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Thursday, January 25, 2007

FEMINIST THEOLOGY
CHANGES - Part ThreeA couple of weeks ago I got an email inviting me to a course in “Feminist Theology” .
Have I heard of it before?
No. Heard of Feminist and heard of Theology, but not together!
The word “feminist” (or I as learned tonight: the “F” word) has not, and does not appeal to me at all in what my experience has been .
However, there is a reality – what else would it be called? (What can I call it?)


Men were also invited along to participate. Good, I thought, for "feminism" to work it has to be - as it naturally is - all inclusive. Now, that IS my kind of Feminist Agenda – the kind of agenda I find myself in.... Thinking of myself as part of a “clean-up” crew of the debris left behind by an extreme swing that left many, on both sides – confused and inhibited “to just be” after it’s stint in the 70’s, and the never ending- centuries-old rhetoric from organized religion… Aaaaaaal major religions.

Where else to begin, really, than at Religious Institutions which - in the 21st Century, still "hot-headily" insist in continuing to impart a radically biased “theology” that has caused much pain to both man and woman, since patriarchal political interest slowly usurped earlier goddesses worshipping and began substituting male counterparts, coming to deny its historical existence!
OK, this is to start with!

http://www.thegoddessnetwork.net/learn.php?page=goddess_quiz&sub=WillendorfThe course could not have come at a better time, fitting really well with the preparations for upcoming exhibits beginning in April . It all has been a rather sudden and unpredicted turn in the Feminist direction. Ay, Chihuahua!!!


Would you have suggested this, merely a months or so ago, I would have been deeply wounded, I was going for abstract expressions of my heritage, and nature…
I was not even contemplating feminism, never mind “militant feminism”. The entire focus of my sketches and ideas revolves around, what I call “feminine sexuality genocide”.
"Coming of age" at 59, and to realize the immensity of the damage “theology” has done not only to me in boarding school, but to generations of women, whom in most cases are not familiar with their own biology, their own genitals – which, mostly - strange men get to peek at and poke around whenever “it is medically indicated”.

In amusement, I realized that the dentist hands us mirror to take a look at the inside of our mouths, and we know pretty well what is going on with every single tooth… But, no one ever hands us a mirror to look – and wonder in awe – at out vaginas.

OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO, God forbid!!!

DO NOT TOUCH - DO NOT LOOK .... and hoards of us obeyed!

Why not? Because it is a sacred place.
It is THE "genesis" point of almost all species - over and over and over .... and over....
It does not belong to the male, it belongs to the female.
We conceive, nurture in our womb a seed placed in it… we are the keepers, the givers. Plain and simple.
How powerful is THAT?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vagina_Monologues http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/srs8/engl_252/pictures/dinner-party.html

From net images - "Symbols of Major Religions"

Where are the hard core feminist from the 70’s now? Those women are about my age...! Where the hell are they, and what are they doing?
What has the great feminist movement of the 70’s accomplished? Hmmm?

Some good and, a whole lot of damage, as sadly it is common place today that young high school girls are referred to and address as “bitches” and “hos”, literally “servicing “ their male schoolmates, and enduring all sort of abuse, not only I high school but oftentimes even earlier. The highest percentage of venereal decease in the US (their stats.) is in the - 10 to 21 - age group!


One (1) in every two (2) females in Canada has been either sexually or physically abused past the age of sixteen (16).

One (1), out of every four (4) women is subject to spousal abuse of some kind ... (US stats.)

Pregnant women killed by their husbands, takes the largest percentage of murdered women in N.A. (US stas. - quiet high as I recall)

Many things changed in these past 30 years… yet, while a few women got to “play ball with the boys” and be “successful” (whatever aberration that has come to mean), as a whole, we have lost a lot - 63% of working women wish they could stay home and raise their children ….

As for myself, I always thought “work” - as in 9 to 5 - is highly overrated, we cannot get our identities from our jobs!

My friends, buckle up 'cuz I have only just began… love ya!

PS.: I am absolutely looking forward to the remaining five weeks of the course as this evening's introduction was, I am sure, an indicator of things to come!
One of our moderators commented that the topic of “violence against women” was coincidental and fitting with the beginning of the Willie Pickton trial in New Westminster...

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/index.html
http://www.missingpeople.net/biggestmurderinvestigationeever.htm

On the Agenda: Week One - Women's journey to liberation: Introduction, violence against women with national and local stats, our personal journeys, what brought us to the group... Reflections upon ourselves and relationships to patriarchy and the emancipation process. Reading material: Feminist Theology/Christian Theology - In Search of Method by Pamela Dickey Young (1990 Fortress Press)

Please share link with others - male or female friends. Let's grow together!

21 comments:

krystyna said...

Hi Angeldust!
I had a busy days so I am glad and grateful that you inform me about Oprah show with Gary Zukav.
I couldn't watch this show at this time, but thanks God I could recorded it. It was worth to see.
I'm going to write about Zukav book soon.
Thanks a lot!
I'll be back to read this post!
God bless you!

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Thank you Krystyna - I just adore him - "The Seat of the Soul" was life changing for me.
IT sure "axplained" a lot of things to me...


Love and blessings

trinitystar said...

Excellent post ... I hate all these groups and titles ... for goodness just be yourself I say.
hugs for you
:o)

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Thank you for your kind words of support dear TrinityStar - this is a bit "out there" for me, but Have very strong feelings about it and all associated with it.

Big hug

Pauline said...

Well it looks to me like a very emotionally charged information session. This type of heat should warm you until the spring arrives. Please do keep us all posted on your information. We live, we love, we learn. Isn't that life at its core. Love to you!

Anne-Marie said...

Ah yes, the sacred feminine. Centuries of patriarchal religions and societal structures have done all but destroy the goddesses and feminine healers, etc... The DaVinci Code did much to bring the issue to light, albeit in a superficial way, but much of what hides beneath the pages is the systematic destruction of feminine knowledge, leadership and contributions to civilisations past.

Looking forward to reading more of your musings.

As ever, happy dustings to you, my dear,
Anne-Marie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Hello dear Pauline,
it was somewaht "emotionally charged" at times, we did have some robust laughter aslo in the room.
The group is smaller than I imagined it would be, I don't think there was anyone under 30!
That's is quiet sad.
I guess the words "theology" scares people.

The participation of the few man was such a breath of fresh air...

Big hug and love going your way

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Yeap. A rather sad state of affairs.

Perhaps I should call you "Dancing Goddess" instead of "dancing Queen"
dear Anne Marie.

Now that you mention it, yes, The Code did weave through the feminine... ahá
Then again, it would not have been a full-fledged "work of rebellion" without it! lol

Have a great weekend

Love, joy and dusties to yous

Metalchick said...

Hi Angeldust,
Sounds like a good class! I too am not a feminist, I think that the feminists of the 70's did a lot more damage than good. How many guys hold the door open for us anymore? or pull out a chair? Also some work places still pay men more than women.

Hope all is good for you.

Take care.

Pauline said...

This is great reading the posts of everyone. We cannot turn back the clock but we can decide for ourselves the choices for today, tomorrow etc. I long for true respect of each individual person, without any label. That would be genuine bliss for the next generation.

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dearest Metalchick,
to know sweet youngens like you makes me proud to be a women and hope that not all is lost.

I sincerely, truly apologize for the mess my generation has made for you all young women and men!

Let's see if together we can do somethinga about it, let's keep an open mind and lines of communication open.

Please feel free to link your friend to my blog.

Big hug to ya

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

You and I dear Pauline,
true respect for everyone; no matter if male, female, third gender, straight, gay, Christian, Jew OR other... Black, White, Asian or other... every living thing - including our environment.

Respect, period.

Big hug

Vallypee said...

Oh Angel, I'm soooo sorry I haven't been around so much to anyone in truth. I tried to catch up a bit last night, but still didn't make it to everyone and I owe so many comments!

Life's been a bit of a rocky ride of late, but that's no excuse. I will have to come back again and read your post properly, as it looks very very interesting. I will, that's a promise. For now, though I must go to bed.

Love and hugs
VallyP

QUASAR9 said...

lol Angel Dust
Cambridge (and Oxford)
are the cradles of Feminist Theology in The Church of England.

We have more women priest(esses) in Cambridge per square foot, than Ancient Greece - and god is or was a woman - but then he must have had the operation. lol! as if

QUASAR9 said...

PS - They are in charge of all the
college chaples, and there are 32
They literally treat the Chapels like if they were Greek Temples - where they sing and dance and have baccalian parties - all good fun

I've been tempted to marry one or two, but they are most are already married or divorced, even with children before they even become priest(esses).

But hey if you believe in the priesthood of all believers, that's ok - but only the women get paid - or a wage from The Church

pilgrimchick said...

That is absolutely amazing--what an incredible concept. Having grown up, like many people, in a very "Christian" and "patriarchical" view of theology (as well as everything else), it is easy for a woman to simply, by habit and through teaching, to take a second-seat in spiritual matters. In this case, it entirely discounts those very unique elements that are "feminine" and how important they are.

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Love and hugs to you as well as good nite-nite dear Vally

Looking forward to heear your coments

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Ah, dear Q. gotcha!
lol

Yeah, soooo you are the willing to marry kind... he-he-he

Interesting to hear you say so about Cambridge and Oxford... as recent re-run of Morse dealt with a situation around female clergy moving-on-up. One down, for the girls!

Here, I imagine it will all have to go through the same process...
But, it goes well beyond clergy – it goes to the very structure and dogma of “organized religion” – which has pretty well dictated the course of life as known.

I want to be part of such movement. I do not know what role religion plays in the lives of Brits, but here in North America, although it may appear that it doesn’t - it is.
“Theology” permeates everyone’s lives around the world – no matter what the affiliation or that of their ancestors…
Time for a change of the guard.

And, I do hope you get tangled yourself up a priestess that will love ya to death!
Dusties to sweetie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Dear Miss-Go-For-It-Kenyon
yes, “it absolutely discounts those feminine elements” - actually, it goes as far as systematically denying them altogether...

Starting with Eve and her delicious apple… and so on to most recently the refusal of the Vatican to … oh, we haven’t got the time to go over that list!

... particularly - our biology, and that of the men also...
which is where I come into this, as my "pet peeve".
We have been seriously misguided by centuries of greedy (and misinformed, diluted or ignorant) geezers at the helm.

Big hug
Feel free to share with your friends…

Margie said...

Dear Angeldust
A most thought provoking post!
Your info is very valuable...all of it...thank you!
I focus on what you have mentioned about young high school girls being refrered to as "bitches" and servicing their male schoolmates.
It is so very true...my son tells me how this is so common in the high school he attends.
It is a very sad thing...very sad state!
I am sorry...I would comment more, but It has been a very long day, and I am so very tired!
Good-night!
It was so nice to catch up...last night!
Hugs!

Margie

Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Thank you for popping in dear Margie

I "discovered" how to post on the sidebar today, plus other technical delights...
Totally pooped myself
nite-nite
sweet dreams

Nice visit indeed!