Monday, February 9, 2009

Sign Checklist #3: CARM: Christian Admits Real Misogyny

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM) is by far the most interesting of the sites on the sign. It's similar to RaptureReady and GotQuestions. It was founded by a man named Matt Slick in response to what he felt was false teachings on the internet.

Judging from his writings, I'd have to say that Slick is a proud misogynist. He boldly states that women should not teach men and that they should shut up. The sad thing is that the bible backs him up.Here Slick answers an important question.
Should you leave a church if it utilizes a woman pastor?

Opinions will vary when it comes to answering the question of whether or not we should leave a church if it allows women to preach and teach from the pulpit. So, I can give you my opinion. I would leave my church if it started to have women preach from the pulpit.

I would leave because I would no longer be able to trust the leaders of the church to properly interpret the word of God. For me it is simple. It would not matter how many friendships I had developed in the church. It would not matter if I was being used in the church. And, it would not matter that people might look down on me for leaving. But that's what I would do. I would not be able to trust their teaching any longer and I would fear that the door to liberalism had been opened.
Oh, the horror! Liberalism! Why, Oh why can't women properly interpret the word of God? Does Slick think women are too stupid or what? Well, here's the reason that Slick thinks women are unfit to preach.
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." --1 Timothy 2:11-15
You've heard right. According to the bible, women are unfit to teach or preach and must shut up because Adam was created first and Eve was the one that satan had decieved. Also, the only reason God keeps women around is because they can have babies.

Some of the best teachers I've had were women. Also, the best bosses I've had were also women. The kind of misogyny you find in the bible, has no place in the modern world.

P.S.
Here's some more points. Slick is willing to give up his time and investment in his church just because a woman speaks from the pulpit. I know that many atheists feel that going to church is pointless. I have to disagree. It would be pointless for me to go, but to a christian it's a social event. Social events are important. To abandon your friends and the social work you enjoy just because of a few sexist verses in the bible is laughable, in my opinion. Slick can do whatever he likes, but it may not be healthy mentally to leave a successful social event just because "duh wimun is sayun thangs". I most certainly wouldn't advise a christian friend to leave his church over such a silly reason.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Matt Slick and his answer for god is typical.
God made matter and god is not matter?
Of what is he?
And he would leave church over a women leading it.
If the first born child of a family is male, does that make him better then the second born male of a family?
ibex

Anonymous said...

This is the issue that made me really begin to examine my conservative faith as an adult. I was working with the WORST pastor (male) ever, and happened to visit a church one Sunday with a wonderful female pastor. I began to think and research, and this issue led to another, which led to another, and so on until I didn't believe any of it anymore.