What does the Bible say about sexism?

Question

What does the Bible say about sexism?

Have you ever observed sexism before in your home, church, school, or workplace?

Answer 1

The Bible contains many examples of sexism. People were not as enlightened as they hopefully are now. We have made much progress since those days. I have observed sexism in churches that deny women the right to be clergy and even churches where women are not allowed to lead Bible study. Sexism is not the reason I chose to leave Christianity but not having to deal with these kinds of beliefs and messages regarding women and female roles is a fringe benefit.


1 Corinthians 11:7 - 9*

7 For a man indeed ought not to cover [his] head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

1 Corinthians 14:34 - 35*

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

1 Timothy 2:9 - 15*

9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Leviticus 12:2 *

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
Leviticus 12:5

5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

Job 25:4 *

4 How then can man be justified with God
or , how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?

Answer 2

Well, at the time the Bible was written, there was no "sexism", it was just how life was.

The bible doesn't say much about sexism, but it does show examples of how the disciples did show some equal respect for women, etc.

I've observed sexism, but the most common place I see it is online.

Answer 3

The Bible says nothing about sexism. Sexism is an example of something we see as wrong as a secular society-It doesn't come from Abrahamic tradition. Women in the bible are chattle, as the bible is a book of its times.

Answer 4

The Bible is awful toward women by today's standards!!! I mean it says that God made women have to have birth pains. Women have to submit and their desire is for their husband.Genesis 3:16. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 says that women are to submit to their husband because of "wonderful" Eve who sinned first. We must learn in silence. Yet we are saved in childbearing. I hate the last part most of all!
Women were put to death for not screaming when being violated. Deuteronomy 22:24

Answer 5

The most sexist writings in the New Testament came from Paul--He advised men not to marry women--commanded women(Timothy 2:9,10) to never wear jewelry or curl their hair,keep their mouth shut in church,remain "shamefaced" in remembrance to their lineage to that evil trollop Eve-& if Christian women refuse to wear a veil covering their head in church-Christian men should shave the disobedient womans hair off.
Fortunately we realize that Paul's ludicrous commandments only reflect the less civilized mores of society at that time .

Answer 6

the bible has no idea of sexism. the bible was written two to three thousand years ago, to the people of that time, and is read by people of any generation to enrich their spirit. only ripping things out of time and out of context, reading literally as if it was written today, we get sexism. As if you were trying to unravel part of your stomach and hold out the tube to digest chocolate bars by osmosis.

Answer 7

The Bible says that before God there is no male or female. We are all one in Christ.

However, the Bible does reflect an ancient time that had very strong patriarchial traditions. That does not, however, mean that we should think more of one sex or less of the other.

Answer 8

Scripture writes much about men and women. It writes about their history, their contributions and their relationships to G-d. And from this we learn what men and women are supposed to be. We learn too that men and women are different and that we are to rejoice in that difference. What has developed in our spiritually lowered modern day society has been a perversion and a malignant misunderstanding of the roles of what men and women supposed to be in a G-dly life. That perversion has manifested itself in the hatred, miscontent and secularly legislated laws resulting in what we commonly say today as 'sexism'.

Answer 9

After the Fall, God condemned women to be subservient to men. From Genesis 3:16:

"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

For other examples of the explicit bias against women in the Old and New Testaments, try the Skeptics Annotated Bible.

Answer 10

There are different roles in marriage & in church government.
Eve was Adam's helper (sexist against men implying that men need help)!!!
Both are equal in Christ & are made in God's image.
Women should dress modestly so as to not cause guys to stumble.
Men should love their wives, women respect their husbands.

Edit 1
Elizabeth- you have to also consider the context. Email me a verse & I will show you.