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Same-sex marriage will devalue women in society [UPDATE]

Now that the gay marriage debate is raging about equality of rights for homosexuals, how many realise that the widespread acceptance of same-sex relationships as we are seeing, herald the long-term devaluation of women in marriage and in society in general? We need to learn from history.
In societies where men sought out men for love and sex, women were relegated to society's periphery. Thus, for example, ancient Greece, which elevated homosexuality to an ideal, was characterized by "a misogynistic attitude," in Norman Sussman's words. Homosexuality in ancient Greece, he writes, "was closely linked to an idealized concept of the man as the focus of intellectual and physical activities...The woman was seen as serving but two roles. As a wife, she ran the home. As a courtesan, she satisfied male sexual desires." Classicist Eva Keuls describes Athens at its height of philosophical and artistic greatness as "a society dominated by men who sequester their wives and daughters, denigrate the female role in reproduction, erect monuments to the male genitalia, have sex with the sons of their peers..."

In medieval France, when men stressed male-male love, it "implied a corresponding lack of interest in women. In the Song of Roland, a French mini-epic given its final form in the late eleventh or twelfth century, women appear only as shadowy marginal figures: "The deepest signs of affection in the poem, as well as in similar ones appear in the love of man for man..." The women of Arab society, wherein male homosexuality has been widespread, remain in a notably low state in the modern world. This may be a coincidence, but common sense suggests a linkage. So, too, in traditional Chinese culture, the low state of women has been linked to widespread homosexuality. As a French physician reported from China in the nineteenth century, "Chinese women were such docile, homebound dullards that the men, like those of ancient Greece, sought courtesans and boys."

While traditional Judaism is not as egalitarian as many late twentieth century Jews would like, it was Judaism --- very much through its insistence on marriage and family and its rejection of infidelity and homosexuality --- that initiated the process of elevating the status of women. While other cultures were writing homoerotic poetry, the Jews wrote the Song of Songs, one of the most beautiful poems depicting male-female sensual love ever written.

Related link: Judaism's Sexual Revolution: Why Judaism Rejected Homosexuality
Previously linked to in my post: Some reaction to Obama's endorsement of "same-sex marriage"

UPDATE:

Debates on NZ Blogs today:
Guest post - Louisa Wall, Rush Limbaugh on gay marriage, Family First ~ Whale Oil Beef Hooked
Major party leaders all support same-sex marriage ~ KiwiBlog

Comments

  1. Thanks for the link to the article "Judaism's Sexual Revolution: Why Judaism Rejected Homosexuality".

    I don't agree with every point in it, but it's central argument is very sound.

    God Bless

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  2. Hi Chris,

    You're welcome. I liked the article so much that today is the second time I posted a link to it.

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  3. You do know that lesbians exist right? Marriage equality is good for both men and women.

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  4. Yes, I know about lesbians. They will get a temporary advantage, but the lot of all women will degrade over time.

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  5. Rageholic - there is no such thing as marriage "equality".

    That is playing with words and a deceit of the devil.

    Marriage is a God given institution for the raising of the next generation - it is not a man given institution for the sanctification of perverted sexual lust

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  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  7. "Marriage is a God given institution for the raising of the next generation"

    Marriage is primarily a life-time covenant man-woman relationship,

    children usually follow, but some couples aren't able to have children.

    IT is not purely the set-up for optimal breeding and societal preservation.

    It is primarily for the benefit of the two entering it.

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  8. Cyrus,

    I've deleted your first comment as it's pretty damn close to being anti-semitic. If you want to argue the point, choose your words carefully.

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  9. Oh of course when male AND female homosexuals can be officially "married"

    sure that will mean women are degraded - nonsense!

    this culture is a man-hating one, a more likely scenario than lots of men having gay relatioships with women around as servants is one of lesbian couples making use of sperm banks if they wish, and perhaps the majority of men exterminated and that ratio of women to men maintained thru sex-selective abortion.

    This is already seriously proposed by feminist groups.

    Women have more power and rights than men in this society

    we live in a Feminazi Matriarchy,
    There is no way women are going to be treated like trash moreso than men in this day and age, just because homosexuality is promoted and and they might soon be able to say they are married.

    Do you need the governments approval of your marriage to know its legitimate?

    Why is it up to the government whose marriage is legitimate or not?

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  10. I'm not anti-semitic, I love Jews , I'm just saying what's in their books

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  11. Christians are always going on about whats in the Koran , books exposing the true nature of ISlam, blaa blaa blaa, but they're all cowards when it comes to Judaism as it is today

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  12. God made marriage for one adult man to one adult woman, and that's that no matter what the government it says.

    It doesn't change anything if gay marriage is legal - its still not a God-approved relationship

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  13. What is in Judaism's books post Christianity is somewhat irrelevant to this post, as the article refers to Judaism's role in salvation history. Yes, the Pharisees were all that was left after the destruction of the temple; any Jew who did not convert (most of the first Christians were Jews) were unlikely to believe that Christ was God and therefore more likely to condemn and blaspheme Him; however, still irrelevant to this post. The Jews today get enough stick without us adding to it.

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  14. "Do you need the governments approval of your marriage to know its legitimate?

    Why is it up to the government whose marriage is legitimate or not?
    "

    The Government represents all of us and what type of laws and ways of life we want enforced. We know that marriage as defined as between a man and a woman is the best way of ordering partnerships, and we know that Government making easy for divorce has set in motion an unravelling of societal structures, therefore it's important that Government maintains in law what marriage IS so that those who come after us think it all doesn't matter.

    Law impacts upon people's choices - surely that should be abundantly clear by now?

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  15. But this is not a Christian society , it is not a Christian government.

    I think we need to adapt to this, the Church needs to get its own house in order, its a mess.

    I hope we become a more persecuted group so that the CHurch can be purified and purged of all but serious Christians.

    It shouldn't matter if the state legalizes easy divorce or abortion etc, Christians should obey God not matter how much incentives or persecution the government provides to do otherwise.

    Sinners gunna sin,

    and the Church's primary duty from God is to proclaim the Gospel of JEsus Christ to free sinners from their sin.

    Only so much can be done to make a moral society with what we have to day which is a society full of sinners.

    It all really depends on now how much non-christians and nominally-only-christians agree with Christian ideas. And they are becomming increasing opposed to Biblical ideas so of course we are moving away from them.

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  16. Part of what we need to do as Christians is to transform the society that we are in. While as this society might not be Christian as such any more, many of it's values and traditions are based on a Christian society. It won't take that much to guide it back again - our challenge is to argue the case using common sense, which most people can understand.

    Yes, sinners are going to sin; yes, only so much can be done to make a moral society with what we've got and yes, many are becoming increasingly opposed to Biblical ideas. But, Biblical ideas have a strength and power to them that other ideas do not. They backed by God; He sends His Grace down upon people who may have heard the arguments and then just need their minds enlightened by the One who makes all things clear.

    I don't believe in giving up on society just because the going looks tough.

    Now, to your earlier comment:
    "we live in a Feminazi Matriarchy,
    There is no way women are going to be treated like trash moreso than men in this day and age, just because homosexuality is promoted and and they might soon be able to say they are married.


    I think you need to read the linked article on Judaism.

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