We all know the story: The snake tempted Eve, Eve ate the fruit, Adam then gave in and too ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Yet does this give others the right to assume that Eve is weaker simply because she was the first to submit to the temptation.
The Book of Genesis has stirred controversy in scholars for years and , I believe will continue to do so for awhile. Many men have used this text to prove that women are the weaker of the two. They prove their point by using a number of verses from this book.Genesis 2:22
" And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman, and brought her unto man."
This somehow leads people to assume that because Eve was taken from Adam, women are not equal to man because we are merely part of them. This next passage comes after the consuming of the apple. God is laying out his punishments to the first couple.
Genesis 3:16
" Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over you"
This passage not only provides a reason for painful childbirth, but also a reason for mans control over women. In my Core 3 class we discussed this very passage. the professor asked the ladies in the classroom "What if your husband wanted you to be a stay home mother and do nothing else but cook and clean? Also keep this in mind" he continued, " If you disagreed with him he pulled out the bible, knowing you were a religious person and pointed to that passage."
I thought to myself....I am a very religious person, however, life has evolved since the life that was portrayed in the bible and I think God appreciates and respects that.
This passage not only provides a reason for painful childbirth, but also a reason for mans control over women. In my Core 3 class we discussed this very passage. the professor asked the ladies in the classroom "What if your husband wanted you to be a stay home mother and do nothing else but cook and clean? Also keep this in mind" he continued, " If you disagreed with him he pulled out the bible, knowing you were a religious person and pointed to that passage."
I thought to myself....I am a very religious person, however, life has evolved since the life that was portrayed in the bible and I think God appreciates and respects that.
5 comments:
I feel that it is written that God took the rib from Adam to show a sign of equality between the two. This is a popular topic in Core 9 right now. I think that Eve's nature was to nurture Adam and take care of him and that is where woman's motherly tendancies is derived from.
I think that's a better way to look at it. The way we are handling in Core 3 is that this passage indicates the male control in life.....thank you for your input
I agree that it's saying that women are men's equal. God didn't have Eve come from Adam's foot, but from the rib, which is towards the center of his body. If women were meant to be "weaker" then wouldn't Eve have come from a lower part. And if women were to be "superior" wouldn't she have come from a high part, such as the head. That was one of our topics before, and I thought it made a lot of sense.
that does make sense!
I agree with Alan. This is an important topic in Core 9. In fact, later on in the New Testament, Jesus treats women in a very revolutionary way throughout his lifetime. For example, he forgives Mary Magadalene for her promiscuous ways, prevents the angry crowd from "casting the first stone," and shows generosity and respect for all by curing lepers of both genders.
The key point to remember from the Bible is that women share the same authority and dignity in life as men. If women were really supposed to be inferior to men, then God would inspire the writers to create Eve from the flesh of man's foot!
Post a Comment