Of women, fear and love

“She buys a field, and, with what she has earned, puts in a vineyard …

She supervises the household well.”

Proverbs 31:16, 27 The Inclusive Bible

In the wake of a holiday to honor motherhood came the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn settled law of women’s autonomy over their own bodies. The following is a perspective through the eyes of scripture, history and motives:

The centerpiece of all the earth’s great religions is the Golden Rule — treating one another as one wishes to be treated. To guide people to live in loving ways, the Hebrew scriptures include the wisdom of a queen mother who advises her son the king “not to neglect the rights of the oppressed … or those who cannot speak for themselves.” This includes the unborn and all who may lack power in a culture whether due to race, gender, religion or economic status.

But most of the queen mother’s wisdom in Proverbs 31 is devoted to the importance of strong and empowered women in creating healthy families, thriving communities and great nations. And I would note it is unlikely the ancient Hebrew women would have participated in the “begatting” needed to build a great nation had they been subjugated... Thus, women’s autonomy was recognized and valued even in a patriarchal culture.

Years later, in each encounter, Rabbi Jesus commended and empowered women – even if he had to break religious and cultural norms to do so. Women served as bishops in the early church, and with their leadership the church grew in peace and unity.

Throughout history, freedom thrives and countries flourish when there is equality, generosity and the full participation of all citizens. Relief agencies around the world have discovered the best way to help a country thrive is to empower its women through micro-lending and economic cooperatives — and autonomy of their own bodies and reproductive health.

But in our country, some members of the highest court have shown great disrespect for women. Decisions were made to allow corporations — many of whom pay no taxes — to exclude women employees’ reproductive health care from health care benefit packages. Corporations, the legislature and the highest court have placed upon women the burdens of injustice, unequal pay, lack of access to affordable housing, health care, family leave time and child care.

Rabbi Jesus called out religious and civic leaders who took privileges for themselves they were unwilling to grant to others. He said, “...they tie up heavy loads and lay them on others’ shoulders, while they themselves will not lift a finger to help alleviate the burden.”

Some religious institutions justify control of women’s bodies with a few verses of scripture taken out of context and mixed with Greek mythology. The biblical story tells of the first woman (and first man) eating forbidden fruit and bringing sin into the world – sin which could only be redeemed by the sacrificial death of the sinless male Jesus. A Greek myth tells of a female monster who brought chaos into the world – and of restored order which could only be accomplished by violence — slaying the female monster. Mixing biblical self-giving love with a myth of redemptive violence has perpetuated inequality and injustice and placed heavy burdens upon women.

Since scripture and history show the importance of empowered women in families, communities and nations, one wonders why the recent frenzy of laws to control women’s bodies? When psychoanalysts Freud and Jung were asked what purpose the Greek myths served in the culture which created them, both concluded the myths alleviated male anxiety about women’s reproductive power. The need to control women is born of fear. Fear-based decisions deepen inequality and repression and lead to autocracy. Love-based decisions cast out fear and empower women, children and men to live in freedom, equality and peace.

A condensed version of women, fear and love? Fear controls; love empowers.

The reverend Celia M. Hastings has a masters degree in religious education from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. She is author of “The Wisdom Series” and “The Undertaker’s Wife.”