I know women preachers who are better speakers and more knowledgeable about the Bible than most of the COG ministers out there. How embarrassing for those COG minsters to have to deal with that! Imagine a woman smarter than Rod Meredith, Pack, Coulter, Weinland or Flurry! Well, on second thought, that is not hard to imgine at all!
What If Women Had a Voice at Nicea?
What if women had been given a voice at Nicea? What if the Apostle Junia had written an epistle that survived, even if only in references by ancient critics? What if the cult of Jesus had not won the economic and political turf war against the mystic gnostics? What if the Acts of Paul and Thecla had made the canon? What if we still believed Jesus really was a totally flesh-and-blood, sweaty, sexy man?Would women have not become second-class citizens of the Kingdom? Would we have quit making excuses for ignoring "male and female, created He them" and "in Christ there is no slave nor free, male or female"? Would women be respected in the Christian community as whole, complex people instead of wombs with legs?What if we had taken Jesus seriously when he honored the whore, the women disciples, the adulteress, the mother, the rich patroness, rather than only following his example as the destroyer of the temple?Who would we think God is? Who would we think we are?
5 comments:
"I know women preachers who are better speakers and more knowledgeable about the Bible than most of the COG ministers out there"
Excellent point and yes, there are many many women teachers (i prefer the term) who are far superior in their speaking, logic and delivery skills than most COG ministers. It has to do with training, with scope of education and having a heart for ministry. Three strikes against the COG program.
As you all know from my previous writings, the entire purpose of Genesis 1-3 was to detrone the goddess worship around Israel and the power of women and matriarchy and install the male system of priests, temples blood and guts.
The nation whose religion honors and revears the goddess have honor the women in their society overall .
The Israelite YHVH was going to have little of that and thus we have Genesis to Revelation now.
Women have all the power over men which is why men and religion have gone to such lengths being sure they never realize it again...
The Role of Women In The Church
To cook, to clean, to bear children, to stand by her man (and take other positions as needed) and to buy an occasional field for profit to make her man rich.
Beyond that, she's to believe anything her husband's cult leader says without question and find a way to keep the family clothed and fed, even though said cult leader seems to take everything the family has.
At least that's the way it is in British Israelism cults of Herbert Armstrong. Ministers 10, regular men in the cult 1, women zero. That goes for the girls too. Course, the guys growing up in the cult leave. WCG had 7 of 9 growing up in the church leave. In some congregations, there isn't anyone there between the age of 20 and 50. Makes for real boring get togethers.
But not to worry, there will be supernatural intervention and all the ACoGs will be healthy again... some how.
On the other hand, there's the minster's wife, often the power behind the throne.
I guess this attitude toward women was one of the first doctrines I questioned, along with diveorce and remarriage, makeup and birthdays. I have always admired and gravitated toward high spirited, intelligent and able women.
I know a great many men fear them, but not me. I want partners and associates who are every bit and every way on my level. My little wife is, and I love and respect her for it. No way am I going to "rule" over her.
The retired Baptist minister who married us once asked me incredulously regarding some comment I made how many heads were in my home. When I said, "two," he just shook his head. We have a partnership, and it is going great.
Incidentally, he was kidding himself about how much in control he was. His wife knew how to get around him and sway him, just like Loma Armstrong did.
Douglas Becker said, "Course, the guys growing up in the cult leave. WCG had 7 of 9 growing up in the church leave."
MY COMMENT - Yep, and I am one of the 7 to leave.
Richard
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