Biblically, why are women's rights interpreted with historical context, but gay rights are taken literally?

Question

When someone brings up the oppression of women in the bible and their place, for example, 1 Tim 2:11-12, we aren't supposed to understand it literally, but in the context of the times. Women were to follow these dictates back then, but not now because they don't apply to our culture. "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

However, verses like Romans 1:26-27 are still applicable, despite the changing nature of our culture. "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

Why is one subject to interpretation and the other not?

Just for the record, before I put it to vote. I did not, at any time, mention the old testament. Both biblical quotes come from the New Testament, after the death and resurrection of Jesus supposedly happened.

Answer 1

Yes, yes, yes, a question that is often brought up.

There were two types of law back before Christ came - ceremonial law and moral law. The whole women's roles, what to eat and what not to eat, what to wear, etc, were ceremonial laws. Gay rights however were moral laws.

After Christ came, ceremony was no longer necessary for people's sins to be forgiven. However, although now the ceremonial laws were exempt, the moral laws still hold true.

Therefore, today women can have more rights and homosexuality is still wrong.


P.S. In many churches women are not allowed to teach men and women are not allowed to be pastors.

Answer 2

JoeyBoy you can't debate with people who's mind isn't open for other views. On Gay Pride a couple off years ago there was an anti-demonstration from some extreme right winged party. This was before gay-marriage and adoption was legalized in Belgium. And asked on off those skinheads (here skinheads are Nazi dwellers) why we shouldn't have the right to marry. His answer was; because you shouldn't! He toughed deeply! (sarc) I debate a lot i'm in the Socialist Party. And when you have to debate with someone xho is not willing to see someone else's view their is no point starting it. Homophobes views are set you can't debate them and if you can have a debate at the end they will still believe their own views on the subject! For all of you in America i hope you have the luck to gain the same rights as we in Belgium! Last Gay Pride here (on my birthday) went over the subject that every homosexual all over the world should have the same rights! Mister Bush is expecting a petition from us! Because at the end we are all brothers and sisters in the same cold war!

Answer 3

This is purely my opinion.

I am a very active Christian. An evangelical eccumenical Catholic. That is to say I run around talking about God and building all the bridges I can to other faiths.

Based on encounters and discussions with other Christians - what I find is an unusual amount of hate when speaking about homosexuality.

Hate is NOT of God. Hate is of the devil.

So this unusual amount of hostility is fear based. What is to be afraid of?

By and large, people do not want to self-examine. They do not want to look carefully at their own lives. Dig out their own sins and drag them into the light of day.

It's so much easier to point fingers. But God tells us pointing fingers is wrong. We are NOT to point fingers.

Being a liar is in the Big 10. But so many Christians make a habit of telling lies. So they hide this by making a big stink about someone else's sin that is none of their business.

The teenagers all round here? The mouthy evangelicals? All pointing fingers at the homosexuals? How many of them do you think are having sex? Which is a big no-no. Sex outside of marriage is major. But they duck behind the issue of homosexuality rather than looking to their own sin.

You keep on making this point. I'm very proud of our friend I Walk Funny for his (er? or her?) post along these same lines. You guys keep at it til you get through to them.

Answer 4

Oppression of women in the bible? *wry smile*...I don't think so. There is an order to be followed in marriage. The wife is not a slave! But the man is to be the head of the house. Timothy's verses also talk about women not being in a pastoral position in a church. It has nothing to do with oppression.

So that sort of answers the second half of your question, as well.

Answer 5

Excellent question.

On edit: Reading through the responses, Max Marie would be my choice for best answer. And at least 17hunter is honest enough to say he'd enforce both rules.

But as for the other chrisatians who answered: poppycock. It's rather obvious how they dodged the question entirely or rationalized out of thin air an 'explanation' which obviously doesn't fit.

I agree with MM: keep asking these kinds of questions.

Answer 6

As has been proven people do ignore what they don' want to follow. Because if they didn't ignore that then those same people would realize they are going to the same hell as gay people because they are wearing clothing made of two different materials which is forbidden in Leviticus, along with easting shellfish and picking up sticks on Saturday.

Answer 7

Neither is subject to interpretation. They should both be taken literally. Just because a lot of people do it does not make it right, even if they call themselves Christian.

Answer 8

How can you misinterpret Sodum and Gomorrah.He destroyed it.No matter how hard you try to convince yourself its OK .Gay is wrong in the eyes of God.And trying to interpret it to make it right will never happen.What does that and women really have to do with each other?

Answer 9

Good question!!---they pay no attention to Paul's rant about shaving off a Christian womans hair if she refuses to cover her head with a veil--but hey---when it comes to gays--stone them!!What a pity they don't relegate Paul's opinions to where they belong--as standards that have long passed their use-by date--& start obeying Christ's commandments of refusing to see sin in others and just attending to their own faults!!

Answer 10

Great question. Im in an email batle with someone right now, asking them to explain this. Also, you might want to toss in slavery and dietary laws as well....

A star for you....