What do you think of Prez contender Mike Huckabee's view that women should submit to their husbands?

Question

From the Baptist Press:
"A full-page ad in USA Today voiced the affirmation of 131 evangelicals to the Southern Baptist Convention that "you are right!" in holding forth the Bible's teachings on marriage.
"At a time when divorce is destroying the fabric of our society, you have taken a bold stand for the biblical principles of marriage and family life. We thank you for your courage," the ad stated. The ad also appeared in the Aug. 22 (1998) issue of WORLD, an evangelical magazine based in Asheville, N.C.
The ad was initiated by Dennis Rainey, executive director and co-founder of the FamilyLife ministry division of Campus Crusade for Christ.
Among those signing the USA Today affirmation are Franklin Graham, of Samaritan's Purse ministry, and Anne Graham Lotz, of AnGeL Ministries, two of evangelist Billy Graham's children; Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet; Prison Fellowship founder Charles Colson & his wife, Patty; and Campus Crusade founders Bill and Vonette Bright."

Here's the text of the ad that Huckabee signed as stated in Baptist Press:
"The evangelical leaders' USA Today ad states to the Southern Baptist Convention:
"You are right because you recognized that the family was God's idea, not man's, and that marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman for a lifetime.
"You are right because you called husbands to sacrificially love and lead their wives.
"You are right because you called wives to graciously submit to their husband's sacrificial leadership.
"You are right because you affirmed that the husband and wife are of equal worth before God.
"You are right because you reminded us that children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord.
"More importantly, you are right because your statement is based on biblical truth."
Baptist Press article:
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=2510
NY Times article about the ad/views:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02EED8123AF933A25755C0A96E958260

I've read the bible a few times, took bible classes, took a religion course or two in college-good ole dad is a fundy minister. I was told by many minister's in the church I grew up with that the bible passages concerning women's submission to their husbands, was to be interpreted literally. Quite a few fundy's believe the bible literally, in spite of when it was written, or how others interpret it.

Answer 1

I think Mike Huckabee should "submit" to the reality that this country is unlikely to elect a man who used to live in a double-wide governor's mansion (it's true...google it) and believes that Satan put dinosaur bones in the ground to tempt the unbelievers. If we were looking for a president at least as dim as the one we've got now, Huckabee would be our guy!

Like most anti-feminists, he's not the brightest crayon in the box.

Answer 2

I am always stunned at how little people seem to know about history in these answers.

First of all, there has ******NEVER****** been a time when everybody on the entire planet agreed on what marriage was and how to raise children, etc. Take the time, oh, 2,000 years ago. There were Celtic cultures, which were pantheistic, meaning that the people believed that everything was part of God. They believed that women could demand a divorce, take back whatever property they brought to the marriage, and be free to marry again. Or the Greeks, who accepted homosexuality and didn't think it defined a person. They believed in a pantheon and men's and women's religions were kept separate. And there were Jews, who believed in one god (which was considered blasphemous by most ancient people) and seem to sometimes have practiced polygamy.

Marriage 200 years ago was more often a financial arrangement than a love match. This is why so many people who had been widowed remarried within a few months of the death of a spouse. This is also why most upper-class couples had separate bedrooms and why married couples appear to have called each other "Mr. Smith" and "Mrs. Smith" until into the twentieth century. It is laughable to say that people who can't divorce must love each other more than people who can. If you're stuck, staying married proves nothing.

There are lots of reasons to get married that have nothing to do with God. Even the church didn't necessarily get involved with weddings until sometime in the Middle Ages, when it was customary for people to have a ceremony on the church porch. For the most part, weddings were for people with money; common people decided to live together, with or without being blessed by a priest.

Also, fundamentalists with all that, "I believe every word in the Bible is true." Oh, yeah? Why are they eating bacon, then? The Bible contradicts itself, tells different versions of the same stories, and includes a lot of chapters on how to prepare different animals for being sacrificed.

All that aside, in any relationship there's give and take. There are times that two people can't agree and in our house whoever cares more gets to decide. So, sometimes I give in and sometimes my husband does. We try to make it so that both of us can do at least some of what we want to do. If I submitted to my husband in the case of the laundry, for example, all my clothes would be grayish pink. If he submitted to me on yard work, the weeds would be up to the windows.

WHY can't all of these guys keep their praying in the closet? (Matthew 6:6)

Answer 3

I know i have added a whole chapter the second half on marriage and what it is trying to show is the marriage relationship is suppose to mirror our relationship with Christ, if you submit to God you should submit to your husband.

However please understand this is from a time period where
the people all believed the same and had the same values. If you look during the time even of pride and prejudice if you met a man that you like and he liked you there were few questions you had to ask, you did not have to go through extensive past sexual encounters, religious beliefs, politics, education, job status questions on how to raise the children how many children ect that marriage/dating has become now.
We have made it so complicated and involved that its like walking through a mine field.

200 years ago marriage was about love, support and commitment. The man tilled the field and took care of the livestock (big) the woman took care of the garden,home and small animals (chickens ect) they each worked very hard and they each knew each others job, they would pull double duty when the other got sick. When you worked this hard as a team respect and commitment were normally given.
What marriage seems to be in current times is for convenience and selfish purposes.

In all honestly in our day in age I see no reason to get married unless you are a follower of Christ, and you did want to submit to husband and God.

I am a believer and I am married to a wonderful man that I respect and love very much, and he truly wants only what is best for his family, submitting to him in somethings has been hard (moving away from family ect : however as soon we could he moved us back) He has never done anything to hurt me or our family, trusting him is easy he wants the best for me. after 6 years and two kids I have very little problem with submitting to him.

Answer 4

I think this is to be expected of a man who is proud to state publicly that the earth is 6,000 years old, and that dinosaur bones were put here by satan to test the faith of evengelicals. It's also why Americans will overwhelmingly turn out to support a Republican who is more sane.

Answer 5

I say whatever. I am not willing to submit to any man. I am my own woman and I was raised by a feminist that raised me to not depend on a man for my daily bread. I was raised that marriage is about compromise, not a man dictatating what I do. I feel like women have suffered at the hands of men for too long and I refuse to be treated like a second class citizen just because I am a woman. I am not going to concede so whatever. He'll never be president with ideas like that!

Answer 6

Is there a provision in all of this for a woman who marries a man who has a lower-end IQ? More to the point: is it always wise to submit to someone else's direction if that someone else happens to be someone who lacks superiority in any area that might affect the relationship, finances, etc?

I have a problem with blindly following the lead of anyone. I prefer to walk through life with my eyes wide open.

If a woman must, as Huckabee puts it, "submit to her husband's sacrifice", let me ask you this: what about her sacrifices? Do they not matter? Are they not worthy of her husband's "submission"? Why is it that her sacrifices don't even warrant an honorable mention? Or is he superior (and his deeds superior) just because he happens to be a male?

I think compromising and communication are better alternatives....submission is oppressive.

Answer 7

i think it's accurate, it's fine, and i have no problem with it. and i'm a wife. it's like i heard a pastor say one time, if the husband is sacrificially loving and leading his wife, no wife would have trouble submitting to a man like that! submission does not equal doormat unlike what many feminists have twisted it to mean.

Answer 8

Huckabee hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected President. That said, he's entitled to believe whatever he wants. I don't agree with him. If he got the nomination, this alone would discredit him.

Answer 9

I'm not impressed with Huckabee as a presidential candidate for reasons other than his religious beliefs. I'm particularly not impressed with his track record as former governor of Arkansas.

Republicans aren't the only ones that are religious. They just claim that they are.

Answer 10

I look at the Middle Eastern countries and am amazed at how the people cling to their mullahs, men locked into the past, slaves to an ancient ideology. They in turn enslave their people.

Then I hear about this wannabe prez, he is also tied to an outdated, misogynist doctrine. He and men and women like are what is wrong with our country. I will never vote for a fundamentalist minister for prez. I am afraid that many people will.

He scares me.

Answer 11

If you read carefully, the text does not say a wife should submit to her husband, it spoke of submission to a husband's sacrifice, i.e. to accept his sacrifice, in a religious context. If this is Huckabee's personal view, he is entitled to it.
I'm not supporting Huckabee anyway, so it doesn't matter much to me.