Women must not instruct men, even by singing a theocratic song.

Ultimate Axiom

I did a quick search and this doesn’t appear to have been commented on here, but if it has been, I apologise in advance for starting an unnecessary thread.

Regarding a change to a song title, the study article on page 7 paragraph 17 of November 2017 Watchtower explained, “The change of the title “Guard Your Heart” to “We Guard Our Hearts” was most considerate. Why? In the audience at our meetings, assemblies, and conventions are many new ones, interested ones, young ones, and sisters who by singing the words would be put in the awkward position of telling others what to do. So the title and the lyrics were modified.”

The more I think about this the more it astonishes me. Even by Watchtower standards, this paranoia that any woman should be seen instructing a man, even in a song, is pretty extreme. What will the GB object to next?

darkspilver

thanks

there is some more discussion about this here

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5735716156866560/singing-todays-wt

eyeuse2badub

It's what you call "straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel". The bible also says that women should not be wearing gold ornaments but that doesn't seem to be a problem for wt. How about makeup?

jw women are supposed to be Stepford wives!

just saying!

Annon

Rather weirdly singing and telling everybody to "Listen and obey" (Song 89) seems to be OK.

Of course that was the name of the song 5 mins ago it may well have been changed by now!

Island Man

But there's a stark contradiction here: Women are allowed to preach to men in the house to house ministry. So it's not just sexism. It's bigoted sexism. It's ok for JW women to instruct non-JW men in the ministry because worldly men are somehow inferior. Baptized JW men are superior. Us vs them and sexism rolled into one.

Ultimate Axiom

Thanks darkspilver, I should have known it would be here somewhere.

Ultimate Axiom

Island Man

But Watchtower has actually watered down the sexism of the Bible, somewhat.

The Bible says a woman should not teach. Watchtower allows women to teach with a head covering. The Bible does not say a woman can teach with a head covering. The Bible says a woman can pray or prophesy with a head covering. JW women do not pray with head coverings on. JWs will say this text refers to leading in prayer. But JW men refuse to pray with a hat on even when they're just silently listening to the public prayer from the audience. If it's wrong for a man to listen to a prayer with a head covering then it should also be wrong for a woman to listen to the prayer without a head covering.

Watchtower has twisted the plain words: "I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over man" and "every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head" to mean: "women should not carry out the duties normally assigned to a man except in such extraordinary circumstances where no baptized man in good standing is present, and then they must do so with a head covering." This is not what the Bible says. The bible only says women are not to teach or exercise authority, period. And women must wear head coverings when praying or prophesying.

Ultimate Axiom

But Watchtower has actually watered down the sexism of the Bible, somewhat.

Yea, I guess JW women of today are better off than their first century counterparts. And much better off than their ancient Israelite counterparts. But of course, it’s not because the WT is any more enlightened – they just needed their womenfolk to spread the word, for left to the men alone, the WT would be a fraction of its size.

stan livedeath

so its ok for a female dub to prophesy--provided her head is covered ?

Women must not instruct men, even by singing a theocratic song.

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