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REUNUCHS.txt
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The later Christian hostile pessimistic view of the body and its pleasures is
rooted in pagan Antiquity. Although these early Greeks were quite misogynistic
in their view, much of their sexual pessimism was derived "from medical
considerations" (9), or more accurately, from medical errors concerning sex. The
Gnostics then took these Greek and Stoic suspicions of pleasure further. For the
Gnostics believed that there was basically a "denomination of all corporeality
and all matter" (15). Thus, these were the standards that early Christianity chose
to adopt in order to be deemed a "moral" religion. Uta Ranke-Heinemann argues
that these adopted pagan and Gnostic philosophies which developed into the
ascetic ideal in Christianity are antithetical to the meaning of Christianity.
The facts presented in Eunuchs For The Kingdom of Heaven are based on
Tank-Heinemann's presupposition that there is an intimate connection between
celibacy and misogyny; and that both are not principles inherent in original
Christianity. Using the anamnestic approach of historical scholarship she
uncovers the ugly past of Catholicism. Assuming that the events she mentions
did actually happen, and that she quotes the Church Fathers in context, then
Ranke-Heinemann has not gone "too far" as many have claimed. She has been
more respectful to Christianity in her writing than the male authors of
Christianity have been to women in their documents and legal legislation. It's
incredibly ironic and hilarious that Cardinal O'Connor of all people stated that "it
is time we stopped buying the line of purveyors of hatred and scandal and
malice and libel and calumny". Perhaps if he engaged in the material of Eunuchs
For The Kingdom of Heaven he might recognize how much his statement about the
book is really a projection about his own church's behavior, not the author's.
If the said author wanted to be disrespectful, she could have said: Of
course celibates would be fearful of what they strive to abstain from (women)
and consequently assigned "evil" attributes to that thing (women). Then she
could have disrespectfully said: what do a bunch of celibates know about sex
anyway? If they are virgins let them govern virginity; how dare they speak with
authority about marriage, sexual positions, masturbation, homosexuality and
contraception. This especially holds true since they have no experience with sex,
intimate relationships with corporeal beings, or knowledge of supporting
financially and emotionally many children. Disrespect would be mentioning that
Jesus didn't say sexual repression and frustration, or other severe social controls,
were the key to the kingdom of Heaven. But, Ranke-Heinemann did not say
these "disrespectful" observations; she may be a bit cynical but certainly her
remarks were within the grounds of academia.
Since there is an intimate connection between celibacy and misogyny, I
doubt that the celibate life is possible without this hatred. Women will always be
seen as a dangerous threat by a heterosexual male celibate who believes that a
superiority comes from his sexual abstinence.
Another set of provocative ideas that Ranke-Heinemann sees a connection
between are war and contraception. She claims that "it is no accident that the
rejection of contraception swelled to a crescendo in this century of world wars
and the arms race" (291). The author justly concludes that therefore "war and
contraception don't mix" (291). I find this statement to be true and I agree that
the two issues are interconnected. It is absurd that the Church values a fetus
more than a developed child that can be killed "justly" (though not intentionally)
in a war.
work cited
Ranke-Heinemann, Uta. Eunuchs For The Kingdom of Heaven. Doublyday, New
York; 1990.
COMMENTS: BY DR. MCBRIDE
"Although there may be a link between celibacy and misogyny, is it a necessary
relationship? For example, can women be celibate or remain virgins without
implicitly accepting misogyny? Must people be sexually active to be liberated
from patriarchy? In other words, is feminism synonymous with "sexual
liberation?" Or are there feminist (woman centered) grounds by which a man or
woman could remain celibate?
Why do male celibates in the Church tradition simultaneously ritually
assume the role of female (eunuch-castrated male-female) yet at the same time
insist that priests must be male. If the Church believes that priests must be male
literally (anatomically correct), then why don't they interpret Mat. 19 literally, i.e.
that male priests must be castrated? Or why not ordain genuine castrati, i.e.
women?
How does this religion construct the male psychic economy?" (Dr.
McBride)
FURTHER COMMENTS WELCOME SEND TO: Sexytomboy@aol.com