You can always expect a few laughs from
the wacky religion reporting of the Times’ religion reporter who Jimmy
Akin calls Ruth “I’m Too Dangerously Unqualified To Keep My Job”
Gledhill. In her latest news story (a.k.a. op ed)
she writes
on Cherie Blair recent criticism of Muslims forcing women to wear
veils.
Mrs Blair’s own Church forbids the
ordination of women, forbids women from using condoms even when their
husband has been infected by HIV while working away, and denies the
sacrament of communion to women who are divorced and remarried without
an annulment, even when a woman’s first marriage has broken down
because of abandonment for a younger woman by their husband.
Now you might wonder how an article on
Muslim women wearing veils can segue into Catholic Church bashing – but
if you did then you aren’t use to Ruth Gledhill’s writing.
What I find highly ironic about her examples is how they are mostly
examples of the Church’s view of equality. For example:
- Women are forbidden to use female condoms, just as males
are forbidden to use condoms also even if their spouses have an STD. - Both men and women who are divorced and do not have a
declaration of nullity can not be remarried. - Both men and women who were abandoned by their spouse for a
newer model can not be remarried.
As for women’s ordination she can take that one up with Jesus since it
was his will. The Church neither has the power to accept or
forbid women’s ordination, she is just following Christ.
Besides why do they never get on the case of Buddhists and
Muslims for not having women monks and clerics?
What she totally misses is that that when it comes to sexual morality
men and women are held to the same standard. This was not
true prior to Christianity where for example only adultery by women was
seen as bad and women were truly second class citizens.
Though it is quite common for people to bite the hand that
fed you.
