Why Are Women Excluded From Religion

Male supremacy is everywhere from politics to religions.

Probably, Hinduism is the oldest surviving religion on earth. Hindu scriptures mention women sages. The Vedas contain verses composed by women. However, when it comes to treat women, the most authoritative book taken in account is Manusmriti, which says women must remain under father, brother, husband, or son. The Upanishads describe how Gargi was not permitted by Yagyabalkya to participate in the religious discussions. Yagyas were performed to appease Gods, however, women were not allowed to initiate Yagya. Women were excluded from discourses as well functioning of rituals and rites.

Buddha allowed women to become monk and stay in the monastery. His mother Gautami was the first women to become Buddhist monk. However, the ancient texts mention that Buddha did not actually allow women to become monk. He let Gautami to become monk because he could not refuse his mother. Texts mention that Buddha feared that his monks will be corrupted when women became monks.

Islam originated in the 7th century and it is the first religion that granted property rights to women. It even respected women’s consent in marriage and relationship. However, discriminatory thing about Islam is women are not even allowed to enter inner sanctum of mosque, let alone allow women to head the mosque.

Christianity allows woman to become a nun, however, the nuns can never rise up in the rank to become clergy(woman), reverend, vicar, Pope etc. Christianity does not allow women to head the church, or become a priest. The highest status a woman can gain in Christianity is sainthood after death.

Comparatively, women are more religious than men. Women are not only pious but they also sincerely follow the religious duties and rituals. However, if we analyze the status of women in the theologies of world religions, we find women in sorry state. Religious doctrines are discriminatory towards women. In the world religions, women have always been treated as inferior to men.

Most of the religions have not accepted women. By acceptance I mean religions have accepted women as followers but not as the protector and initiator of religious duties. Women have never been priests, never been the leader of the religious movements, and never been the proprietors of religious institutions such as church, mosque or temples.
When it comes to include women in the religious discussions, they are often left out. The religious leaders from different faiths believe “something must be left un-debated and untested.”

What are the reasons for excluding women from religion? If we interpret religion in Marxist point of view, we can assume that the religions left out women because religions were created by men, Gods were invented by men, and the theologies were written by men.

Christianity has Mother Marry. Hinduism and Buddhism have multitudes of Goddesses. Yet, women are not accepted as the initiator of religion. The exact reasons are unknown. Most of the theologies do not explain why women cannot become proprietors of the religious institution.

Whether in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism, only men are allowed to perform rites and rituals. Hinduism and Buddhism are basically ritualistic religions, however, these rituals are to be performed only by males. In Hinduism, off course there are some rituals reserved for women only. Interestingly, these rituals for women are to be performed when she menstruates firsts times or reaches menopause. Some rituals ascribed for women are the rituals that she has to perform when her husband dies.

Interesting thing about Hinduism is women are allowed to perform rituals along with their husbands. Some theologies even mention that as long as a man performs rituals along with his wife, only then he will receive fruits of his rituals.
In Buddhism, there are numerous female deities. Buddhism is the first religion that accepted women and even established a nunnery. There are rituals ascribed to propitiate these female Goddesses. However, the rituals are especially reserved for male.