Doug
The fact that civil leadership by a woman is not part of the general creation order (which it is not), and rule by women generally is treated by Scripture as a curse, which it is (Is. 3:12), does not mean that any given instance of a woman ruling has to mean that the woman is disobedient,
Mark
That’s right. Deborah didn’t install herself as judge, nor was she elected by her constituency. Have we been called to assist God by electing Sarah Palin?
Doug,
and/or that the men around her are wusses. The Bible never says that.
Mark
It’s a reproach and contrary to the creation order. The reason behind the reproach is irrelevant.
Doug,
In other words, outside the Church, a woman in a position of authority over men ought to be treated as an anomaly, not as a sin or a disgrace.
Mark,
Certainly Deborah was neither sinning nor disgraceful. But Israel was sinning.
Doug,
A woman pastor is not an anomaly; it is disobedience.
Mark,
That’s right. But pastors are called, hired or appointed by men who have no business acting in a manner contrary to Scripture. Prophets and judges were not hired, elected, or appointed by men. False dichotomy Doug.
Doug,
But a woman who runs the household of her quadriplegic husband
Mark,
Did she maim him in order to gain ascendancy? Since she didn’t it is a non sequitur Doug to suggest that because a woman can run the household of her quadriplegic husband, therefore Christians should vote for a female magistrate to be head of a nations political household.
Doug,
But such a virtuous action on her part does not keep it from being anomalous.
Mark,
But no more anomalous than a single father raising his children. The point proves nothing. Inane point Doug.
Doug,
And to use the kind of example I have used before (and which no one in this debate has answered yet, incidentally), can a father or husband leave an inheritance to a daughter or wife if that inheritance includes the laboring jobs of males? Can a Christian woman inherit a factory that employs fifty men? The answer is of course.
Mark,
It has been answered and his is no proper comparison. Employees are free to leave the company. Her authority over what rightfully belongs to her doesn’t affect my house, my church, my role in society. The role of magistrate is categorically different. She will be party to decisions about how my taxes are spent, whether or not we will go to war, how my children will be educated in the public schools and every other area where the gov’t has taken authority whether legitimate or not. Perhaps a better question would be whether the inheriting daughter should maintain control of the company after she’s married? What say you Doug?
Anomalies exist. God, in bringing them about is exercising his right of ownership. God takes life whenever he chooses. The murder of a righteous man is an anomaly. What personal behavior can we justify with that? God’s actions don’t validate our acting in ways inconsistent with Scripture — such as voting against God’s creation order by voting for a female magistrate.
