>>I do find it disconcerting (if true) that a Synagogue would treat women as second class citizens and force them to sit outside, while only the men may enjoy Al Gore's speech.<<
This is a very complex topic, but Orthodox Judaism has a rule that men and women not mix in a holy place such as a synagogue; the explanation I have heard is that men should not be tempted into prurient thoughts in the presence af God, and that separation of the sexes discourages this. I'm not sure that Orthodox Jewish teachings on this issue amount to treatment of women as second class citizens. It is my impression that Orthodox Jewish women in the main fervently agree with these teachings, and would never even think to enter a synagogue filled with men waiting to hear Gore. In other words, within the faith, the two sexes agree that this is the way things should be. The women, as practicing Orthodox Jews, would not feel "forced" (your phrase) to stay outside--indeed, they would be horrified if someone tried to usher them inside, as intermingling with men is, in their view, a sin.
The distinction to be made here is between the inter-faith animosity of the Bob Jonesers (Catholic Church is a satanic cult, etc.), and intrafaith practices that should be of no concern to anyone outside of the religious adherents themselves.
If we want to condemn religious groups because of intrafaith discrimination against women, I think we have a long list-- I doubt we'll anytime soon see a woman Pope, a woman reverend heading up evangelical Christian organizations, a woman leader of the Mormon church, or an Islamic mosque, etc. I don't know enough about Hindus to comment. |
