Why do women love religion? (page 5)

Kaethra

absolutely S...cheQUE's in the mail. :) What do YOU think of my theory though?? I know you're a Sister Atheist...don't you sometimes wonder why the F*C* women stay in these religions?? (try to ignore Little Toe's sexy leanings towards a female-led Church) ;)

LittleToe

What have ya got against the idea of bringing back Vestal Virgins?!!!!?

Kaethra

The VVs didn't actually LEAD, did they?

LittleToe

Depends on your perspective

G'night all

Kaethra

g'night ya scottish knave ya

Scully

I know you're a Sister Atheist...don't you sometimes wonder why the F&*C* women stay in these religions??

We were talking about this kind of thing at work last night (it was one of those rare, quiet shifts until about 3 a.m.). We have a huge Muslim - Somali community here. The women wear the hajib, pop out one baby after another (imagine being 30 years old and having 8 or 9 kids!!), and they believe (and have been indoctrinated to believe) that their role in life is to populate the world with Muslim children. They feel that the more children they have, the more blessed they are by Allah. They don't have an education - some are not even literate in their own language, much less English or French - so what chance do they have of finding out that the "outside" world is not like what their male leaders have taught them? If they leave, where would they go? They would be ostracised in their community for shaming their family. They wouldn't be able to support their boat load of kids on a minimum wage income or welfare. When you have so many kids to tend to (or prescribed "busy work" to perform), how do you find the time to do anything other than "coast" within any given belief system, whether it's Muslim, JW, LDS, RC, etc., much less question the rationality of the beliefs themselves? The struggle to meet their own and their children's basic survival needs takes precedence over any kind of spiritual enlightenment. (There I go with Maslow, again!) I find that most religious belief systems frame the adherents' struggle to survive and thrive as a kind of martyrdom for the faith in the face of persecution from "outsiders". They also offer a hope (albeit a false hope, imo) for those struggling that if they adhere closely to the tenets of faith that they will be rewarded in the end.

I think part of it is very similar to the JW experience. The WTS controls information, and therefore controls your ability to make appropriate judgements. Given a broader range of information, and "permission" to use critical thinking abilities, most people figure out how to choose what is in their overall best interests.

Does it all come from falling out of "love" with our Daddy, when we realize that he's not perfect, and subconsciously needing to start looking for a replacement? Maybe, maybe not. But it's kind of sad to see so many women struggle to please "god", not knowing for sure if his love is really as unconditional as the religious leaders want them to believe he is (if they do everything "god" wants them to do).

Scully

What have ya got against the idea of bringing back Vestal Virgins?!!!!?

The "virgin" part. Talk about no fun at all!

Kaethra

Scully...it brings tears to my eyes...to think of those women...but I see them as women stuck whereas I see many free women who support male-dominated religion...and I just don't get it. well...how can you rationalize the unrationalizable?

JWdaughter

Too much time on our collective hands? Same reason we sell Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware? Volunteer for projects that are of little use and not very appreciated by anyone but the committee who deems it necessary? I wonder myself. I figure whatever the reason is will be a reason that makes us nice people, but too easily led.

moomanchu

I see many free women who support male-dominated religion...and I just don't get it. well...how can you rationalize the unrationalizable?

Male-dominated religon? Is there any other kind?

To the original question: it gives you leverage, without it how would you control your man?

Why do women love religion?

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