tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11378207.post4006707001970937799..comments2023-05-22T16:03:48.952+05:30Comments on Consonants: Interesting discussion at Possummomma's blogDeepahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04296965031006445182noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11378207.post-74241146912568190182008-09-03T01:37:00.000+05:302008-09-03T01:37:00.000+05:30You are also right that there are many passages wh...You are also right that there are many passages which do not reflect a misogynist attitude from Paul. <BR/><BR/>I only wish Jesus had more to say on the husbands-wives dynamic.Deepahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04296965031006445182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11378207.post-41770123536191838952008-09-03T01:34:00.000+05:302008-09-03T01:34:00.000+05:30Hi Aisha,I am so glad you shared your views on thi...Hi Aisha,<BR/>I am so glad you shared your views on this topic. I belong to the <A HREF="http://www.marthomasyrianchurch.org/" REL="nofollow">Marthoma Church</A>, a Protestant church in India. We are conservative regarding gays, role of women in church but liberal regarding abortion, role of church in state. <BR/><BR/><I>I believe that God loves truth, and that when he inspired the authors to write the bible, that he wouldn't let them write something that is not in his plan.</I> <BR/>The only reason I do not believe in this idea is because I believe God has given us free will. I do not think God controlled the writers of the Bible in order to get them to write perfect Truth. <BR/><BR/>Regarding submission, I still do not know which way is right. Full disclaimer: in my marriage, my husband and I make all the decisions together. I respect him and he respects me. On certain subjects, I have the decision making authority, and he on others. We play to our individual strengths and it works for us.<BR/>Our priest says that one way may not work for everyone. He is a wise man and I tend to agree with him.<BR/><BR/>You are righty that some people twist the scripture to justify anything and can make church a nightmare. I am glad that you got out of that situation and are now in a church that fulfills you.Deepahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04296965031006445182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11378207.post-88194548608644784852008-09-02T20:51:00.000+05:302008-09-02T20:51:00.000+05:30I found your blog through Annie. I hope you don't ...I found your blog through Annie. I hope you don't mind if I answer.<BR/><BR/>It's interesting to hear people label Paul as a misogynist. I've never felt that way at all. And Paul wasn't the only one who spoke of submission by wives. Peter also writes the same thing (1 Peter 3). So, could it be a product of their society?<BR/><BR/>I believe that God loves truth, and that when he inspired the authors to write the bible, that he wouldn't let them write something that is not in his plan. This includes the passage about women submitting to their husbands.<BR/><BR/>I believe that submission by wives, can be taken to two radical and different extremes. On the one hand, it seems anti-feminist, and full of misogyny. On the other hand<BR/>women are expected to be totally obedient, like pets to their owners. And then there's the position I take, along with other Christians.<BR/><BR/>I do believe in submission to husbands. But I also believe that when we read the passage about submission, especially in Ephesians, that we can't stop at the part about wives. If you look at how the passage is written, Paul's command to husbands is much deeper, and much longer than what he writes to the wives. <BR/><BR/>If Paul was a misogynist, why in the heck would he want to write that husbands should love their wives as their own bodies, to take care of her, and give up his life, like Christ did for the church. That passage seems contradictory to his "misogynist" ways.<BR/><BR/>Another passage, in Corinthians when he describes love, is another passage that I don't understand why a "misogynist" would write.<BR/><BR/>I think we need to look at submission in the broader picture. Everyone submits in one way or another. Children submit to their parent's authority. We all submit to authoritative figures, in our workplace, or our leaders in the state, and even the president of the country. Yet, it doesn't make us any less equal than another. Children are still equal to their parents, we're all still equal to our bosses, and citizens are still equal to their leaders. It's that we all have different roles in society. According to scripture, marriage is no different.<BR/><BR/>Wives are no less equal to their husband because they submit to them. And husbands are not better than their wives, because they are the head. A good leader, is one who serves his family in every way possible (Think "civil servant").<BR/><BR/>When there is any family matter, my husband always discuses everything with me, and takes in every point of view. He never does anything without consulting my opinion. That is what I believe a leader should always do. A leader should never make rash decisions, or ever abuse their role ("my way or the highway").<BR/><BR/>Now, I've heard many interpretations of Paul, that are just plain awful. There are churches that believe that women can't speak at all during a service. So, one must be very careful about interpreting scripture.<BR/><BR/>I've probably rambled, and I hope I made sense.<BR/><BR/>I do want to leave you with this; I was a part of the extreme right evangelical movement for quite awhile. But I got so sick of everyone interpreting scripture the way they wanted. I'm not sure what religious denomination you're a part of, but of all the denominations, Catholicism made the most sense to me. The Catholic church believes that it is the sole guardian and protector of scripture and its interpretation. After all the fighting between the meaning of scripture, and its context-- the Catholic Church was a breath of fresh air.<BR/><BR/>AishaA New Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09209172238043319687noreply@blogger.com