Are Jehovah's Witnesses Misogynistic?
Jehovah's Witnesses are often accused of being misogynistic (prejudiced toward women and biased toward men). Some Witnesses claim that these are false or at least exaggerated claims, and that no such culture of misogyny exists.
So is it true or not? Can a religion in the 21st century really hold such archaic views?
Let's let the Watchtower answer the question for us.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that women should not teach in the congregation and should 'keep their place'.
Women are not to get into disputes with men. Apparently men can get into disputes with men, but not women. They are to 'be silent'. Women cannot 'teach the congregation', only men can do that.
Women need to stick to having children and doing housework so they don't get into mischief.
It also tells men to be willing to 'carry out menial tasks' (housework) to help their working wives. According to the 2017 Watchtower quoted prior, these menial tasks of 'caring for a household' are women's work, so apparently men might balk at having to do them and need to be counseled.
Women cannot have any leadership roles in the congregation.
So Valerie was slapped, pistol-whipped, beaten almost to death and had a knife held to her son's throat by her husband. In her own words, Valerie says she "lived in constant fear." Surely Valerie escaped this frighteningly abusive relationship, right?
No, she didn't. She stayed. The article claims that Troy overcame his abusive ways, but just think about the message this sends to women who's husbands don't change. It puts them in extreme, life-threatening danger.
What was Valerie's advice to other abused women?
The resources I found varied in what percentage of abusive men change, but the highest percentage I could find was 7%. So at best a women has maybe a 7% chance of her husband changing from a physically abusive person. If that's accurate, it means that for every one man who changes 14 men will not change. Should Jehovah's Witnesses really be encouraging women to play those odds?
I have yet to find a single example of any Watchtower publication detailing the story of a women who left an abusive situation and lived a happy Christian life thanks to her good decision. The stories are always of women being abused that stuck around and eventually their husbands became Jehovah's Witnesses and their relationship was all peachy and perfect after that. Even though statistically that is a very unlikely outcome, that's the only outcome ever presented by Jehovah's Witnesses in their literature.
So is it true or not? Can a religion in the 21st century really hold such archaic views?
Let's let the Watchtower answer the question for us.
Women Can't Teach The Congregation
Watchtower, 7/1/1991, p15, paragraph 99 Sometimes the apostle Paul is accused of misogyny, that is, a hatred and distrust of women. True, it was Paul who insisted that women keep their proper place within the Christian congregation. In the normal run of things, they were not to do the teaching at congregation meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:33-35)
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that women should not teach in the congregation and should 'keep their place'.
Women Should Not Argue With Men
Watchtower, 7/2015, p4The apostle Paul wrote: “I do not permit a woman . . . to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” (1 Timothy 2:12, 13) This does not mean that a woman is to be completely silent at a meeting of the Christian congregation. She is to be silent in the sense of not getting into disputes with a man. She is not to belittle his appointed position or endeavor to teach the congregation. Men have been given the assignment of presiding over and teaching the congregation
Women are not to get into disputes with men. Apparently men can get into disputes with men, but not women. They are to 'be silent'. Women cannot 'teach the congregation', only men can do that.
Women Need To Stick To Having Children
Watchtower, 6/2017, p5, paragraph 88 The Bible does mention a Christian woman’s being “kept safe through childbearing.” (1 Tim. 2:15) But this does not mean that giving birth or having children results in gaining everlasting life. Rather, it refers to the fact that a woman’s having children to tend to, along with the other aspects of caring for a household, may keep her from falling into a pattern of gossiping and meddling in others’ affairs. (1 Tim. 5:13)
Women need to stick to having children and doing housework so they don't get into mischief.
Women In The Workplace
Watchtower 2/1/2008, p29Of course, whether a Christian mother should work secularly or not is a personal decision. However, if married, she and her husband should make such a decision only after discussing the matter and carefully weighing all the factors involved.—Proverbs 14:15.The first paragraph says that women cannot decide for themselves whether or not they are going to work outside the home. The second tells men that women have 'physical and emotional limitations' that apparently men don't have.
What if a couple decide that out of sheer economic necessity, both of them have to work full-time? In that case, a wise husband will pay particular attention to the Bible’s admonition: “You husbands must show understanding in your married life: treat your wives with respect, not only because they are physically weaker, but also because God’s gift of life is something you share together.” (1 Peter 3:7, The Revised English Bible) A husband shows respect for his wife by being sensitive to her physical and emotional limitations. Whenever possible, he will help his wife with domestic chores. Like Jesus, a husband will be willing to carry out menial tasks humbly, not shunning such work as somehow being beneath his dignity. (John 13:12-15) Instead, he will view these chores as an opportunity to show his love for his hardworking wife. She will greatly appreciate such help.—Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29.
It also tells men to be willing to 'carry out menial tasks' (housework) to help their working wives. According to the 2017 Watchtower quoted prior, these menial tasks of 'caring for a household' are women's work, so apparently men might balk at having to do them and need to be counseled.
Women Cannot Have Leadership Roles
Watchtower 1/15/2007, p6The congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are served by male overseers, or elders, and by men appointed as ministerial servants. (Philippians 1:1, 2; 1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12) Only men are to serve as shepherds in the Christian congregation.
Women cannot have any leadership roles in the congregation.
A Husband Is His Wife's Leader
Remain in God's Love, p5113 A Christian wife also has an important and dignified role. She supports her husband as he works hard to be a good family head. Together with him, she has the responsibility to train the children. One way she teaches her children to be respectful is by her own example. (Proverbs 1:8) She respects her husband and cooperates with his decisions. Even when she does not agree with him about something, she explains her feelings in a kind and respectful way. When a Christian woman is married to a non-Witness, she has unique challenges. But if she continues to treat her husband with love and respect, perhaps one day he too will want to know Jehovah and worship him.—Read 1 Peter 3:1.A woman's husband is her head (leader) who makes the family's decisions. She is to show respect for those decisions and teach her children to be respectful by her example toward her husband.
Women Should Tolerate Physical Abuse
Awake!, 4/2013, p9Valerie: On the night of our engagement, Troy slapped me so hard that I had a bruise for a week.
Troy: Anything would set me off—late meals, for instance. Once I pistol-whipped Valerie. On another occasion, I beat her so badly that I thought I had killed her. Then, I tried to frighten her by threatening to kill our son while holding a knife to his throat.
Valerie: I lived in constant fear. At times I had to flee the house until Troy calmed down. For all that, I found his verbal abuse even more difficult to endure than the physical violence.
So Valerie was slapped, pistol-whipped, beaten almost to death and had a knife held to her son's throat by her husband. In her own words, Valerie says she "lived in constant fear." Surely Valerie escaped this frighteningly abusive relationship, right?
No, she didn't. She stayed. The article claims that Troy overcame his abusive ways, but just think about the message this sends to women who's husbands don't change. It puts them in extreme, life-threatening danger.
What was Valerie's advice to other abused women?
Valerie: Do not be quick to compare your situation with that of anyone else or to follow advice from people who think they know what is best for you. Although not everyone will have the same outcome, I am glad that I did not throw my marriage away, because we have been blessed with a good relationship now.There's no encouragement to seek help or shelter or to get out. Apparently she was getting advice from others to leave the man who almost killed her and put a knife to her son's throat, but she ignored it. Since everything turned out rosy for her she's glad she 'did not throw her marriage away.' The clear implication is that other women should follow her example.
The resources I found varied in what percentage of abusive men change, but the highest percentage I could find was 7%. So at best a women has maybe a 7% chance of her husband changing from a physically abusive person. If that's accurate, it means that for every one man who changes 14 men will not change. Should Jehovah's Witnesses really be encouraging women to play those odds?
I have yet to find a single example of any Watchtower publication detailing the story of a women who left an abusive situation and lived a happy Christian life thanks to her good decision. The stories are always of women being abused that stuck around and eventually their husbands became Jehovah's Witnesses and their relationship was all peachy and perfect after that. Even though statistically that is a very unlikely outcome, that's the only outcome ever presented by Jehovah's Witnesses in their literature.
Summary
I could spend all day looking up additional quotes from recent Watchtower publications like those above, but I think you get the point. Just the few quotes I cite show that Jehovah's Witnesses believe:- Women can't teach or have leadership roles in the congregation
- Women can't question men in the congregation
- Women should stick to raising children to stay out of trouble
- Women have to ask their husband's permission to get a job
- A woman's husband is her leader who makes all family decisions
- Women should tolerate life-threatening physical abuse
Agreed, it's mansplaining wearing the visage of concern and protection.
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