Hurrah for Jimmy Carter

Today, Jimmy Carter stood up -- and stood out -- as he walked away from the Southern Baptist Church, his spiritual home of more than 60 years. Why did he take this action? Carter, a long-time human rights activist, was irrevocably displeased with the Southern Baptist Church´s stand on women. Essentially, the church leaders allowed that women are to be "subservient to their husbands" and not alllowed to be ordained.

In an essay in the Australian daily newspaper, The Age, Carter is quoted as saying:

At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.

Given these most cogent words, it is no surprise that Carter came to his hard decision. He has ended a 60+ year relationship with a church, one would assume, that has provided him with much sustenance and succor over many decades. Carter strikes me as a man of profound faith, and a living faith, at that. In other words, Carter´s words and actions are in congruence. He is a man who believes in social justice and lives his life that way.

Since he left the White House in 1982, after serving as the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter has dedicated his life to one of service. Along with his wife, Rosalynn, they founded The Carter Center (www.cartercenter.org ), a non-profit organization to promote human rights, address worldwide health issues, and advance global health initiatives.

Carter is well known for his work and involvement with Habitat for Humanity (www.habitatatforhumanity.org ). He is, also, one of Nelson Mandela´s Elders (www.theelders.org), which is "an independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity."

Carter has been behind the scenes as well at the negotiating table in working to bridge divisiveness and to create peace. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Jimmy Carter is a man who clearly lives by his moral compass. He is a power of example to us all. Quietly, diligently, he takes step after step, hammers nail after nail, all in an effort to better his neighborhood, our neighborhoods, and the world.

Religion, as well as government, espouse to help humankind, but all too often the human element of concomitant fears, belief systems, greed, power, and assorted vested interests get in the way. People are too busy covering their own backsides or feathering their own nests to realize that in subjugating one segment of society, in this case, the women, they are creating more harm than good. There are destroying balance, peace, fairness, and justice. People forget to connect the dots: what we do to one, we do to all. We are tenuously connected on this fast-whirling Mother Earth. We all need each other.

Do you look at your mother, wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter as well as female coworkers, bosses, doctors, and neighbors and really think they are subservient, less than, not as good as, and unworthy?

It is unfathomable to me. It is, also, outrageous, and, even, shameful that in this 2009, after all the history we have lived, all the lessons of history we have learned, that we think it is for the good of humanity to say that women are to be subservient to their husbands, and women should not be ordained.

I applaud Jimmy Carter for voting with his feet and taking a stand that says women count; that, also, says every human being counts -- equally.

Thank you, Mr. Carter, for having the courage of your convictions. May your example lead others to walk the high vibratory path you have chosen.

Copyright 2009 by Adele Ryan McDowell