Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1997, page 74
is viewed as “dead to God,” with no hope of salvation and as belonging now to the camp of
the devil. Those who stay in the organization do so with the threat of disfellowshipping
always hanging over their head. As Franz (1991) bluntly writes, “To use the threat of
organizational disfellowshipment, with all its consequences, to intimidate people into
conforming to a particular policy when their conscience dictates otherwise…is a form of
spiritual extortion, spiritual blackmail” (p. 387).
The Issue of Patriarchy
The Concept of Patriarchy
In a patriarchal society, men are the holders of power. Patriarchy is defined as a “male
dominated social system, with descent through the male line” (Oxford Dictionary of Current
English, 1992, p. 653). Patriarchy is thought to have arisen in conjunction with the concept
of private property and the need to pass property on to an heir (Engels, 1972), usually
male. In a traditional patriarchal society, women usually do not earn wages by working
outside the home, which places them in a financially dependent position to their male
partner and eliminates or decreases outside contacts and information about the world at
large. In a patriarchal society, women generally do not hold positions of power or influence
in the community. It is the men who sit on the village counsel, who vote, instruct, police,
and guide the community. A woman‟s primary role is to provide care and nurturance to her
husband and children. Without financial resources and with little community recognition or
power, a woman in this kind of society either adapts to her role and “fits in,” struggles
against the order of things and becomes a “problem,” or, if possible, leaves in search of a
society with more egalitarian values.
Historically, women have been viewed in many societies as inferior in intellectual ability and
subordinate in position to men (Bullough, 1973). In many societies over the centuries, a
woman‟s right to choose her own destiny has been limited, her ability to pursue an
avocation outside the home has been restricted, and she has not always been allowed a
vote. In some countries, women are still seen outside the home only when veiled from head
to foot. In many societies women have, at times, been prohibited from owning property
and, in some cases, have been regarded as property, useful as objects to trade in marriage
contracts for benefits, alliances, cattle, or status. Similarly, daughters have been seen as a
poor second choice to sons who could carry on the family name and inherit property. As
recently as the 19th century, philosophers and writers were firm in their beliefs that women
were unable to reason or deliberate logically and that submissiveness was good for a
woman. As Chafe states, “Since women‟s ideal role was to be supportive of their husbands,
care for their children, and provide a haven from the troubles of the outside world, the idea
that they might wish an independent life or career of their own seemed unnatural” (1977, p.
7). The common view was that a woman‟s “natural inclination” to nurture others and her
lack of logic and intelligence precluded her from participating in public life, much less
adopting a leadership role in the family or society (Bullough, 1973).
In Western society, women are now able to inherit property, run for office, and develop
careers that place them in competition with men. Women, for the most part, are able to
guide their own destinies. Nevertheless, unequal pay, sexual harassment, “glass ceilings,”
and “pink ghettos” are remnants of the patriarchal system that continue with us today. As
recently as 1990, authors Johnson and Ferguson stated:
The present arrangement almost guarantees that women will suffer from a
disproportional amount of depression, anxiety, submerged or ineffective anger,
lack of sexual fulfillment, and other emotional disturbances … the symptoms
associated with these conflicts will continue until the basic inequality between
women and men is addressed and changed. (p. 37)
is viewed as “dead to God,” with no hope of salvation and as belonging now to the camp of
the devil. Those who stay in the organization do so with the threat of disfellowshipping
always hanging over their head. As Franz (1991) bluntly writes, “To use the threat of
organizational disfellowshipment, with all its consequences, to intimidate people into
conforming to a particular policy when their conscience dictates otherwise…is a form of
spiritual extortion, spiritual blackmail” (p. 387).
The Issue of Patriarchy
The Concept of Patriarchy
In a patriarchal society, men are the holders of power. Patriarchy is defined as a “male
dominated social system, with descent through the male line” (Oxford Dictionary of Current
English, 1992, p. 653). Patriarchy is thought to have arisen in conjunction with the concept
of private property and the need to pass property on to an heir (Engels, 1972), usually
male. In a traditional patriarchal society, women usually do not earn wages by working
outside the home, which places them in a financially dependent position to their male
partner and eliminates or decreases outside contacts and information about the world at
large. In a patriarchal society, women generally do not hold positions of power or influence
in the community. It is the men who sit on the village counsel, who vote, instruct, police,
and guide the community. A woman‟s primary role is to provide care and nurturance to her
husband and children. Without financial resources and with little community recognition or
power, a woman in this kind of society either adapts to her role and “fits in,” struggles
against the order of things and becomes a “problem,” or, if possible, leaves in search of a
society with more egalitarian values.
Historically, women have been viewed in many societies as inferior in intellectual ability and
subordinate in position to men (Bullough, 1973). In many societies over the centuries, a
woman‟s right to choose her own destiny has been limited, her ability to pursue an
avocation outside the home has been restricted, and she has not always been allowed a
vote. In some countries, women are still seen outside the home only when veiled from head
to foot. In many societies women have, at times, been prohibited from owning property
and, in some cases, have been regarded as property, useful as objects to trade in marriage
contracts for benefits, alliances, cattle, or status. Similarly, daughters have been seen as a
poor second choice to sons who could carry on the family name and inherit property. As
recently as the 19th century, philosophers and writers were firm in their beliefs that women
were unable to reason or deliberate logically and that submissiveness was good for a
woman. As Chafe states, “Since women‟s ideal role was to be supportive of their husbands,
care for their children, and provide a haven from the troubles of the outside world, the idea
that they might wish an independent life or career of their own seemed unnatural” (1977, p.
7). The common view was that a woman‟s “natural inclination” to nurture others and her
lack of logic and intelligence precluded her from participating in public life, much less
adopting a leadership role in the family or society (Bullough, 1973).
In Western society, women are now able to inherit property, run for office, and develop
careers that place them in competition with men. Women, for the most part, are able to
guide their own destinies. Nevertheless, unequal pay, sexual harassment, “glass ceilings,”
and “pink ghettos” are remnants of the patriarchal system that continue with us today. As
recently as 1990, authors Johnson and Ferguson stated:
The present arrangement almost guarantees that women will suffer from a
disproportional amount of depression, anxiety, submerged or ineffective anger,
lack of sexual fulfillment, and other emotional disturbances … the symptoms
associated with these conflicts will continue until the basic inequality between
women and men is addressed and changed. (p. 37)
