Be Quiet and Make Children
"Women exist to bring up our children and keep us from sin."1 This is the view of women in both Hinduism and Judaism. Hinduism was formed in India around 1,500 BCE and is a mixture of Aryan and Dravidian beliefs. Hinduism is characterized by the belief in reincarnation, its polytheistic nature and its social classes known as the caste system. Judaism historical origins begin with Moses and the Hebrews. After the Hebrews left Egypt around 1,200 BCE, they moved into Palestine and broke up into two separate groups. In the north was Israel and in the south was Judea. These two lands became the birthplace of Judaism. Judaism is a monotheistic religion that focuses on the thirteen principles of faith and the words of the Old Testament known as the Torah. Not only do both of these religions see women as only house wives and the bearers of children but due to their patriarchal nature their treatment of women varies widely from our liberated modern views. In Hinduism, the role of women is constricted and more archaic when compared to the expected roles of women in Judaism. From Child Marriage, as young as the age of five to Sati, which is the burning of a widow, Hinduism takes the role of women to the extreme. Like Hinduism, in Judaism women are inferior to men and are looked down upon but there is one major difference. In Judaism women are seen to have a greater connection to god because they are the ones responsible for the birth of gods children.
Since the beginning of civilization all societies have been patriarchal and this is no different when it comes to Hinduism. Men have the upper hand and control of almost all aspects of Hindu life. This becomes very apparent when looking at the rituals and life style that the women live when adherents of Hinduism. A great example of this is Child Marriage. Child Marriage is the act of a man marrying a girl as young as the age of five. This practice is very common and Hindu law books even proclaim...