given that my father in law is the minister of my church i am rather hoping that this situation NEVER occurs!
There really are men out there that truly believe that they are irresistible to any woman. And if it is a woman Rev who is single then this is obviously someone who is looking for that special man.
I find some Christian/ catholic guys terribly afraid of women. And really cold. That’s why I don’t tend to go out with them, hahaha. And of course it’s because women are from EVIL, naturally.
I agree with Will about some strange men who think they can have any woman. The amount of weirdos like that that I’ve met in French night clubs…and why is it that loads of men think that if you say “hello” and smile, then you must fancy them?
Apart from being a great cinematic parody this also reminds me of former Tory minister, Alan Clarke who extolled the sexuality of then PM Margaret Thatcher in his diaries. I saw film of her giving a speech in the Commons and he was sitting behind her, checking her legs out, quite obviously. It was quite funny to see. Perhaps there are men who are delighted that women may advance to positions of leadership as this in itself feeds a fantasy…
That’s not fair. What part of “husband of one wife” don’t some people understand? I am not against women in ministry, even speaking from the pulpit. But when it comes to pastors/bishops, the Scripture is clear.
In my dreams the church is a place where people have found the key to being open and connecting with each other, in a real, life giving way. A place where we are empathisisng and understanding each other, and aware of how our angst causes others pain. A place where supporting each other is more important than defending our little spot on the ladder.
so cheers Jon, good to get a reality check every so often
sorry david t… wasn’t referring to you or anyone specifically.
i do not believe the bible says anything about the situation we are in re. the jobs for men and women and how they’re handed out. just my reading and understanding of it. i can see certain words about about specific circumstances, but that’s all.
Yeah, Jon, like if we are all given different skills and gifts, then surely some women can lead and some women can’t and some men can or can’t, like women are not all one thing. And there are rubbish men in ministry who really shouldn’t be there. I say don’t listen to people or ministers about things, make your own mind up. No-one has authority on the topic of God unless they are a prophet.
‘What part of “husband of one wife” don’t some people understand?’
Absolutely – men could have more than one wife (apparently members of the church did if this command was necessary….) but women could only have one husband by law so this was all that needed to be said and they didn’t need to be told the same – it doesn’t mean there were no women leaders but that only the male ones needed to be told they could only have one spouse now. Funny how some people don’t understand it isn’t it?
Scripture – so clear aint it???? always beware those who claim it is….
xx
Comment by Freedom Bound — August 29, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
you know, when I saw this, my instant reaction was ‘and sometimes those who don’t oppose women in leadership too’
this is not to say that all men think that women will throw themselves at them, or that they can’t control themselves – it’s just that sometimes I’ve met some really good guys who affirm my call to ministry, but who seem still a little afraid of becoming ‘friends’ with me (jenny baker wrote about this on jonny’s blog a little while ago, it was very perceptive)
Most of the guys who oppose women in ministry would be hiding under the desk or peeping through the keyhole — imagine a woman in authority! YIKES!!!!
Whatever next before long she’ll be having ideas above her station methinks. mwah!
I’m quite surprised by this – women ministers have always seemed curiously sexless to me, sort of like ballerinas or gymnasts, (who while dressed quite scantily, somehow are not sexy). I’ve met loads over the years, and some are married, some not; I can’t think of even one who made me fantasise in the way of this cartoon.
hey jody… i’ll be your friend. jenny’ll give me a reference.
hi freedom bound… yep, scripture is seldom easy when you live in a western culture… the cultural and historical references are completely lost on us most of the time. doh!
Hm. Think that if you want to, but it seems a bit disingenuous. I don’t think we make progress by needlessly impugning one another’s characters.
For the record, for a long time, I wanted to believe in “women’s ministry” but couldn’t reconcile it the bible — and never once entertained the kind of sentiment in the cartoon. Now, I’ve learned to stop worrying, and love the women, as it were.
what about the woman anointing jesus…. ministry? i think so. this is one of a myriad examples of women ministering in the bible. i was meaning to be humorous rather than disingenuous… but i do think that this so called ‘biblical’ writing off of half the worlds population on the grounds of gender is truly shocking and lacks love in so many ways. i’m pretty sure that learning to laugh at ourselves even when the joke misses is a good position from which to seek change. it’s all very well for men not to want their characters questioned or ridiculed over these issues, but how many women have suffered the same and worse at the hands of ill reasoned men over the years.
i accept that my cartoon is cheeky and a sweeping generalisation… but it’s a joke that takes the piss out of men! we’ll survive!
“i do think that this so called ‘biblical’ writing off of half the worlds population on the grounds of gender is truly shocking and lacks love”,
I think there are multiple ways this happens,
- one being the refusal to allow women in roles of authority,
- another is just not to acknowledge the value of someone’s viewpoint, and to subtly exclude different people’s from the life of the group. So many churches run on frameworks that exclude new life from the teaching/preaching, and fail to represent different views from the front.
the result is we just have to sit on our feelings of boredom and disenfranchisement, the resentment and frustration bubbles up and we feel guilty for not being more appreciative of the repetitive constructs offered as teaching
curiously, ministers who talk about the ‘priesthood of all believers’, still really only mean the ministry of one
You make a good point, jon, but… perhaps we are all a bit inclined sometimes to interpret those we disagree with uncharitably.
Maybe the cartoon is not so much disingenuous as a bit of a generalisation. We had some debate recently in our church about women’s role generally in church, and there were quite a few people with more traditional views who did not think like that cartoon.
On the other hand, I guess it exists. My Fiancee was telling me about an organising committee (for an event which she had founded, yet!) with fellow academics who would not look at her or talk to her directly. I’m not sure if the issue was gender, race, or just being an arse.
There are more strange “christian” hangups than I thought, it seems.
But maybe the cartoon could have used a question mark at the end of the caption?
maybe you’re right. certainly the cartoon is a complete and utter generalisation… even unfair and untrue… but i simply wanted to make those who would inhibit women look stupid. it has probably backfired… but hey, i know I’M stupid and at least i had a go!
What I love about comedy is the fine line it draws between the funny and the offensive. Most of us have topics we would consider no-go areas. The late Bernard Manning, well-known bastion of good taste (!) was once asked if there was a no-go area for his jokes. He said he would never make jokes about ‘the handicapped’ (a quite acceptable term in the pre-PC era in which he was speaking). Racial stereotypes were, however, fair game. Yeah, this cartoon was a generalisation, but it was entertaining and highlighted an absurdity in our circles. It wasn’t a personal attack on any individual. It’s a personal expression on a personal blog and so it doesn’t have to tow any party line. If it did, it wouldn’t spark half of the exchange of views that it has done. It challenges. It’s good that some people don’t like it because it makes them think about why they hold their opinions. I have given up trying to share the funny side of things in church these days. As much as I have many Christian friends with healthy humour glands, I find church is the place where I am most likely to find people who have a thing about overdosing their underwear wash with Robin starch.
Picking up on what Paul said (not ‘Saint’, commenter – or is that commentator?) about people of traditional values who don’t hold the more extreme stereotypical views, a priest left ministry after being charged with downloading child porn. Some of his more hardline parishioners were of the opinion that if he had been involved in a relationship with a woman or indeed a man, they could have coped with that but… In my opinion they would have disapproved of either type of affair, too, but child porn is further along the sliding scale for them, so relatively speaking the others would be ‘lesser evils’. But I thought it was interesting that they aired this as a reasonable possibility. People can surprise you…occasionally!
why would she want to seduce him- he looks such a prat!
Comment by soniamain — August 29, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
it’s in his dreams… men can invent any old rubbish in their dreams.
Comment by jonbirch — August 29, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
Generally I think they take their stance from how they read the bible. It makes me worry about how they read their bible.
Comment by JF — August 29, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
given that my father in law is the minister of my church i am rather hoping that this situation NEVER occurs!
There really are men out there that truly believe that they are irresistible to any woman. And if it is a woman Rev who is single then this is obviously someone who is looking for that special man.
Comment by Will — August 29, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
it is a worry jf.
will… hahahaha!
Comment by jonbirch — August 29, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
He should be bald with tattoos
Comment by Richard — August 29, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
I find some Christian/ catholic guys terribly afraid of women. And really cold. That’s why I don’t tend to go out with them, hahaha. And of course it’s because women are from EVIL, naturally.
Comment by Kirsty — August 29, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
“Robinson”, eh.
Wonder what Seminary she ‘graduated’ from?
The fellow’s name Braddock?
Comment by Forrest — August 29, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
I agree with Will about some strange men who think they can have any woman. The amount of weirdos like that that I’ve met in French night clubs…and why is it that loads of men think that if you say “hello” and smile, then you must fancy them?
Comment by Kirsty — August 29, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Apart from being a great cinematic parody this also reminds me of former Tory minister, Alan Clarke who extolled the sexuality of then PM Margaret Thatcher in his diaries. I saw film of her giving a speech in the Commons and he was sitting behind her, checking her legs out, quite obviously. It was quite funny to see. Perhaps there are men who are delighted that women may advance to positions of leadership as this in itself feeds a fantasy…
Comment by Carole — August 29, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Lol, this is fairly ridiculous.
Comment by Lewis — August 29, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
That’s not fair. What part of “husband of one wife” don’t some people understand? I am not against women in ministry, even speaking from the pulpit. But when it comes to pastors/bishops, the Scripture is clear.
Comment by David T. — August 29, 2008 @ 3:17 pm
In my dreams the church is a place where people have found the key to being open and connecting with each other, in a real, life giving way. A place where we are empathisisng and understanding each other, and aware of how our angst causes others pain. A place where supporting each other is more important than defending our little spot on the ladder.
so cheers Jon, good to get a reality check every so often
Comment by subo — August 29, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
sorry david t… wasn’t referring to you or anyone specifically.
i do not believe the bible says anything about the situation we are in re. the jobs for men and women and how they’re handed out. just my reading and understanding of it. i can see certain words about about specific circumstances, but that’s all.
Comment by jonbirch — August 29, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
Yeah, Jon, like if we are all given different skills and gifts, then surely some women can lead and some women can’t and some men can or can’t, like women are not all one thing. And there are rubbish men in ministry who really shouldn’t be there. I say don’t listen to people or ministers about things, make your own mind up. No-one has authority on the topic of God unless they are a prophet.
Comment by Kirsty — August 29, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
I thought it was the caretaker with his purchase of a blow up lady from ann summers!
Comment by dennis — August 29, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
haha!
Comment by jonbirch — August 29, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
No, her trousers are off because someone else is trying to remove the chewing gum from them.
And Dopey could have knocked before entering…
Comment by Ros — August 29, 2008 @ 9:04 pm
And that’s about the size of it.
Comment by sarah — August 29, 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Has he been biting chunks out of her arm?
Comment by Miriworm — August 29, 2008 @ 11:05 pm
‘What part of “husband of one wife” don’t some people understand?’
Absolutely – men could have more than one wife (apparently members of the church did if this command was necessary….) but women could only have one husband by law so this was all that needed to be said and they didn’t need to be told the same – it doesn’t mean there were no women leaders but that only the male ones needed to be told they could only have one spouse now. Funny how some people don’t understand it isn’t it?
Scripture – so clear aint it???? always beware those who claim it is….
xx
Comment by Freedom Bound — August 29, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
Wow.
Comment by Brad Gross — August 30, 2008 @ 3:38 am
Freedom Bound: That part of the scripture was about elders.
Leaders are not necessarily elders. Don’t get them mixed up.
Comment by zefi — August 30, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
you know, when I saw this, my instant reaction was ‘and sometimes those who don’t oppose women in leadership too’
this is not to say that all men think that women will throw themselves at them, or that they can’t control themselves – it’s just that sometimes I’ve met some really good guys who affirm my call to ministry, but who seem still a little afraid of becoming ‘friends’ with me (jenny baker wrote about this on jonny’s blog a little while ago, it was very perceptive)
is that anyone else’s experience?
Comment by jody — August 30, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
Most of the guys who oppose women in ministry would be hiding under the desk or peeping through the keyhole — imagine a woman in authority! YIKES!!!!
Whatever next before long she’ll be having ideas above her station methinks. mwah!
Comment by drewman — August 30, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
I’m quite surprised by this – women ministers have always seemed curiously sexless to me, sort of like ballerinas or gymnasts, (who while dressed quite scantily, somehow are not sexy). I’ve met loads over the years, and some are married, some not; I can’t think of even one who made me fantasise in the way of this cartoon.
Comment by Chris F — August 30, 2008 @ 8:08 pm
chris f… that’s cos you don’t oppose ‘em!
hey jody… i’ll be your friend. jenny’ll give me a reference.
hi freedom bound… yep, scripture is seldom easy when you live in a western culture… the cultural and historical references are completely lost on us most of the time. doh!
Comment by jonbirch — August 30, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
Hm. Think that if you want to, but it seems a bit disingenuous. I don’t think we make progress by needlessly impugning one another’s characters.
For the record, for a long time, I wanted to believe in “women’s ministry” but couldn’t reconcile it the bible — and never once entertained the kind of sentiment in the cartoon. Now, I’ve learned to stop worrying, and love the women, as it were.
Comment by Andrew Martin — August 30, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
what about the woman anointing jesus…. ministry? i think so. this is one of a myriad examples of women ministering in the bible. i was meaning to be humorous rather than disingenuous… but i do think that this so called ‘biblical’ writing off of half the worlds population on the grounds of gender is truly shocking and lacks love in so many ways. i’m pretty sure that learning to laugh at ourselves even when the joke misses is a good position from which to seek change. it’s all very well for men not to want their characters questioned or ridiculed over these issues, but how many women have suffered the same and worse at the hands of ill reasoned men over the years.
i accept that my cartoon is cheeky and a sweeping generalisation… but it’s a joke that takes the piss out of men! we’ll survive!
Comment by jonbirch — August 30, 2008 @ 11:58 pm
thanks Jon, i love making new friends
(btw jenny doesn’t know me personally, was just a really good article)
Comment by jody — August 31, 2008 @ 6:29 am
“i do think that this so called ‘biblical’ writing off of half the worlds population on the grounds of gender is truly shocking and lacks love”,
I think there are multiple ways this happens,
- one being the refusal to allow women in roles of authority,
- another is just not to acknowledge the value of someone’s viewpoint, and to subtly exclude different people’s from the life of the group. So many churches run on frameworks that exclude new life from the teaching/preaching, and fail to represent different views from the front.
the result is we just have to sit on our feelings of boredom and disenfranchisement, the resentment and frustration bubbles up and we feel guilty for not being more appreciative of the repetitive constructs offered as teaching
curiously, ministers who talk about the ‘priesthood of all believers’, still really only mean the ministry of one
Comment by subo — August 31, 2008 @ 10:44 am
Yikes, I do think like this! But I don’t oppose them…
Or perhaps I secretly do…!
Teehee.
Comment by zefi — August 31, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
Perceptive as ever.
Comment by Doorman-Priest — August 31, 2008 @ 6:25 pm
zefi… you are cheeky.
thanks doorman-priest.
intriguing name btw…
Comment by jonbirch — September 1, 2008 @ 11:43 am
You make a good point, jon, but… perhaps we are all a bit inclined sometimes to interpret those we disagree with uncharitably.
Maybe the cartoon is not so much disingenuous as a bit of a generalisation. We had some debate recently in our church about women’s role generally in church, and there were quite a few people with more traditional views who did not think like that cartoon.
On the other hand, I guess it exists. My Fiancee was telling me about an organising committee (for an event which she had founded, yet!) with fellow academics who would not look at her or talk to her directly. I’m not sure if the issue was gender, race, or just being an arse.
There are more strange “christian” hangups than I thought, it seems.
But maybe the cartoon could have used a question mark at the end of the caption?
Comment by Paul — September 2, 2008 @ 9:27 am
maybe you’re right. certainly the cartoon is a complete and utter generalisation… even unfair and untrue… but i simply wanted to make those who would inhibit women look stupid. it has probably backfired… but hey, i know I’M stupid and at least i had a go!
Comment by jonbirch — September 2, 2008 @ 10:23 am
What I love about comedy is the fine line it draws between the funny and the offensive. Most of us have topics we would consider no-go areas. The late Bernard Manning, well-known bastion of good taste (!) was once asked if there was a no-go area for his jokes. He said he would never make jokes about ‘the handicapped’ (a quite acceptable term in the pre-PC era in which he was speaking). Racial stereotypes were, however, fair game. Yeah, this cartoon was a generalisation, but it was entertaining and highlighted an absurdity in our circles. It wasn’t a personal attack on any individual. It’s a personal expression on a personal blog and so it doesn’t have to tow any party line. If it did, it wouldn’t spark half of the exchange of views that it has done. It challenges. It’s good that some people don’t like it because it makes them think about why they hold their opinions. I have given up trying to share the funny side of things in church these days. As much as I have many Christian friends with healthy humour glands, I find church is the place where I am most likely to find people who have a thing about overdosing their underwear wash with Robin starch.
Comment by Carole — September 2, 2008 @ 10:58 am
Picking up on what Paul said (not ‘Saint’, commenter – or is that commentator?) about people of traditional values who don’t hold the more extreme stereotypical views, a priest left ministry after being charged with downloading child porn. Some of his more hardline parishioners were of the opinion that if he had been involved in a relationship with a woman or indeed a man, they could have coped with that but… In my opinion they would have disapproved of either type of affair, too, but child porn is further along the sliding scale for them, so relatively speaking the others would be ‘lesser evils’. But I thought it was interesting that they aired this as a reasonable possibility. People can surprise you…occasionally!
Comment by Carole — September 2, 2008 @ 11:25 am
Hey Jon, it was making a serious point – and it was funny
You’re not required to be perfect. Just let us have an occasional slight whinge, and we’ll be happy.
Comment by Paul — September 2, 2008 @ 11:28 am
cheers carole… i guess it’s like i’ve said before… one person’ offense is another’s meat and potatoes… or something like that!
cheers paul… thanks for permission not to be perfect… you can be sure i won’t let you down on that score!
Comment by jonbirch — September 2, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
you mean all female vicars Don’t lounge around like this attempting to grab the poor blighters on their way back from the little boys room?
damn, there goes yet another fantsy for some
and i agree with dennis, my first thought as well
sad life i lead
Comment by gilly — September 2, 2008 @ 8:34 pm