Religion, Theology and Self-Improvement Sundays: Women, Religion, Theology and Society Part 9

To continue to build upon the point that false theology and the misunderstanding of religion has been one of the major factors in the oppression and mistreatment of women worldwide, we take a look at an experience that Nation Of Islam Leader Minister Louis Farrakhan had when he made a talk in a church. The experience, which he relayed in an article in The Final Call earlier this year, touches on the crux of what this series has been about.

Here is what Minister Farrakhan wrote:

The origin of this present article stems from a brief encounter that I had with a wonderful Baptist Preacher who had allowed me the honor and the privilege of speaking to the people from his pulpit. I was speaking on the need for the reform of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in their view and treatment of the female.

I mentioned that Paul said that the woman should be quiet in the church. This has been taken to mean that in church life she should have nothing to say.

In some religious orders in Christianity she is forbidden to come up on the rostrum or to sit in the place where the Pastor sits.

I said, "I disagree with Paul. He was a great Apostle, but, he certainly is not Jesus and nowhere in the Gospels concerning the Words and Acts of Jesus do we find justification for the Words of the Apostle."

I said to my Christian family, if Mary, the Mother of Jesus, entered the church would you tell her that she could not come and stand on the rostrum and speak to us - a woman so exalted and revered by Allah (God)?

Then, I turned and said to the Pastor, would you tell your mother that she could not come up here?

The Pastor quickly said to me, "She could not come up here."

I was shocked. It was then that I realized even more so why there must be reform in our thinking concerning the female. What is so Holy about the rostrum of the church that the mother of him who teaches the Word should not approach such place. Yet, Jesus, in whom was the spirit and presence of Allah (God), would be approached and embraced by those women who closely followed Him. Is the rostrum or the pulpit more sacred than the person in whom is the indwelling spirit of Allah (God)?

Here is the remainder of Minister Farrakhan's thought-provoking article.

Cedric Muhammad

Sunday, December 17, 2000