Christians, struggling with something. Opinions?

Question

this verse: As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
—1 Corinthians 14:26-35, NIV

Is upsetting me. I am a woman myself. I am a christian and have been saved and baptized many years ago. I do strongly believe in Jesus, but things like this hurt my faith, because I strongly believe ALL people are equal- regardless of our genders. This sort of discrimination is really troubling to me. What do you think? If God loves us all equally then why are things like this in the Bible? Why are women treated as the lesser of the two sexes in these verses?

Answer 1

Sister, check The Bible in Genesis -- God made us ALL in his image, male and FEMALE he created us. My creator doesn't love me and my sisters any less because he gave us different sexual features than our brothers!

When reading The Bible, you have to remember that although it was inspired by God, it was written by men. Men are, always have been, and always will be, imperfect tools. Only God is perfect!

So men allow their own feelings and prejudices (and those of the society in which they live) to get in the way of God's word -- just as the Pharises followed the letter of the law, but not the spirit.

Corinthians was written by Paul (Saul), who was a very egotistical and zealous man, both before and after his conversion from Judiasm to Christianity (he almost split the early church with his insistence that everything had to be done "his way"). He also had an enormous disrespect for women. "Consider the source" is good advice, even when reading The Bible.

So, don't look first to Paul for answers as to how God feels about women and how they should be treated -- go right to the source, Jesus!

No, Jesus didn't number any women among the 12 -- BUT, at that time, in that society, the only women who were free to travel around with a group of wandering men were whores, so that can be counted to Jesus and his apostles credit.

HOWEVER, he numbered MANY women among his disciples! Yes, quite a bit of that was "edited out" of The Bible by HUMAN MALES in the hundreds of years that followed Jesus' death, while society was still trying to "keep women in their place". That's when the whole "Mary Magdalene was the whore Jesus rescued from stoning" lie was invented. Mary M. was actually a patron of Jesus, much as Joseph of Arimenthia (sorry about spelling), the rich man who buried Jesus in his tomb! Read the Gospels, and see how many times women are mentioned -- even when pushed to the background by human male editors!

The most moving to me is that, at the end of Jesus' life, when his MALE disciples denied him and hid (except for John) the WOMEN who had followed him remained loyal. They lined the route where he carried his cross, crying and moaning. Veronica stepped forward to wipe his face. It was the WOMEN (with John) who watched him nailed be nailed to the cross, and witnessed his final moments. And, it was the WOMEN who found his tomb empty. Now -- does it sound like JESUS treated women like 2nd class citizens? Or that he felt they were less worthy than the men? Of course not! Women were given a special place of honor in his ministry, as his mother was given a special place in his heart (remember -- his thoughts were with her, naming John as her son, even as he was dying).

Don't let any of that male superiority that comes from human custom and prejudice confuse you -- it is not Paul' place to re-interpret Jesus' teaching, or substitute his own words and judgements for God's.

Read JESUS, who spoke as God, as your truth and guide when you feel confused or dismayed.

And accept that the words of Paul were written by a man who was flawed by his own (very strong) viewpoints and prejudices -- but a man, nonetheless, whom God loved and chose to spread his word among the Gentiles.

As to those die-hard male supremicists, ignore them! Sometimes for the shock value (since shock often jolts people into rethinking their prejudices), I will agree with one in the following way:

[ Yes, brother, it's true that God prefers men to women. I guess that's why when he created my soul, he said "I'm going to love this child less than some of my others, so I'll won't give her body a penis to help me remember that" ] !

Yep, that's our heavenly creator -- always checking down our pants to see if we're one of the children he loves most, or just a little less -- LOL!

May he bless you and continue to hold you dear in his heart.

Answer 2

Yes~~ I understand what you are going through! I struggled with this for years and asked several pastors about it. I buried myself in research and learned first hand WHY it said that. It is not an insult against us women, much to my relief!!! At that time they were having excessive problems with the women arguing and calling out and ... you know the kind... the yappers who are really only wanting a heated debate. They were unable to finish the services! They had to call for a state of calm because some of the women were being absolutely ruthless (probably the old biddies that we have all learned to love haha!) This temporary custom subsided, and it does not represent us on the whole. You can probably think back a time or two when a woman (or a man for that matter) has created a disturbing scene when people were trying to pray and be reverent. Please don't be discouraged, keep your head up! Jesus said there is neither male nor female in heaven, he loves us all the same.

Answer 3

The absolute best answer I ever saw to this problem came from an Anglican theologian and Bishop named Robert Farrar Capon. He said: (not a quote, btw.)

Inspiration is a tricky thing and getting deeply into it is a job for professionals. I think that God inspired Paul on the subject of love and Paul was writing, or maybe dictating, some absolutely fabulous stuff on the subject. But it was probably late at night, the light from the oil lamps was lousy and Paul was getting tired and cranky. So, after mentioning some people he thought he remembered baptising and some really silly waffling on a couple of minor points he does this fantastic job describing the love of Christ and then, the melatonin kicks in and he gives this rambling nonsense stuffed with misogyny. Personally I think it was at that point that God inspired Paul to shut up and go to bed. And a good thing too. Sadly, it's not always easy to see right off which are inpired thoughts and which are the testy ruminations of an old bachelor, so the whole thing got left in.
I think of it as an exercise in the thinking ability given me by God. I figure it out using His love as the baseline and go from there.

Me too.

Answer 4

I am sorry. On behalf of God I apologise. You see GOd hired failable people and sometimes they really don't think before they write or act. At the time Paul was trying to bring a little order out of caos in Corinth and used some arcane rules to stop the bickering. Paul forgot the the first rulers of God's chosen people (the isrealites ) was a woman Debroah (read about her in the book of Judges) Paul also forgot that God refers to God's self as female in the Book od Proverbs for wisdom and knowledge are female. In fact God doesn't even trust men with the ability to the temple of reproduction in which each new pure sole is places that is all woman.

Paul did his best but he simply got it wrong.

By the way, I asked Paul and he said if he ever thought his letters would become part of the guide book of life there are several things he would have said different or explained better.

Answer 5

Consider the alternative-if you can. You could be Muslim. The truth is most of don't under stand the cultural background that verse was made in. You have to understand what that church service was like. God loves you, and men and women are equal in God's eyes. Some duties are given to man only;like "teacher"-this is not a teacher like we have today, but a starter of churches. Times were different them. Don't get discouraged over this. Any explanation you get will come up short.

Answer 6

Many of the Letters, especially those written by Peter and Paul, are heavily misogynistic.
The clear answer to me is that you should not take the Bible literally. Secondly, the Bible was written hundreds and hundreds of years ago in a culture that was clearly not equal for women. If you need to believe the Bible is literal, then, you have to accept that God thinks of you as less than a man. If, on the other hand, you can accept that the Bible is merely a teaching tool, then learn about the people who wrote it and the times in which it was written.

Answer 7

Good question. I do think "silence is golden" and sometimes "less is more." But I can see how this would trouble you.

But one thing is this: I know that in my church, it's disgraceful for anyone to speak during the actual church service... male or female. You're supposed to be quiet and listen, except for when you are praying as a group.

Perhaps... and this is just a guess... perhaps it was written specifically that *women* not speak because they were interrupting the congregation by talking during church service. In that case, I could understand it. But it's just a thought....

~*~*~*~

Hey, I was right! I just saw the poster above me got the same answer. haha. ^__^

Answer 8

the bible is just full of that sort of thing..... There's just too much that makes no sense to me..... however lately alot of people have really become hateful towards christians and I don't like that.....People wrote the bible......not god. People make mistakes. people exaggerate. people interject there own opinions. It doesn't mean the whole thing is invalid..... you just can't overanalyze every word (or you'll end up like these people I saw on t.v. that mess around with snakes b/c of something they read in the bible.... they actaually let their kids touch deadly snakes and if they are bitten and die they say it was God's will)

Answer 9

Christian response: "Non-Christians just can't comprehend God's love." (I'm a former Christian, and this is as close as I got to an answer for your question). Mine: I don't know. And of coarse the Hebrew (now also Christian) god doesn't care about animal suffering, remember, he asked animal sacrifices, and in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc., even human sacrifice!

Answer 10

Because the truth is, that women should obey the husband
Women liberation changed it and the church changed also, so I guess you could look at statement of that sort, as no longer valid, because man changes the law, because Gods word can be manipulated to fit the times

And since you are a christian you accepted that when you surrendered your life to HIM, it was your choice

Answer 11

If you read the verses prior to the one that reads that women should not speak in church, it is talking about order in the church. I believe that it is not about women, but about reverence and edification to the body of Christ, which is the church. So that everyone can receive the word as it is given without any distractions from any one, so that everyone can be bless. Man is the priest of his household. God is the head of the Church. Women submits to their husbands, all submission is in obedience and love to the word of God. Read Ephesians 5: 21-25. I hope that this helps you. Be bless.