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Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: Women, Sexuality and the Catholic Church (1988)

by Uta Ranke-Heinemann

Other authors: See the other authors section.

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362570,298 (3.79)None
"Here at last--unexpectedly from the pen of a German theologian--comes the definitive study of the oppression of women in Western society. The tale Uta Ranke-Heinemann has to tell--fascinating and horrifying by turns--begins with ancient, pre-Christian taboos and the relatively healthy attitudes of the ancient Jews toward sexual matters. Dr. Ranke-Heinemann confronts us with the incontrovertible evidence that the early Christians chose, not the Jewish perspective, but the pessimistic pagan models of sexual conduct. In this vivid, richly documented report, Dr. Ranke-Heinemann proves that for most of its twenty centuries the Catholic Church (as the principal voice and institutional focus of worldwide Christendom) has been cruelly manipulating and mutilating the sexuality of believers. From the Apostle Paul to Pope John Paul II, the church has denigrated sex, degraded women, and championed a perverse ideal of celibacy. It has glorified Mary's virginity, implying that all normal conception and childbearing are somehow polluted. It has denied the undeniable fact that Jesus had brothers and sisters (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55). It has damned birth control, while blessing "rhythm." It has campaigned fiercely against masturbation, which is never mentioned, much less forbidden, in the Bible. With a sort of crazy consistency, it has even banned the use of condoms by AIDS patients. As a loyal, but doggedly critical Catholic, Ranke-Heinemann demands that the Church acknowledge the enormous casualties of its age-old war against genital pleasure. Her incisive account of that war challenges both Christian and non-Christian readers to re-examine the fateful role of religion in shaping the sexual behavior of the Western World." -- Provided by publisher… (more)
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English (2)  German (2)  Catalan (1)  All languages (5)
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An absolutely splendid book. Not only is it revealing, entertaining, incredibly well researched and presented, and filled with interested and sad examples from history, but it is also incredibly angry. Whether on Original Sin, Marianism, masturbation, abortion, contraception, sex outside marriage, sex inside marriage, or sex in general, Ranke-Heinemann reveals the Catholic church to be morally wrong and almost invariably making it up rather than interpreting doctrine. I love an angry rant that is so well presented, so full of citation and explanations. By far the best book I've read in a while and absolutely recommended if you have the slightest interest in ethics or religious ethics, especially if you're trying to break from the celibate fantastists of Rome. ( )
  elahrairah | Apr 23, 2022 |
This book is written by someone who is still part of the church, so, while she is extremely critical of almost all Catholic church teaching on women and sex, she does think Christianity itself is not the problem. I think folks still involved in Christian churches will find her arguments enlightening. Not sure how it will read to someone who has left or never belonged. My favorite line in the book is "Jesus was a friend to women, the first and practically the last friend women had in the Church." ( )
  aulsmith | May 11, 2008 |
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» Add other authors (8 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Uta Ranke-Heinemannprimary authorall editionscalculated
Brownjohn, JohnTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Brunery, FrancoisCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Heinegg, PeterTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rebhuhn, WernerCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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to my husband
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In the session held on July 14, 1981, the District Court of Hamburg, Section 144, convicted Henning V., the editor-in-chief of a satirical magazine, of insulting religious creeds and affronting church institutions.
Quotations
Catholic celibacy has pagan roots. The prescriptions of celibate purity derive from the Stone Age of religious consciousness. In the Gospel of God's love they make no sense.
The Pope, of course, has completely misunderstood the passage from Sirach 9:5 that he quotes.
A heading for 1 Corinthians 11 entitled "On the Veiling of Women" was added on later to many Bible translations, but this too is false.
It is no accident that in its struggle against sin, sometimes only the putative sins from the sexual realm, the Catholic Church to this day displays more commitment than it does against the crimes against human life in war, mass murder, and the death penalty.
This is an old male theory, now given the blessing of St. Albert: The more a woman resists, the more she wants it. Albert the Great should be given the title "Patron of Rapists".
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"Here at last--unexpectedly from the pen of a German theologian--comes the definitive study of the oppression of women in Western society. The tale Uta Ranke-Heinemann has to tell--fascinating and horrifying by turns--begins with ancient, pre-Christian taboos and the relatively healthy attitudes of the ancient Jews toward sexual matters. Dr. Ranke-Heinemann confronts us with the incontrovertible evidence that the early Christians chose, not the Jewish perspective, but the pessimistic pagan models of sexual conduct. In this vivid, richly documented report, Dr. Ranke-Heinemann proves that for most of its twenty centuries the Catholic Church (as the principal voice and institutional focus of worldwide Christendom) has been cruelly manipulating and mutilating the sexuality of believers. From the Apostle Paul to Pope John Paul II, the church has denigrated sex, degraded women, and championed a perverse ideal of celibacy. It has glorified Mary's virginity, implying that all normal conception and childbearing are somehow polluted. It has denied the undeniable fact that Jesus had brothers and sisters (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55). It has damned birth control, while blessing "rhythm." It has campaigned fiercely against masturbation, which is never mentioned, much less forbidden, in the Bible. With a sort of crazy consistency, it has even banned the use of condoms by AIDS patients. As a loyal, but doggedly critical Catholic, Ranke-Heinemann demands that the Church acknowledge the enormous casualties of its age-old war against genital pleasure. Her incisive account of that war challenges both Christian and non-Christian readers to re-examine the fateful role of religion in shaping the sexual behavior of the Western World." -- Provided by publisher

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