Bible refers to women as "the weaker vessel" - you know why?

by sabastious 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  TD

  But the most significant point, is that the Bible was written by MIDDLE EASTERN MEN... So very few people understand the TRUE significance of that fact!!!!

  Exactly!

  --Given the fact that the Taliban is probably the closest thing we have today to the social context in which the statement was made, the idea of cherishing and taking care of women, (Even if it was under the pretext of them being "weaker") was actually a very progressive thought.

  People should just take St. Peter's statement in the spirit in which it was intended and not treat it as if it were spoken yesterday.
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  dysfunction

  To Meangirl,

  This is by no means my feelings, I for one never understood or agreed, with someone being my head or owner. What I mentioned was preconcieved notions as to the roles a man and women is supposed to fulfill. Also the statement about the ideas is what I heard at the meeting, that the final decision is up to the husband to make and even if the wife does not agree she should support him. Which I thought was bull. I do believe in teamwork, and most couple who consider each other to be equal are able to accomplish more, and are happy together.
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  PSacramento

  TD, is correct, as usual.

  Context is everything, even more so in bible verses.

  We must take into account who said it, to whom it was said, when and under what circumstances.

  Especially letters that are addressed to specific people or groups.
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  ziddina

  "Christ treated women wonderfully. He challenged those middle eastern men you are talking about.

  Jesus was ahead of his time really. ..."

  Actually, Sab, he wasn't...

  Check out the behavior of the Romans towards their own women; depending on a woman's status, a Roman woman had FAR MORE freedoms than a Hebrew woman...

  And going beyond THAT, check out the freedoms of the so-called "barbarian" women - especially those of barbarian tribes NOT under Roman control or influence!!

  The idea that Christianity was somehow more "advanced" in its treatment of women - with the mandatory head coverings, women should have "long hair" as a sign of their submission, "desiring a woman to learn in silence and all submissiveness", and mainly WOMEN being tapped to 'care for' the apostles, shows that Christianity wasn't that far ahead of the old Mosaic laws, after all...

  Zid
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  ziddina

  errr.... TD, what part of cutting up one's concubine after letting her be raped to death, and sending the parts to the 12 tribes...

  Sounds like "cherishing and taking care of women"... [apparently the Israelites were still functioning under the Egyptian "12 signs of the zodiac" totemic symbols, at that point...]

  While I was belly-dancing in southern California, I met several American women who were married to Middle Eastern men, and who had lived there for some years - and not in some special oil-company compound that softened the effects of the Middle-Eastern mentality - MENtality...

  My friend Daisy, married to a Bedouin, described how her husband would spend more time in the bathroom primping than SHE did - and she was a blonde beauty!! She also described one flagrant example of the attitudes towards women; seeing a Middle-Eastern man get on the local bus (in Saudi Arabia), with his wife following, CARRYING AN APARTMENT-SIZED REFRIGERATOR ON HER BACK!!!! The man was focused on being in charge and looking good; he left the "heavy lifting" to his wife... Literally...

  Women are viewed as slightly above 'beasts of burden' in the Middle East, as that incident demonstrated...

  That whole "cherishing and taking care of women" that Westerners THINK they see in the cloistered confines of the hareem, is actually the male dominance of the 'herd' of females that produce the Middle-Eastern man's young. A typical Middle Eastern man is primarily concerned with turning out SONS - the basis of an army - and he/they guard their biological sources viciously and jealously...

  However, there is little to no concern for the life-oriented females who PRODUCE the lifeblood of their lifelines!!!

  Zid
• 

  truthlover

  Weaker - hummmm not so, by my standards - I sit and hear the PO give talks and only alludes to the "Brothers" -- never Brothers AND sisters and it really boils me - so I told him about it, and nothing changed, so I must remind him again --

  I was aware of this ridiculous woman bashing even when I was in the world,(all religions have this problem) the giving away by a father at the wedding to the new MAN - an exchange from one man to another and didn't like it then - although I must add that my marriage is a great one -- I could still not become a piece of property passed from my father to my husband -- just as it has been in thousands of years past -- its funny women don't see that but it has only been since 1930's that women have any kind of voice and even up to the 50's, she had to do what the old man said and could not have a voice.. now we really see a reversal in that there is not a real balance in the relationship and all hell has broken loose - the weaker vessel is doing her thing and life has become a lot harder to deal with cause the guys are just flustered at it all...

  It's been a mans world for along time and they really don't want the status quo to change

  Mostly the WTB$ refers it to a physical thing, not able to do the heavier jobs, etc. but as far as spiritual and intellectual, she is the equal of man, just a lot lower on the superiority scale
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  insearchoftruth

  Wasn't there an Awake article in the 1960s that talked about the smaller brain size of women??
• 

  TD

  Zid,

  errr.... TD, what part of cutting up one's concubine after letting her be raped to death, and sending the parts to the 12 tribes...

  I do understand. That's why I said, "The Taliban is probably the closest thing we have today to the social context in which the statement was made."

  First century Judaism held terrible attitudes towards women. Peter and a few other early Christian leaders preached a departure from that pattern. The symbolism of being "heirs together" should not be lost on someone familiar with Middle Eastern culture.
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  meangirl

  When I got married 15 yrs ago in a Kingdom Hall my brother walked me down the aisle just cuz I didn't want to walk by myself but he did not give me away! My father-in-law actually gave the marriage talk and I made sure to tell him to pronounce us "HUSBAND AND WIFE" AND NOT "MAN AND WIFE".....that one really pisses me off too. Yeah I don't get how grown women let their fathers give then away......so demeaning. Even if I was close to my dad I never would've allowed him to "give me away" but he is a sorry no good for nothing dead beat dad who was a self alcoholic growing up so I don't even have to worry about that! Anyways, one of my favorite lines from a song are Gwen Stefanie's "I'm just a girl" and in it she says "this world is forcing me to hold your hand" and "what I succumbed to is making me numb."..........So true. It is a shame that religion is one of the main ways women are held down and what is sad is that is how people in general want it to be including women. I remember one time during a watchtower study on marriage a sister raised her hand and said"Men think. Wome feel." Everybody was nodding their heads and I glared at her. My blood was boiling.