The Persecution of Women in the Church

[JaneEyre]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

If this is a valid definition ... then the word is in play.

It is a valid definition.

Here's the definition from Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: per·se·cute
Pronunciation: \ˈpər-si-ˌkyüt\
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): per·se·cut·ed; per·se·cut·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French persecuter, back-formation from persecuteur persecutor, from Late Latin persecutor, from persequi to persecute, from Latin, to pursue, from per- through + sequi to follow — more at sue
Date: 15th century
1: to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically : to cause to suffer because of belief
2: to annoy with persistent or urgent approaches (as attacks, pleas, or importunities) : pester

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by JaneEyre

It is a valid definition.

Here's the definition from Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: per·se·cute
Pronunciation: \ˈpər-si-ˌkyüt\
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): per·se·cut·ed; per·se·cut·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French persecuter, back-formation from persecuteur persecutor, from Late Latin persecutor, from persequi to persecute, from Latin, to pursue, from per- through + sequi to follow — more at sue
Date: 15th century
1: to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically : to cause to suffer because of belief
2: to annoy with persistent or urgent approaches (as attacks, pleas, or importunities) : pester

Can also add to the above.......

3. a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs: the persecutions of Christians by the Romans.

Actually though the word wasn't defined by the author of the thread and I'm not sure the dictionary definition was what he meant by using that particular word.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by crazyhomie

Early church fathers left us with a difficult heritage; evidenced by the continual denegration of...women in particular. Originally Christianity was quite positive for women, (Jesus treated them equally) but by the time of Augustine, women were regarded as responsible for the fall of man. The letters of Jerome teem with loathing of the female almost to the point of sounding deranged. Tertullian had castigated women as evil temptresses, an eternal danger to mankind:
"Do you not know that you are each and Eve? You are the devil's gateway; you are the unsealer of that forbidden tree; you are the first deserter of the divine law; you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You so carelessly destroyed man, God's image. On account of your desert, even the son of God had to die."-

Augustine agreed; "What is the difference," "whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress that we must beware of in any woman."
As a matter of fact Augustine is puzzled that God should have made the female at all, "if it was good company and conversation that Adam needed, it would have been much better arranged to have two men together as friends, not a man and a woman." "Early church fathers regarded a womans only function as "childbearing which passed the contagion of original sin to the next generation, like a veneral disease. -"

Western Christianity never fully recovered from this neurotic misogyny, which can still be seen in the unbalanced reaction to the very notion of the ordination of women. - a history of God, pg.124, karen Armstrong.

My personal view is this: Satan's attempt to destroy Eve in the garden was a direct attack against her seed. A man is never greater than his mother. It's been said 'behind every good man is a better woman". Truthfully, this is usually his mother or grandmother.

The persecution of women in the church is still evident today. Catholicism teaches that women are to blame for original sin and should be avoided; thus the doctrine of celibacy. A holy man cannot be defiled by a women.

Is it possible that much of what women have had to endure relationally with regard to the church is a carryover of this wicked and insidious spirit to destroy the women, thus destroying their seed?

An angry mother produces angry children. An offended mother produces offended children. A bitter mother produces bitter children.

God's fundamental law of creation is this; "everything reproduces after its own kind."

Women, now is your opportunity to be liberated! You should love me for this!

Originally Posted by Felicity

Can also add to the above.......

3. a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs: the persecutions of Christians by the Romans.

Actually though the word wasn't defined by the author of the thread and I'm not sure the dictionary definition was what he meant by using that particular word.

How can you say this based on his original post?

[SDG]

Are we going to parse the word persecution? ... or address the original thread? .... albeit the title is troublesome to some.

[SDG]

Persecution is just not physical ... sorry ...

It can be verbal, spiritual, emotional ... etc ...

We all value those who have been martyred for the Gospel ... but it's pretty disturbing to skirt this issue .... simply because of our pre-conceived definitions ....

[Scott Hutchinson]

I don't think my wife feels persecuted ,by Christianity.
I just asked her and she says no.
She really looks like a traditional pentecostal but that is her personal convictions.

[MissBrattified]

It irritates me that it is assumed that since I abide by fairly conservative Apostolic views, that I must not do so of my accord, that it has been foisted off upon me, and either I am too stupid to know that I have been duped, or too brain-washed to care.

I find that point of view to be the arrogant one.

It is also irritating that my husband is viewed as abusive, simply because he believes that he has an authoritative role in our home, a role which is supported by scripture.

Someone causing me offense is NOT the same as persecution. If it were, there are a few women here who are guilty of persecuting me.
Someone disagreeing with my views or being unsupportive of my views and lifestyle is NOT persecution. If it were, many here would be guilty of persecution.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

It irritates me that it is assumed that since I abide by fairly conservative Apostolic views, that I must not do so of my accord, that it has been foisted off upon me, and either I am too stupid to know that I have been duped, or too brain-washed to care.

I find that point of view to be the arrogant one.

It is also irritating that my husband is viewed as abusive, simply because he believes that he has an authoritative role in our home, a role which is supported by scripture.

Someone causing me offense is NOT the same as persecution. If it were, there are a few women here who are guilty of persecuting me.
Someone disagreeing with my views or being unsupportive of my views and lifestyle is NOT persecution. If it were, many here would be guilty of persecution.

I don't think the original post said anything about your husband ... it did speak about attitudes and policies throughout Church history often placed placed upon women based on sexist interpretations of scripture.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

I don't think the original post said anything about your husband ... it did speak about attitudes and policies often placed placed upon women based on sexist interpretations of scripture.

Are you under the false impression that there is only one post on this thread, and that it is the only one responded to or talked about?

[SDG]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Are you under the false impression that there is only one post on this thread, and that it is the only one responded to or talked about?

No .....but it took a vicious turn when some the Ultra-sensitive among us automatically equated it to an attack on Apostolicdom ....