To think that some aspects of Christianity are scary and sexist

[FlibbertigibbetArmadillo]

My friend's cousin has posted, and is staunchly defending this article on facebook

[http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/should-women-be-police-officers]

I don't think I really realised before just how a sexist modern Christianity can be.
The gist of the article is that a woman shouldn't really be a police officer because she would have to give orders to men and that threatens their manhood and isn't a very womanly thing to do
Aibu, or should I have realised this before?

The challenge of Christianity is to try and live up to Jesus' example JassyRadlett. Try not to slag Christians off because they aren't perfect. You aren't perfect either.

Did I claim to be? How ridiculously hostile.

Simply stating that Christianity, as an instititution, has been sexist and often harmful to women, is pretty factial. As is pointing out that Christianity, as it is currently promulgated and practised by many mainstream sects, continues to be sexist.

I find it troubling that one can't criticise religious institutions or indeed the basis of religions without being accused of attacking individuals.

• factial = factual.

We need more attacks on religious institutions, not less.

I went to a talk at Greenbelt on Saturday on how to reconcile yourself with bits of the bible you don't like. There was a nun listening. I thought if she hasn't figured this out yet then what hope do any of us have. My baby started crying at the end so I missed the conclusion but the gist seemed to be understand the context.

Sounds interesting, Cherrypi.

Simply stating that Christianity, as an instititution, has been sexist and often harmful to women, is pretty factial. Agreed.

you should have titled this thread ALL religions.

All have the lunatic fringe/fanatics, and ALL have their good points too.

STOP ALWAYS slamming Christianity.

STOP ALWAYS slamming Christianity.

Yes, because no one ever critiques Islam or Judaism.

Given Christianity's status in our society - both as the predominant religion and as one that enjoys special structural privilege in the structures of the state, it's entirely reasonable to critique it without feeling the need to soft-soap things by pretending we're talking about all religions. One area of reasonable critique is how the Christian churches have treated, and continue to treat, women.

I'm not entirely sure that sects such as the Catholic Church, the Baptists, the Lutherans and yes even the good old CofE/wider Anglican movement qualify as the 'lunatic fringes', and all have a history and yes, a present of some pretty serious structural sexism, albeit at different magnitudes.

No institution should hold itself above questioning.

Wow I was worried when I started this that I might get flamed or the thread would get really nasty but mumsnet surprises me once again
As a pp suggested, i think what shocked me was how far thid view was from the Christianity I recognise. I'm not religious but have family and friends who are, and they are for the most part lovely people. I knew these more nasty aspects of it existed but never thought I'd see them championed by people I have a connection to.

the gist seemed to be understand the context.

I think you're right there Cherripi. Out of interest, why shouldn't a nun go to such a seminar? Someone aiming to deepen/broaden her own understanding is someone who's aware they are not perfect, and that's very healthy IMO. Far more dangerous when someone takes a blinkered view that they know all the answers.

In my view, Christianity is about trying to follow the example of Christ, hence the name Christ-ianity. The rest is secondary to that. The faith isn't called BiblicalLiteralism-ianity, or AParticularChurch-ianity. And yes, every follower of Christ makes plenty of mistakes, but they still feel Jesus is an example worth going back to.

As for churches, Jesus had plenty to say about the hypocritical religious leaders of his time (the Pharisees) and was against irrelevant and unhelpful old laws such as "no healing on the Sabbath".

The Bible is a collection of books which provide the context for the four gospels. The stories demonstrate just as much how not to live, as how to live. Christians aren't just meant to pick a random person, or random story, from the Bible and copy them.

I knew these more nasty aspects of it existed but never thought I'd see them championed by people I have a connection to.

Sadly these nasty 'aspects' (I take issue with the word 'aspects' as it implies they're integral to the faith - they're not) are garnering more and more popularity in the US and, inevitably in the UK.

Though traditionally most of the UK has held to a more moderate form of Christianity, a movement called 'Neo-Reformed' (which your original link, Desiring God Ministries, belongs to) is on the rise here.

STOP ALWAYS slamming Christianity.

Ye Gods, get over yourself woman. Diocletian is no longer in power. Christians have been setting the agenda for the past sixteen centuries. A little bit of reasoned critique is not going to hurt you now.

(You know who never get the criticism due them? Pagans, that's who. As far as outisders are concerned it's all Goddess spirituality and woo. You never get the reasoned - and reasonable - critique that the Abrahamic religions in particular get. Zoroastrians and Buddhists always get off lightly as well.)

MamaMary, you may take exception to the word "aspects" and claim that they are not part of the faith. And that's fine, it's not part of your faith, nor your interpretation of what Christianity is. Which is cool, it means that you're a reasonable human being. However, it is simply incorrect to claim that the nasty aspects are not "part of the faith": for a number of believers (who have an equally valid claim to the name "Christian" as you), these aspects are central to their faith. Ever since the calamity of the Reformation, Christianity has been a massively multifarious tapestry of belief, with only very few central shared tenets.

I always remember that when the Visagoths finally invaded Rome they were horrified at how the christians were behaving and stopped the games, they went from persecuted to persecutors pretty damn quickly when they gained power.

Though I'm sure Jesus, if he existed, would have been horrified.