Why Jesus Has More Brides Than Dracula

[Glaswegian]

Why are so many unmarried women drawn to the Christian religion?

There are, of course, various reasons why such women are drawn to it. For example, the Christian religion provides unmarried women with a sense that their life has meaning and value of a spiritual kind; it provides them with a sense of social respectability as Christian believers; it provides them with a sense of belonging to a community (the Church)...and so on.

However, given the fact that there is a noted loss of enthusiasm for religious interests on the part of happily married women, we should suspect that a major reason why the Christian religion holds a strong appeal for unmarried women is because it satisfies certain needs of theirs which cannot be fulfilled within the context of marriage or a similar kind of relationship - specifically, the need to love a significant other and the need to be loved by this other in return.

So how does the Christian religion satisfy both of these needs? Well, it does this by providing unmarried women with the perfect object onto which their love needs can be projected and reciprocated: namely, Jesus. It is not too difficult to see why Jesus is such an alluring figure for many unmarried women. After all, think of all the women whose experience at the hands of men has been hurtful or damaging in some way. For example, think of the women who have been rejected or humiliated or disillusioned or oppressed or abused by men. I'm sure you'll agree that the number of women who have been given good cause for turning away from men is very large. This being so, is it any wonder that many of these women turn to Jesus as a substitute for real men? To this One in whom gentleness, compassion and love are epitomised....

But there is a further reason why Jesus serves as the perfect object for many unmarried women to re-direct their love needs onto. He is able to function so successfully in this role because he possesses an enormous advantage over men of the flesh and blood variety. And the advantage which Jesus possesses is this: since he is a fantasy-figure who only exists in the minds of Christians he is immune from all contact with reality. That is, unlike the empirical man, Jesus runs no risk of exposure to the vicissitudes of reality in any way. Since he is never tested by reality he runs no risk of failing in the face of it; of being 'brought down to earth' by it; of being unmasked by it; of being provoked by it; of being de-humanised by it....of being made brute-like by it.

This is why Jesus can be all things to the unmarried woman: for example, saviour, friend, confidante, lover of her 'soul'...her staff in this life, as she might put it. As a fantasy-figure, Jesus is forever safe from reality, forever beyond its reach, forever untouched by 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'. Accordingly, he will never disappoint the unmarried woman who idolises him. How could he?

It is not only unmarried women who use Jesus as a vehicle for satisfying their love needs. No. It is not only the Eleanor Rigbys of this world who use him in this way. Many women who are unhappily married do so as well. And it is easy to see why. I mean, imagine a woman who has had the misfortune to marry a man who is a useless article, a man who has proven to be a great disappointment in love and in lots of other ways, a man, say, who is violent or who wants nothing more from this life than to lie under his bedcovers and sniff his own farts. Imagine a woman trapped in such a marriage through fear of divorce or by physical threats. We should hardly be surprised if a woman in this position sought some kind of respite from her unhappiness in the love of a perfect fantasised object like Jesus.

Regards

James

What statistics do you have for this?
I can find the stats for the amount of women not allowed to use contraceptives
in Africa.

[theia]

Yes, stats, though not conclusive proof of anything, would prove helpful here.

[Glaswegian]

The following reply was made to the OP by Accountable:

Originally Posted by Accountable

Methinks you need to spend some time on the couch, friend.

And then hastily deleted.

[Accountable]

Originally Posted by Glaswegian

The following reply was made to the OP by Accountable:



And then hastily deleted.

Wonder why? Perhaps the author reconsidered and thought the post too harsh. Hmmm. Nah that can't be it. It must be cowardice, huh?

[chonsigirl]

I would like to see statistics for unmarried women drawn to other religions...............

Crumbs, this reads like it could've been a reject synopsis from "The Life of Brian" - did you find it in a skip?

Originally Posted by Accountable

Wonder why? Perhaps the author reconsidered and thought the post too harsh. Hmmm. Nah that can't be it. It must be cowardice, huh?

[weber]

Originally Posted by Accountable

Wonder why? Perhaps the author reconsidered and thought the post too harsh. Hmmm. Nah that can't be it. It must be cowardice, huh?

Hey Accounts

You rock

[Accountable]

Originally Posted by weber

Hey Accounts

You rock

Thanks. In RL sometimes you say something you later think you shouldn't have. Here, if you're quick enough, you can literally take it back. People with class will let you.