Implication was the word that first came to mind when contemplating the writing of this particular blog. It is the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated:.It is the consequence result, ramification, repercussion, reverberation, effect.. So what are the consequences, the ramifications and the effect of portraying Eve as a temptress, a seducer, a deceiver.? That image has had “an extremely negative impact throughout the Judeo-Christian tradition” and even until today as shall be shown through the words and wisdom of Anita Hill. Women inherited Eve’s guilt and guile, therefore they were untrustworthy, morally inferior and wicket.
Dr. Azmeen examined the writing of the most import Jews and Christians of that time and all time. He begins with the Old Testament: “I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snake, whose heart isa trap and who cans are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner, she will ensnare…while I was still searching but not finding. I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.” (Ecclesiastes 7:26-28)
The Catholic Bible reads: No wickedness comes anywhere near the wickedness of a woman…She began with a woman and thanks to her we all must die.” “Jewish Rabbis listed nine curses inflicted on women a a result of the fall: To the woman He gave nine curses and death; the burden of he blood of mensuration and the blood of virginity; the burden of pregnancy; the burden of childbirth; the burden of bringing up children; her head is covered as one in mourning; she pierces her ear like a germane slave or slave girl who serves her master; she is not to be believed as a witness and after everything-death.2” To the present day, orthodox Jewish men in their daily morning prayer recite “Blessed by God King of the universe that Thous has not made me a woman”
But if you think that is bad, wait until you hear this. “The Biblical Eve has played a flat bigger role in Christianity than Judaism.” She is pivotal because Jesus Chris came to Earth because of this ‘original sin’ and in order to purify human beings God had to sacrifice Jesus, whom they consider the Son of God on the cross. In all of my days could never understand that Christ somehow died for my (and others) sins – did not make any sense to me. During my long conversation with an Islamic scholar preparatory to my becoming a Muslim, he admitted that he did not either. That an the Trinity is a total mystery to all clear thinking individuals, as I see it
So Eve makes a mistake, she then responsible for her husband’s sin, the original sin of all of humanity and the death of the Son of God. Even acting on her own did all of that – she is responsible for the fall of humanity. That looks, smells and acts like b.s. to me and it goes on and on. This from St. Paul in the New Testament: “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I don’t permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one denied, it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner” (I Timothy 2: 11-14) St. Terrulian was even harder on poor Eve and so St. Augustine,. St Thomas Aquinas, centuries later, found woman as defective.
In case you Protestants are feeling self righteous, renowned reformed Martin Luther. He was all into having women bringing as many kids into the world with no regard to the side effects: “If they become tired or even die, that does not matter. Let them die in childbirth, that’s why they are there.”
The Qur’an tells a different story. “For Muslim men and women, for believing men and woman, for devout men and women, for true men and woman, for men and woman who are patient, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity. For men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chatty, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise—For them all has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward (33:35) This another passage in the Qur’an. And their lord answered them. Truly I will never cause to be lost the work of any of you. Be you a male or female, you are members of one another. (3:195) Other examples may be found at (9:71) (40:40) and (16.97)
The Qur’an sees men and women as equal. It never says that the woman is the devil’s gateway or that she is a deceiver. The Qur’an NEVER says that no upright women ever existed. To the absolute contrary the Qur’an urges both men and women to follow the example of ideal women such as the Virgin Mary and the Pharaoh’s wife. Please see (66: 11-13).
But back to the lasting effects of the Judeo-Christian condemnation of Eve, The NewYorker featured a powerful interview with Anita Hill. “Anita Hill saw history repeat itself in the confirmation of at Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court Hearing.” The link: https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/anita-hill-ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker.
David Remnick the editor of the New Yorker explains his mission. “Anita Hill, who is a professor at Brandeis University and endured her own degrading experience as a witness during the confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas, in 1991, spoke with me on The New Yorker Radio Hour this week about the meaning of Jackson’s ascent and the reaction from Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Jane Mayer, a staff writer for The New Yorker and the co-author, with Jill Abramson, of “Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas,” also joined the discussion, which has been edited for length and clarity.”
I do readily admit that I can be not too fond of David Remnick because he condemned Czar Alexander II in order to denigrate Putin. Putin definitely deserves denigration but why alter history when you know better David Remnick.
Please listen to the reasoned intelligent facts presented by Anita Hill and compare her to the white wife of Clarence Thomas who has done her very best to discredit the court and its processes. Andy did a wonderful satire about that woman and it was quoted in its entirety on this blog. .
“Hill: Well, first, let me make very clear—I was a witness in a confirmation hearing. Ketanji Brown Jackson was a nominee. I wasn’t surprised that there was an attack on her. I was shocked at the level—or the depths that they would go to—to discredit her. So I think we need to think about the cumulative impact that it has on her as the first African American woman to be nominated for the Supreme Court position, but also the effect that it will have on her and her colleagues, Justice Sotomayor and Justice Kagan, as they begin leadership of what will be very likely a minority group on the Supreme Court. There’s an even larger impact on the Court itself—the credibility of the Court—and the process for selecting judges was on trial. And I think damage was done to all of those.”
Jane Meyer than spoke to the issue. “ As Anita Hill’s saying, these were witnesses, but the salient thing to me was just the demeaning—and, in fact, also an interesting theme to me was that there was a kind of a weird sexualization in all of these attacks, where the women were made to look sort of outside of the norms. In particular, I thought it was interesting that they went after Justice Jackson on her handling of sexual offenders and particularly child-pornography cases, and made her look permissive in some way, as if she was somehow outside of the norms. Anita Hill, way back in the day, was described as “erotomaniac” and described as “nutty” and “slutty” and all these awful things. There were white men who were casting a woman as being somehow dangerous in the sexual area. I found that just depressingly familiar.”
Anita Hill agrees with Jane Meyer
“I would definitely echo all of what you’ve said. The sexualization part is a way of denigrating women, and it was all done from this associational baggage that they were piling on her. She was associated with pedophilia because they disagreed with a sentence that she gave to one individual. Not only does that sexualize her; it feeds into these QAnon conspiracy theories about Democrats and pedophilia that have been swirling around, I guess, at least for the past four or five years. So it was easier for the sexualization to stick because she is a Black woman, and that has been the history of the treatment of Black women: over-sexualizing us for political reasons. In this case, we see it at the highest level in our government—or, maybe, at its lowest level—but it’s coming out of our Senate, and it is reflecting on our highest court.”
Faithful readers will know that I was a lawyer. As said, at the end of a powerful presentation to the Judge and Jury.
Me: I rest my case!!
I am not giving up – more to come particularly during Ramadan. I love entertaining people, making them laugh and helping them enjoy their lives, particularly if they ‘deserve it’. But perhaps you should look for your entertainment elsewhere as I am righteously angry with all of this, this unwarranted treatment toward women.
I have mentioned prior blogs during the course of this blog. Shall tell you what to do to retrieve them. I do a great deal of work to write these blogs, you shall have a taste of what it entails when you follow the links and read the prior blogs. So stay on board, but only if you are brave and adventurous. I am both of those.
So to find some blogs. The January 27,2022 discusses Alexander III and David Remnick. The easiest way to find it is to type David Remnick into the search engine and it does come up. Not the first, please be patient. Then type Status of Women in Islamic Faith and there is a wealth of information. What else are you doing??? It is Ramadan. Hahaha
