Women Shall Submit

[annie]

Personally, and this is only my opinion, but I think it just isn't society that adds to the pressure of what people think each role should be. I think people add to it as well through their own misunderstanding or interpertation of the Bible.

I attend a Baptist church and we are free to interperate scripture our own way as long as we keep the basic core beliefs. This is both a positive and a negative. The negative being that people interperate what part of scripture they want, don't bother to learn the rest, and then declare that they know all. An example of this would be a man who takes the scripture from Paul and Proverbs 31:10 -31 (Perfect Wife scripture) and expects a perfect wife. Most men that I know who have done this are either not truly the head of their households or they act like they are in some fashion but treat the wife as a doormat and entirely sweep over the "as Christ loves the church" part for their own personal reasons. Personally that is not a true believer but rather someone looking for a reason to have their bad behavior condoned. Sorry... *pushes my soap box back to the corner*

Anyhow... I think it is a combination of society but also a combination of what each person is willing/wants to believe. As some one once told me, it is always easier to be a Christian at church.

On a seperate note though... there are at least a dozen examples of married couples, in all age ranges, at my church, that to me display the how the true nature of Paul's writtings are to be done. The wife is a vital part of the family and is just as important as anyone else. But, they also have a sense of peace that I truly believes comes from the fact that their husbands are being Biblical husbands. I honestly don't believe that any of those relationships are D/s... but the way they function and the harmony between the couple and the family unit in general is just awe inspiring to me....

Sorry... just rambling now! Great thread... thanks for starting it!

[Mishka]

Great thread... thanks for starting it!

My pleasure.

I walked away from Fundamentalism a few years ago. I still embrace some of the teachings but some I thought I went off the deep end about.

My husband never liked Paul very much, even while a Believer. So he did not press the submission issue with me. He only asked for cooperation and respecting each other's feelings, which isn't too much for any couple to ask for. A few years into our marriage I embraced the teaching. The thing is is that nothing really changed. I matured some, I learned how to better cooperate. Mostly by the examples of my Sisters.

Since the walk-away nothing has changed. We cooperate and try to show respect to each other. My eagerness to please is not because I am trying to please G-d, but because it is my personality, I love to please and serve.

As I mull this over I think it is greatly influenced by culture. The Bible, Quaran, Talmud and Tanach all have wifely submission and husband as head of the home scriptures. They are patriarchal societies. America still is, it was influenced by Christian doctrine. (the political aspect of this is a whole other thread)

However, I'm curious to study matriarchal societies, some Native American tribes have had it, and I'd have to re-read about others. Do the women have more legal rights? More say in their matches and divorces? More control of the money? The women and men grow up into their respective roles because of the example set by their culture. Is there still a sense of submission about certain things/scenarios? Do the women crave a man more dominant in sexuality, perhaps to prove his manlihood or because she simply needs that aspect naturally?

I'm not looking for a definitive answer, the discussion is interesting. Thank you for participating.