I agree! Far too often, Christians have been given a bad name. We are stereotyped as believing 'God says women should be doormats', but that's not true. Granted, there are a few backslidden churches that do say that (I know of a particularly bad one in my town), but the only reason they say that is because they never took the time to read what God really has to say about women.
First off, let's look at Deborah in Judges 4. Deborah came from Eve, who came from Adam's rib, and she was a great Judge of Israel. She had a husband named Lappidoth, but he was a good guy; the Bible never says anything about him trying to overthrow his wife's leadership because he felt threatened. The Bible says Deborah "was a prophet who had become a judge in Israel. She would hold court under the Palm of Deborah, which stood between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephriam, and the Israelites came to her to settle their disputes." In a culture where male supremacy and polygyny was common, God went against culture and put a woman in the highest leadership position in that country. Yes, woman came from Adam's rib, but that doesn't diminish the value of women. Just because a few churches claim 'women are doormats' doesn't mean God sees women that way.
Secondly, let me adress the quote you quoted:
"IF you honestly believe everything you read, for instance that woman was actually made from Adam's rib, then maybe you don't have a problem being told what to do by your man."
Deborah wasn't the only woman in the Bible who did great things for God. Some lesser-known Bible women were Huldah (II Kings 22:14-20), Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Anna (Luke 2:25-38), Priscilla (Acts 18:24-26), Miriam (Exodus 15:20), and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9). Some were married, some were single, and in some cases the Bible doesn't mention their marital status. The point is, these women were teachers and leaders because God wanted them to be. They weren't waiting around "being told what to do by [their men]." They had their own lives to live; they had God-given purposes. I seriously doubt their husbands were trying to turn them into slaves. Just because we're Jesus freaks doesn't mean we let men walk all over us.
(Original Airdate: 10/10/05) What makes a good wife? Is it cooking, cleaning, raising the kids and having great sex? Dr. Phil says too few couples understand what it means to be a "Mrs." His first guest, Grant, says his wife, Kelly, is in desperate need of "wife lessons" when it comes to her cooking, cleaning and the way she dresses. Kelly says trying to be the perfect wife while raising three kids is overwhelming, and she fears she'll never be good enough. See what happens when she puts her hubby to the "wife test." Will he be able to do it all? Then, Diana says a good wife must serve her man instead of trying to balance a career and a family. Plus, a woman who thinks "wife" is a four-letter word! Join the discussion.
