I believe too, that a lot of this is evolutionary in that it is deeply ingrained in our species (the strong man leading and protecting the woman and the woman desiring to be lead and protected).
I have to disagree with this statement, dear GN (peace to you!). I really believe that this is a societal phenomenon... except perhaps when a woman was about to give birth (which is about the only time she can't do for herself - although today many Euro-American women still believe they can't just after, women the world over have and do... give birth, then get up and get back to the "routine" immediately after).
Long ago, men were killed by a plethora of means, including wild animals, accidents, wars (even on a tribal level), leaving women to fend for themselves... and their children. In such a sense, women had to do EVERYTHING a man had to do (hunting, protecting the "clan", etc.)... as well as go ahead and bear/care for the child she was carrying at the time, as well as any other children she had.
The myth that we are "weaker" seems to have originated with men (most probably those who were insecure and/or sought control of others) who COULD make the argument because of menstruation and its related "symptoms," our tendency to cry a little more (although that's not necessarily a bad thing), and childbearing. Certain women, rather than taking offense, used this as a justification for NOT doing the harder, dirtier work. Because most of us are a bit vain and prefer to be "pretty" (or thought to be so).
But relegating women to an inferior position also made it easier for all kinds of things, including but not limited to property seizure, homosexual activities (and I am NOT putting down homosexuals; I am referring to the well-documented time(s) in man's history and culture where it was considered that a women's only "value" was in producing offspring... which culture still exists in certain parts of the world - the middle east, primarily), and more.
RELIGION... has been the main tool to perpetuate this phenomena, however. First, with the declaration to Eve (that HER husband would dominate HER, and for him would be HER craving), then with how Sarai and others addressed their husbands (which was nothing more than a show of respect but has been used by religion to perpetuate a kind of inferiority), and then with Paul's often misogyistic admonitions.
I get it that many men can survive without a woman; in the same vein, many women have survived in this world... and survive now... without a man. Even in the face of society's that limit what she can do to feed her family AND while having to maintain all of the usual domestic responsibilities that society expects of her. A man can live in a dump and folks will just say, "Oh, well, he's a man. He needs someone to help him." Not so for a woman - even if the dump is the fault of her man... it's her fault for not keeping it clean.
Do I think women in the WTBTS have it harder than the men? Yes and no. Yes, to some extent, because of the limitations placed on them. The WTBTS doesn't allow women to be "ministerial servants," even though both men AND women were such during the first century. They use Paul's comments about not allowing a woman to teach/speak in public as grounds for that restriction - however, neither had anything to do with such service: ministerial servants were merely those who saw to it that the items offered to the poor... and distributed by the OVERSEERS... got to their destination. And so, there HAD to be women ministerials servants... because the DISTRIBUTION... was to orphans and WIDOWS. No male servant could have showed up at a widows house alone... nor without SOME women. So, it was simply better to SEND women. Phoebe was one such woman. Romans 16:1 However, woman also spoke to and taught the men; hence, Priscilla and those like HER.
I do NOT think that WTBTS women have it harder, per se, though, because they CHOOSE to accept the restrictions placed on them, although they have NO foundation in Christ OR the Bible. They are, most of them, those Paul called "weak women", after describing the MEN they follow:
"But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. For from these arise those men who slyly work their way into households and lead as their captives weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth." 2 Timothy 3:1-7
Paul's restrictive viewpoints, positions, and admonitions were due to (1) his Pharisaical training, and (2) the ROMAN LAWS in effect in the region at the time. But NOT Moses or the Jewish Law. HE... was a ROMAN and so concerned not only with Judaic law but secular law. Both Moses AND the Law had GREAT reverence for women, however. Moses' own sister, Miriam, was his fellow prophet. Deborah was appointed a judge. Jael killer Sisero when Barak (a man) would not. Esther saved Israel. Abigail saved David. And many other women took positions of lead or assertion.
WTBTS women would KNOW this... if they bothered to READ what the Bible SAYS on these matters, versus what the WTBTS purports the Bible to say about them. If they would take an extra minute or two and LOOK UP the cited verses, they would see that what the WTBTS is teaching and pushing is NOT supported by the Bible, Christ... and, after a time, Paul. Instead, they LAZILY defer their OWN spirituality to others: the WTBTS, GB, "FDS", and their husbands, and it was prophesied that such would occur:
"An astonishing situation, even a horrible thing, has been brought to be in the land: The prophets themselves actually prophesy in falsehood; and as for the priests, they go subduing according to their powers. And my own people have loved [it] that way; and what will YOU men do in the finale of it?” Jeremiah 5:31
Unfortunately, their deference isn't going to fly in the end of it all. In the END... EACH ONE will have to give his/her OWN accounting. And just like the men aren't going to be able to say "The WTBTS/GB/FDS said...", the WOMEN aren't going to be able to say, "The WTBTS/GB/FDS/my husband said..."
Christ did not approach the MAN in the relationship and tell him to go get his "wife" in the account of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well; he told the WOMAN... to get HER "husband." He spoke to, called, and gave the blessing to HER... first. Just as he showed himself first to the WOMEN who NEVER left him... even when he was impaled... rather than to the MEN... who fled.
In the end, then, NO ONE is going to be able to say, "The woman/man YOU gave me... she/HE made me... listen to/follow the WTBTS." Didn't work for Adham... and isn't going to work for anyone else. Sadly, by the time the women of the WTBTS wake up and understand this truth, it may be too late.
So, that some ALLOW themselves to be treated such... because they listen to the WTBTS... indeed, they WANT to listen to the WTBTS... MORE than they listen to GOD... because they do not listen to CHRIST... because the WTBTS "lifestyle" fits their desires MORE than true "godly devotion"... undermines my sympathy for them. I have some sympathy, even empathy to some extent... but it is limited. As with an alcoholic or drug addict: I can sympathize with their struggle. But if they chose not to even struggle... but actually LIKE their "disease"... I have to be through.
Again, peace to you!
A slave of Christ,
SA
