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- Do women speak anything in the assembly, let alone tongues?

So women are not allowed to talk at all in your church? Can they sing, too? Or do you relegate them to the back room somewhere and hand them duct tape for their mouths when they walk in the door?

Can't have any of that women talking in church stuff, you know. Does that apply to children as well? Boys can talk but girls can't?

I have a real issue with women pastors for the reasons given in Scripture. I also see that as being a response to men in the church abdicating their role of spiritual leadership in the church. The only justification I can see in ordaining women is to allow them access to hospitals for visitation privileges that are usually reserved for clergy.

But if you're going to demand absolute and strict adherence to the above verses, then the only conclusion one can reach is that women in your church are not permitted to utter one word from the time they enter for services, until the time they leave. When they are in church assembling for any reason, they can't talk. No socializing allowed at all. No women employed by the church for administrative assistant work, because that requires them to talk.

That IS what it says; no speaking in the assembly for women, and likely girls as well.

That IS what it says; no speaking in the assembly for women, and likely girls as well.

There are assemblies in which these standards are observed. In them both the men, women, and children seem to me to exhibit a greater maturity. This is the kind of church I go to, and prefer, as they seem more willing to take Biblical instruction. This does not seem to produce robots -- it fosters the growth of thoughtful, effective disciples who take their relationship with The King quite seriously.

The silence phase really seems to apply when the assembly is in session at The Lord's pleasure, not necessarily before or after. But I suppose you know that, and perhaps find it difficult to arrive at a creative acceptance of the admonition offered by The Holy Spirit.

What the ekklesia is, is citizens of a kingdom called out, summoned by the king to deliberate on community issues. Here one might note that singing is recommended and approved for all, with public prayer and addresses from the sacred desk or from the floor being within the purview not merely of a pastor, but of all qualified men. What this indicates is that no excuse is accepted for the men to abdicate their spiritual responsibilities to go hunting or fishing, etc; thus relegating religious matters to the distaff side.

Women have a very great responsibility in instructing other, especially younger women, in honoring their Biblical expectations and duties that fall outside of the men's experience. This would be done outside the greater, full public assembly. For how is a man supposed to show a woman how to love her husband? He can't, really. On the other hand, the occasion to congregate, to publicly worship, and to learn and teach Bible doctrines is reserved to the Lord's expectations of the leadership of men.

But the bottom line of your concern is that there are a couple of questions and an observation to contend with:

(1) How much of Biblical truth is one going to accept and how much of the world's practices is one going to reject?
(2) When, as an example, did Mother Eve demonstrate that she was in the transgression -- was it when her lips started moving?
(3) Shouldn't her proper reaction have been to call her husband to deal with the Deceiver?

With full respect --