The Bible

[emmie]

it's a while since i read a Bible, so you will have to bear with me in this.
Did women have or play any part in compiling the scriptures, text, or in any way contribute. It was one of those moments earlier today that the thought came to me, no idea why. Perhaps it had something to do with one of the other threads about famous women, and how many examples of women who have made a large contribution to the world we live in. I don't believe in any religion, but assumed that all texts, in the Quran, Bible, Torah, and any others would have only been composed by men.

[beso]

None of my kids hurt at all when they were born. The missus didn't seem to agree though.

Isn't the whole purpose of a woman just to bear children? Other than that they are irrelevant.

[naomi24]

Oh come on beso, be fair. We cook and clean too - and we have to make ourselves 'available' to our man whenever the mood takes him, so we do have other uses. We multi-task you know! :o)

[Anlyn]

Is that really what the Koran says, that women are only needed for having babies?
So Islam is even more worse than Catholicism then?
It's astonishing that in the 21st century people can live such blinkered primitive lives.

[naomi24]

Anlyn, No, it doesn't actually say that women are only useful for breeding. As I indicated, they do have other uses. ;o)

[RATTER15]

Anlyn, you are probably better off not knowing what the bible actually say about women :(

It isnt pretty.

[joko]

if they had had any input they would not have been credited for it anyway... no male writer would have allowed the 'shame' of his work being added to etc by a woman.

men have stifled and tried to own women for centuries, believed they were less intelligent delicate little flowers whose only purpose was to cook, clean, bear children and look pretty.

its quite sad to think what treasures we have missed out on because of this... because i expect many women wrote great works behind closed doors that nobody ever saw, or even were printed in the name of their husband etc... and probably many who 'could' have written amazing works sadly never even tried, because it just 'wasnt' done'

[vetuste_ennemi]

Back to your sampler, Joko.

[Mymom]

In ancient times, women in the Mediterranean or Far East were not accorded the freedom that they have today in our Modern Western Society. This was how men viewed women – they were regarded in many cases as slaves. Males were far more esteemed than female and in some cases, baby girls were left to die.

The Bible was written at a time when customs reflected this attitude. Even so, divine law as expressed in the Bible showed a high regard for women, which was in marked contrast with the attitudes of many ancient cultures.

That Jehovah had concern for the welfare of women can be seen on several occasions when he acted in behalf of his female worshippers. For example, he intervened to protect Abraham’s beautiful wife, Sarah, from being violated not once, but twice. (Genesis 12:14-20; 20:1-7) God showed favour to Jacob’s less-loved wife, Leah, by ‘opening her womb,’ so that she bore a son. (Genesis 29:31, 32) When two Israelite midwives risked their lives to preserve Hebrew male children from infanticide in Egypt, Jehovah appreciatively “presented them with families.” (Exodus 1:17, 20, 21) When Hannah earnestly prayed for a child Jehovah granted her a son. (1 Samuel 1:10, 20) And when the widow of a prophet faced a creditor who was about to take her children as slaves to pay off her debt, Jehovah did not leave her in the lurch. Lovingly, God enabled the prophet Elisha to multiply her supply of oil so that she could pay the debt and still have sufficient oil for her family. She thus preserved her family and her dignity.—Exodus 22:22, 23; 2 Kings 4:1-7.

We read in the Bible that the exploitation of women or the use of violence against them was condemned. The prophet Jeremiah told the Israelites in Jehovah’s name: “Render justice and righteousness, and deliver the one that is being robbed out of the hand of the defrauder; and do not maltreat any alien resident, fatherless boy or widow. Do them no violence. And do not shed any innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:2, 3) Later, the rich and powerful in Israel were condemned because they had evicted women from their homes and mistreated their children. (Micah 2:9) The God of justice sees and condemns as evil such suffering caused to women and their children.

Women are not to be the oppressed victims of men who take advantage of them, mistreat them, or subject them to abuse of any kind. Instead, the married woman is to be the happy and accomplished “complement” of her husband.—Genesis 2:18.

[beso]

Where was Jehovah when Lott offered his virgin daughters to the men who wanted fornicate with his male guests? Or when he gave them his female house keeper and they raped her until she was dead. Or when he committed incest with his daughters making them pregnant?

[vetuste_ennemi]

Good research, Mymom.
Have you yourself read the full story in Genesis about Abraham being in Egypt and passing his wife off as his sister? (That was a "NO", wasn't it?). What do you think of the esteemed patriarch's treatment of Hagar?
Nice that you've cited Micah, one of the few books of the OT which has anything which might be regarded as decent morality in it. Have you got any quotes from Joshua? Didn't that cruel and bloody man kill foreigners and take their daughters as slaves?

[naomi24]

I was just about to take a leaf out of Mymom's post and do a bit of cherry picking myself, but having seen beso and vestuste's excellent responses, there is no need.

[maggiebee]

Have often thought of women's role in my particular church - they run the creche, arrange flowers, do the teas/coffees, teach Sunday School, play the organ and a myriad of other jobs. If there were no women in our church, think our minister would be preaching to a congregation of about 3 men.

[Ann]

More on this link em
http://www.preachitte...-women-bible-writers/

[Old_Geezer]

As I understood it any books written by women would have been left out when the bible was compiled. There are additional texts by women (and other men) one can read should you desire. Not that I've chased any down to read.

[Ann]

Haha maggie - same at our Church! Whenever did we see the men helping washing up and serving tea and coffee in the church kitchen - not very often! However I suppose they do other jobs around the church.......... Our Ladies Fellowship group which I run, is now in its 36th year, the Mens Fellowship group lasted about 2 years with lots of excuses "can't get speakers, run out of ideas etc etc !! That says it all for us Ladies! Your church sounds very similar to ours!

[Old_Geezer]

http://www.google.co....6910&biw=1056&bih=672 This may help locate them ?

[jomifl]

Ann, I expect the men have worked out that a church is for the practice of religion.....

[emmie]

some good answers, however it has more or less convinced me that women played no part in contributing, compiling, or writing the texts that have gone into the holy books, of which ever religion. It's not about women, feminism, nor the role that women play in the church now.
As i said in the OP, if some care to read it, i hadn't read the bible for years, and after long consideration do not believe in any aspect of religious doctrine. My reasons are my own, so not going to get up another futile debate between the atheists, and those of faith.

[joko]

i would imagine that only part women played in actually compliling the texts is possibly writing it down when a man dictated it to her...

they are generally far too discrimiating twards women for any part of them to have been written by women

[venator]

There is evidence that many very early religions were led by women, with fertility based worship and a matrilineal society.

Further reading - The White Goddess, by Robert Graves.