Food for thought: orthodoxy

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From an article by Anna Quindlen in Newsweek:

Separate, Not Equal at All – Newsweek Society – MSNBC.com
The argument in orthodoxy is usually that women are separate but equal, an argument that made racial segregation—and flagrant inequality—possible for many years in the United States. Power is not relinquished easily; fear of the other is an enduring human handicap. “What orthodoxy is partly about is fear,” says Rabbi Joy Levitt. “The world is moving very fast, and not all of it is positive.” But ultimately many faiths came to the conclusion that strictures on women were the product of outdated norms and entrenched prejudice, not sacred texts. Their leaders embraced the possibility that modern equality could abet spiritual growth. Rabbi Levitt recalls the words of the founder of the Reconstructionist movement, Mordecai Kaplan: “Tradition ought to have a vote, not a veto.

I’ve sensed that all along about the Catholic Church but didn’t know how to express it better — they’re afraid of us. We have cooties.

In Judaism, I feel a willingness to change. In Catholicism, none. I left the church long ago because I was unwilling to accept the boundaries. I won’t undergo spiritual foot-binding. Judaism doesn’t require that of me.

One thought on “Food for thought: orthodoxy”

  1. Well, remember that even in Judaism we still have our Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox movements. Many Orthodox women claim to feel empowered by the things we consider binding (there are even some Orthodox women who consider themselves feminists). There are Christian denominations that run the gamut, just as there are Jewish ones that do. I think the difference is we are encouraged to question and not just accept (even among the Orthodox) which makes it easier to find which stream works for you and lends a uniqueness & control over one’s spirituality. I’m not sure the same can be said for too many of the Xtian denominations. Of course, Xtianity has had significant political power and ability to control rulers/countries – so a lot of the conflict may well be the politics of control (for power’s sake) instead of just digging in their heels because spiritual issues are questioned.

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