Bible study author, speaker and blogger Michelle Lesley tackles the radical feminist agenda and its influence on the Church:
I hate radical secular feminism. I really do. Don’t get me wrong, I deeply appreciate the right to vote and own property. I think that men and women with the same amount of experience and education should be paid the same amount of money for doing the same job. And, I love seeing women study and develop their minds (particularly in the area of sound biblical doctrine.)
But what I don’t like is some of the methods that have been employed to achieve these things, the biblical values that have been sacrificed along the way, and the emasculating impact feminism has had on men.
Turn on any television show, watch a commercial, go to the movies, read the news, scroll through your social media feed, and examine the way men are generally viewed, spoken of, and being treated by others.
If a female character on a TV show slaps her husband or punches him in the arm, we laugh or sympathize with her anger, depending on the scenario, but if the roles were reversed we’d call the same behavior from a man abuse.
Men are frequently portrayed as bumbling incompetents as fathers, husbands, and employees, with a heroine mom, wife, or co-worker stepping in to save the day.
We see women wearing the pants in the family and treating their husbands like an extra child, and we see men who respond in kind: acting like children, obeying their wives’ commands, and, often, indulging in hours of childish pastimes, like video games, instead of working hard and caring for their families.
It’s not Father Knows Best anymore. It’s Father’s a Moronic Buffoon to Kick Around.
And what’s alarming is that these attitudes have been creeping into the church for years.
Just as women rebelled against the law and social conventions to gain equality with men, “Christian” women now rebel against Scripture by becoming pastors and instructing and holding authority over men in the church. (In fact, this has been going on so long that many in the next generation aren’t even aware that the Bible prohibits this.)
Just as men in secular society have stepped back to avoid being run over by headstrong women, or even joined them in their quest for female dominance, evangelical men have abdicated their God-given positions of leadership in the church and home, sometimes even joining women in their violation of Scripture by inviting them into unbiblical positions of leadership and by sitting under their teaching and preaching.
Those are the things that are overt and visible. But it’s happening on a more subtle level, too, even among complementarian men, women, and churches.
Have you ever heard a man attempt to praise his wife by saying, “I married up,” or “way up,” or “way over my head,” and then proceed to describe himself as, basically, a bucket of slime in comparison to his wife? Most of the men I’ve heard say this have been good, godly men, including my husband, who has made similar remarks in the past.
I don’t know about the rest of you ladies, but I don’t want to hear anyone putting my husband (or any of my godly male friends) down, even my husband himself. The truth is, for believers, the cross is the great equalizer. We all marry equally up and equally down, because we are all redeemed, yet broken, sinful human beings- simultaneously saint and sinner.
And what about things like this?
The so called “right” of the women’s vote is a bane to America. And a direct rebellion against god’s established order given in the Bible. In 1 Cor.11:3 we find Paul teaching “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God”. And Eph.5:22- “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord”.
Anything with two heads is a freak.
The women’s vote was designed by Satan to bring this order of authority into confusion. He has succeeded to such a degree that women are leading men in the world and even being elevated to leadership roles in the church. Pure rebellion against God’s divinely established order.
I totally disagree with Edwitness and the literal interpretation of the passages stated. At the time the Bible was written, many cultural norms of the day were included, and one norm was the role of women as chattel or possessions. At that time, women were not educated and were not considered important — if even human. These statements about women in the New Testament are much different from the description of the woman of Proverbs 31, who had freedoms and rights many women still do not have today. Other parts of the Old Testament include narratives of women like Deborah who served as judges of the nation of Israel. If it was God’s will for Deborah to be a judge, why should women of today not have the right to vote and to become knowledgeable about social and political issues?
As for the women’s vote being designed by Satan to bring this “order of authority” into confusion, what does Edwitness say about the wisdom men show in the choices they make, whether they are personal choices or the men’s vote in politics? While all people are fallible, all people still have the potential for good deeds and for wise choices. I am sure Edwitness would not want to change places with a woman and suffer the various forms of discrimination aimed at most women, even today. Has Edwitness ever heard of the Golden Rule as taught in the Gospels? Sorry, Edwitness, but my world does not need elitist, narrow-minded people like you!!!
Sheila,
“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence”. 1 Tim.2:12. This is instruction for women in church. This is how God shows His love for women. Yet you take it as an insult. See the kind of rebellion the world’s ways of thinking produces.
Your world must not include the word of God.
Edwitness,
1 Tim 2: 12 is is not a universal prohibition. 1 Tim. 1 alerts us to the fact that Paul wanted Timothy to stay in Ephesus because of false teachers/teachings. 1 Tim 2 speaks of men praying everywhere with lifted hands without wrath and doubting………seems to be a problem with the men (plural) doubting and being very angry. Then to the women (plural) to adorn themselves with modest appearal, no braided hair, gold, pearls or expensive clothing…….again, there was problem with women (plural) dressing extravagantly… ….being ostentatious and showy. These women need to stop. Verse 11 is not plural ‘ Women’ but singular ‘Woman’. Let the woman learn with all subjection. Which should be the posture of any student. Verse 12 goes on to explain what this ‘woman’ ( singular ) was doing. She was usurping Authority or trying to dominate the man. This is something that christian men are never told to do to women or other men. Verse 13 and 14 equates this situation to the scenario of the Garden. Paul makes a comparison between the two situations. Could being formed first ( the man) instead of being formed last ( the woman) make the man more knowledgeable about God……. Possible. Could you use that same reason today to keep women from being teachers, and keeping them silent? It is a stretch. Because if you do you will have to also teach that ‘all’ women are more easily deceived since the Garden……..but reality ( a quick perusal of a book on cults will settle that matter).
Also, if you have all this tied up with a nice bow,,,,,,please explain verse 15. Who is the ‘she’ ( singular) and the ‘ they’ ( plural) that Paul is talking about. Are Christian women always saved in childbearing?
Terri,
The woman, all women, are the weaker vessel and more easily deceived. And men are to have this knowledge in order that he might protect her.
1 Peter3:7- Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
The knowledge the man is to dwell with his wife in is that she is weaker. In what way? This way……….
1 Timothy 2:14- “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
Edwitness,
You did not deal with anything in my comment. You just simply started proof-texting. You can’t skirt around and pick up one passage here and then another passage there and forcibly link them together. Who taught you to treat the Bible in such a fashion? I kept mine all within the context of 1 Tim. 2: 8-15.
And another quick question…….Adam was not deceived true. Tell me which is worse…….to be deceived and sin ( the woman) or to sin with knowledge but then go ahead and do it anyway (the man)?
1 Tim. 2:14 does not say that ‘all’ women are deceived…… You said that. The passage was talking about this couple in Ephesus and the couple in the Garden. All women are not deceived. If that is the case then all men ( like Adam) know what is right but do the opposite. You have a bias my friend.
Yes Terri,
I have a bias. I believe the Bible is the inerrant word of the living God. I quoted these scriptures because they succinctly deal with GOD’S view of men and women. I guess, using your “reasoning”, Paul was refering to only a specific woman when he used the singular “woman” and said;
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (Do you think that this was intended for only one couple?)
Or in this verse;
“For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man”. (Do you think that Paul shows a bias when he says the woman is the glory of the man as man is God’s?)
Or here;
“For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man”.
Or here;
“Neither was the man created FOR the woman; but the woman FOR the man. (Woman was created for man? There goes Paul’s bias again.)
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels”.
(What do you think that means, “power on her head”?)
The scripture clearly teaches that the man is the head of the woman and that she is to learn in silence in church and wait till she is alone with her husband, or dad, to ask questions or make comments.
1Cor.14:34,35- “Let your women (plural) keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
You need to learn (from your husband or your dad if your single) to rightly divide the word of truth.
Biased indeed:-)
In the 1950s men were portrayed as the “boss” figure and women were often portrayed as “bumbling fools.” Now we’ve gone to the other extreme. Its obviously somewhere in the middle where man and woman share roles as equal partners. Whatever happened to the old fashion concept of man and woman working along side each other? Where neither the woman or the man is “boss.” Man and woman simply agree and delegate roles and tasks based on their private circumstances. Regardless of Bible interpretation, whoever is head of the home is really none of our business anyway. What I really despise is the media telling us what its supposed to be.