Sorry if I misunderstood, but generally I've found that when men feel women should be subservient to men, theat's what it usually means. If the point of marriage is to have children and raise them for the glory of God, and if a woman has do the raising (albeit in deference to the man's directives), and to be subservient to the man, then where exactly will they get the time (and energy) to do the kind of work that will realise their potential to society as a whole?

I presumed (and I admit it is a presumption on my part) that your belief was that the man will go out in the world and do the work, while the woman will raise the children. If this is not your belief, then I don't think I understand how this whole subservience thing works at all. It sounds like all you're saying then is that in matters of Bible interpretation, women should always defer to the male. Is that the whole thing in a nutshell?

>>Hi Howard.
>>
>>The problem as I see it is context. We all pretty much reason, interpret, and conclude the things we do because they fall in with our beliefs. What came first, the chicken or the egg? You have stated on many occasions that your interpretation of what the Bible is saying is the correct interpretation. I think we both understand that such a statement is in the context of your beliefs. But see, there's the rub. You state that you hold the beliefs you do because of how you interpret the Bible. To a large extent, I think it is more the reverse. You're certainly not alone in that, but I think what bothers me most about it all is that an intelligent man, and believe me, I do not hang out in that crowd that thinks you're stupid, could hold beliefs, regardless where they originate, that are so contrary to the value we should all place in the potential and realised contributions that anyone can make to our society whether male, female, black, white, etc. etc. People like Madame Curie or Susan
>B.
>> Anthony or Grace Hopper had valuable contributions to make for all of our benefit. It would have been a horrible waste of their potential to have forced them to stay home barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.
>>
>>Think of it this way. God Gave women minds. They should not be stifled. That men who wrote the Bible were so fearful for their masculinity should not be used as an excuse to block the fulfillment of anyone's potential.
>
>Please understand that I am not suggesting that women be stifled. Women have, do and will continue to make a great contribution to our world. Just as it relates to spiritual leadership in the home and in the church - I believe - the Bible has dictated that men lead.
>
>P.S. I have NEVER - EVER stated or even thought that women should stay at home barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. I really don't understand why everyone keeps bringing that up. I agree that is a wrong view of women. I think you and others are unfairly characterizing my beliefs when you use phrases like that.