Biblical view of women

garysher · 02-14-2008, 12:53 PM

I'm taking the liberty of continuing the interesting conversation started in another thread, about the Biblical view of women, and also the way books were chosen to be included in the Bible

See how long it lasts!

Call me old fashioned, but I'm a bit skeptical about new truths which have suddenly been unearthed about the Bible after thousands of years, for example:

" In the last twenty years, the history of women in ancient Christianity has been almost completely revised.

As women historians entered the field in record numbers, they brought with them new questions, developed new methods, and sought for evidence of women's presence in neglected texts and exciting new findings"
from jesus to christ: the first christians: women in ancient christianity

Especially when these amazing new revelations happen to coincide with the interests of the group doing the research!

Sorry tables!

You have to believe that the God who created the Universe made sure that the right information was chosen to be included in God's Word, otherwise it can be bent and twisted to suit anybody's special interests.

Grace · 02-14-2008, 02:26 PM

"Certainly, the New Testament Gospels, written toward the last quarter of the first century CE, acknowledge that women were among Jesus' earliest followers. From the beginning, Jewish women disciples, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, had accompanied Jesus during his ministry and supported him out of their private means (Luke 8:1-3). He spoke to women both in public and private, and indeed he learned from them. According to one story, an unnamed Gentile woman taught Jesus that the ministry of God is not limited to particular groups and persons, but belongs to all who have faith."

Women taught Jesus????? No man nor women could teach Jesus anything. He IS the first and the last, the begining and end of all things. The almighty God.

intangible child · 02-14-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grace

"Certainly, the New Testament Gospels, written toward the last quarter of the first century CE, acknowledge that women were among Jesus' earliest followers. From the beginning, Jewish women disciples, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, had accompanied Jesus during his ministry and supported him out of their private means (Luke 8:1-3). He spoke to women both in public and private, and indeed he learned from them. According to one story, an unnamed Gentile woman taught Jesus that the ministry of God is not limited to particular groups and persons, but belongs to all who have faith."

And he was hung for it!

The Gnostic Jesus

OhDear · 02-15-2008, 07:55 AM

People do not really need to unearth new documents to find that women were always given a prominent place in God's plan, the keeping of his people and the dissemination of the gospel.

Women have been leaders in many capacities before Christ as well as after, and integral to his ministry and that of the early church.

And even now, women are named as saints by the Roman Church, along with men.

The idea of inequality and women being trivialized within Christianity is not experientially demonstrated.

OhDear

pensacola_niceman · 02-15-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhDear

People do not really need to unearth new documents to find that women were always given a prominent place in God's plan, the keeping of his people and the dissemination of the gospel.

Women have been leaders in many capacities before Christ as well as after, and integral to his ministry and that of the early church.

And even now, women are named as saints by the Roman Church, along with men.

The idea of inequality and women being trivialized within Christianity is not experientially demonstrated.

OhDear

This only applies to Klingon society. There, females are on equal ranking with males. For humans, the female is much weaker, and; therefore meant to serve men.

waitingtables · 02-15-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

The idea of inequality and women being trivialized within Christianity is not experientially demonstrated.

I think that is slightly naive. And it seems that the early Church was doing it's best to try and remove as much evidence to the spiritual equality of women as they could. Fortunately, they didn't succeed in erasing all evidence, and we are left with some proof in writings or scriptures that were overlooked.

waitingtables · 02-15-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

You have to believe that the God who created the Universe made sure that the right information was chosen to be included in God's Word, otherwise it can be bent and twisted to suit anybody's special interests.

Then why didn't the early Church believe the same thing, and allow the teachings that were originally written to be included? Because they are the first ones guilty of bending and twisting information to suit their own special interests. So that argument doesn't fly with me.

Grace · 02-15-2008, 11:06 AM

Waiting, do you believe the bible is the word of God?

waitingtables · 02-15-2008, 11:21 AM

No. I believe the bible is a compilation of documents made by men. And men who would pull a woman from her home and kill her, like the monks under Cyril in Alexandria, by tearing her to pieces and scraping the flesh from her bones with oyster shells, because she dared to teach men, could not be working for Jesus. And these were the same group of believers who burned the Library at Alexandria, to try to insure that no one would ever know the ideas that predated and/or contrdicted those of the Church.

pensacola_niceman · 02-15-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grace

Waiting, do you believe the bible is the word of God?

It is the word of man's interpretation of God. If you don't see otherwise, you will have a lot of conflict in following it to the letter. Also, you better beg for forgiveness for that last crab or lobster you ate.

"Anything that has fins and scales, and lives in the water, whether in sea or river, you may eat. 10 But anything in sea or river that does not have fins and scales, of all the small water-creatures and all the living things found there, you will regard as detestable.