How can any woman follow a religion that states?

Question

"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
--1 Tim. 2:11-14

This is not meant offensively but I just can not understand how a woman can follow a religion that very clearly states that you are second class citizens. I had more quotes to add but there is a carecter limit.

Answer 1

To me, they follow for the same reasons as others do. First, they were brought up with this belief. Second, they have been taught not to question. And third, but not in every case, it is much easier to give up control than to be responsible to shape the minds of others. Lastly, many women (and people) don't have the self esteem to believe they have anything worth teaching or saying. It's unfortunate and erroneous, but it happens.

It is also quite difficult, at least it was for me, to step out of the norm, the accepted, and follow my own beliefs. I never believed that was truly the case because the teachings of Jesus in the Christian Bible shows he considered women equals and just as capable as men. An oft-cited example is the answer to who was the first to spread the good news. Women. Who were the first non-believers of the good news. Men. Why, because it came from a woman. The Christian Bible shows the fallicy of believing that women are less, but the Christian Church didn't want any parts of equality. So they included books by authors that "put women in their place." For me, religion is the dogma created by officials of churches, not the true spirit of a particular type of religion.

But it is very scary and difficult and sometimes unthinkable to some to go against their friends, family, and government.

Scriptures like that are one of the reasons I became a Pagan. :) It also ignores that there are two stories in Genesis about creation. And, in one of the stories, man and woman are created at the same time. In the other, man is first. Interesting, hmmm?

Good journeys,

Asha

Answer 2

The description of the Creation of Woman in the Bible is rather Symbolic. First of all it says that it is not good for man to be alone (I would like to point out it doesn't say that about women). Then it goes on to talk about how Women was created by pulling a rib out of Adam's Chest. Not a bone from the foot to be trampled upon, and not a bone from the head to be above, but a bone from the chest to be equal to. Now think farther, what purpose do the ribs serve? They protect vital and life giving organs. A woman by God's plan fills the same role. They are to be respected, honored, cherished, and protected.
In the Bible do you know of anywhere it mentions God's wife? It isn't in there. Why? Not because he is not married. In Genesis God says a man should be married. So to be perfect a man must be married, and God is perfect so God is married. If God is married why don't we read about his wife anywhere? Answer, If you knew that your name would be treated in the manner that God's has would any good husband allow that to be done to his wife? No, and so instead of doing something to limit our agency He didn't mention His Wife, and thus She does not have Her name desecrated like His has been. As far as the passage you refer to in Timothy I would imagine that is one of the many spots in the Bible that have been the victim of intentional or unintentional mistranslations over the centuries. Women are not 2nd class citizens. Christ in his ministry taught that, not with words but His actions. If you look at the respect that He showed the women He interacted with, and compare that with how women were treated in that day, you will see he was downright revolutionary. He would have made just about any womens rights activist today happy.
When you take that into account there are plenty of reasons why a woman would be a Christian.
Oh yes I should mention I am a male.

Answer 3

Firstly these religions tend to be imposed on women by men and tend to fade in societies where women have acheived more equality. The other reason is that not everyone wants to take responsibility for themselves - some slaves for example did not wish to be freed. It takes time for people to be brought up with different expectations and equality is not of necessity an easy course.

Answer 4

Greetings,
The “silence” called for here was in relation to teaching and exercising spiritual authority in the congregation. However, this does not mean that a Christian woman cannot teach her children or teach among the general public, but she should not teach in the congregation. Why? Because the man had priority in human creation, therefore he is given priority of position over the woman. She was created for the sake of the man, not the man for her sake. (1Co 11:9)

Hope I've helped.

Rachel B
:)

Answer 5

You have taken this out of context. Paul was talking about being a teacher of the faith to the gentiles. What Paul was saying in his time period that woman should not be ministers of the Church. In a time when woman staid at home because the base education came from the mother this made sense. Unless a person is called to the Ministry by the Spirit then I still don't believe that they should be ministers (men or woman).

Answer 6

Honestly, I don't know. I never understood that, especially looking at how Jesus treated women.

That part about Adam coming first was used as reasoning to discriminate against women for centuries to come. Both were made in G-d's image, not just Adam. Both are equal to each other, and both need each other for survival and salvation.

Answer 7

It's called being humble and not having an ego. We are to imitate Christ's humility. I read some of people's answers saying that Christians are not aware ofthese scriptures, which is totally incorrect. Some may choose to ignore those scriptures, but when they do so they are disobeying God, and thus sinning knowingly. When someone sins knowingly there is no forgiveness for his sin. (Heb. 10:26 "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left."). I am a woman and a Christian one at that and I don't ignore this scripture, but embrace it. I see nothing wrong with it. I grew up and is still growing in a house where this was openly spoken about and embraced, because their is nothing wrong with it. People often misinterpret women's inferiority within the Bible as something that is harsh, when the Bible tells husbands that they are to respect, cherish, and love their wives. It's not as if the Bible is saying for men to disrespect women. That is not the case. You might want to check out the scripture Ephesians 5:16.

With that said I looked up the word woman in my father's bible dictionary and here's what it said.

WOMAN: a female adult. However, the word "woman" is sometimes used in the Bible to refer to weak nd helpless man (Is. 3:12, 19:16). In order to understand the Old Testament view of woman, one must turn to the Book of Genesis. When God created mankind, He created both "male and female" (Gen 1:27, 5:2). Both were created in God's image and both were given the responsibility of exercising authority over God's creation. The man was created before the woman. Because the man needed companionship and a helper, God caused the man to sleep. From him he created a woman "a helper comparable to him" (Gen 2:18,20). Man is incomplete without woman. Because she is called a "helper" does not imply that she is inferior to man. The same Hebrew word translated as helper is used of God in His relationship to Israel (Ps. 33:20, 70:5). The culture that developed around the Israelites in ancient times did not always have this perspective of woman. Certain Old Testament passages tend to reflect an attitude that woman was little more than a thing and that a woman should be entirely suborinate to the man. This tendency became pronounced before the coming of Christ. Obe of the Jewish prayers that dated from that era declared, "I thank Thee that I am not a woman." Jesus lived and taught a better way, the way of love. He invited women to accompany Him and His disciples on their journeys (Luke 8:1-3). He talked wth the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well and led her to a conversion experience (John 4). Jesus did not think if strange that Mary sat at His feet, assumung the role of a disciple; in fact, He suggested to Martha that she should do likewise (Luke 10:38-42). Although the Jews segregated the women in both Temple and Synagogue, the early church did not separate the congregation by sex (Acts 12:1-17; 1 Cor. 11:2-16). The apostle Paul wrote, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28). Within the writhings of Paul, however, other statements restrict women from participating in church leadership as freely as men. Women were to keep silent in church; they were to be submissive to the male leaders (1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim 2:11-12). How does one reconcile these two seemingly opposing views? In Galatians Paul was stating a general principle that men and women were equal, just as slaves are equal to their masters in the sight of God. However, Paul did not require or teach that the slaveholder had to release his slaves. In the same manner, Paul requested the women to be submissive to their husbands, to preserve order within the church and to be a witness to outsiders. Some of the finest leaders in Israel were women, in spite of the fact that the culture was male-dominated. Military victories were sometimes won because of the courage of one woman (Judges 4-5; 9:54; Esth. 4:16). God revealed His Word through Prophetesses (Judg. 4:4; Luke2:36; Acts 21:9). God used Priscilla and her husband Aquila to explain "the wat of God more accurately" to Appollos the preacher (Acts 18:26). The heros of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 include Sarah (v. 11), Moses' mother (v. 23), and Rahab the harlot (v. 31).

To sum up, I have no problem with the scripture, because I feel that in no way does it make me feel disrecpted in any manner. It also helps build humility in my eyes. Maybe some people should read the bible and understand the different scriptures within them before answering this question in such a disrespectful manner to my faith.

Answer 8

this is not true at all your just misinformed

there are several passages that put man and woman as equals
i can't give these to you off hand because although i learned them in religion class i have since forgotten the passages.

the bible can be interperated in so many different ways.
don't let one little thing make you think all religion is male chauvanism.

Answer 9

The word of God is true and he gives us certain instructions for a reason. The woman is also suppose to be in subjection to her own husnband and he is suppose to love her as Christ loves the Church. We follow this true belief in Christ because of obedience to the will of the Lord.

Answer 10

i am not one of those woman who believe this way. by far do i consider myself anything similar to a second class citizen. but i do think there are women who just plain don't want the responsibility and defer to their husband due to whatever reason. then they use this and any similar verses to get off without looking like a weak person.