In my reading for today I read paper 72, “Government on a Neighboring Planet” and I noticed something I hadn’t noticed in my previous 3 readings of TUB. The concept of gender equality is entirely unaddressed in this paper. In fact, the word “woman” only appears once: “Every man and woman of twenty years and over has one vote.” Furthermore, it seems that the positions of highest power and authority are specifically referred to by the male pronoun. Does this nation on the neighboring planet ever have a female chief executive?
72:2.3 (809.4) The federal government embraces three co-ordinate divisions: executive, legislative, and judicial. The federal chief executive is elected every six years by universal territorial suffrage. He is not eligible for re-election except upon the petition of at least seventy-five state legislatures concurred in by the respective state governors, and then but for one term. He is advised by a supercabinet composed of all living ex-chief executives.
I find it surprising and perplexing that the author does not include any reference to women in government, given that it was so emphasized with regard to Jesus’ time on earth when he made the bold decision to include women in positions of leadership and authority. It is also strongly emphasized in paper 74 about Adam and Eve, where it seems to go out of its way to point out women being in positions of authority equal to that of men:
74:3.5 (831.2) On the fourth day Adam and Eve addressed the Garden assembly. From the inaugural mount they spoke to the people concerning their plans for the rehabilitation of the world and outlined the methods whereby they would seek to redeem the social culture of Urantia from the low levels to which it had fallen as a result of sin and rebellion. This was a great day, and it closed with a feast for the council of men and women who had been selected to assume responsibilities in the new administration of world affairs. Take note! women as well as men were in this group, and that was the first time such a thing had occurred on earth since the days of Dalamatia. It was an astounding innovation to behold Eve, a woman, sharing the honors and responsibilities of world affairs with a man. And thus ended the fourth day on earth.
Could it have been a simple oversight to not mention it in paper 72 dealing with government administration on another Satania planet? Seems doubtful. Is the message we are to take from this that, perhaps on our own planet, women in governmental leadership positions is so assured as to require no mention when discussing methods of government administration on a nearby planet? Or, some other reason? I’d be interested in others’ thoughts about this.
