Maybe in God's other universe, women are in charge. In this world, women have traditionally been the primary caregivers of children and until a few decades ago most were satisfied with that role. The modern world has decided that the glorious pursuit of career and money is more important than bringing new people into the world and caring for their material and spiritual needs until adulthood. I disagree. I consider my role as father to my three children to be something of eternal value, while my career is nothing to me by comparison. It's just a way for me to make money so I can take care of my children.
In a covenanted agreement, both parties have responsibilities. Accepting the responsibilities is submitting to them. You're hung up on a word that you put some strong negative connotation on. Get over it--it's a word, and it isn't making women slaves to their husbands. Genesis 21 [9] But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. [10] So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac." [11] And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. [12] But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the lad and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your descendants be named. Galatians 4: [28] Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. [29] But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. [30] But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." [31] So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Seems to me Sarah told Abraham what to do and he had to submit to it even though he didn't like it. Then, In the NT it is held up with the authority of SCRIPTURE. Sarah had power. yeah he is, and God backed her up.
Interesting opinion on marriage. Maybe I will make a thread about it. A surprising number of people agree with you. http://pollingreport.com/news4.htm#Wifely
All you have shown is that sometimes Abraham's marriage did not work out like it supposed to according to the bible. God says clearly that a wife must be submissive to her husband and Sarah broke that rule. For all you know, most of the time Sarah is submissive to Abraham. The fact that she calls him "my lord" is pretty good evidence of that. As I said before, just because you devote yourself to the health and happiness of another person does not mean you are submitting to her. Have you ever heard of servant leadership? The husband is leading his wife telling her what to do, but also devotes himself to making sure that she is happy. This is nice sexism, but it is still sexism. Another example of servant leadership is when a parent devotes herself to the welfare of her son, but also rules over her son. Devoting your physical and emotional resources to the benefit of someone else is not the same as being ruled over or submitting to them. Here is another example: Genesis 3 16 To the woman he said, I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. This curse was passed down to the rest of humanity. When God makes it so that the husband rules over the wife (nicely), this is sexist.
Do you know why Abraham had a son with Hagar? Sarah told him to. Sarah wore the pants...(to use a sexist colloquialism)! This shows that you clearly misunderstand what the word "submissive" means. Devote and submit are synonyms. In fact, devote may be considered a stronger term in many ways. And--how would that be different from what women are asked to do for their husbands? I don't know about you, but when my desire is for my husband, he can get whatever he wants--in that way--yes, he does rule over me because i desire to allow him. Are you married? You have a very two dimensional view of relationships, language, and the Bible. The world is a better and more enjoyable place when you see the depth.
Jesus says in Matthew 22:30 "In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven". In fact, the person you were condemning was Paul who said that women should be subject to their husbands. However, look what Paul has to say in Galations 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ." Clearly you have misinterpreted the Bible. We all have roles in society. For example, I am to be subject to the authority in government, but does that make them superior to me? No. Does that mean I must obey their every command? No. It means that I acknowledge that someone must be in a position of authority and respect that position to have a civil society, however, if they abuse that authority it is an entirely new ball game. Of course, does abusing that authority always grounds for divorce? This is a theological question for which you would probably get a wide variety of answers. I knew a woman who became a Christian and her husband hated the fact she did so. In fact, he forbade her to pray and go to church and was basically and SOB towards her regarding the issue. However, she prayed and went to church anyway. One day when she came home from church she found the door dead bolted. She then made a bed on the porch and in the morning the husband found her sleeping on the porch. When she awoke, she did not say a word and went inside, went into the kitchen, and inexplicably made him is favorite breakfast. He then cried and begged her forgiveness and later became a Christian. Does this happen every time? No, but as Christians we are to show love to others as we live to serve Christ. Sometimes we reach them and change their hearts and other times get thrown to the lions.
It is not as cut and dry as a wife being submissive to the husband. It is more about a husband weilding the responsibility.
Looks to me like God is saying that woman has a civilizing effect on man. Then again, What about Deborah? The Judge. And if God is so sexist why did he have women find that Christ was missing from the tomb. And He showed himself to the women first. Then what about the women praised in paul's letters? Look what God did for Rahab and Ruth. Perhaps the sexism is in your own mind. Have you ever remarked on how stupid Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman are?
