This post by Stephen D. Foster Jr. originally appeared at Addicting Info.
Conservatives are waging a vicious war against women across the country, and they’re using religion to do it. They say all politics begins at the local level. Apparently, the plague of sexism running rampant in GOP circles begins at church.
Pastor Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Arizona told female churchgoers to keep their mouths shut so that the men could teach them their place according to the Bible. During his Sunday sermon, Anderson mansplained that women should be silent in church and read two sexist Bible verses.
The first verse, 1 Timothy 2:11, says “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” The second verse is 1 Corinthians 14 which reads: “Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, as it is commanded to be under obedience as also sayeth the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is shameful for women to speak in the church.”
After reading the verses, Anderson flew into a sexist rant that included pounding his fist on the pulpit while forcefully ordering women to keep their mouths shut during “learning time.”
“Now obviously, before the service begins, there’s chatting and talking going on, that’s perfectly legitimate. When we all sing praises to God, of course the ladies should also lift up their voices. But when it’s learning time, it’s silence time. So what it’s saying is that they are to learn in silence… When the learning is going on, they are not permitted to speak. When the preaching of God’s word is taking place — and first of all, it’s not for a woman to be doing the preaching, and second of all, it’s not for women to be speaking.”
In other words, Anderson is saying that women aren’t allowed to speak up as long as the men are talking and trying to make them learn. Women apparently can’t even ask questions until they get home. Anderson even can’t handle women saying ‘amen’ during worship service and doesn’t want any woman to tell him her opinion. Why? Because he’s allegedly a man. And Anderson is the kind of “man” who believes women should be seen and not heard.
“This is why I don’t believe women should say ‘amen’ during the preaching either,” Anderson told his congregation. “Because ‘amen’ means ‘truly’ or ‘verily’ … it basically means ‘that’s true.’ So when I’m preaching and I say something that you agree with and that you believe in, and you say ‘amen,’ you’re saying ‘that’s true.’ So here’s the thing, when I’m preaching, women should not express their opinion, even if it’s a positive opinion, even if she agrees with me.”
Here’s the video via Raw Story.
Baptist Pastor: Women Should Shut Up In Church
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Who takes this shit seriously
Chances are everyone takes supportive stance in some type of gender role specification. It may be calling pink a girl color. Shaving arm pits if you are a wo mban but not shaving your sons. Not minding body building men shaving theirs.it may be sending girls to home economics or guys to shop class. It may be criticizing a man for wearing a dress. Truth be told, the bible DOES say that. You either believe in the bible, you don’t, or you believe selective verses according to your agenda and dismiss rest of the bible. I am a well rounded, rather dominant woman who has worked construction, fixed many cars, and even fought men w when I was younger and fiery in spirit. My souls secret desire may yet involve taking a submissive role in church. If in household, that’s my business. We cannot slant perspectives by omitting truths of cultural relativity. No law makes any one go to church there. Television broadcasts catholic shows daily where women’s roles are more overtly limited than simply hushing. People have a right to play church their own ways, select a different one to attend, ou r start their own. Or, not even go to one. Thou s ou s his culture. Respect it.
As this is blatant discrimination – And a Hate Crime! – Why is he not arrested??
Just expressing your beliefs/opinions is not illegal here in the US.
What Pastor Steven L. Anderson is preaching is 100% Biblical. The problem is not Pastor Steven Anderson. The problem is that most pastors do not preach the WHOLE Bible these days.