Religion Blog

Wow unbelievable. Reading the trial of Ann Hutchinson was a mind blowing experience. She believed a different way and unfortunately she followed the man whom she saw as a leader within her church and someone she respected with like beliefs until she crossed him with a thought.. Religion has kept women down for ages. Men in power are so afraid to be questioned and ESPECIALLY if it is by a woman. Many stories of women being smart and well educated and dare I say enlighten were hushed by the men of the church, this was done in part I believe out of fear. Ann was expressing her beliefs and views when she stepped a little to far over the line, in her community the men ruled and she was seen as a threat. I do see how they argued their points, however, I do not see how she would have ever been able to be quiet about how she felt in regards to the God of her own understanding. She did not feel that expressing her point would lead to her being abolished from the community and the brutal murder of herself and her family by Indians as a result. Today things are changing in many ways, women are seen as an asset in many families and churches. There have been many situations that have begun to turn the role of the woman around.  I personally thank the women that have gone before me, without women there would be no population to speak of! We are important to the planet ladies !! Keep up the good work.

Gender .... say whaaa

Gender is a funny thing, are we male? Are we female? Why? Who made the rules? More importantly, what are the individual beliefs you have? Do you really care what role some lives throughout their own life? Do you really care who they love or are attracted to? Our society has us judging and hating when maybe we wish for love, tolerance and peace for everyone....

The gender struggle has been around since the beginning of time, for example, Indian women worked the land, lead the soldiers, traded at the market place, they had babies and a vast knowledge of medicine. They planted herbs and knew from the land which herbs would cure what illness.  This is amazing knowledge and their remedies are still sought after today. European men it seems refused to trade with women and so in America It began, the change which would over time little by little the value of the women began to diminish. This decline is what changed the thought process of the public about women. In many Indian cultures a "homosexual" person is viewed as a twin spirit, the are revered as a god or goddess, the have automatic respect within the community, one source describes the process as asking the individual to remain in the hut while a fire is lit as the hut begins to burn the person runs out and which ever basket they grab is their dominant "gender". Each basket is filled with either male or female tools, ie knitting/basket weaving supplies or knives and hunting supplies. This practice was to determine the significant strengths of the individual as well as how this great spirit would best serve the community as a whole. This practice was used and accepted by the community and the individual was relieved to know their strengths.

In our American culture, we hate and discriminate against people before we even know their story! A practice that would indulge a ritual like this would not be tolerated in our society, we are taught to hate and judge first.  We do not tolerate different !!

 I love the practices used in past cultures to embrace the differences within human beings. I may not understand someones life path, however, I will always try to listen and understand to the best of my limited brain space..