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Writer's pictureMatthew Izekor

3 major errors about God and women.


God is a person that binds every camp of belief system (atheism, agnosticism, monotheism, animism, totemism polytheism) with passion.


The nature of God is complex yet simple and that is where the error comes in by stealth. We have lived and accepted errors (bent truth) about the narrative of who a woman is with God in our various belief systems.


Many errors about God and women are often promoted as divine truth and irreversible instructions which every community must adhere to, and this, unfortunately, has resulted in pain, fear, dismay, and even death for many women and daughters in our homes and communities. These errors are founded upon three faulty premises about a woman's : identity, value and importance.


I was raised in Nigeria and experienced various belief systems: traditional idol worship, and Christianity at home, but Islam at school.

The central theme in all these beliefs was around how we understood ourselves as unique persons, our identity, and our purpose in life.

Our everyday living as a community was intertwined with our religious beliefs. Faith was encouraged and in many cases became second nature. A practice that became a major part of our personality.

In many instances, certain female figures were revered, even in worship, but those ideals were never translated into our daily attitudes towards women.

I observed a disconnect between the female figures in religious scripture to the general treatment of women and daughters in our homes, religious organisations, and our community at large.

In practice, I was taught and believed a lot of falsehood about women :

  • A woman is subservient to a man.

  • A man had full authority over women.

  • Men are the delegated heads of all women.

  • A woman was designed to serve the man’s purpose.

  • A woman was expected to be behind the man always.

  • The voice and independence of women were at the behest of the man.

  • Women in some cases were entitled to an inheritance and in others excluded.


There was rarely any distinction made between females by our community. Every female: married, single, the teenager fell under the same category of woman and the religious instructions, as interpreted, applied to all of them.

This conversation has deep roots in the psyche of many communities today. We may genuinely desire and wish for change but until the bedrock of religious interpretations, as it relates to women and our daughters, are properly understood, and applied, we will make no substantive progress. Like the hamster in the wheel, we will find ourselves cycling so hard but never moving forward.


Error

Let us begin with the word "Error". Many would associate the word "error" with falsehood or lies. Error, however, is not the opposite of truth. Error is a slight divergence, a bent, from the truth.


We are often in error because of ignorance, unchecked information, carelessness, our deliberate decision to believe what we have always believed without question, and in some cases a self-driven agenda to further our goals for power and profit.


What errors does religion teach us about God and Women? What do we judge to be God's opinion about a woman's identity, significance, importance, value, purpose, responsibility, and final destination? I will focus on three of the said lists.


Identity

Women are treated as second-class persons. They are seen as lesser beings different from men. Males are seen and treated as superior beings in a higher class while females are put down to a lower class.


The mistake here is religion continues to judge people based on their externals, biological physiology. They fail to identify who people are in their essence.

They acknowledge and believe in the concept that people are spiritual (our internal persons) but in practice, they relate more with the external, the biological categorisation of persons into males and females.


Religion did not teach me about a person’s essence. I simply assumed there was a difference between a male and a female in their essence. It took me time, but I finally arrived at this truth: there are no “male spirits” or “female spirits”.


We are all spiritual beings. We are all of the same substance and material. We are just housed in different external containers called the body. As spiritual beings, the differences between males and females only exist in the “earthly suit” or body we live in. There are only two biological homes for humankind: male and female.


Our homes are different but who we are as persons, in our essence is the same. Every woman is in every way the same as a man in their essence. Our earthy homes or bodies simply identify and enables us to fulfil certain specific roles unique to our physiology on earth.


Until we understand and appreciate that women are like men, unique spiritual beings, with eternity in their veins, we will continue to devalue women based on their bodies.

When a female is seen only in terms of her external physiology, we will class them as weak, and secondary to men. We are short-sighted. It is similar to the “heart” saying to the “kidney”, you do so little. You do not count.


Every female is licenced and authorised by birth to live, interact, and contribute their wealth into this place, our present home, called earth.

You are not a misfit or an accident that happened at birth. You are a sign and a wonder of God’s mindset and grace.


The value of anything is the price you attach to that item. How much is a woman worth? My answer is simple: Priceless.


Every woman has within her the intrinsic ability to accomplish their purpose on earth. What constitutes a woman is within her. What she becomes in life is placed inside of her.


She is not disadvantaged or less equipped in comparison to any man. She has the potential, like every man, to occupy the place of excellence and recognition if those opportunities are open to her.


What do we see, when we see a female? We often see what our experiences, the media paint in our minds. We rarely ever see or appreciate the truth, that every female is uniquely gifted to add value to our world. Her gifts are not based on her culture, economic background, or academic qualification. They are unique to her as a person.


Religion has sadly relegated women to the background. Women are not seen or treated as persons with unique gifts and talents necessary for our world.


Women, in some religious circles, are restricted from pursuing their academic goals. Many are restricted and even denied from taking part in some sporting events.

Some have gone the extra mile to enthusiastically believe and say that women will continue to serve at the pleasure of men even in the afterlife.


Religion, many in our communities would say, determines the extent to which any female can apply her gifts. These directives, they say, cannot be questioned. They are binding and not subject to change or interpretations.


Our world would remain in a deficit as long as we insist and demand that women fit into certain male stereotypes. It is only when we allow females to be themselves, provide females with equal access to opportunities, then will our communities begin to breathe and live well.


A woman does not exist to live, eat, and die. She has a purpose. She is different and she brings to the table of life her unique gifts and talents.

We ignore the awesome contributions of women to our peril.


Our communities and our present world are constantly losing the significant help which only females can provide. A female has a unique, and creative dimension to addressing issues.

Every woman has an assignment for which she is best fitted. Her purpose may not fit the narrative of her present environment, culture, or religious belief, but she must be allowed and given room to pursue her heart's purpose.

I hope we all wake up, soon enough, to value the importance every female brings to our world.


Religion says the woman is so weak she cannot contribute anything significant to our world. I was taught that a woman’s place at all times was behind the man. It is still no wonder why many women feel they are often led by men who are not skilled or equipped but for their maleness.


Men and that includes me, desire to occupy all the rolls in front, at the top, the middle, and even the rows at the back. We foolishly believe that a woman is not designed to lead in any sphere. Many communities and religious settings aggressively adhere to this mindset.


Religion relegates the role of women to their husbands, fathers, male figures in their world, and their homes. I do not deny the great roles women play as wives, partners, and housewives. These roles are significant, but that is not all there is to a woman.


We must enable women by allowing them access at the table to shape our conversations and decisions. If a woman chooses to be a housewife, that is excellent, but we must never impose that role on every woman. It must be left to the choice of the woman.


Until religious institutions understand that the identity of females is the same as men, they will continue to restrict and forbid the participation of women in their establishments.


Women are adequately resourced to excel but we insist on limiting their contributions to fit our religious interpretations. The earth was designed for mankind which many think means the same as for men only. Mankind, in many instances, is a generic term for males and females.


Women are important, and that is why their continuous non-participation in our civil or religious discourse is a massive loss to our world. Every woman has within her the desire to contribute and also control certain elements in their world. They are wired to seek fulfilment, and like men, the accomplishments of certain goals and aspirations. We must refrain from denying them access to opportunities.


Women were born with a purpose, but they need equal access to opportunities that will showcase their gifts and talents. Religion opens our minds to the intrinsic worth of women and our daughters, but we have bent this truth to restrict women and hold them back from fulfilling their life purposes.


Conclusion

These erroneous narratives need not continue. We can all draw lessons from our present home, the earth. Nature shows us the wonder and the beauty of difference. We see in nature the proud displays of males and females.


Zero is not an effective multiplier in life. A man on his own is a zero multiplier to purpose on earth.

It is time we begin these conversations, however difficult and challenging it may seem in our homes, communities, and religious institutions.

Women and our daughters deserve the truth and dignity to be treated as persons, different but important as men.

Our homes, communities, and institutions are good enough places to have them showcase their difference and unique abilities.


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8 Comments


Infact, the writer has said it all. From the creation, God never seperated Man from Woman, what we are seeing today are man made.

To me, Women are of greater value than Men in all ramifimications.

God bless you Pst Izekor, this write up will open many eyes in Jesus mighty name.

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maria999.roberto
maria999.roberto
Nov 30, 2021

You have expressed explicitly the preconceived notions and handed-down perceptions of what a woman is. This has been done from generation to generation. However, we were created by God to be beside the man and to complement each other. It is true that men are physically stronger but women are stronger emotionally. It is also true that there are things that only men can do before, but that myth has been broken as we have seen some women excel in several sports formerly reserved for men and among other things. As a leader whether in a nation, in our professional work, in business, and especially in our homes, we have proven and shown what we are capable of. The world…


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Sumaira Hossain
Sumaira Hossain
Nov 27, 2021

Aptly described Matthew. I completely agree that women are always supressed in the name of religion. I see it more as human created than God's words. Once again you nailed it my friend. Thanks for voicing it.

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mclaude0731
mclaude0731
Nov 27, 2021

Your top is brings in ample of awareness to be realized for all.

thabk you for the share

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This theme is absolutely very important not only in certain archaic communities, but this message has an impact throughout society. I totally believe that both men and women possess qualities and gifts that deserve admiration and respect. There should never be these intellectual divisions putting man totally at the center and relegating women to the background. Thanks dear Matthew Izecor for sharing with us these brilliant and necessary instructions and references.

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