LATEST WT Study Articles Are All About the WOMEN!

by Funchback 34 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  frenchbabyface

  
  Wanted to answer before to read ! couldn't keep it
  
  Aren't you glad you are no longer a 'JW woman'?

  OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  Well said by the way ... and thanks for the women ...
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  Flowerpetal

  I agree with Gumby. The Bible, when you look at it critically, is a male-dominated book. Nothing in there written TO women.
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  jayhawk1

  I too agree with Gumby, the Bible is where any religion gets it's ideas about how to treat women. It's just Jehovah's Witnesses take it to a level just short of how Islam fundamentalists treat women.
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  JosephMalik

  It's the "bible" that teaches these things.....not so much the religious group.......

  Gumby,

  No, the bible does not teach these things but few notice. Not many understand that Christian Jews taught these things and Paul constantly fought with them about it, but somehow this has become lost in the translation.

  Joseph

  http://home.earthlink.net/~jmalik/
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  LDH

  How dare they invoke the name of Seneca Falls, the cradle of modern women's right movements!

  Elizabeth Cady-Stanton

  Susan B. Anthony

  Lucretia Mott

  I would recommend you ladies and gents educate yourself about these movers and shakers who wanted to make women's lives better NOW, not waiting for some never-fulfilled empty promise! What a great way to keep women oppressed, tell them that equal rights and responsibilities won't do nearly as much for them as if they keep their place in the home and Wait on Jehover (tm) to make it better.

  These women fought so that you women could own property, have the right to vote, earn equal pay for equal work. I'd like to see where the SickSiety took a stand on just ONE of these issues. Imagine, one woman could accomplish what a whole SickSiety could not.

  If you are too lazy to look up anything, I've done the work for you regarding Lucretia Mott:

  Lucretia Mott (1793 - 1880)
  Quick Facts Birth: 1793 Death: 1880 Year Inducted: 1983 Achievement In:		The daughter of a sea captain, Lucretia Coffin spent her childhood on Nantucket Island. She was reared in the Quaker faith, unique among American religions in encouraging the equality of women. In 1811 she married James Mott and they made their home in Philadelphia. Soon she began to speak in Quaker meetings, developing confidence and eloquence that were rare at a time when women seldom spoke in public. In the 1830s Mott advocated the radical idea that slavery was sinful and must be abolished. She was one of several American delegates to the 1840 World's Anti-Slavery Convention in London, but the women were denied seats. The lesson was clear for Mott and young Elizabeth Cady Stanton. How could women fight for the rights of others unless they enjoyed rights of their own? In 1848, while Mott was visiting her sister in Auburn, New York, she met with Stanton and helped to plan the first woman's rights convention. Mott delivered the opening and closing addresses at the Seneca Falls Convention, and her husband James chaired the proceedings at the Wesleyan Chapel. Motivated by her religious convictions, Mott dedicated herself to the twin causes of antislavery and women's rights. She harbored runaways slaves in her Philadelphia home and agitated for Negro suffrage and education when emancipation was finally won. As she wrote, spoke, and attended women's conventions, younger feminists recognized that Mott's early leadership had been crucial in the infancy of the women's rights movement.

  Lisa

  Doesn't wait on Men, but loves Funch and Maverick Class

  PS Hi all, I've actually just returned from visiting family in Upstate New York and spent more time in Seneca Falls. I grew up very near there, so I know a lot of the history. I'll give you the update when I get a chance.
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  AGuest

  It's the "bible" that teaches these things.....not so much the religious group...........they are simply following the bibles own advise. Blame the bible......not the dubs or anyone else.

  Not really, Gumball. The "Bible" has all kinds of accounts where women were revered... or, at a minimum, greatly respected. Even my Lord respected women... not taking any from their homes/children to follow him... but not sending off those who did.

  It is Paul who confuses for us the role of women... and that is primarily because Paul... was a former Pharisee... and a Roman. And Roman law did not allow women publicity. Thus, many (including and particularly the WTBTS) confuse Paul's words about not allowing a woman to speak in public with the Law Covenant. However, NO WHERE in the Law did it state such a thing.

  Paul was pushing ROMAN LAW in place at that time, under which women could not speak in public. And since the Romans were seeking ways to persecute the "christians"... and many women... and their husbands, children and families... were put to death by means of this statute... whether it had been violated or not. Paul was only trying to protect the congregations, for entire congregations could be put to death at the violation of one person during those times.

  Paul himself commended... and RECOMMENDED... women for [their] service. Phoebe... was a "ministerial servant"... in that she ministered to the WOMEN who required it: elderly, poor, widows, etc.

  The WTBTS and other religions, however, have mistook Paul's (?) words regarding MEN... and THEIR service... as meaning that only men CAN serve. The truth is that there were PROBLEMS with the men... that did not occur with the women... problems that needed addressing:

  1. Unfair distributions

  2. Divided loyalties

  3. Theft

  The only problems noted with the WOMEN were:

  1. Disagreements (Euodia and Syntche)

  2. Younger ones wanting to marry, which got in the way of their service because they would then have husbands to serve, which would be a higher priority ('cause y'all know how "needy", if not demanding, a husband can be, poor tikes!)

  But the women were not ministering unfairly, were not distributing disproportionately, were not married to more than one husband and so having more than one person's "needs" to fill in place of ministering to others, and were not stealing from the distribution. They were simply distracted from fully serving.

  (NOTE: And such ministering was NOT preaching. It never was. "Ministering"... is doing as my Lord did when HE "ministered" - feeding the hungry, looking after the widows and orphans, caring for the sick and elderly, etc.)

  That is why it is more important... and MUCH MORE accurate... to look to the Christ and how HE treated women: if they had a need and/or made a request, he granted it. When he was speaking the Samaritan woman at the well, his disciples evidently had a problem with it... but they didn't say anything to HIM about it.

  GOD... does not consider men to be "higher" than women: Miriam was used along with Moses and Aaron. Deborah was a judge. Jael killed Sisera, thus taking the glory that was due a man, Barak. It was a young WOMAN who gave Naaman direction so as to be healed of leprosy. EVE was not held accountable for the sin of Eden, but ADAM was. Bathsheba was not accounted as worthy of death, but David was severely rebuked and HIS children received the payment, while Bathsheba's child, Solomon, went on to be king. Etc., etc., etc.

  It is MEN who perpetuate this falsehood, that women are subordinate to men in God's eyes. We are not. Because to GOD... a man AND a woman... TOGETHER... make up ONE flesh. Thus, BOTH... are halves... of a whole. In addition, it is a Biblical FACT that WOMEN... have proved MUCH more faithful than men down through the times. And THAT... is why MEN... have a greater RESPONSIBILITY to God... than women: the faith of women is not as often at question... as the faith of men.

  I bid you peace.

  Your servant and a slave of Christ,

  SJ

  P.S. Lisa girl - how ARE you... and thanks for this! Good-golly, it gave me the heebie-geebies!! I HATED the way women were looked-upon and treated in that organization. Totally demeaning and CERTAINLY proving false to their so-called power of "godly devotion". Such condescension... even from some young men. Wanted to smack a couple of 'em. But I had "a mouth"... and so they [elders, brothers] either loved me... or hated me. I didn't stay quiet when I saw the oppression or hypocrisy... especially against meeker "sisters". Couldn't bear it, so I spoke up. Anyway... as you can guess... I wasn't that "popular" when I did. But, ah well... I didn't care, either! As far as I was concerned, they were lying on God and Christ and their divine view of women.

  Anyway, take care! Hope all is well with you and yours... here and in NY...
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  concerned mama

  Gumby,

  I don't know much about churches in the United States. Here in Canada, the Anglicans and United Church (and there may be many others I don't know about) both have equal involvement of women and men in all aspects of church work. My cousin is a woman and an Anglican priest. The bishop of the Anglican diocese of Edmonton is Victoria, a woman. I know of lots of women ministers in the United Church. At various times I, and many other women, have been heavily involved in the vestry (the committee that helps run and organize things), at the church where we attend. The vestry is usually made up of about a 50/50 split.

  I agree with you that there are lots of paternatistic, male dominant churches out there, but there are more progressive ones, too.
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  jgnat

  Here is some food for thought:

  http://www.equalworth.net/ministry/women/articles.htm

  The sad truth is that the WTS provides fewer opportunities for women than 2000 years ago. What a terrible waste of God-created talent.
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  Panda

  The Bible is all about subjugating "other" folks. The Bronze age god of the Hebrews allowed the men to determine the sexuality of women. The Bible turned normal female functions into taboo. The Bible disallowed women the right to speak in communion w/ the men. The Bible considered childbirth dirty, and for birthing females twice as dirty.

  Am I glad that I no longer worship the bronze age god of fire and penis envy --- you betcha.
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  mooneyes

  I love the fact that in my marriage I am equal to him in all decisions. Can't stand the jumping my mother does for her husband. There is no way I could let my daughter feel she is less of a person for being female. How would male JWs come to be without a woman to give birth to them?

  Willyloman - when did JWs teach black people would become white in the new system?