Selective Hearing, Selective Christianity

Christianity, it's like a buffet, you take what you want, you leave what you don't. 

                                                                             - a bunch of people

Throughout my Christian life, I’ve generally heard of the whole, men are the head of the household, women are the weaker being, women are to submit to their husbands. But, the basis of scripture for these types of teaching, I know not where they come from, but I’ve always known that there are some poignant things said in the latter books/ letters by Paul in the Bible. In knowing that those letters said something more poignantly about the behavior of women, I admit that I steered clear of them. I didn’t want to know what they said. I didn’t want to hear such words that may support the beating of women or demand that I wear a long sleeve turtleneck dress all the way down to my toes with a scarf to cover my hair and most of my face. I didn’t want to hear it, read it, know it, so I avoided it. I figured, if I didn’t hear it, read it, know it, then I’m not accountable to it and I’m definitely not accountable to having to change my life over it

I am guilty of selective obedience. I am guilty of selective Christianity.

1^st Timothy 2:9

I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

1^st  Timothy 2:11 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. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through child bearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

HO-LY CRAP! What? It actually says that? The Bible? And not just the Bible, but specifically the New Testament, cause I know the Old Testament has got a bunch of crazy stuff in it, that…man, sucks for Jews. But, seriously, I mean, how does one explain this? I mean, how, what, WHAT?!

Okay, so, the latter letters by Paul were usually about the specifics as to the organization of the church. At this point, there began to form a sort of trend of service. There was a welcome, announcements, etc. There was a need for a widow ministry, a childrens’ ministry, etc. And leaders needed to be appointed, and overall organization was needed. I guess even things like who can pray, who can’t pray. Who can prophesize and who can’t, which even that, I don’t understand because prophecy was/is seen as a gift given by Gd, so if a female has the gift, is some man allowed to just come along and say, “Hey STOPPIT, that stuff is only us men. “?

Jeez… women should learn in quietness and full submission? What the heck does that mean? It cannot mean shut up and sit down and do as I say. It can’t. Can it? And this is the point where I struggle. Because, I’m choosing not to believe that. I’m choosing not to believe this women should learn in quietness and full of submission part. But, then, wouldn’t it be a sin? For me to decide (valley girl voice): I don’t get it, I don’t like it, so I’m not gonna practice it. I mean, it’s not like I’m standing up in church interrupting the pastor and telling people I don’t feel like sitting down. Isn’t that just general etiquette, anyway? But, if it is general, why does Paul specifically, specify women? “A woman should learn in quietness and in full submission”. Are men not learning in quietness? I don’t get it. Then, there’s the “I do not permit any woman to teach or to have any authority over a man”. This explains why for so long in many, many Christian denominations one would not see a female preacher in the pulpit. To be honest, when I see it, I cringe a little. I’m still not used to it. It’s just not done. Not that I don’t believe a woman has the power or gift to teach, HECK, ALL of my Sunday School teachers were women, ALL of my Christian Academy teachers were women. Is that due to women trying to take authority? Or is that due to men seeing it, teaching, essentially, was /is a woman’s job? But, all of a sudden, when we become adults, when the word “really matters” all of a sudden, men want to take the stage, and are the only ones whom are permitted to do so? 

What I AM confused about, is the fact that the first members of the church were women. WOMEN and while Paul was there, he even mentions to respect and listen to the word of some women…Priscilla is the only name that comes to mind now (she and her husband Aquillis? Romans 16) So…what’s going on? What’s going on that THIS time, in THIS letter, in THIS church, where Paul is suddenly…ugh moving on. “For Adam was created first”? “…it was the woman whom was deceived”? Yeah…okay, so…the woman was deceived….what was Adam’s excuse? He wasn’t deceived and ate the fruit anyway, which to me is a bit “more of a sin” than to mistake ‘cause someone tricked you. Seriously, what was Adam’s excuse for doing it? Was it not deliberate? So, those who are tricked into making mistakes can’t talk, but those who do it willingly and deliberately can? (squinting eyes…raised eye brow, now head supported by fist under chin)

Okay, I need to calm down. This is the Holy Bible, the inspired word of Gd I’m talking about, I can’t just blow up like that. I must maintain some sort of reverence. Am I really to respect this sort of reasoning? Because the man was first? That’s it? I had a student who wrote in his essay about I don’t know what, but he wrote, “It is true that Gd created man first, but I believe He got it right the second time around.” So cute, so sweet, and so what I needed to hear in this male dominated society that thinks men are awesome just because they have a tentacle shooting out of their stomach that many of them can’t control, themselves, oh and they were created first. Jeez… I’m upset. Maybe I should come to this later.