Spiritual needs - are they different for men & women?

[Dave]

https://www.facebook.com/worldhaveyoursay

I'm listening to the BBC World Have Your Say program (link is to their Facebook page as they don't have a page dedicated to it). Right now they are arguing about an arrest at the Wailing Wall of a couple of women for praying while wearing clothing that is traditionally used only by men (not male clothing, but prayer clothing usually used by men). The people are arguing and the men keep saying that women and men have different spiritual needs and that's why there needs to be a segregation of the genders at the Wall (and priesthood, etc.)

Do you agree? I am a firm believer that men & women are different physiologically and that they will NEVER be equal in some things (mostly those which require a physical component). But spiritually? I find that to be absurd.

 

[Espy]

Most of those sorts of gender issues are purely cultural. This sounds like on of them.

 

[tegid]

Even if they were in most cases, the argument is quite weak isn't it? "The spiritual needs of each gender are different so we'll forbid mixing and force on you your gender-established spiritual needs"

 

[strawman]

That's an interesting question. If males and females generally have different social traits and abilities (some suggest women are more emotionally protective, while men are more physically protective) then it's reasonable to consider that perhaps their different ways of processing and interacting to life might lead them to approach their spirituality in slightly different ways.

Speaking to the issue at hand more directly, I'm not sure that the issue is fleshed out enough to understand the reasoning. It sounds like there's the main issue (women wearing the "wrong" clothing) and a secondary issue (Maybe they should be segregated).

But perhaps it's deeper than that. Are these women attempting to join a male only priesthood, or trying to observe their religion using primarily priesthood methods when it might not be available to them? Is this clothing priesthood clothing?

Looking at one site, visitors are given the following information, "Women of any religion, out of respect for Judaic law, should wear modest clothing. There are separate entrances for men and women, although they can regroup at the Wall."

So there is some gender specific rules about visiting it. Are the women in question wearing clothing that disrespects judaism, or as worn is disrespectful to judaic law?

 

[Necronic]

This specific arrest is about a woman wearing a prayer scarf at the wailing wall, something that only a male can wear in Orthodox Judaism. In this specific case I consider it highly suspect because Orthodox Jews are notoriously mysogonistic. We are talking "back of the bus", "have to step out of the way when a man approaches", "not allowed to divorce", "spit on girl going to school" mysogonism.

That's what this is founded in.

 

[GasBandit]

Well, at least they're finding common ground with hardline muslims.

 

[sixpackshaker]

This specific arrest is about a woman wearing a prayer scarf at the wailing wall, something that only a male can wear in Orthodox Judaism. In this specific case I consider it highly suspect because Orthodox Jews are notoriously mysogonistic. We are talking "back of the bus", "have to step out of the way when a man approaches", "not allowed to divorce", "spit on girl going to school" mysogonism.

That's what this is founded in.

I thought Misogyny was saying that you thought a picture of a girl on the internet was hot?

At least that is how it gets used around here.

 

[Necronic]

Nope, that's totally fine. Just like 'dat ass!

 

[Bowielee]

This entire issue has less to do with the "spiritual needs" of each gender and more to do with the violation of cultural norms. In societies with very strict religious rules, the punishment for violating those rules are equally as strict.