Response to Rebecca: Women's Roles in the Bible

9th of April 2008

Response to Rebecca: Women’s Roles in the Bible

http://theupsidedownworld.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/womens-roles-in-the-bible/#comment-432

Hello Rebecca,

I reread you post several times ensuring I digested it fully. While reading your words I found much thought behind them, however, I found them to be lacking heart. You invested much time in researching the topic, but your heart was unmistakably absent when forming this post.

It has me wondering just how much you believe what is written within this message or if your writings you were trying to convince yourself as well as others. That really is none of my business and while I found your post very serious and intellectually stimulated, so I hope you find my respond in kind. The only problem with mixing the Bible and intellect is that spirituality is meant for the soul…not just the mind.

Have you ever opened your heart as you read the Bible? Really opened your heart and before you get defensive, think about what I’m asking. Read the Bible with an open heart to digest not only the words written, but the sentiments of the lives within its pages. Please ask yourself a question as you read about the life of Jesus Christ in the New Testament; did he ever denounce women? Did Jesus Christ every put down a woman that he encountered? Did he ever treat a woman as a subordinate or did he not respect every woman he encountered as an equal? If Jesus did not treat women with such reverence, why then do you believe his church was meant too?

One of the most cherished things I’ve seen come out of modern day Christianity was the bracelet and saying “WWJD” or What Would Jesus Do. Most people misunderstood what the true meaning of this meant, but to those who really did grasp its true meaning…if Jesus Christ were with you right now during today and was a party to this exchange of thoughts, how do you believe he would respond? Do you think he would agree with your research and or congratulate you on being so intellectually driven about the love shard between two people?

My own personal beliefs are that the love shared between two people should be something sacred and not something that can be explained away. Love cannot be trivialized and must be felt with all of your heart, lived and shared openly. Not to share such love is a travesty within itself. I feel the cornerstone of the church is about Love and when that is diminished we do a disservice to the life that directed us.

As for the role of women in history and in the church; I find the originators of Christianity purposely held women at bay keeping them from roles of authority and power. Now I know that statement got your attention and while you were merely placating my petty writing until now, I’ve just angered you. I hope you return to these words and give me a chance to explain another perspective.

As you research the Bible, go back to about 325 AD to the formation of the first Council of Nicaea that was called to order by Emperor Constantine. I understand why he brought together more than 300 of the Religious Leaders and Politicians of the era, because the purpose was to stop the uncontrollable fighting between religious groups that had family members killing family members. Rome was on the precipice of being torn apart by the citizens themselves due in the name of religious beliefs. Constantine was a life long Pagan, but saw that if he did not unite all people under one religion that everyone could agree with, then an all out war would rip apart society. So Christianity as you and I know it, including the Bible we read, were all decided upon by the Council and passed down as religious law or Canons.

There were more than thirty different chapters submitted as Gospels, yet the council hand picked only those Bible chapters that showed the religion they wanted you and me to follow. They also reorganized and edited the chapters known to us as the Old Testament. There is a reason women were so denounced in the organization of Christianity. Paganism praises and believed women being the vessels of life, guided us to great spirituality and thereby closer to the Gods. Paganism was the largest and most organized threat to Christianity and to be assimilated into Christianity after which it must be obliterated, so thereby causing the greatest infighting during chamber meetings. The role of women was sold for the acknowledgement of holidays and other beliefs to be incorporated into Christian.

You have shown great capability for research and have either all ready studied the Council of Nicaea. I am sure you have great desires to prove me wrong, which is good, the best research is the ones driven in haste because you won’t forget what you learn. Before you dive into the Internet and history books, think about our almighty God. If there is one deity that knows all and sees all, why would he create a being as a woman; perfect in form, perfect in every way and most importantly, in the image of God, only to tell her that she is to be subservient to man. She is inferior to man and must serve his needs. Are we to believe that man is somehow closer to God? I have a hard time believing that men are more capable then women could ever imagine being. In my experience with women, if a man thought about it, a woman did long before, she just didn’t say anything. If you honestly think God created a being so perfect in women with the intellect only a woman could summon; but he prepared her only to be subordinate to men; you really are deluding yourself. God would never create any of us to be inferior to anyone else.

I am sorry for my harsh words, but I don’t believe God would be so cruel. I don’t believe an omnipotent entity would ever create perfection only to make it less than anything else that he created. Man…not God, made women inferior out of fear that women would and could leave man behind. God is not about limits and rules and judgments…not the God I know. He wants you and me to know about Love, Honor and Respect. You must have them for yourself before you can share them with anyone else openly.

Please think about what I’ve said.

Your humble servant – Todd M. Dobson