Women in Religion

During the debate in the Episcopal Church over whether or not to allow a homosexual bishop, a woman was presenting the argument against allowing a homosexual bishop. She stated that the Bible declares homosexuality to be wrong, which it does. If she really believed what the Bible said than she would have been quiet about church matters. In the New Testament the books of I Corinthians, I Timothy, and Ephesians women are told to just plain submit and do it quietly. In addition to dressing modestly they are to submit to their husbands and God. They are also to remain quiet regarding church matters. How can individuals say this is a book containing God's divinely inspired word and then only follow sections that are convenient at the moment? Doesn't that seem slightly off? A tad hypocritical?

In fact women are blamed for the original sin. It was all Eve's fault that Adam deceived in the first place. Women can redeem themselves by having many children and submitting. Women are evil, shameful, weak and unclean...better to be seen and not heard.

June Cleaver was commiting a sin by wearing pearls. Women are directed not to wear pearls in the book of I Timothy in the Bible. Ellie Mae from "The Beverly Hillbillies" was also committing a sin by braiding her hair.

The New Testament has a quotation that is commonly heard at weddings. It is in the book of I Corinthians and goes like this..."Love is patient, love is kind"... and ends with... "Love never fails". Most people have heard it, I'm sure. The book of I Corinthians goes on to say that if a woman wants to inquire about something, she should ask her husband at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Does not sound like women are in good standing with in the religion of Christianity, does it? The Old Testament declares a woman unclean for a week after giving birth to a son and two weeks after giving birth to a daughter. Women are "impure" for 33 days after giving birth to a son and for 66 days after having a baby girl. What's up with that? I guess boys are preferred over girls. Women are really filthy if they deliver a daughter into the world. Granted this is the Old Testament and certain forms of Christianity decided to only follow the New Testament. How can you say that only half of the Bible is worthy of following? A form of pick and choose christianity?

Just the idea that women were created as an afterthought from a small piece of God's "special creation," makes it seem that man is superior to women. How can any woman with any self-esteem believe any of this?

Jackie Wellman, author of Spiritual Clarity, http://www.hoppy.bravehost.com, http://spiritualclarity.blogspot.com

MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES

Religion and Social Engineering - Part of an Introduction
Thomas Carlyle is just one of the interesting characters who had much to do with Calvinism and the Knox family he married into. Friedrich Nietzsche never really completed a book and yet before he went crazy his Wagnerian or Illuminized 'radical aristocratic' handlers used him well.

Ark of the Covenant - Purpose
Hold on to your hat! Here comes one of the most, incredible stories of ancient technology, which ranks alongside the use of atomic forces and the 'Lost Chord'. Needless to say the editors of Scientific American who denied the Wright brothers had achieved airborne flight for months after Kitty Hawk won't or wouldn't believe this 'doozy'.

Armor-bearer Coach: Step Into the Ministry of Assisting
I am with you heart and mind..

The Emmaus Journal ~ Strangers In A Strange Land
The Emmaus Journal Strangers In A Strange LandDo you often feel like an Alien? In fact, have you recently inquired if you were really still on Planet Earth? Do the things of this World just seem more and more foreign to you? Well, Dear Friend, you are in good company! Our Apostolic Brother Paul felt the same way and said the same things. Perhaps in a different language, but it is still relative for today.

Are You Doing the Good Part?
Just compare yourself to these two sisters.Even though they were sisters, Martha and Mary, acted very differently than each other one day when Jesus was with them.

Truth or Consequence
Prime probability:You have been and are being deceived by those you trust the most for your spiritual education. Some of that deception may be intentionally done in an attempt to control your behavior and your wallet and some may be done simply out of ignorance.

Following In the Masters Footsteps
In these interesting times of change, millions of people the world over are struggling to find their personal truth - a truth that will sustain them through their present moments and through whatever the future may bring. There are as many definitions of what will happen to this planet in the next fifteen years as there are belief systems, but in the midst of the dissension is one commonality, and that is worldwide agreement that change - in whatever form it takes - is inevitable.

The Dark Side of The Pope
If you look at just the man/women after he/she has died, what part of the humanity do you eulogize?Every person has something to bring to us in his or her death; it is a gift from the other side and is the knowledge of the past and an open door to a new path for the future. The life lived by any person can motivate us to a brighter and more enlightened future.

The Christian Community Tries To Take Back What Belongs To Them!
"See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Is.

Whose Land?
It is interesting that everyone is so hung-up on the debate regarding who has official rights to The Land known historically as "The Land of Canaan."If we go back far enough, we discover the near Middle East was settled by descendants of Canaan, thus the region was referred to as "The Land of Canaan.

The Bible - Are Some of Its Words More Important Than Others?
Is the Old Testament equal in every way to the New Testament? Are the words of the prophets on a par with the words of Jesus? The answer to this question may seem incongruous but it is not, even though the answer is both, yes and no. But don't be confused by this apparent conflict because it is easily explained.

Discipled by the Kingdom of Heaven -- Becoming a KingdomScribe!
Jesus tells a story - a powerful story - that illustrates how God's Truth for today is always a new Word for today. And it also helps us understand that if all we're holding onto are "old truths", we're really holding onto no truths!(By the way -- if you want to read a summary of this teaching, just read the words in bold.

Praying Church or Playing Church?
The western church is seen by the world as anything BUT Christian. We are making no one jealous for what we claim we've found in Christ.

The New Urban Christian
Who are these new Urban Christians? What's up with the afros, long hair, grunge or gangster attire? Have you been to a Christian rock concert? You can hardly tell the difference between it and a Rolling Stones Concert - there are crowds of long-haired teens and young adults, swaying to the music, holding up lighters. Have you been to a Gospel concert? It's just like going to see any popular R&B artist - everybody's in their nicest clothes (which includes low riders and midriff tees), fur coats are front and center and people drive up in Hummers, Navigators and Escalades, bling-blinging away.

Crucification
Most of know how Jesus was crucified. Do we ever ask ourselves about the crucifying of our flesh? What it means and how do we accomplish it.

Muhammad
FAITH THAT MOVES MOUNTAINS:The Way of the Peaceful Warrior is a great book that would allow people to see how they can cause change. It is written by Dan Millman who brings us the following from another of his books that are all worth contemplation.

Moses v. Jesus: Why do Conservative Christians Prefer Moses Commandments to Jesus Beatitudes?
Why are conservative Christians so concerned about displaying the Ten Commandments in public and especially in courtrooms?Conservatives and their lawyers claim that the Ten Commandments are (or, should regain their position) at the heart of American jurisprudence because the Decalogue represents our commitment to Rule of Law. And, they have made these arguments in cases like McCreary County v.

Muslims Are Losing Ground
Salmon Rushdie may have been the first to flee the wrath of angry Islamic hardliners but now whole nations are on the alert. It is an easy thing to hide one man but nations are another matter.

Christs Dependability: Count on It!
Heb. 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Reflections After The Tsunami Tragedy
Over the last few months hundreds of thousands of people have reached out with genuine concern and hard cash towards the people of SE Asia. The tsunami was no respecter of a person's religion in an area where Muslims and Christians, Hindus and Buddhists, have been killed or traumatised.