Monday 11 June 2012

Women who seek and men who rationalise

During vacation when there is nothing constructive to do rather than changing channels, there is a heightened observation of mundane things. For example the channels devoted to religious activities. Why do I find that in every religious gathering, there are many women and less men? How can men tactfully avoid getting into the trap of prayers, god and gatherings while women throng by the dozens? Why do I only see tear-stricken faces of women in every devotional channel. It's not in religion alone, even in spiritual matters, woman take to the fore, be it yoga or meditation.

Perhaps I could relate this to the inherent desire of women to be in company. When communing with a large group and praying, the woman feels that she is not alone in her thoughts and deeds. The energy of a larger group is definitely contagious. The ability to talk to god gives the woman a feeling that someone is hearing her. Even in temples and churches, one observes many women. How long could a woman talk of her problems, desires and thoughts to her friend, husband or children. So, I guess, the woman transfers all her thoughts while talking and relating to the higher power.



Furthermore, men don't seems to need that kind of conversation to keep them going (My inference) and thus it is easier for them to negate anything to do with religion. It makes it easier for them to be rational than believers in something higher and outside them.

Inspite of having many women friends who are rationalists and men friends who pray, I find it intriguing to observe that the percentage of rational men and seeking women are higher.

This post was one born of observation and curiosity. I might be wrong or right but I would definitely like to hear your thoughts on this.

Image: Internet

P. S: Thanks for checking up on me and coercing me to write. When I write, I feel in the loop. Sometimes writing posts is also a spiritual task. Big hugs to all of you :)

33 comments:

  1. good observation :)
    of course men and women brain differs i guess :P
    WOmen are more interactive and i feel they seek company much more than men...

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    1. And this interaction maybe forces them to seek places which give a feeling of being in company. Being rational is sometimes pretty lonesome.

      Thanks for coming by dear D. Glad to have you here.

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  2. I think men feel it shows weakness to ask a higher power for protection help etc. They have to convince themselves and the world that they are strong. Thought provoking post

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    1. Not weakness alone but also men are more practical. As a commenter observed, men think through the head which is not always comforting, religious or otherwise.

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  3. I agree with you, Susan. I guess it's the default nature of a majority of women. Though we may not be able to generalize, as there are exceptions in every observation, I guess what you have said is quite true.

    And welcome back, Susan!:) We missed you and your interactions!

    Keep blogging!:) Cheers!:)

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    1. Default!?!?! Sowmya! Yes, it's definitely good to be in the loop again.

      Blogging is addictive!

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  4. I think this is true of India for sure, Susan. And isn't it strange that the people 'in charge' of spiritual activities are usually men? ;)

    So nice to have you back to blogging, Sus. You've been missed. Will call soon.

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    1. Corinne, even if you observe churches outside India, the scenario is pretty much the same, I reckon. And as you rightly pointed out the men are always in charge of these places. I wonder where the mother goddesses have disappeared.

      Thanks for the lovely welcome, Corinne. Glad to be in the loop while still vacationing.

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  5. So nice that you're back Susan. I missed you. Hope your vacation is going well, more than just turning channels.

    I think there are more women present at religious and spiritual gatherings because women tend to simply be more attuned to the unseen, the irrational, the mysterious and the sacred. We are the heart of the world right?

    I think there are lots more reasons too. But this is certainly a good topic for thought. Thanks Susan. Take care.

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    1. It's nice to be welcomed so, dear Myrna. thanks. I feel wonderful.

      I absolutely liked your explanation: "Attuned to the unseen . . .." I definitely think that it is great to be tuned to something which the eyes cannot see and ears cannot hear. If we start demanding that everything needs to be seen and touched, how will we understand love, faith and peace!

      This topic can be seen from different dimensions, dear Myrna.

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  6. there actually have been studies on this as well...and in many cases the church is very female directed as well in its presentation...

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    1. Church is very female directed?!? Brian, I would be happy to hear more on this from you.

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  7. interesting observation - but could it also be because most of these women are not working perhaps and hence have the time to indulge in such community activities - just a thought again!

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    1. Ah, not always, Yuvika. I thinking working women are involved more in these things as they need a higher power to support them as they go through life's multi-roles.

      BTW, great to see you here. Been a long time, na?

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  8. Quite an interesting observation, Susan. I think you are right about men having a harder time submitting to a higher power where women seem to invite it. However, in reflecting on the people who attend our church, I'd have to say its about evenly split between men and women. Maybe, it's because we live in a part of the U.S. known as the "Bible Belt" where most people are Christians and attend church regularly.
    Thanks for this thought-provoking post!
    Blessings!

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    1. Bible Belt sounds great. Wonder if this trait that I have seen is place-specific. I have also heard that in America the church attendance is going down? Are everyone becoming rationalists or are they plain bored, Martha?

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  9. Nice to see you back dear Susan, I hope you enjoyed your vacation and had fun, apart from surfing the TV channels.;) I would not trust television too much when it comes to portraying men and women.;) It is so often stereotyped more than in real life, particularly in movies and shows.;)
    Have a great week dear friend,
    xoxo

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    1. My vacation is still on, Zuzana. Apart from surfing channels, I do a bit of cleaning, dreaming and reading as well ;)

      And, Zuzana, these programmes are not planned ones. They are recordings of events that have happened.

      Thanks for your warm words, dear Zuzana. I feel so happy when I read them.

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  10. Interesting conversation! Now that I think of it, in my former church there were a lot more women than men that took part in the groups and also even on Sunday morning!

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    1. Church attendance and other places of worship also feature similar things. I just wonder why men find it easy to be rationalists than seekers. Perhaps, it is wired in them.

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  11. I always believe that women are from Venus and men from mars:)

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    1. Welcome Renu to the meanderings. And, yes, Men are from Mars and Women from Venus. But I also think there is a gray area where the ones from Mars and Venus share a common spot.

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  12. i have personally seen lots of religious (male) nuts..but i guess women are more gullible in the sense that they actually believe prayer is the answer to everything...or maybe they are so used to the idea of talking to someone who doesnt talk back(at home?) that they do it everywhere?

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    1. Gullible??!?!? Maybe as Myrna said it is listening to the unheard and unseen. The male (obviously every nut) cannot hear and see the unexplained.

      Doktor, I can expect the most amusing reply from you for any topic on earth.

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  13. :) i will also say good observation, I dont know how to reply to his as I myself am not very religious and i find some around me are also not that religious...


    Bikram's

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    1. Some observations just cannot be explained, Bikramji. Studies have been done on that, I presume. I hope to get hold on any study sometime soon. Let's see.

      Hope you're doing well and that London is treating you well.

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  14. Hmmmm, so you are saying that women have greater faith?

    Hmmm.. interesting.

    But I have a theory. In most of these spiritual gatherings, the person who is preaching or giving the sermon is a man. Perhaps men will never come and bow down before another man?

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    1. Yes, Sinduja, women do have greater faith.

      It's not about men bowing before another man. It's just that men don't much subscribe to the idea of a god up there and that he/she listens to our supplications. If you see, there are more men who rationalise than women who do so. I guess men don't seem to have half the problems that women have and hence can walk about praising science and technology. When there are a thousand things that niggle a woman's mind, she automatically finds it easier to think of a power that is beyond her that will take care of her and is constantly with her.

      What say, dear friend? Would love to hear your thoughts.

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  15. I think this is a very interesting post Susan Deborah and although I have observed the same thing I don't have any ideas on why this is so. Maybe as you point out women are drawn to the aspect of religion that includes intimate conversation (prayer), feeling understood and not alone with troubles, I'm not sure. Maybe the same thing we seek in religion is what we seek in human relationships as well...that sense that while we are independent beings, no man or woman) is an island.

    So much love to you! I've missed you my friend!!!

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  16. Prayer is like asking for directions. Men would rather not do it. :)

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  17. woman take to the fore, be it yoga or meditation....?
    You are putting me in a tight spot Susan. I am the one who goes regularly for Yoga and wifey makes some excuse and avoids it.
    Agree with that very first comment that woman are more interactive.

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  18. I have observed a similar thing, Susan. Is religion a sign of weakness that men don't really want to be involved? I hope not. I hope that men and women just have different ways of worshipping God. I hope that men do pray, even if it means not always being in the company of other people.

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  19. Hi my dearest,
    I believe
    men are less and do less than women do in general. Men do not join Foreign language courses as much as women do. True, Hardly ever will you see a man doing yoga, unless he’s gay or is going through a really serious depression, and even so they won’t because there are too many women… (ha ha ha)

    I believe they are shy and find it so hard to admit that they need to pray or meditate in order to fell better. Instead, they watch football or go running… a different way to escape, -and a rough generalization I am doing here- for it’s true we are all the same but we are all so different as well…

    Hugs

    G.

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