I think I taught my son too well, he comes home from work and starts and usually cooks the entire dinner as she isn't a very good cook. He does several loads of washing a week and the ourside and inside of his home is manicured and spotless, His wife has thanked me numerous times for teaching him to be equal to his lady. She said all her friends are jealous. This is the same girl mentioned in another post that was keeping him from me for awhile when they first were together. My son looks for no credit, no pat on the back, he simply says she works too and if he can help why shouldn't he? The neatest part is my Grandsons are learning to be the same way....

[ September 17, 2005, 08:38 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

I don't think having a marriage described in the Bible has anything to do with doing the chores, or who is even the breadwinner of the family. I think it's all about respecting and loving each other and each having the freedom to be all you can be as a couple and individually.

In some ways the feminist movement caused us to have way too much pressure put on us women and mostly by ourselves. Some of us feel like we have to be perfect mothers, wives, decorators, sex-goddesses, as beautiful as a cover girl, career-women and etc etc.

Fifty, I think that there are definitely undercurrents of discrimination, however, the government cannot force people to believe a certain way. They can only pass laws that will protect us somewhat and even that isn't perfect. If I work for an employer who discriminates, then I can sue, and if I can't afford to, then I can find another job. If we stay and allow it to continue, then the employer never pays the consequences of his actions. It's up to each of us individually to take a stand and as time passes thing will get better.

Daisygirl

I agree that the laws aren't going to do the trick by themselves.

We as women are only beginning to understand who we are and what it means to be female, without the imposition of male definitions. But with the power of media messages I'm afraid that the male definitions are winning (because those definitions were there first and are embedded in the culture). Even without the advertising, who women are is hidden in tv and movie plots, and especially in children's programming (cartoons and shows). Think about damsel in distress, waiting for your prince to come, being beautiful and gentle, etc.

Until people start ot focus on our spiritual selves as men and women, all these other cultural expectations (housework, body shape, etc) aren't going to change.

And by the way, even without suing, there is still a heck of a lot of gender bias in a great number of fields. Think about what the Harvard president recently said about female engineers. I'm in academia where males still outnumber females and are given higher ranks.

In Biblical times women were not even counted. Remember when Christ fed the 3000 and 5000 (without counting children and women)?
Women had basically no rights at all.

Jesus treated women as if they did count. In Christ we are equal in value. For him gender and/or nationality make no difference.

I understand that when Paul instructed women to be submisive he also instructed man to love wife as Jesus loves the church, unconditionally, willing to give his life for her. If we belive the Bible is inspired by God, Paul's words are inspired by God too.

A man that loves his wife as Christ loved the church will not make her feel inferior or take advantage of his leadership. He will respect her and treat her lovingly, honoring her as a delicate vessel.

Submission, the biblical way, is positive, when both see their role as God-ordained, and don't abuse their privileges.

Man submits to Christ, woman submits to man- What a different world we had if each individual knew and lived by our heavenly father's design for humankind!

Sadly, for many, they only see the submission part as a woman's duty. Unfortunately, men often come from a "Macho men" background where men rule and women are expected to obey without questions. That is not what Jesus taught or Paul expressed!

I'm doing my part in teaching my young men to clean and help around the house and not expect the woman has to do all the chores. I thank God all three are very helpful. Two of them know how to cook too. The youngest knows how to help himself, although not yet willing to "learn" how to cook a full meal. Still working on that.

The following Scripture seems to be the one used to indicate that women are to be 'subjected' to their husbands, no matter how unloving they might be.

But the Scripture actually directs 'submission' to a husband who loves his wife as Christ loves the Church. Christ's love for the Church or love of any kind for that matter is liberating, not enslaving. Thus to submit oneself as directed in the scripture is to give oneself as a gift of love. It is almost the direct opposite of 'subjecting' oneself to the control of selfishness.


22 Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, 23 for the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as also Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. (Holman Bible)