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Civil war Quote by D. Keith Mano

“MANO: There's no question in my mind that we've always felt, in the heart of our Western, Christian culture, that Jesus was very much female. That is why the representations of Jesus with long hair have always been predominant in art. The Virgin Mary was later presented as a harmless sort of woman…” quote by D. Keith Mano
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““MANO: There's no question in my mind that we've always felt, in the heart of our Western, Christian culture, that Jesus was very much female. That is why the representations of Jesus with long hair have always been predominant in art. The Virgin Mary was later presented as a harmless sort of woman to whom we can address our need for a maternal outlet in prayer, as a safer way of dealing with the fact that Jesus was as much a woman as a man, particularly when he died. DOOR: You said that if men don't overcome their wanting of women, society will crack. MANO: We are coming to a point where the genders are clumsily engaging in civil war with each other. There's a lot of unpleasantness in the land. Men feel terribly threatened. Women have been crucified for many years, so they understand it and have their axes to grind as well. The truth of the matter is, Jesus on the cross is the female being exploited in every which way. I mentioned intercourse being, at its best, an act of penetration, but there are many other ways in which women have been sacrificed, whether from childbirth or being sold as wives or whatever, through history. So when the male S&M devotee binds a woman to a cross, he has to realize, if he's a Christian-- DOOR: Uh, just how many Christian S&M devotees are there? MANO: Even if he's not a Christian, he ought to realize that he is essentially binding Jesus again, because Jesus contains in him the female--very, very strongly--but almost mystically hidden, I think, because the truth is too painful to deal with. I don't know. I've never heard anyone else say what I'm saying now.””

D. Keith Mano

About This Quote

The quote argues that Christianity historically feminizes Jesus, linking gender dynamics, sexual symbolism, and cultural conflict.

In simple terms: Jesus feminized, gender conflict, cultural critique.

Key Takeaway

Recognize gender bias in religious narratives.

Themes

gender religion culture symbolism conflict

Mood

analytical critical

Type

Civil war:0 Long hair:0 Psychology:0 Virgin mary:0 Jesus Female:0 Jesus Woman:0 Representations Jesus:0 Culture Jesus:0 Devotees Mano:0

When to use this quote

  • academic discourse
  • interfaith dialogue
  • social activism

Key Concepts

theology gender studies sociology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does gendered imagery affect faith?
  • Can religious symbols be re‑imagined?
A Different Perspective

Interpretations vary widely across cultures.

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