Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere, Assess the View That Women Are No Longer Oppressed by Religion.
Using Material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that women are no longer oppressed by religion. Compared to men, women are more likely to express a greater interest in religion, to have stronger personal faith and belief in live after death, and have a stronger personal religious commitment. Also to involve themselves more in religious rituals and worship e.g. they are more likely to attend religious services and they participate more in religious life generally. Bruce also found that women join or involve themselves with new religious movements and new age movements. Religion and religious ideology plays a part in maintaining the male domination over women that is found in many aspects of social life, achieved by religious ideas which seek to control women’s’ sexuality, and emphasise their once-traditional roles as partners of men, mothers, and carers. Most mainstream religions and religious organisations tend to be patriarchal and women and men are rarely treated equally. This is shown in religious scriptures for example in the new testament it says “wives be subject to your husband’s for the husband is head of the wife and Christ is head of the church”. In Christianity the creation story shows how eve was created from Adam’s rib and how eve is the basis of original sin. Another example is shown in the Koran which says that men are in charge of women. ItemA mentions “Feminists see religion as a force for subordination and patriarchal oppression. This is supported by evidence such as the differential treatment of women in religious congregations”. This shows women are still oppressed because of traditional religious