Nuri+Bracey


 * Gender and God(Final Product)**

Religion can make life a whole lot heavier. When choosing to follow a religion, you must give up certain freedoms in order to fit the religious customs. This case is especially crucial when it comes to the aspect of gender in religion. The women in certain religions are expected to hold higher standards of themselves to maintain purity and balance in the religious community. The majority of the women due actually hold themselves to this, but some don't. For example, the Muslim community requires their women to respect themselves and the community, while focusing on the men as the backbone and providers. They also watch over the women to make sure they're still in touch with Allah, the highest Muslim deity. With the Christian community, the women are given a lot more freedom to do as the please under the rather lenient eye of their men. In choosing the religions Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, I hope to acquire a deeper understanding on how gender intertwines and affects religion. To gain this understanding, I must answer this question; "How can religion be impacted by gender?"



"**How can religion be impacted by gender"**?
 * The Question**

This question in itself is significant enough. It certain situations, gender in religion can determine whether you are respected or whether your words are simply cast to the side. Gender has a heavy impact on religion, mostly because of the responsibilities placed on the two genders. If one gender branched off from that religion, turmoil would erupt from the amount of things that wouldn't get done by that gender. The general understanding is that, without the two genders, you can't have religion.


 * Islam Views on Gender**



In my opinion, Islam is the most strict religion on the different genders. The amount of responsibility put on women is far greater in this religion than in any other religion. From the full garbs or Kimars that are required, or the maintaining of the family, women are kept to exceptionally high standards. Women in Islam are not allowed to make decisions on their own. The men are the overall "gods" of their homes, so even if what the women says in the house is correct, the man would still have the overall decision. This also plays in to the obedience level put on to women in Islam. Women are expected to be completely behind their husbands decisions when it has anything do the family. Women eventually become the anchor for the family. If the women were ever to venture from their role as the backbone to the family, chaos would consume. It would throw off the balance in the home. Men would have to care for the children and cook, which is the women's job. So though it may seem unfair to outsiders, they work a very cohesive system.


 * Judaism Views on Gender**

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If you're a Christian, you'd find Judaism gender roles quite odd in my opinion. Many aspects of gender roles in Judaism are alien to other religions. For one, the woman is obligated to remove herself from the presence of her husband. Other religions usually value the presence of their women, through any situation. In Judaism, a man can divorce his wife as easily as he says "marry me". This leaves women with an extra responsibility to please their man. The only real religious obligation for women in Judaism is that they do the their commandments (nerot and challah) regularly. From my research, I concluded that women are objects in Judaism. It doesn't seem as if they actually value the companionship of their women, just what they can provide. The fact that sexual relations within marriage is considered "holy" in Judaism backs my point up even more. Unlike Islam, I can't see how their system can work when no one is really valued.


 * Christianity Views on Gender**

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This to me is the most lenient religion of the three religions. For one, both religions are considered equal under God's eyes in decisions and actions. This is an aspect that wasn't present in the other religions, already giving the idea that the women in this religion are allowed to the same privileges as men. The only thing that makes them unequal in a small way is the fact that the man is required to give spiritual guidance and keep the woman on the right track with God.

**Analysis**
Each religion runs on its on system, no matter how unjust they seem in our opinion. The way gender impacts gender was the same with Islam and Judaism, but Christianity differed with the allowance of the woman's opinion. THey were all different in their own way. Judaism allowing adultery is definitely foreign in the eyes of other religions where it is seen as a capitol crime. On the other hand, the rules of their religion must be capable if they've survived for all these years. So no matter which way we look at it, gender is huge in religion. Without the two genders, there would be unbalanced responsibility on the respective person. Bottom line, the roles are there to stay!


 * Bibliography:**

http://www.jewfaq.org/women.htm
 * **Author**: Tracey R. Rich; **Title**: The Role of Women; **Publisher**: JewFaq

http://www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism/Ethics-Morality-Community/Gender-and-Sexuality?offset=2&max=1
 * **Author**: Allan Nadler; **Title**: Judaism Gender& Sexuality; **Publisher**: Patheos

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 * **Author**: Dennis McCallum; **Title**: Men, Women, and Marriage Roles; **Publisher**: Bethany House

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 * **Author**: Monica Terwillger; **Title**: Christianity Gender Equality; **Publisher**: N/A

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 * **Author**: Ellen Keim; **Title**: Islam and Gender roles; **Publisher**: Femagination

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 * **Author**: Safra Project; **Title**: Sexuality, Gender, & Islam; **Publisher**: Safra Project

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 * Pictures:**

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