You find my understanding of 1 Timothy 2 strange? Let's see what 1 Timothy 2:9-15 says
9In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
Wow, how many "bible-believeing" women follow that rule?
10But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
Oh, yeah, that is obvious in all pious "bible-believing" women as well.
12But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
Whoaaa! Do you read this: in silence?
13For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Nothing like a little "compliment" for a gullable Eve. St. Paul is saying, it's Eve's fault.
15Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
They are to be faithful, obedient, submissive, modest, sober baby factories. That's their "role" in God's plan of salvation according to St. Paul.
And please don't tell me this applies only to women in "those days" and that cultural setting, because 1000 silverlings just got through telling everyone that the word of God is eternal and universal and that it applies to all the people all the time. :)
None of this strikes you as a little strange? I know, a head buried in the sand is all one needs to believe the sun doesn't shine.
Some are still called to bear Godly seed, and far from being a burden, that is a gift from God. Paul also says Gal3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Paul said actually the childbearing which would denote more of a woman's designated purpose in creation whereas men were to be tillers of the field and shepherds, etc.
If you go back into the OT you will see that these customs began whenever Israel associated too closely with her neighbors, such as Egypt. The adornments are associated with harlotry and idolatry and why in Judaism they were not to be desired in a woman.
Nonsense. Eve was deceived. Adam wasn't. That is why sin came into the world through ONE MAN. Sin did not come into the world through Eve. Like Eve, Christians can also be deceived and Paul warns us about be deceived (Rom 7:11, 1 Cor 6:9, 1 Cor 15:33, 2 Cor 11:3, etc.). However, sin cannot come into the world. It came in through Adam. It certainly wasn't Eve's fault.
I see no rules at all. There are not now, Jesus' commandments + stuff about women's apparel.
The apostle states a preference. He prefers inward beauty to outward. In other words, it's not "what's up front" that counts. It's what's inside.
Incidentally, he does not say here that women should not have braided hair. In the same way as I might say to a football player, "I want courage & commitment in the heart, and not immaculate uniforms, snazzy gloves, and polished helmets..."
I did NOT just say that immaculate uniforms are forbidden.
All of the other stuff that you propose being for “women” is actually for “wives.” In that perspective, he addresses the first couple, Adam & Eve. Obviously, he is discussing husbands and wives.
He is telling wives to recognize the protection that the husbands are to provide spiritually in the same way they rely on the husband’s protection physically.
Paul appears to have the Gospel according to Calvin, except where, he doesn’t and then we just pretend that the verses simply don’t exist, any more than the Deuterocanonicals exist.