washington Post and Newsweek. More than 50 figures from the world of faith regularly engage in a conversation about an aspect of religion. This week's question : The theme of the Women's Conference 2008 this week is We Empower. Does religion empower women?

When the Rev. T.D. Jakes preached "Woman, thou art loosed!" years ago, it was like the windows of heaven had opened and women were able to hear the conversation of God and the angels. For so long, women had been the staunchest supporters of religion but had been held captive by sexist ideologies that were said to be theologically correct and supportable.

Women wept, they hugged each other, they rejoiced. There would be a new day for them; they (we) would no longer have to walk bent over, crippled by what I call "women's issues."

For the longest time, religion had kept women captive. We were told to endure being beaten, cheated on, being talked to badly, thereby eroding our self esteem. We would be rewarded in heaven if we held on and were obedient to the Word of God.

"That Word," the Bible preached and taught from a paternalistic point of view, . . . kept us captive . . . and though T.D. Jakes's sermon still mesmerizes me when I listen to it, "that word" is still doing the job on women. Women in the church too often are not empowered but are still enslaved to theologies that keep us bound.

As I see it, God wants all his or her creations to live a full life while they live. Though, according to Christian doctrine, that full life includes being obedient to God and submissive, nowhere does it dictate that women be made to accept and endure abusive treatment. Religion has done a good job of teaching us that the man is the head of house and home and that any good Christian woman will take what her mate gives out and keep her mouth shut.

Religion has made women feel guilty about sex -- a good woman just doesn't think about it (while the men do what they want!). I have had women come to my office afraid that they are going to hell because they enjoy sex with their husbands. Religion, as it has been taught, has made me wonder at times -- just who is this God anyway that he/she would allow, ordain, sanction that women, presumably created by him/her as well, be treated so badly in the name of religion?

-- Susan K. Smith, senior pastor, Advent United Church of Christ, Columbus, Ohio

To read the complete essay and see more "On Faith" commentary, hosted by Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn, go tohttp://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith.