Re: Re: Re: The bible makes me sick.
LostAngeles said:
The Bible consistently treats women as second-class citizens and property.
Consisteantly does what?
Man is described as being incomplete, unable to function properly without a woman.
Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
In short, he needed her help.
There are two biblical books which bear the name of women
The Book of Esther
The Book of Ruth
Esther was instrumental in saving Israel from being slaughtered by a scheming Edomite.
Modern Jews still celebrate this event on the holiday called Purim.
Ruth became the ancesstress of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Miriam was a prophetess:
Exodus 15:20
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.
:21
Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD , for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea."
King Solomon was inspired to praise a good wife.
All the privileges such women enjoyed are described here:
Proverbs 18
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the LORD .
Proverbs 31:
The Wife of Noble Character
10 [3] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Solomon was also inspired to write a whole book dedicated to praising both the loveliness of a woman he sought and her unyielding faitfulness to her true love.
Song of Solomon 8:
7Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.
This faitfulness prefigured the faithfulness that the Church would have toward Christ though it be placed under tempation as Solomon placed the Shulamite maiden.
The Apostle Paul reminds the Christian husband to treat their wives with kindness as if they were their own bodies.
Ephesians 5
28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
God appointed Deborah, a prophetess to lead his people during the time of the Judges:
Judges 4:4
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading [ 4:4 Traditionally [ judging ] ] Israel at that time.
God also granted Anna, the privilege of prophesying about the Christ:
Luke 2
36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[5] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Christian Church is described as being female--the bride of Christ:
2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
Revelation 19
6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
God saw fit to transef the life of his only Begotten Son into the womb of a woman--Mary
Luke 1:
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[3] the Son of God.
There are many more verses which are positive in reference to women. So the statement that the Bible is invariably negative toward women is not true.
