Watchtower on women shopping for shoes
by Marvin Shilmer 26 Replies latest jw friends
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rebel8
Ok, Lore, fair enough, I haven't read that particular article so I jumped to a conclusion. I have difficulty giving them the benefit of the doubt.
My reaction was based on the gazillion other publications stating women are superficial, silly and brainless, needing their dads/husbands to direct their activities -- otherwise they'd be shopping, gossiping and putting on makeup all day. Oh, wait, I forgot something -- seducing men who aren't their husbands too.
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Band on the Run
One of the things I find bizarre is how Judaism and Christianity have strands of cults that view women as super sexy. It is a centnral tenet that women cannot control our appetities. Our purpose is to snare virginal men dedicated to God. We are harlots. Yet most cultures teach us the very opposite. The study of hormones in humans teaches us that men typically have the strong sex drive. Statutory rape statistics show that men, not women, are the overwhelming predators.
I wonder what men find so threatening in women to create an Eve or a hank of hair and some bones to quote Rutherford. Are men envious of child birth? I was raised that bangs were outre. Women were not fellow humans. Are opposite sex friendships allowed in the Witnesses?
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mindmelda
They always told you how to dress, down to your shoes and underwear. If they want to make some extra bucks, they should open a clothing line for women called "Dowdies".
I don't wear heels myself, but only because I have terrible arthritis in my feet and ankles now, plus fibromyalgia and ow. But another nit picky gulp down a camel strain down a gnat article. Good to know that they're still printing the same bullsh*t as ever. I haven't read those rags in years. So many better things to read.
Sexyiness is a form of feminine power, one they're scared silly of. God forbid a brother get a little aroused and have to deal with it if you show some cleavage or a bit of leg and wear some sexy shoes.
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rebel8
They always told you how to dress, down to your shoes and underwear.
Man, isn't that the truth. They had a "briefs only" policy. Bikini panties meant you were planning to hook up. Also you had to wear pantyhose on top of your briefs, plus a full slip (because only sluts would let the outline of a bra peek through their matronly polyester blouses!). There were slip checks before entering the kh. There was also a saying, "Button your blouse up to where you're comfortable, then button one more for your brothers and sisters."
Women are seductresses--it's all their fault, not the man's.
Watchtower 1961 December 15 pp. 767-768
we can learn about nature and sex from the bovine family of mammals, both wild and tame...Ordinarily the male or bull would not think of approaching the female or cow for sex purposes. If he did approach he would not receive a hearty welcome, but, rather, he might be gored by the cow's horns. There is no petting or sex relations between bull and cow permitted, because the female is not in physical condition to breed. The bull seems to understand this and keeps in his own place. However, when the female of the species is in condition to breed, she makes the matter known. If there is no male in the herd, she will go elsewhere looking for one and she is unsettled until she finds one and then is bred by him. Now she is contented, and the end result is a calf. In this connection it is interesting to note that the male animal has no season at which he is not willing to engage in the breeding act.
...When the ovum, that is, the egg cell from which the baby starts, is at large or is on its way from the woman's ovary through her Fallopian tube to the uterus, there it remains for an uncertain length of time, which varies greatly with different females...During that same time the female is sexually aroused and is ready for the sex act that at this time will cause a baby to result. This bearing of children is the sole privilege of the female. In fact, this is one main reason for creating the female of the human species...It is high time for girls to understand the make-up of their bodies and its functions, especially with regard to sex. Then if a girl understandingly takes care of herself while the ovum is at large and is causing sex disturbance and cravings within her, she will be able to act like a true lady of irreproachable morals at all times...wisely she will direct her young life so as to end up in the position of a clean, happy wife and mother of legitimate children, journeying to the new world of righteousness, where there will be no sex problems amid a sex-crazy population.Women are silly materialistic subhumans who need the discipline of a man.
Watchtower 2011 May 15 pp.8-10
Rather than manifesting the attitude of disobedience and independence that characterizes the world, she is in submission to her mate. (Eph. 2:2) A wife who is foolish does not hesitate to speak unfavorably of her husband, whereas a wise woman works to increase the respect that her children and others have for him. Such a wife is careful not to undermine her husband’s headship by nagging him or arguing with him. There is also the matter of being economical. A foolish woman likely squanders her family’s hard-earned resources. A supportive wife is not like that. She cooperates with her husband in financial matters. Her way of doing things is marked by prudence and economy. She does not pressure her husband to work overtime. ... Being exemplary in a supportive role may be a challenge for a wife when her husband makes a decision she disagrees with. Even then, she manifests a “quiet and mild spirit” and cooperates with him to make his decision work. -
Rocky_Girl
I am a shoe-holic!! I have tons of girlfriends. The ONLY person I can get to go out on a shoe shopping expedition is my homosexual guy friend who loves shoes (and bags) even more than I do. I think it is just like everything else - everyone is different.
The picture is ridiculous and an insult to us shoe-holics. I would never settle on one pair! And, I'm not indecisive - I know when I try them on if they are a YES!!
All joking aside, I dislike pictures like this one because it reinforces stereotypes. As much as I like to make fun of myself and laugh at my idiosyncrasies, it can be harmful when these jokes are applied to entire groups of people. It is a hard line to draw between humor and inflexibility.
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mindmelda
The most extreme form of blaming women for being the cause of men's sexual arousal is seen in cultures where a woman must cover everything except her eyes outside of the home for fear a man aside from her husband or immediate family see her and be aroused. Women are by tradition seductresses who are responsible for defiling men and bringing down all mankind by misleading men, a common theme to not only Judeo Christian religion, but in a few others...Pandora's box is a re-telling of the same tale.
Religions who insist women appear "modest" IE dowdy and sexually unappealing and who even criticize a woman who is naturally beautiful even without artifice as "vain" are simply telling us, as brought out, that we're uncontrolled subhumans who need men to regulate us.
The real source of this is male possessiveness, which is not only cultural, but perhaps somewhat instinctive so a man can make sure he's not raising some other man's child. (That's one theory, anyway.) But, religion institutionalizes it and justifies it, and makes females responsible for male sexual impulse and lack of control, even to the point of rape.
So, anything that smacks of that makes me tired. Men can keep it in their pants, not mistreat women, and be fair to women if it's insisted upon by the culture, education and by law, which is demonstrable when that's done.
One of the great things about not being a JW anymore is wearing what I like and not being worried about what anyone thinks but me and not judging others by their hair and clothes.