Genesis 28

It's been weeks since my last assault on the Bible. Here's the text of Genesis 28. Here's a related text, and another related text.

I've had the feeling Jacob expresses in verse 17, mostly during thunderstorms.

Letter to the Bishops

Just heard poor Cardinal Pell trying to stick up for the Vatican's new anti-feminist effort. He didn't huff but he did waffle, leaving me with little clue as to the Church's argument. To his credit he acknowledged that feminists and feminist opinion are diverse.

Anywho, the document appears to be an effort to sell subjugation as equality, in the guise of division of labour, with a side of flattery and a generous helping of biological determinism. Intriguingly, I have read pretty much the same argument from Islamic sources. Even more intriguingly, the idea that male and female are distinct and concrete spiritual realities sounds like Wicca!

Some Pagan writers have used the term "virgin" to mean "belonging to oneself alone" - not married or in a relationship. This contrasts with the letter's discussion of virginity; as a creature who, by nature, exists for others, women can only be mothers or virgins. To be blunt, if we fuck with a condom, we're doing something for ourselves alone. It's unconvincing to conclude that both men and women are ideally supposed to live for the other when men are not called on to choose between fatherhood and virginity.

I'm also disturbed by the suggestion that it's all right for men to have power over women as long as they don't abuse that power; I'd counter than this inequality is in itself an abuse of power. The explicit statement that feminism views "men as enemies" and is "mistrustful and defensive" is a familiar one. Perhaps a first step to dispelling that enmity and mistrust would be for men to cease sexual violence against women. In other words, we're not the ones who created an atmosphere of hostility and distrust between the sexes.

Interestingly, I have the impression that in some traditional cultures, women and men do have a sharp division of labour, but women have an equal role in decision making - a different alternative to either patriarchy or what the letter espouses.

I didn't actually intend to have quite so much to say on the subject. And now I have to go and wash up!

And you thought it was all over

Lucius Malfoy and Snape, looking like ornamentation in the Book of Kells

Romance novel cover

Practice

From Snape Support (not an item of clothing), the very funny Intro to Snape Varieties, complete with Strine.

( SPOILERS for the Nocturne Alley RPG )