Disclaimer: This was an essay I wrote for my college English class.
In a world where pictures of protesters holding signs saying, “God hates fags” and “America is going to hell” and where “religion” is tied to why people go out and commit terrorism, it’s hard not to see religion as a negative. Media and news outlets often capture the worst moments of people claiming what they are doing is based on faith. The news often portrays Islam as the enemy when in reality it is the people who have perverted Islam so they can commit horrible deeds who are the enemy. As former President Obama stated in a press conference, “They are not religious leaders. They are terrorists” (Saenz). But the media still seems unable to understand what someone really believing in the divine looks like. The media and popular culture portray religious people as hateful and nonbelievers in science, as well as people within the church have a hard time accepting women.
Whenever someone asks me about my major I always worry what their perception of me will be. Being asked “What’s your major?” is already a daunting question to some, especially when asked by adults, but I find it to be the most daunting when my peers ask me that question. I say, “I’m a theology major.” Over the years I have seen countless expressions from my peers at this news. Expressions from pure joy and thinking what I’m doing is so cool to a small awkward smile and a small “oh” that can sometimes leave me deflated. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my major and I’m so excited to do it. When someone asks me about my dream job I say, “Being a theologian,” which is the path I’m on. But it’s hard knowing when I say theology my peers immediately think about people who say, “being gay is wrong,” “you are going to hell if you sin,” and “evolution isn’t real.” I know my peers sometimes jump to these conclusions about me because that is how popular culture portrays religion.
Religion often gets portrayed as being a hater of popular culture and popular beliefs. The Westboro Baptists Church is a perfect example of this. Their message is completely hateful and is filled with imagery of a vengeful God who seems to not care about the human race. Participants in this church often are holding signs saying, “God hates America” and “God hates fags.” The message is so well heard because it is well publicized. Media feeds into the ego’s and power behind the message of groups such as the Westboro Baptists Church. By publishing the message of “God hates gays” it only validates Westboro’s message and further ingrains the idea that religion is full of crazy hateful people. Obviously hateful people exists but not everyone who believes in God is like this. Media gives their attention to the attention-seeking few who have crazy beliefs that do not align with the majority of people and making it seem like everyone who believes in God is not open minded.
Television shows and movies often portray religious people as not believing in science and as being superstitious. A prime example of this is the character Mary Cooper from the television show Big Bang Theory. Mary Cooper is Sheldon’s mom and is supposed to be his complete opposite. Whereas Sheldon is more analytical and bases things on science, his mom is more religious and is portrayed as not believing in science and being superstitious. In the episode “The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation” Sheldon decides he wants to move back to Texas, quit his job at Cal Tech, and teach people evolution. Mrs. Cooper responds “You watch your mouth, Shelly. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion” (“The Big Bang Theory – Mary Cooper Quotes”). Sheldon tells her evolution is fact and she responds, “And that is your opinion” (“The Big Bang Theory – Mary Cooper Quotes”). Mrs. Cooper has many moments like this on the show where she seems to either not understand basic science or she believes science is false. Media often portrays science and religion being at odds, when in reality science does not disprove God nor does God disprove science. Science and religion easily go together as science explains the how and what of things and theology explains the why. In the episode “The Maternal Combustion” Mrs. Cooper explains why Sheldon is so smart saying when she was pregnant she was driving to church praying to God to give her a son smarter than her husband “And I looked over and I saw a Jesus bobblehead in the Subaru next to me, nodding yes” (“The Big Bang Theory – Mary Cooper Quotes”). Mrs. Cooper’s character seems silly in this instance and very superstitious as to believe that the bobblehead was a meaningful sign. Even though there are people who do believe the things Mrs. Cooper says, it is still a caricature of what people who believe in God are like.
Another comment I often receive from people when I tell them I’m majoring in theology is “Oh, do you want to become a nun?” I think this question is rooted in a sexist notion of Catholicism. I did consider becoming a nun, and I’m now about 90% sure I’m not called to be a nun. I realized part of me considered being a nun because I did not know what else to do with theology. I think most women are portrayed in religion as either being mothers and wives or as nuns. This sort of put up a red flag for me because what is the point of studying theology if all I was going to be was a mother and wife, so the logical conclusion was to be a nun. This is the same thought many people have when I tell them I’m studying theology. Theology is more than becoming a nun, and I can participate in my faith in more ways than just being a wife and mother.
Because of the idea that women have few roles in church, women theologians are often looked down upon and often discriminated against keeping many women from realizing the true power of women in the church. One of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Johnson, has faced this discrimination head on. Elizabeth Johnson worked at Catholic University of America and when she was up for a tenure position in 1987 “Given that she had written an article questioning the traditional view of Mary as humble and obedient” her approval for this position was not guaranteed (Mason). She was questioned by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI. He took an extraordinary measure by calling every cardinal in the United States to come question Johnson on her article (Manson). Johnson did not get tenure. Later Johnson published the book Quest for the Living God. This book came under condemnation under the Committee of Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops because of its feminist themes that the nine-man committee disagreed with (Manson). The committee was harsh on Johnson and even refused to meet with her to discuss her book (Manson). Elizabeth Johnson throughout her career has had to go up against the stereotype of women in theology. People’s stereotype of theology being something men should handle is upheld often by the hierarchy of the church which then seeps down into how the lay people think.
When people ask me “Do you want to be a nun?” I proudly say, “No. I want to be a theologian like Elizabeth Johnson.” I want to face the discrimination and the stereotypes of people of faith head on. I want to proudly face the world as a woman theologian, something many see as countercultural and is intimidating to men in the church in order to show it is neither. I love theology and there is nothing that makes me happier than studying it. Regardless of the stereotypes, I hold firm to my drive to be a theologian that shows the world what it really means to believe in God.
Cited: “The Big Bang Theory – Mary Cooper Quotes.” The Big Bang Theory Fan Page, the-big-bang-theory.com/quotes/character/Mary%20Cooper/1/.
Manson, Jamie L. “Feminism In Faith: Sister Elizabeth Johnson’s Challenge To The Vatican.”BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, 6 Mar. 2014, www.buzzfeed.com/jamielmanson/feminism-in-faith-catholicism?utm_term=.epbw1PNjyk#.xcJ3b5vG9k.
Saenz, Arlette. “President Obama Says ISIS ‘Not Religious Leaders, They Are Terrorists’.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 18 Feb. 2015, abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-isis-religious-leaders-terrorists/story?id=29061288.
Picture: “Westboro Baptist Church.” Southern Poverty Law Center, Southern Poverty Law Center, www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/westboro-baptist-church.