mercredi, janvier 12, 2005

It's a little too late...

So, I'm reading The Da Vinci Code finally. (I like to wait until the entire world has gotten over a bestseller and THEN pick it up. That way, my ability to discuss the damn thing is so timely.) Anyhoo, the book (as if you don't know) keeps rattling on about "the sacred feminine"- most specifically, the concept that Jesus was more mortal than the church has let on and was in fact in love with, married to and had a child with, Mary Magdalene. The book raises the spectre of misogyny throughout the church's history (umm, I'd argue if I could- and hey, anybody want an apple? It's yummy!) and suggests that women should have a much more important role in church leadership and in spiritual leadership in general.

So, I'm thinking about all of this and I ask myself: Self, would it be so bad if a person who was both human and deity, lived a very full human existence? I mean, if Jesus was tempted like we are and was no stranger to our suffering, doesn't participation in his culture by being married make sense? (And no, I'm not making some bad joke about marriage being suffering.) And does that get in the way of something in particular? I mean would my theology be rooooooned if Jesus had been making passionate love to the missus? Do we need Jesus to be a never-even-masturbating-virgin? Do these questions make you more comfortable or less? I'm just thinking about it.

This also reminds me that I am not a crazy ass feminist, HOWEVER I am keenly aware of gender biases wherever they occur and am also somewhat vocal about such disparities. I am not stupid about it- I adore men also, so I'm not willing to alienate them. I know women can be real jerks, too. Seen it with my own eyes, I tell you. But I am perfectly willing and able to discuss what's going on when things are pretty patently uneven.

One of my sisters took a class in college on some form of feminism or other and she brought home a book she was supposed to read. She read parts of it aloud to me (the oldest) and our other sister and we laughed so hard we almost pissed ourselves. Picture if you will, three young women cackling in absolute derision at the notion that all women are naturally lesbians but sometimes choose to "make a loving genital commitment" to a man. Okay. Whatever you say. (This book was not arguing, by the way, that all people are naturally bi- or pansexual.) I think the bond between women was called "gynaffection" which we changed to "gyninfection". Yes, we were terribly mature about the whole thing.

I can't help it- radical feminists want more than anything to stop RESPONDING to the masculine and yet they are engaged in playing a big huge game of ring around the phallus as far as I can see. Smack my paw- but I can't help it. Their position isn't really all that logically sustainable. I do realize, of course, that feminism is a reaction to men behaving badly (and frankly, to women reinforcing and sustaining a system of men behaving badly as well.) It is a necessary struggle at certain points. And I guess I do believe in a version of feminism- it's idiotic that women still make on average 70 cents for every dollar that men in the same jobs make, for example. I could go on and on...

A few years back a good friend of mine told me about a book he thought I'd want to read. It was on the subject of male chauvenism in language. And sure, it's there. But the book was advocating massive overhaul of my playthings (words) and I just wasn't that interested. This shocked him. Which in turn, shocked me. I didn't realize I'd been coming across as such a feminist. I mean we hung out in a group of friends who talked, ate, drank and went dancing together. (Okay, some people stood around watching the others dancing, but I'm a dancer, not a watcher. And I don't drink and dance, either. I don't need a confidence boost and I don't need something interfering with my rhythm, either. Drinks are for talking. Dancing demands rehydration- water and whatnot. And now you know.) But I was talking about books and feminism, wasn't I? Digression, thy name is bennyjo! Yes, well, whatever. I've given you some things to think about, haven't I.

13 commentaires:

  1. Did Jesus marry mary? Dunno. And truly I don't even care, come to think of it.

    Yes water and dancing. The only thing alcohol is good for is sipping at parties or giggling at your cousins over.

    RépondreSupprimer
  2. Blog reading cousins? Also, I have tried to drink alone and it just doesn't do much for me. Am a social animal when it comes to alkyhol. Wuddabout you?

    RépondreSupprimer
  3. I seem to have missed something. Feminists can't hang out with men? Or just can't dance with them while drunk?

    RépondreSupprimer
  4. That was conversational stuff, World. I wasn't striving to be absolutely clear. (Why not, Rude?) On the feminism front, I don't know what to call myself. I figger feminists are allowed to dance with whomever they damn well please, though.

    RépondreSupprimer
  5. You never mentioned if you liked the book. I thought it was a fun book that was tough to put down. The internet was helpful in providing visual demonstrations of the artwork - that certainly looks like a woman next to Jesus (click the picture for a really big picture). As an athiest I certanly don't care if Jesus was married to Mary but as a fan of good conspiracy theories it's quite appealing.

    RépondreSupprimer
  6. It was tough to put down and I appreciated that. Saw the villain coming five miles off, tho'. Tis getting easier and easier to predict plots in books and films anymore. (Those insights used to be soley the realm of K. No longer.) It's all right by me.

    And speaking of Mary M. (not the vegetarian), what woman HASN'T experienced the idiotic and inappropriate and sometimes very damaging jealousy of a lover's male "friends"? God bless America, when I look back, I realize that I have been too kind. Quoth the raven and etc...

    RépondreSupprimer
  7. first off...what the hell is pan-sexual? seriously...are they just making up new words for the same things?
    secondly...if ever you visit france...i suggest (though i've never been to france) the chateau le rennes...the mystery of the place is great...as are the crazy statues and wierd codes...but it's believed that the knights templar brought the remains of mary magd. there during one of the crusades. in fact...one of the bishops in the 16th or 17th century rubbed out a gravestone and etched in the latin word fer whore instead....
    thirdly...yr next stop should be looking at roman court documents...you'll find interesting things about jesus there...very interesting.

    RépondreSupprimer
  8. If the JC had been married and had a couple of kids, I think that the phrase "WWJD" would be less inspiring. So, I think that we will never know if he would be a traditional male-chauvinist, fitting in with the times, or if he would have brought his little wifey on the road with him.

    These and other things, I always say.

    RépondreSupprimer
  9. Lukas, you live in San Francisco- one of the craziest cities sex-wise in the entire nation- and you're asking for the definition of pansexuality? (Do you joke?) Anyhoo, here goes a definition forthwith: girl/ boy/ goat/ lamp post/ Camryn Manheim. Get it? Got it? Good.

    Also, did you see that damn DVD on the Da Vinci Code? I am a big ol' nerd and am thinking of watching it.

    Fids, we must discuss amongst ourselves: why would WWJD be less inspiring in your opinion? Also, in this book anyway, the idea is wifey travels with the band. She is basically the best loved apostle. (John? What happened to you, John? You used to get all J's kisses and then that hussy came along!) (I have officially just lost my mind...)

    RépondreSupprimer
  10. h+p....just because i live here, doesn't mean i know jack and/or squat...

    and fid...i think if jesus married a prostitute: that makes WWJD all the more inspiring;)

    RépondreSupprimer
  11. Jesus marrying a prostitute sounds oddly romantic, actually. Je suis deranged. And Lukas, I shall assume that you're just too busy to pay attention to the goings on in your citay by the bay.

    RépondreSupprimer
  12. Judging by his life as recorded in the bible, that's exactly the kind of wife he might have chosen, in my opinion. Whatever, doesn't really matter to me whether he was married or not, but from my experience with marriage, no one is TRULY TESTED until they've done it at least once. Give me 40 days and nights in the desert any day. :)

    RépondreSupprimer
  13. THAT deserves a five fold Amen, my friend. I haven't thought this through thoroughly, but I'm kind of digging a married Jesus. I can't see how it's going to ruin anything, actually.

    RépondreSupprimer