Traditional Christianity puts women beneath men. The head of every man is Christ and the head of every wife is her husband. Or words from Paul to that effect. Women are to be submissive to their husbands. Women are not to speak in the church. How inspired was Paul when he wrote those letters? Not very inspired it seems to me. How could an admitted sinner, morally imperfect, write perfect instruction to the church? Logically, it makes no sense. Just as some of his sexist ideas make no sense either.
Paul did make sense when he wrote that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female...all are one in Christ Jesus. And Jesus made sense when He said He is our living spiritual Teacher and we are all brothers and sisters; in other words, equals in His sight.
My Lutheran dad at times dominated my mom, often making her feel inferior and lose personal confidence. "Who's the head of the house? What does the Bible say?" He angrily said. He knew those biblical passages that appeared to give him the right to boss his wife and kids. He was a religious, churchgoing man. But I believe he missed the Spirit of Christ's teachings. How many other sincere Christian men lord it over their wives as their "God-given right."
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