Everyone is equal - but men are a bit more equal! C of E vote to keep women down

Firstly, I must mention that I'm a devout atheist. But I have studied religion enough to have made that educated decision to not believe a blind word of it.


The scriptures that were written a couple of thousand years ago were written by men in a time that men were the rulers of everything and women were considered the servants of men, they would receive absolutely no consideration in any decision making process and their opinions would not be sought.


And the C of E seems to be basing their decisions on the same principles of 2 millenia ago, thus women are not good enough or suitable to become bishops, they will stay in the lower ranks, we need them to clean the church and arrange the flowers!


I personally believe that this decision to keep women oppressed in the C of E is going to be a huge own goal, another nail in the congregational coffin. Many women will quite rightly feel deeply insulted by this, especially in modern times where political legislation has been implemented to demand that men & women are treated as equals - which we are.


I feel that the church is completely out of touch with their congregation and public opinion, this mal-decision shows that you can not organise a 'modern' church based on the sexist, primitive beliefs of narrow minded men that lived over 2 thousand years ago.


Saying this, although I have no respect for any religion, I do respect your right to believe in your religion. But what are your thoughts on this decision?

Glen, because the study of religion was in my undergraduate work and I have occasionally taught it since, I am very aware that Jews, Christians and Moslems are all 'children of Ibrahim/Abraham. I once had two very tidily dressed young Americans knock on my door to bring me the word of God. I was in the mood for baiting, so said something about our Jewish and Islamic brethren, which they ensured me could not be the case because Christ was the son of God. It says so here, showing me a bible. When I laughed at them and told them that they were too ignorant to be taken seriously they told me I had damnation and hell fire to await for my heresy. I have never followed a religion and it would be too late to 'save' me now if I panicked, so I'll pass, but if anybody needs saving it is them.

Absolutely with you on Lord of the Rings, same fantasy realms.

This morning I was misled by the local radio station on the gay marriage issue. In fact, Hollande made a statement about the vote that will be held on the bill next year and the maires opting out possibility. If public media make such totally wrong statements about the governance of their country as well, then no wonder parts of France are medieval in attitude!

My nine year old was telling us about Monday and how they were doing something about religion in civil studies. The teacher was talking about Buddhism and told the class that Buddha is a god! My daughter found Buddhism herself when she was tiny and follows that belief, so her hand shot up. She imparted Siddharta Bodishatava was a Nepali prince who became a philosopher/prophet about 2500 years ago. That was dismissed because it is one of the many pagan religions in the world! With such stunning ignorance amongst teachers here, how can the French know better. Across the channel, lay members of the CoE sinod who are a tiny minority of the church's membership, know better than the other two sections of the sinod who are trained, experts or practitioners. It seems that ignorance has long tentacles that penetrate too many places.

I think I am very much like you Glen and given the large majority of parishioners appear to be in favour, the six votes that stopped ordination of women bishops at the C of E Synod was a gun point firmly at their own feet. It will now take some years to get this vote up again and by then disillusioned Anglicans will have walked.

Yesterday they had the vote on gay marriages the let out for maires who do not want/cannot/will not perform them but can ask their adjoints, who may also share the same objections, is a huge cop out.

What these things are telling us is plain and simple. In an age where open-mindedness, although not necessarily radical/liberal ideas, should lead there is a conservative undercurrent that has far too much power to do what it wants against the will of the majority.

Such decisions affect those of us who do not believe but live and let live, we can sit on the sidelines and watch and all we see is excessive use of power that is disproportionate to those it most affects. In time the conservatives become more conservative and ban well on the way to everything as we are seeing in parts of the USA and on the other extreme many other people are joining us with not place left for belief in their lives. I think many of this know just how divisive that is and how eventually a clash between the does and don'ts will happen. Civilisation and progress, humbug!