The focus of the news cycle has moved on to other topics, but I congratulate and celebrate Time Magazine for naming “The Silence Breakers” as their Person of the Year 2017. The women who dared to speak out about the sexual harassment and abuse they suffered at the hands and minds of others were worthy of the honor.
They were bold and courageous and, I pray, their example empowers other victims of assault, intimidation, harassment and violence to do the same.
I believe them. I believe the women who say, “#metoo.” But, for too many people, a woman's word is not as trustworthy as a man who gives you his word. Sadly, it has been this way for thousands of years.
Titus Flavius Josephus (37-100 CE), a Jewish historian and scholar, wrote: “Let not the testimony of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex.”
Gaius (130-180 CE), a Roman jurist, wrote that women “are very liable to be deceived owing to their instability of judgment.” Maimonides (1135-1204 CE), a Jewish rabbi and philosopher, “lists ten classes of person who are not competent to attest or testify, namely: women, slaves, lunatics, the deaf, the blind, the wicked, the contemptible, relatives, and the interested parties.”
Surely, we could find other men in history who have declared the same.
Sadly, I know a father who did not believe his daughter, when she told him a man, in an apartment down the hall, had sexually violated her. He said she lied, often. Sadly, it was beyond the time when any physical evidence could be acquired. It would have been “her word” against “his word.” But, then, it’s the way many men respond to their accusers. They call them liars.
“In 2006, Tarana Burke founded the "metoo" movement to help survivors of sexual violence, particularly young women of color from low-wealth communities, find pathways to healing. Using the idea of “empowerment through empathy,” the metoo movement was ultimately created to ensure survivors know they’re not alone in their journey.” (See metoomvmt.org)
Ten days ago, Christians across the world celebrated the birth of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, the Christ, of God. He was adored and praised in greetings, songs and worship services by billions of people. He was called “the Son of the Most High,” “the Son of God,” “Savior of the World, “the Prince of Peace,” along with many other honorific titles. But, did you know that many years later He was called, “the son of Mary?” (Mark 6: NRSV) This was not a title of adoration, honor or praise, for Him or Mary. It was the way for someone to call Him an illegitimate child. It wasn’t a word of praise for Mary, either!
Often, men were identified as the son of their father, such as when Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,” (Matthew 16:17 NRSV); or, when James and John were identified as the “sons of Zebedee.” (Mark 10:35 NRSV) Identifying a man by his mother’s name was to identify him as a child born out-of-wedlock.
I have, often, found it interesting and disturbing — and a bias against women — that too many people give more credence to the Apostle Paul’s words “women should be silent in the churches,” (1 Corinthians 14:34 NRSV) than to the fact that Mary Magdalene was the “First Apostle” — the first one to announce the resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with Mary, the mother of Jesus. But, “these words seemed to them (the men) an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” (Luke 24:11 NRSV) So, they didn’t even believe Mary, Jesus’ own mother!
There was a time in which Jesus appeared to be dismissive toward a woman, but then He listened to her, accepted the truth of her words, and validated her.
He had retreated to the region of Tyre, entered a house, and sought some “alone time,” as we say. The passage says He “did not want anyone to know he was there.” But, a woman whose young daughter was ill heard about Him being in town, so she went to Him. His immediate response was to dismiss her and her concerns, because she was a Gentile — not because she was a woman. But, she replied, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” He listened to, heard, and accepted the truth in her words, then said: “For saying that, you may go — the demon has left your daughter.” (Mark 7:24-3 NRSV)
Fortunately, there were many ways in which Jesus broke the cultural and societal tendencies toward women. He traveled with them regularly. He recognized the dignity of the woman He healed on the Sabbath, by calling her a “daughter of Abraham.” He welcomed Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna into the inner circle of His disciples, possibly even seeing them as equal in status with the other 12. (Personally, I am convinced of this.) He refused to condemn the woman caught in adultery. Also, He prevented the violent, death-inducing response by which the men wanted to punish her.
He spoke with a Samaritan woman He met at a well, which surprised her. It surprised her for two reasons: 1) He initiated a conversation with a woman in public, which was contrary to social norms; and, 2) He was a Jew speaking with a Samaritan, which was contrary to the religious norms of the Jewish people of the time. Yet, “Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of that women’s testimony.” (John 4:39 NRSV) How ironic that the Samaritans believed a woman, when Jesus’ own disciples did not believe the women who had traveled with them, daily!
It’s time for people to stop being dismissive of women’s stories. Listen to them, hear them and accept the truth of their words.
They are not idle tales!
The Rev. Donnley Dutcher is pastor emeritus, St. John United Church of Christ.