One of the reasons I'd never be a member of one of the more fundamental Christian denominations (including the Roman Catholics) is because they won't ordain women. I've heard some powerful, truly-anointed women ministers, and I think a great deal of the hoo-ha in the Christian world comes from egocentric, macho-centric male Christians.
That said, there's a good reason why this is making it's way around the blogosphere. Hat-tip to Rick at a new life emerging for this:
Top Ten Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Ordained
10. A man's place is in the army.
9. For men who have children, their duties might distract them from the responsibilities of being a parent.
8. Their physical build indicates that men are more suited to tasks such as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be "unnatural" for them to do other forms of work.
7. Man was created before woman. It is therefore obvious that man was a prototype. Thus, they represent an experiment, rather than the crowning achievement of creation.
6. Men are too emotional to be priests or pastors. This is easily demonstrated by their conduct at football games and watching basketball tournaments.
5. Some men are handsome; they will distract women worshipers.
4. To be ordained pastor is to nurture the congregation. But this is not a traditional male role. Rather, throughout history, women have been considered to be not only more skilled than men at nurturing, but also more frequently attracted to it. This makes them the obvious choice for ordination.
3. Men are overly prone to violence. No really manly man wants to settle disputes by any means other than by fighting about it. Thus, they would be poor role models, as well as being dangerously unstable in positions of leadership.
2. Men can still be involved in church activities, even without being ordained. They can sweep paths, repair the church roof, and maybe even lead the singing on Father's Day. By confining themselves to such traditional male roles, they can still be vitally important in the life of the Church.
1. In the New Testament account, the person who betrayed Jesus was a man. Thus, his lack of faith and ensuing punishment stands as a symbol of the subordinated position that all men should take.
Many women have posted this on their blogs, and I'm grateful to them, and to Transforming Seminarian for the orgininal post.
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3 comments:
isn't this wonderful? thanks for the email! it's so amazing how insane things become when you start to reverse them isn't it??
In Canada, the matter of ordaining women in Protestant churches was a lively controversy (our first woman minister was Rev. Lydia Gruchy, ordained 1934, United Church of Canada) and this list was circulated in modified form as a sideswipe at the notion of males-only ordination.
Our women added another objection to men being ordained: the hymns of the Christian faith are all pitched too high for men to sing naturally, so men are unsuited for leading worship.
The official Catholic approach has generally been to say that only a male priest can image Christ to the congregation. Since, however, the priest stands on behalf of the community before God, one would assume only a woman could image the Bride to God. The obvious solution is that only people who are in the midst of a sex change can serve as this kind of sacrament.
Perhaps that is why the pope wears a white dress? The bridesmen/maids are all in red or purple satin. Suddenly it is all becoming clear.
This is not an anti-Catholic remark, folks. I am Catholic. It is an anti-gender-obsessive remark.
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