Not meaning to sound sexist : In general are women more emotional/feel good about religion,and men more proof/doctrinal in their acceptance ?

by smiddy 65 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  smiddy

  I`m just speaking from my own experience here ,and it has occured to me that over the 33 years I was a witness and in the six congrgations I was a part of , except for a few exceptions, the majority of sisters in the congregations did not have a grasp of the so called deeper things of god,according to WT theology, Sure they could run off " Bible Topics For Discussion" sermons but very few could take a discussion any further than that.Whereas I was aware that males seemed more likely to delve deeper into, not only the scriptures,but also the WT interpretations as a whole. Don`t get me wrong a few women left me for dead in their comprehension of topics ,but I`m just saying overall I found this to be the case ... My experience..

  smiddy
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  2+2=5

  I would agree. It is a generalization, but it rings true to me. My wife, mother, grandmother and most of my elder and ms friends wives are not into learning the scriptural reasoning behind the WT theology as much as the bro's. Not always the case but I know what your saying.

  Rainy day in sunny SE QLD today hey smiddy? I use to love rainy Saturday's, gave me a legitimate excuse to miss field circus.
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  prologos

  This is a better, more specific question than the one "are the sexes equal?",- with the obvious answer that they of course are.

  Our species owes its succes in large part through this specialization seen in the female and male mind, the latter* being very focussed on the task at hand and driving for a successful solution, using mainly one half of the brain only, to do it. * like many men I am totally baffeld and delighted by the whole of the feminin personna(e).

  Take the capable lady of Proverbs 31, her husband reduced or elevated, even freed --to praising her at "the gate", the domain of male activity.

  It will be interesting to see, where the freeing of the woman of the world from chores,( achieved by mostly male - driven accomplishments), will lead us.

  Using the questionable fables of the bible as a guide,

  What if "Eve" would have used "male-think": more analytical, challenging, -- while listening to the serpent:

  let me cut this snake's throat open to see how that larinx works! "What do you mean I will be like god ?, we are already like god, made in his image, what do you mean " you will not die", --that contradicts verse 17! what do you mean : " Know good and bad?" we already know that, its bad to eat from this tree.

  Eve saw only the benefits for her family. similarly today,

  How many sisters would be passionately INTERESTED to analyze the doctrinal inconsistencies? The BIG questions?

  notwithstanding the stellar lady performers L*****, B*****, J**** as examples on this forum.

  Vivre la difference.
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  stuckinlimbo

  Honestly, I can see where you are coming from with that, but a "generalisation" does lead to prejudice. I have not really seen anyone else I know leave for matters of concience other than my husband and that is because I explained everything I learned to him, so I have no statistics but I have noticed the same reliance on the more "emotional" aspect of the religion with females.

  However, I am female and have always been extremely analytical. I prided myself on being able (or so I thought) to debate doctrinal matters and provide scientific (or so I thought) evidence to back it up. I can remember talking about carbon-14 to some poor householder when I was like 15 or something.

  Anyway that's what led me out. At a very young age when Mum couldn't tell me why we required a creator, but God did not I could never really reconcile anything, but I was downtrodden enough to think it was my understanding that was the problem. I think this is part of the issue when it comes to women being able to recognise the BS, they are taught to believe that they are inferior, and perhaps they think this is why they cannot understand everything, so they just accept it and push doubts to the back of their mind. I always thought the god of the bible was unjust, not to mention extremely mysogynistic. I just put up with him because he was going to kill me otherwise, when I figured out I was right to be sceptical, I was gone! My mother claims to have read and analysed a lot of information external to the Watchtower, but yet her appeals are always emotional. She may have "researched" something but she would definitely have looked through her WT glasses.
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  Tater-T

  when ever someone say " not meaning to sound....? "

  they follow that with a something that " sounds....?"

  and you DID...........
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Tater-T Very true. in the thread title : has replaced the word 'but.'

  It has been said that you should dismiss whatever is said before the word 'but.'

  In any case, it would seem that i n general women are more emotional/feel good about religion,and men more proof/doctrinal in their acceptance.
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  SixofNine

  I don't think there is evidence for that claim.

  It's a self-validated assumption based on the existing male/female power division in the congregation and the overarching (erronious) view of male/female intellect in society at large.

  Scientific studies just don't back up those views.

  Specifically to the male witnesses, you'll notice if you think about it that many (most?) of those male witnesses, men of position in the congregation that you assumed were solid, logical thinkers about doctrine, are really just organizational parrots - their core belief is 100% emotional.
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  Xanthippe

  I questioned the ransom doctrine at age 16. I kept asking whoever I worked with in field service if they understood it. They all looked at me as if I was mad, men and women alike.

  I also read Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave at 16. My brother wouldn't touch it. He's still an elder.

  I would question things I read in the Kingdom Ministry at the meetings for field service. The man I was asking it of, elder or MS taking the group, did not understand what I was talking about but did not like it!

  I pointed out contradictions in the Watchtower study to my husband. He always said later that I was the one who got TTATT first.

  The problem is you have no idea what women in the congregation think about doctrine because they are never allowed to give any kind of opinion, ever!

  I was eventually despised by almost all of the men in my congregation for my intelligence. They hate strong women.

  So to survive maybe many women pretend to be the 'little woman' , but inside they are thinking and seething.
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  Tater-T

  @ gladiator .. yep .. I first learned about the word "but" in marriage counseling .. I said it every sentence I made .. the counselor was always pointing it out and taking the Ms's side ...I quit ...

  I saw then the conselor had a point, but he just could see my point of view.. LoL .. now I'm very careful with that word...
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  Pickler

  Hey smiddy, I never had a grasp of the so called "deeper things". I found it incredibly boring, even when it was a matter of life & death I still found it dull.

  Since being on this forum I've tried to follow some of the more convoluted theological discussion, and it just kills me! I cannot make my brain stay focused for more than 10 seconds on this stuff.

  BUT, I am a great student, i do have a science degree, and a second degree, and have had a serious career.

  SO..... Some of us just aren't interested, even when you are born in.

  Reading people's stories on this forum, emotions and feelings seem to lead people out just as much as doctrinal issues.

  also, I want to second what Xanthippe said, there's no role for women in the congregation anyway, and plenty of social penalties await anyone that appears to question the brothers!