KnightWhoSaysNi

This is a question for any female Christian apologists or creationists reading this. Why are there so few of you who actively debate/defend your viewpoints compared to your male counterparts?

For example, in an upcoming YEC <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation2003/schedule.asp#speakers" target="_blank">conference</a>, 100% of the speakers are male. In the list of 47 fellows and supporters for the <a href="http://www.discovery.org/crsc/fellows/index.html" target="_blank">Discovery Institute</a>, I can only find two women there. Of course, I know there are some exceptions. You have people like Margaret Helder of the Creation Science Association of Alberta, Nancy Pearcy for the Discovery Institute, a few supporters from the ICR and Reasons to Believe ministries, and perhaps Helen from the Baptist Boards. But no apologist/creationist women I can recollect have had any strong visibility like William Craig, Philip Johnson, J.P. Moreland, Jonathan Wells, Michael Behe, Ken Ham, Duane Gish, Hugh Ross, and others. In addition, the Christians and other theists I've seen visit the infidels forum are predominantly male (HelenSL and Tricia as noteable exceptions). By contrast, there appears to be a much greater proportion of women visible who like to actively debate/defend for the skeptic/atheist side. (Hello scigirl! )

So my question again is, why are there so few of you? Is it for the same reasons that women aren't allowed to become priests in the Catholic Church or pastors in most Protestant denominations?

[ July 21, 2002: Message edited by: Nightshade ]</p>

wildernesse

I don’t think that women’s representations on-line have anything to do with doctrinal differences about a woman’s role. But then, I’m from a denomination that allows women to preach, pastor, teach men/mixed groups, etc.

Probably there are less women replying on this board overall—because of how women relate/interact with others, how comfortable they are with technology, etc. And I think that women have been less likely in the past to pursue science/math/technology. So that narrows the field in those areas for women creationists.

Personally, I have a short attention span, even in conversations that are interesting to me. (Like answering ex-creationists questions about my thoughts on scripture) I feel like life is flying by me and I’m just sitting at a computer, exercising my fingers. Which drives me crazy, but doesn’t prevent me from typing away, anyway.

--tiba

Kalestia

I'd be out there speaking up but I'm only 16, lol ^^;; Quite frankly, I don't know why there aren't so many women speaking out as much as men. Maybe they're too emotional for that kinda thing Or maybe they're just married to the guys who DO do it, hehe

Mad Kally

This is the original Kally. A strong, proud atheist! Please no one think it's me!

Anunnaki

LOL! It looks like you got your own "mini me".

Mad Kally

OH for fuck's sake!!!

Bokonon

Now now, be nice.

HelenM

I expect it's a significant factor. It would be hard for a Christian woman to speak at a conservative Christian gathering or write on a 'general' Christian topic without being harshly criticized since she's not supposed to be 'teaching men'. Conservative Christian women are basically supposed to confine their teaching on Christian subjects to other women and children, according to many conservative Christians. However, when they do that I think they are considered free to defend creationism and the Christian faith and I expect that they do. I know lots of Christian women who would be articulate enough and have strong enough opinions to do that.

I think another reason might be that men seem to like 'debating' more than women. That might be an overgeneralization; I'm not sure

I can tell you that I'm convinced it's not because women are less able to argue an issue forcefully, than men are!

(But if no-one will allow themselves listen to you because they think it's a sin for you to 'teach' them, there isn't much point in speaking, is there?)

love
Helen

KnightWhoSaysNi

Hi Tiba/wildernesse,

Thanks for the intelligent response. The reasons you mentioned make sense. Come to think of it, the game of the skepticism/atheism debate appears to have a male bias as well. By looking at the <a href="http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/author.shtml" target="_blank">Index of Authors</a> for the Secular Web, I can only find 9 women out of 137 people (there's one woman I'd kinda wish weren't there -- Madalyn Murray O'Hair )

On the editorial board for Skeptic magazine, there's only 3 women out of 34 people. And the only highly visible current critics of creationism or theism I can think of are Eugenie Scott from the NCSE, Annie Laurie Gaylor from the FFRF, and perhaps the philosopher Barbara Forrest. On the other hand, just by looking at scientific journals, there appears to be plenty of women who are evolutionary biologists.

Thanks again for the reply. You join HelenSL and Tricia as the only female theist/Christians I'm aware of who post here regularly. I'm sure there's others here -- unless it's obvious, you can't usually tell someone's gender from their username.

[ July 21, 2002: Message edited by: Nightshade ]</p>

KnightWhoSaysNi

Don't be shy, Kally. Tricia is only 15 but has made over 1000 posts here!