Apologetics Lane

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Did Jesus Hate Women?

This is blog not a comprehensive answer to the question. It just records a post posted on a Jewish and Christian Facebook group, and my quick response to it. Presumably it was posted by a Jewish Woman (first name "Ilana").

Christian, why do you worship an idol who hates women? I’m pretty sure the god/man hates women. Here are the facts, aside from telling a Canaanite woman that she is a dog of other nations, we see other instances that seem to support this idea of sexism from the god/man. After the resurrection, the women go to the tomb and are met by Jesus who tells Mary not to touch him—because he has not yet ascended to God, yet only ten verses later Jesus tells Thomas to touch him and believe. On the surface, the woman at the well is seen as a comforting story, but why does the writer go to such detail to inform the reader that she has been married so many times, with no backstory. Jesus directs her to go get her husband, and as the story goes, knows already that she is not married. Is there a single instance where Jesus speaks of any man’s past relational issues? Even Paul parrots this sexist nonsense when he claims that, per the law, it is not permitted for women to speak in the churches, nor teach. That was a lie. There is no such Torah law that makes that command at all. How could the judge, prophetess, wife, and military general of the Hebrew Scriptures, Deborah, have judged Israel—by using the law—while remaining silent? Other prophetesses include Miriam, Huldah, Noadiah, and Isaiah’s wife. How could the Proverbs 31 woman exist if Paul’s instructions are part of God’s plan? She has a business selling belts to the tradesmen, buys land, is praised in the gates of the city, cares well for her handmaidens, and is married.

The following was my brief response:

Compare all that with the traditional Jewish prayer:

//“Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.” //

//Bessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has not made me a woman.//

Some have it, “Blessed are you O God, King of the Universe, Who has not made me…” and conclude, respectively, “a goy [Gentile],” “a slave,” and “a woman.”

Woman were among those who financially funded Jesus ministry. See Luke 8:3

Luke 8:1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,
2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
3 AND JOANNA, THE WIFE OF CHUZA, HEROD'S HOUSEHOLD MANAGER, AND SUSANNA, AND MANY OTHERS, WHO PROVIDED FOR THEM OUT OF THEIR MEANS

Jesus not giving a hearing to the Canaanite/Syro-Phoenician woman wasn't because she was a woman, but because she was a Gentile. Jesus said His mission was to Israelites. Only later would the Gospel go to the Gentiles as the Tanakh predicts, and Jesus' own teaching entails.

Jesus telling Mary not to touch her is better translated as "hold on" (NIV, ISV) "cling/clinging" (as the ESV, NKJV, NLT, NASB, CSB, HCSB).

//but why does the writer go to such detail to inform the reader that she has been married so many times, with no backstory.//

Adulterous and "fornicatious" affairs are sinful whether one is a man or a woman. In this case, it's a woman, rather than a man. One might as well say that the prophet Nathan was a misanthrope [a hater of men] because he exposed King David's affair with Bathsheba.

//Even Paul parrots this sexist nonsense when he claims that, per the law, it is not permitted for women to speak in the churches, nor teach.//

Even in most Jewish settings [ancient, 1st century, middle ages, and present] rabbis are only to be men.

//That was a lie. There is no such Torah law that makes that command at all.//

The Hebrew Scriptures clearly teach by inference that only men should be teachers of doctrine over both men and women. Though, it would obviously allow for women to teach their children etc.

//How could the judge, prophetess, wife, and military general of the Hebrew Scriptures, Deborah, have judged Israel—by using the law—while remaining silent?//

The New Testament also has female prophetesses (Acts 21:9; Acts 2:17-18). But Giving prophecy and teaching doctrine aren't exactly the same thing. Prophecies must be weighted/judged under both the Old and New Testament (Deut. 13 & 18). Giving prophecies doesn't necessarily make one a leader or a teacher. Paul's statement should also take all this into consideration. Paul was speaking generally about women. Most women, generally don't have the gift of prophecy. Though, some did.

//She has a business selling belts to the tradesmen, buys land, is praised in the gates of the city, cares well for her handmaidens, and is married.//

The married couple who were both tentmakers Priscilla and Aquila are mentioned 3 times in the book of Acts. Two out of the three times the female wife is mentioned first. Probably because she was more vocal in terms of evangelism and sharing the Gospel with others. While I'm not fully convinced, a case could be made that the second person mentioned in Rom. 16:7 is not only a woman (Junia), but a fellow apostle/missionary. There are debates on this issue, but it's not an impossibility.

scholarly article on the topic

https://drmsh.com/TheNakedBible/Was%20Junia%20Really%20an%20Apostle%20A%20Re%20examination%20of%20Rom%2016%207.pdf

introduction to the topic

https://www.gotquestions.org/Junia-Junias-apostle.html

Friday, January 7, 2022

Atheist Dan Barker Debates Michael L. Brown

At one of my blogs (HERE) I linked to three debates where I thought Dan Barker lost a debate to a Christian. I linked to them because I've listened to dozens of Dan Barker's debates and I think he wins nearly all of them. So, for a theist to win a debate against Barker is remarkable. Here's a FOURTH debate where I think a Christian won against Dan Barker.

Does the God of the Bible exist?
[Atheist Dan Barker vs. Christian Michael L. Brown]
https://youtu.be/tQtDha3pgOw