We do it for the girls.
Every day a host of dedicated women and men Christian bloggers sit at computers trying to think of what to say when it has all been said over and over. How many ways can you say “Women are equal, but are not being treated equally by those in church leadership?”
Some days you wonder if you’ve made a difference, or if people have just come to your blog to see what you have to say today – with no intention of ever speaking up for themselves. Sometimes you feel as if you are giving those who read blogs ‘their fix.’ Sometimes you think that you are just adding to the unhealthy discussion of women. And some days you think that nothing will change because fire is not in their belly to make a change.
And then one day it is brought home to you all over again why you do it.
We do it for the girls.
Wiley Clarkson who blogs at www.wherethespiritleads.com told this story of what happened in a church service Sunday morning.
“In early worship this morning, the daughter of a friend asked if she could help hand out the member/visitor registration books, a job that is only offered to young men (meaning boys) in our congregation. Her mother told her that “she could not do that.” The daughter then asked “why can’t I do that”? The mother then changed the subject to “we will talk about it later”. Children don’t see the discrimination like adults but they DO feel the discrimination, even though they don’t understand it and they DO naturally ask the question that goes right to the heart of the matter—“Why can’t I do that?” Maybe some day she will be able to participate in whatever way she is gifted.”
I would like to see church leadership explain exactly why a young girl can’t hand out visitor books. Where is that found in the Bible? Where does it say that a young girl born in 2000 can’t hand out a visitor book to welcome visitors who have come into the worship place?
We do it for the girls. Will you join me in speaking out for young girls who do not know “why can’t I do that?” Will you work for change so that they, too, can do that?
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 
It’s outrageous that a girl can’t hand out visitor books in any church. Nothing but pure and blatant sexism that gives girls the message that Jesus doesn’t want them involved in the kingdom of God. There is no biblical justification for it whatsoever– I can’t even see how a scripture could be twisted to say this!
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Shirley,
Fire is in my belly to make a change. But it is hard for me to speak out because I believe the Scriptures are mistranslated on the women passages when everyone else just thinks the interpretation is the problem. I cant speak out for women’s equality when the Scriptures say that women are to submit to their husbands in everything and when the Scriptures say that women are not to teach or have authority over men, because those passages are clear. If the Bible really does say that women are to submit to their husbands in everything, and that women cannot teach or have authority over men, how will we ever gain that equality? But I wish women would start to realize that these passages contradict Scripture. I wish women would start to realize that they will not be saved through childbearing and that Peter would never tell wives to submit to their disobedient husbands as it states in 1 Peter 3: 1. Katharine Bushnell, author of “God’s Word to Women”, was a scholar in both the Hebrew and Greek languages and she knew that men were mistranslating Scripture. I wish people would read her book because she goes into the Hebrew of Genesis 3: 16 to show how it is mistranslated. As Ms. Bushnell, pointed out, it is only the original Scriptures that were inspired. Personally, I believe that women will never gain that equality we are looking for until the Scriptures are accurately translated.
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I understand your point. In fact, I’ve written a book on it! I mention some of what you say in the book “only original scripture was inspired.” I took out the phrase I wanted to use “the names of the translators are in the front of the book and God’s name is not there.” But I did leave in the fact that only the originals were inspired and while translators may have also been inspired by God, their works are only translations. I also have a completely different take on 1 Peter 3:1 and was flabbergasted when I realized what that whole passage really meant. Bruce Ware, professor of Christian Theology sure doesn’t know. Those passages you mention do contradict scripture and I point that out also. Thanks for reminding us. I am trying to help those others just like you, Kristen, who do have the fire in their belly. I appreciate your comment. This is not an easy fight we are in.
> Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:43:26 +0000 > To: bwebaptist.women@live.com >
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Even in the English, the 1 Timothy 2 passages isn’t clear. Why on earth is “I do not permit a woman” read as if it said “God says no woman must ever?”
Yes, this is a justice issue. The scriptures are being used to uphold power over people– power that Jesus said His followers were not to use!
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I pray my daughters will become the preachers I never thought I was alowed to be.
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I hope that other mothers will speak for their daughters as you just did. Thank you.
> Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:17:19 +0000 > To: bwebaptist.women@live.com >
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