《为了平等而失去我的宗教信仰》
"我是一名一生奉行基督教义的基督教徒，并从事执事与《圣经》老师多年，我的信仰是我的力量和抚慰的来源。然而，经过60年后，我决定断绝我与美国南部浸信会的关系，这是一个痛苦和困难，但是却是不可避免的决定。那是由于“公约”的领导人，引用一个少数精心挑选的《圣经》经文，并声称，夏娃是继亚当之后被创造的人，她是对原罪负有责任的人，命运注定女性必须是“屈从”于自己丈夫的人，并禁止作为在军中服役的执事，牧师或神父。" ——吉米·卡特是美国前总统（1977至1981年）
I
HAVE been a practicing Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for
many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious
beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision
to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was
painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the
convention’s leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and
claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original
sin, ordained that women must be “subservient” to their husbands and prohibited
from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.
This
view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion
or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many
faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church,
mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a
Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of
women’s equal rights across the world for centuries.
At
its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of
men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and
national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of
girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny
them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their
own communities.
The
impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives. They help
explain why in many countries boys are educated before girls; why girls are
told when and whom they must marry; and why many face enormous and unacceptable
risks in pregnancy and childbirth because their basic health needs are not met.
In
some Islamic nations, women are restricted in their movements, punished for
permitting the exposure of an arm or ankle, deprived of education, prohibited
from driving a car or competing with men for a job. If a woman is raped, she is
often most severely punished as the guilty party in the crime.
The
same discriminatory thinking lies behind the continuing gender gap in pay and
why there are still so few women in office in the West. The root of this
prejudice lies deep in our histories, but its impact is felt every day. It is
not women and girls alone who suffer. It damages all of us. The evidence shows
that investing in women and girls delivers major benefits for society. An
educated woman has healthier children. She is more likely to send them to
school. She earns more and invests what she earns in her family.
It
is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its
population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and
practices - as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the
battle for democracy and freedom.
I
understand, however, why many political leaders can be reluctant about stepping
into this minefield. Religion, and tradition, are powerful and sensitive areas
to challenge. But my fellow Elders and I, who come from many faiths and
backgrounds, no longer need to worry about winning votes or avoiding
controversy - and we are deeply committed to challenging injustice wherever we
see it.
The
Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by
former South African president Nelson Mandela, who offer their influence and experience
to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and
promote the shared interests of humanity. We have decided to draw particular
attention to the responsibility of religious and traditional leaders in
ensuring equality and human rights and have recently published a statement that
declares: “The justification of discrimination against women and girls on
grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher
Authority, is unacceptable.”
We
are calling on all leaders to challenge and change the harmful teachings and
practices, no matter how ingrained, which justify discrimination against women.
We ask, in particular, that leaders of all religions have the courage to
acknowledge and emphasise the positive messages of dignity and equality that
all the world’s major faiths share.
The
carefully selected verses found in the Holy Scriptures to justify the
superiority of men owe more to time and place - and the determination of male
leaders to hold onto their influence - than eternal truths. Similar biblical
excerpts could be found to support the approval of slavery and the timid
acquiescence to oppressive rulers.
I
am also familiar with vivid descriptions in the same Scriptures in which women
are revered as pre-eminent leaders. During the years of the early Christian
church women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and
prophets. It wasn’t until the fourth century that dominant Christian leaders,
all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant
positions within the religious hierarchy.
The
truth is that male religious leaders have had - and still have - an option to
interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for
their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing
choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive
persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation
not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of
Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders
of other great religions - all of whom have called for proper and equitable
treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge
these views.
OBSERVER
Jimmy
Carter was president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
Copyright
© 2013 Fairfax Media
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