Christianity’s copy So where to next in this quick historical scan of cultural attitudes towards marriage? We turn now to Christianity. For once, women are not treated as disposable breeders; Jesus plainly states a man divorcing his wife is not acceptable. Nothing about marriage as a cornerstone of civilization, of course — just an admonition…
C) What is marriage? Why marry? Marriage is “the chief vehicle for the perpetuation of the oppression of women; it is through the role of wife that that subjugation of women is maintained.” — Marlene Dixon That’s a quick review of the historical concept of Woman. So how was marriage viewed? If it’s the cornerstone…
B) What is Woman? So, keeping that in mind, let’s examine the next stumbling block we find when reviewing the possible cornerstones of past civilizations: the passage of time. We’re talking here about approximately three millennia of cultural changes. Even within one particular culture there is a huge amount of change, as can be shown…
3. ‘One male-one female’ marriage is the historical cornerstone of civilization Uhm, again, no. We’re a far, far more imaginative and flexible species than this argument would imply. However, for the sake of fun discussion let’s take a look at the civilizations from which the US classically traces its inspiration. I do this for two…
2. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin Lordy, I’m tired of this one. Why religious zealots feel they can pick and choose the parts of the Bible they think best support their own secular desires — and ignore the rest — is beyond me. Add to that the raging debates still on-going as to…
List of Arguments So what are the arguments against gay marriage I’ve heard? These are the ones I’ve got so far, although if you know of others I’d be interested in hearing them as well. We’re a christian nation The Bible says homosexuality is a sin ‘One male-one female’ marriage is the historical cornerstone of…
Originally posted May 2004 Credits: Thanks to Bob, clear-sighted as always, as well as to George for kindness, and Ian for perspective. Also, if this subject interests you, I recommend my “Firestarter” titled Tolerance FAQ, take II. I’ve been watching the joy and euphoria spreading through San Francisco and parts of the Bay Area as…
Advertising & Emotional Manipulation An interesting sidenote: studies have shown people look at advertising for only seconds at most, unless the ad somehow catches their interest. If the ad can do that, you look at it longer, and are more likely to remember the brand name. This means advertisers must pack a great deal of…
Women and War in History Historically speaking, this is nonsense. Women have been warriors throughout the ages, both in cultures which honored them, and in those which tried to suppress them. If the subject interests you (and I always encourage research), please read through the Women Warriors section on the fascinating web site GenderGap. There’s…
Originally posted March 2004 Credits:Thanks to Bob and George for thoughtful reasoning and feedback. src=”http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120×240.gif” >width=”120″ height=”240″ border=”0″ usemap=”#boxmap-p8″ alt=”Shop >at Amazon.com”>Please be warned there are spoilers in this review. I noticed in the paper today how many Oscars were won by Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, which were based on J. R….