Stupid Religious Ignorance Bothers Me

So some of you might be expecting some diatribe about respecting others religious choices (I am generally for this except for FLDS and Scientology and any other religion that preaches craziness and oppression - they don't deserve respect), but I instead I am about to focus on Christianity and interpretation of the New Testament.

So there is this website: http://www.ihatemymarriage.us/ It is hosted by new spring chuch (I will now call this church and all churches like it Ignorant Christian Church, or ICC for short). So ICC has made this website that discusses the way to an appropriate marriage. ICC says that to achieve this marriage you must follow the bible, in particular the parts of the bible that talk of submission of women to their husbands. A lot of ICCs of different denominations use certain versus of the bible to put women in an inferior position (including catholocism). Usually this stems from the inerracy of the bible (i.e. everything in the bible is right).

I am going to address the flaw of this argument. In my mind God does not ask for ignorant faith and I feel this is what churches that push inerracy asks for. Now, most of these anti-female verses of the bible are from Paul. He wrote the Corinthians, etc. Many people have no idea who Paul was.

I will tell you. Paul was a persecutor of Christians. He converted to Christianity after he came across Christ after Christ had risen from the dead. After his conversion he became a church leader and wrote many letters to churches on how to run themselves. Some of the anti-female verses in Corinthians even seem to be added later (some though admittedly come from Paul).

Now let me explain why this does not matter. Christ spoke of equality. He welcomed women amongst his followers. He never established anywhere the concept of women being inferior to men or their husbands. Christs words are the words in red in the bible. Guess what, the anti-female words of the new testament are not in red.

What does this mean? It means when we say that Pauls teachings that contain an anti-female bent are to be followed we are awarding them more authority than the teachings of Christ. This is what inerracy and ignorance gets you.

What do I suggest? Religious knowledge. Know where the books of the bible come from and realize what they are. Recognize that these writers may have biases because they are products of their time, but that we as individuals with minds able to think should look at these writings for what they are. Men close to Christ trying to determine how their church should be run after Christ had left. We should give weight to their words, but also recognize that they have biases. When an issue is called into question, we must fall back on the words in red and search for the truth.

Now boys, I know this may scare you. But why must you be in charge of your wife? Can't you have logical discussions to reach a conclusion? Or are you afraid you might not get what you want?

We saw what happens when men are given crazy authority over women (hint, FLDS child rape). No one should be given control over another. We as humans just cannot handle it. Equality is really what me strive for to prevent abuses of power.

Pope, contact me when you have decided to allow Catholics to think on their own. We'll talk.