Replies

>>Nobody has given me, on this thread, an explanation of what their belief is today.<<

Sure they have. Multiple times. This is not the "church" and nothing in scripture denies a woman the right to quote scripture. If you find anywhere in scripture that denies a woman to stand up for what scripture teaches let us know. Not one of the woman here is attempting to exert authority over a man that I have found. If you have let us know.

Those who are trying to silence the women here love to bring up Paul's words to Timothy but I don't see them applying what is also included there. Do they also demand that women not braid their hair? How about wearing any jewellery? No gold or pearls worn by Catholic women? How about costly garments? Do Catholic women remain quiet?

Romans 16:11 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.

Phoebe a deacon? Say it ain't so.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Was Peter talking to just the men? If you think so would you please show the source?

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Women should teach? Do Catholic women also all stay at home?

The only restriction Paul gives is that women should not have spiritual authority over the man. Those here who would like to wield Paul's letters to silence women had better head to the other words of Paul regarding women as well. Their women had better not fix their hair, or wear jewelery, or pearls, or nice dresses. They need to keep their women home and not out working. If they think Paul was saying women should at all time shut up they had better heed the rest of his words also. If not all I see is hypocrisy.

Dear CynicalBear, I'm inclined to agree with a good 95% of the words you just wrote, with gusts of up to 100...and if there's a Catholic here who disagrees with any of that, let me know.

You apparently think that one FReeper ---Af-Vet-1981-- was trying to silence Christian women on this Forum, but that's not as I see it.

(I'm presuming to speak for another FReeper here, which is usually a losing proposition. However...)

My understanding of it is, that Af-Vet-1981 was challenging certain FReeper females to explain why they do not abide by the stricter interpretation of the cited Scriptures at 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2. Some Christian groups do take a stricter or more literal approach. My own Church teaches that:

women cannot be pastors/priests
women should not preach at the pulpit, i.e. after the Gospel.

Other Christian churches (but not mine)go further in obedience to Paul, and teach that:

women may not adult men, whether as teachers in a church or in a seminary; they may only teach other women, and children.
Women are not to exercise any "headship" over men in any context (a former employer of mine, a non-Catholic Christian whom I mentioned before, said that.)
And of course, many go in the other, more liberal direction and say that Paul's rules were totally limited to his particular place, time, and churches.

So, on these particular points, what say ye?

Dear CynicalBear; metmom; boatbums; mitch5501; Mark17; and other fond friends similarly situated---

I woke up and got on FR this morning to find I've got about 40 messages from y'all --- I mean, ALL y'all (plural) --- in my queue. I might could do rough justice to about two of them today, but I do have other things to do, including organizing a Rosary Vigil this Saturday at our nearest Planned Parenthood.

I just wanted you to know I'm neither ignoring nor evading you. Nor even failing to sincerely appreciate you.

Do you suppose you could gather up all your comments, turn them into a Reader's Digest condensed book, and send it to me along with an executive summary?

(Just kidding!)

OH! And I've been forgetting. Somewhere in this 5,000+ thread I promised I'd never post on Mary unless I also put in a picture. Since this is still a Mary thread, I am honoring her and her Divine Son, Savior, and Lord, with this lovely and unusual image from the Cathedral of Nagasaki:

I hope you all spend a good day in equally good company. God bless you.