Hermeneutics

I'm really interested in the interpretation of the Bible as applied to gender theory with the Southern Protestants in the Bible Belt. I find it truly fascinating that people can completely dismiss certain aspects of the Bible for various reasons and hold on to others. Women in this group seem to have a role they're supposed to play. They're the home-maker, "child-rear-er", and always second in command. I know that some women willing assume this role of subservience because they want to, but I don't know if it's because they were taught to be that way or that they just like the idea of it. There's a very thin line there. More later...

Interesting...

Through my research I have discovered studies that prove that devoted church-goers tend to be less prejudiced than "social" attendants. Still non-attendants are also less prejudiced. This doesn't surprise me in any way. I'm glad that the "devoted' are more tolerant, but there are more who attend for social rather than religious reasons. So it's difficult to say where ethnic prejudice stands exactly.

More to come on political affiliation/decisions as compared to religious affiliation.

All you need is love

Okay, I feel another rant coming on...
I just can't wrap my mind around the hypocrisy of "religion." Of course it isn't every person or group, but there are enough in the South to give us a bad name. I know that Reagan wrote about this, but it's something that really rubs me the wrong way. I was always taught to treat everyone equally with respect and love. But, similar to what Reagan was saying, I discovered that those people do the exact opposite of what they preach. You hear in church (I did the 4-7 times I went) that you shouldn't judge others, love thy neighbor as thyself, etc., but what do we see when these same people walk out of those holy places? Exactly the opposite of that. They judge others for believing in something different from them, being homosexual, or looking different. I cannot comprehend it. You cannot judge someone for something just because you disagree. Who do people think they are to take the place in what their God has the final say? It's just something I find incredibly disturbing.