Women's Rights: Abrahamic Religions

Over the years, I've been told that women are supposed to be subservient to men, based on holy books, but I've also read otherwise. We seem to quote what we feel is right for each of us, which is why I decided to do the same in this blog. I'm sure there's similar thoughts in other faiths but I decided to only use the Abrahamic Religions.

To begin with, Abraham and Sarah were close and you can tell there was love and respect between them. Based on my last blog, her gender wasn't dismissed when it came to God making a decision. Her intuition and wisdom were important enough for God to tell Abraham: Whatever Sarah says to you, do.

Also, Muhammad held the women in his life with esteem. For instance, why would Muhammad seeks permission from his wives if he didn't value their worth? Muhammad was ill. It turned out to be his final illness. He was in the house of his wife Maymoonah and asked her to call all his wives to him. When they gathered, he asked their permission to stay with his wife Aisha, during his illness. Volume 1, Book 11, Number 634: Narrated by Aisha: "When the Prophet became seriously ill and his disease became aggravated he asked for permission from his wives to be nursed in my house and he was allowed."

Even Jesus was against displaying inequalities. Women were part of his followers. Jesus' teachings, recorded in all three Gospels of Matthew [20:25–26a], Mark [10:42], and Luke [22:25], indicates that Jesus forbade any hierarchy in Christian relationships, presumably including both women and men: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you." 

These are only a few things but it had me wonder why some current cultures, who say they follow these Abrahamic religions, consider women inequalities acceptable? Is it really protection, as they often insinuate, or subjugation? Have they forgotten that these things, I've mentioned above, are also included in our holy books? I know there are times where people "cherry pick" from them. There are times when there's also discord over them, but I believe I know why: free will. 

Yes, we've been given free will to guide us and help us on our current path in order to keep us from living in the past. Free will, which is individual as well as collective, to keep us moving forward. What Creator would want his children to become stagnate? Even our current technology indicates we've moved on from our past technology and many around the world are using some of it if not a lot of it. That's a big clue in my book. 

Furthermore, we were also given a Golden Rule to follow. To me, this is the ultimate rule to guide us. No doubt the meaning could be twisted too, but it seems difficult to believe that our free will would interpret it to mean that men are to subjugate, be cruel to, or lord it over women anymore than woman are to do anything similar to men. 

I can't imagine the prophets, which many say they love, would approve. 

I can't imagine the women, who were in their lives, would approve. 

I can't imagine God would approve.