Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7… “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.” vs. 6
One of the great tragedies of life in our world has been the continuing relegation of women to a subservient role in almost every culture. While situations do vary by regions and ethnicities, women are regularly discounted and regarded as inferior in nearly every land. Almost always they are regarded with suspicion and their attempts to claim equality are considered a threat to male dominance. Even though Paul wrote that men and women should be considered as one in Christ Jesus, the Church has made little progress in erasing this stigma. Only recently have women been welcomed as pastors and bishops, but even then, there is often an undercurrent of suspicion.
Those prejudices are often traced to particular scriptural passages. “The woman, it is said, was seduced by the serpent, and she in turn seduced her husband”. No end of misery has come from interpretations of these few words and the resulting prejudices against women can even be found in other world religions.
But there are signs of hope! Barriers to full inclusion for women are falling! Both men and women are now being seen as “very good,” and the old distorted myths are finally being abandoned. Praise God!
Thought for the Day: Why do some men delight in putting down women?
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