Comments on: The Bleeding Woman http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/ incantations at the edge of uncertainty Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Prakash http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-9698 Prakash Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:29:43 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-9698 Wonderful Julie...You presented well. God bless you. Wonderful Julie…You presented well. God bless you.

]]> By: Chris Estafanous http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-8444 Chris Estafanous Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:36:21 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-8444 I really loved this would you mind if i shared it on my blog? I would love to encourage people by your words! I really loved this would you mind if i shared it on my blog? I would love to encourage people by your words!

]]> By: Amanda Royale http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6880 Amanda Royale Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:52:33 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6880 That's not to say that I believe all who follow patriarchal religion subjugate women. That would be stereotyping an entire population, of which I certainly know not all. That's not to say that I believe all who follow patriarchal religion subjugate women. That would be stereotyping an entire population, of which I certainly know not all.

]]> By: Amanda Royale http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6865 Amanda Royale Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:28:11 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6865 @Scott Morizot "Ancient Jewish culture would not have been as harsh toward women as the surrounding pagan cultures." Am I understanding this statement correctly when I translate it to mean that you believe pagan cultures treated women MORE harshly than patriarchal society? If I am, are you kidding?!?! I apologize Mrs. Clawson (or is it Ms.?) for having to address this issue, as enough debate has been dumped on this post (and to me it was a beautiful rendition, full of poetic license, from a view point that isn't normally told). But as a practicing "pagan" I must address this comment. In ancient pagan cultures, as in modern ones, women were revered, their images worshipped alongside men in a beautiful partnership representing the duality in all of nature. How else do you explain the prevalence of goddesses in EVERY ancient culture predating the rise of the patriarchy? To goddesses of hearth and harvest, love and birth, to those of war and death, they stood proudly beside their male counterpart, where they still stand in the hearts of many such as myself. In fact, historically, the fall of dual-based religion, and the subjugation of women themselves, was with the rise of monotheistic, male-dominated religion. I don't know where you get your information, but you might consider varifying your sources and educating yourself a bit further. @Scott Morizot

"Ancient Jewish culture would not have been as harsh toward women as the surrounding pagan cultures."

Am I understanding this statement correctly when I translate it to mean that you believe pagan cultures treated women MORE harshly than patriarchal society?

If I am, are you kidding?!?!

I apologize Mrs. Clawson (or is it Ms.?) for having to address this issue, as enough debate has been dumped on this post (and to me it was a beautiful rendition, full of poetic license, from a view point that isn't normally told). But as a practicing "pagan" I must address this comment.

In ancient pagan cultures, as in modern ones, women were revered, their images worshipped alongside men in a beautiful partnership representing the duality in all of nature. How else do you explain the prevalence of goddesses in EVERY ancient culture predating the rise of the patriarchy? To goddesses of hearth and harvest, love and birth, to those of war and death, they stood proudly beside their male counterpart, where they still stand in the hearts of many such as myself.

In fact, historically, the fall of dual-based religion, and the subjugation of women themselves, was with the rise of monotheistic, male-dominated religion.

I don't know where you get your information, but you might consider varifying your sources and educating yourself a bit further.

]]> By: Barbara Griffin http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6676 Barbara Griffin Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:34:19 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6676 Julie, Thank you for your words. God has put me on a journey of believing the oneness of us all. We are all One with God and we have all been created perfect, complete, and lacking in nothing. When we remember who we are, we will have all that we have desired. I have begun to bleed irregularly. I have been to the doctor before, but I wanted to wait this time and be willing to believe that God could heal me. This morning He kept insisting that I read the story of the bleeding woman~so I googled Jesus and the bleeding woman and came upon your story. Thank you~the words were what I needed this moment. Defenselessness is strength. It testifies to recogniztion of the God in us. Love, Barbara Love, Barbara Julie,

Thank you for your words. God has put me on a journey of believing the oneness of us all. We are all One with God and we have all been created perfect, complete, and lacking in nothing. When we remember who we are, we will have all that we have desired. I have begun to bleed irregularly. I have been to the doctor before, but I wanted to wait this time and be willing to believe that God could heal me. This morning He kept insisting that I read the story of the bleeding woman~so I googled Jesus and the bleeding woman and came upon your story. Thank you~the words were what I needed this moment.

Defenselessness is strength. It testifies to recogniztion of the God in us.

Love,

Barbara

Love,

Barbara

]]> By: P3T3RK3Y5 http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6627 P3T3RK3Y5 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:23:58 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6627 This is exceptional Julie. Wonderful artistic license. I can feel this. fwiw: I'm not anti-Semitic in the least. I'm an artist, who has done some limited traveled in the (Arab) Middle East; and with all due respect, I find this story all too plausible given some of the shared cultural mores. Perhaps if it was written in a Christian-Arab context, any reading-into the heart and intent of the story would be perceived as more palatable from certain viewpoints. From my perspective, your writing has never betrayed anything but gentleness, and I see this post as no different. Peace This is exceptional Julie.

Wonderful artistic license. I can feel this.

fwiw:
I'm not anti-Semitic in the least. I'm an artist, who has done some limited traveled in the (Arab) Middle East; and with all due respect, I find this story all too plausible given some of the shared cultural mores. Perhaps if it was written in a Christian-Arab context, any reading-into the heart and intent of the story would be perceived as more palatable from certain viewpoints. From my perspective, your writing has never betrayed anything but gentleness, and I see this post as no different. Peace

]]> By: Julie Clawson http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6625 Julie Clawson Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:48:01 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6625 As others mentioned, this was about Patriarchy not Jewish culture. Stories are expanded to give today's audience a glimpse into history that we are not readily familiar with. No one is assuming that all people were like this back then, but there is enough historical evidence to know that this story is not uncommon. This story is even happening today around the world. Christianity Today had a recent article on this passage which highlighted not only the historical ancient near-east culture but also women in Africa that have bleeding issues after a stillbirth that are treated in many of the ways I mention (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/january/17.48.html). And the wife of the famous poet T.S. Eliot suffered from constant bleeding, leading her family and him to condemn her to a life of insane asylums - the early 20th century version of kicking someone out of town for being unclean. The remnants of Samaritans today still practice purity laws with homes have a separate apartment where women must hide during their period. Women being despised and harmed for the natural functioning of their body is just as common as them being raped or beaten for showing the wrong amount of skin. This isn't an ethnic issue, it is the horror of a patriarchical system that elevates men above women and treats women more like objects than people. It corrupts true religion, and becomes an idol in place of God. Any culture can fall prey to it, and many cultures have beautifully fought it. No one culture is perfect or above reproach when seen through the historical lense. As others mentioned, this was about Patriarchy not Jewish culture. Stories are expanded to give today's audience a glimpse into history that we are not readily familiar with. No one is assuming that all people were like this back then, but there is enough historical evidence to know that this story is not uncommon. This story is even happening today around the world. Christianity Today had a recent article on this passage which highlighted not only the historical ancient near-east culture but also women in Africa that have bleeding issues after a stillbirth that are treated in many of the ways I mention (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/january/17.48.html). And the wife of the famous poet T.S. Eliot suffered from constant bleeding, leading her family and him to condemn her to a life of insane asylums – the early 20th century version of kicking someone out of town for being unclean. The remnants of Samaritans today still practice purity laws with homes have a separate apartment where women must hide during their period. Women being despised and harmed for the natural functioning of their body is just as common as them being raped or beaten for showing the wrong amount of skin. This isn't an ethnic issue, it is the horror of a patriarchical system that elevates men above women and treats women more like objects than people. It corrupts true religion, and becomes an idol in place of God. Any culture can fall prey to it, and many cultures have beautifully fought it. No one culture is perfect or above reproach when seen through the historical lense.

]]> By: Scott Morizot http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6624 Scott Morizot Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:06:46 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6624 Ancient Jewish culture would not have been as harsh toward women as the surrounding pagan cultures. Nevertheless, that aspect of Julie's re-imagining rang true. Do people really not know how women were treated in the ancient world? Ancient Jewish culture would not have been as harsh toward women as the surrounding pagan cultures. Nevertheless, that aspect of Julie's re-imagining rang true. Do people really not know how women were treated in the ancient world?

]]> By: Alison Spencer http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6623 Alison Spencer Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:50:14 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6623 This is the first time I have read this site. I was merely searching for more books by Julie Clawson. So please forgive me for jumping in at such an odd conversation. I think this is a decent example of what happens when one takes the word of God, and retells it in their own way. I find Miss Clawson's telling to be uplifting and as mentioned, heartfelt. I do see Aaron's point though. By taking a biblical story and not just retelling it but changing it and tweaking it, for lack of a better word, causes one to create characters as evil or villains, which although Aaron has over exaggerated the term antisemitic, it is true that the author of this story left us believing Jewish society to be ugly. I understand this was not the intention, and it was certainly not the moral of the story, however, Jewish society has, perhaps accidentally, been portrayed in this retelling as heathens. I'm not going to agree that this piece is antisemitic. After all, Jesus was a Jew, and this was acknowledged in this retelling. But I will say that perhaps we should continue to retell the stories of the great book the way they were written, rather then creating our own versions. Miss Clawson may have never meant to offend anyone, but it did, and I personally see how Aaron feels about this, especially because the Jews in this story are made out to be villains, without any evidence from the original text. Although Miss Clawson does fascinating work, she is not a profit, and therefor should be careful on presenting stories from the scripture. With that aside, I apologize for intruding. I was just researching the author a bit for any other works she may have done. God bless each and everyone of you folks. This is the first time I have read this site. I was merely searching for more books by Julie Clawson. So please forgive me for jumping in at such an odd conversation. I think this is a decent example of what happens when one takes the word of God, and retells it in their own way. I find Miss Clawson's telling to be uplifting and as mentioned, heartfelt. I do see Aaron's point though. By taking a biblical story and not just retelling it but changing it and tweaking it, for lack of a better word, causes one to create characters as evil or villains, which although Aaron has over exaggerated the term antisemitic, it is true that the author of this story left us believing Jewish society to be ugly. I understand this was not the intention, and it was certainly not the moral of the story, however, Jewish society has, perhaps accidentally, been portrayed in this retelling as heathens. I'm not going to agree that this piece is antisemitic. After all, Jesus was a Jew, and this was acknowledged in this retelling. But I will say that perhaps we should continue to retell the stories of the great book the way they were written, rather then creating our own versions. Miss Clawson may have never meant to offend anyone, but it did, and I personally see how Aaron feels about this, especially because the Jews in this story are made out to be villains, without any evidence from the original text. Although Miss Clawson does fascinating work, she is not a profit, and therefor should be careful on presenting stories from the scripture.
With that aside, I apologize for intruding. I was just researching the author a bit for any other works she may have done.
God bless each and everyone of you folks.

]]> By: Caedmon http://julieclawson.com/2010/02/09/the-bleeding-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-6622 Caedmon Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:18:51 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1412#comment-6622 The Further Adventures in Missing the Point... Thank you for sharing the illustrative story you have created, Julie. It is unfortunate that the prophetic voice is so often met with hatred, but if it weren't for hatred, there would be no need for the prophet. Thank you for the willingness to choose suffering so that others might not have that choice forced upon them. The Further Adventures in Missing the Point…

Thank you for sharing the illustrative story you have created, Julie. It is unfortunate that the prophetic voice is so often met with hatred, but if it weren't for hatred, there would be no need for the prophet. Thank you for the willingness to choose suffering so that others might not have that choice forced upon them.

]]>