It's because St. Augustine was one hell of a sinner before he found God, and he decided that women were the cause of his sinning. His influence got them demoted within the church, caused priests to be (theoretically, anyway) celibate and started the whole idea of sex being much less than holy, but necessary for procreation only. How profoundly our world has been changed by people with issues.
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Name : Vail24481, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : mutt, Religion : Atheist, Age : 40, City : Philly, State : PA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, I'll be blunt. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...... Adam and Eve were the first people created, and they were created equal. Then, they sinned against God, which came with many consequences, one of them being that now man was dominion over women.
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Name : Esther, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Christian, Age : 14, City : Hyattsville, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Also, the church at the time was keen on aquiring land. Many second and third born sons who didn't inherit the family farm, or go into the military studied to be clerics and priests, and whatever land they were to inherit would go to the church, instead of any heirs the priest would have.
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Name : B Caveney, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 40, City : Marina, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : freight handler, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Why does it have to be the man/husband? Why not the woman/wife? If both genders are equal, then why does it matter who is the 'head' of the household?
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Name : Hermione, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 34, City : Birmingham, State : AL Country : United States, Occupation : IT, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Your verses taken out of context still point to the true meaning of those verses. Ephesians 5:22 ...as unto the Lord. Ephesians 5:23...even as Christ is the head of the church... and Ephesians 5:24...subject to Christ, so (let) the wives (be)... When you search the meaning the verses are based on Christ's service to His followers and the sacrifice He made for all of us. The two responses referenced below by Marissa from Los Angeles and JFK from Ecuador are very good in there inclusion of the meaning behind those verses you listed. I hope you read them and continue to read the bible, seek the answers to your questions about Christ there. As I am sure you know it is detrimental to take the whole meaning of anything from just a part of the whole. The bible is one book, written by many people, as inspired by God, over thousands of years with one recurrent truth, you must believe that Jesus came to pay the price for our sins, and all those who believe in Him as Saviour, confess and repent of their sins will receive eternal life with God in heaven.
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Name : Mike, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 48, City : Burleson, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Senior Sales Coordinator, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
DBParticipant
As a Christian woman, I have been taught that the husband is the head of the household, and the wife's role is to support him, but not to be subservient to him. Remember that according to the Bible, when God created woman he took her from man's rib. This represents the fact that she is supposed to stand beside him as a partner. Christ treated women with respect and listened to their opinions, he didn't treat them as subservient.
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Name : DB, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Norman, State : OK Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Somehow I don't find agnostic to be accurrately described as 'an impartial point of view'.
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Name : Bob Hayles, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 50, City : Jasper, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Artist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, The REAL reason priests can't marry is because in 1139 The Lateran Council imposed this belief so the Roman Catholic Church could inherit property of priests rather than priests passing it on to their children.
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Name : Tia, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 40, City : Baltimore, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : educator, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, Subservience? No such thing exists in scripture. Submission, yes. But for a man to take the lead in the family is to accept responsibility that the woman is cared for, and that also is for ALL her needs. To be master of the house is to be servant to the house as well. Take Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. He took upon himself the towel and washed their feet as their servant. It is submission, not subservience. If you love someone, you take care of them. But taking the lead as head of the family means responsibility. That responsibility is to share my life with my wife, not me rule her. There is also scripture in Romans that says there is neither male nor female in the Kingdom of God. We have to trancend the physical anatomical differences and see that as spiritual beings we are all alike. God is also male and female at the same time. A striking comment for some in itself. Take 'His' name El Shadai, which means 'may breasted one', implicating one who nourishes. I can't answer this question satisfactorily in this forum. It takes a change of mind. A new paradym.
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Name : Jim R, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 54, City : Jacksonville, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : Information Technology, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Upper middle class, I am a Christian and I am afraid most Christian men believe women to be subservient even if they say otherwise. I do not believe women to be subservient. The Bible records the words, actions and thoughts of God but also records the words, actions and thoughts of ordinary people like you and me. So, for example, there is a Psalm in which the writer praises anyone who would bash the head of an enemy's baby against a rock. This kind of emotion is very human albeit scary when we are in dire circumstances. God wants to show us that many people have been through the same things in the past we are going through now. However, He also wants to show us how to live. He certainly does not approve of bashing babies' heads against rocks. Similarly, Paul was a male chauvinist and often wrote about women submitting to men. Too many Christians happily quote Paul as though he is God. He was human and also had his opinions. If we want the truth, let us look at Genesis: God created Adam and Eve to be equal (just read about it). Of course, Eve ate the forbidden fruit and then offered Adam some. What did the coward do when God confronted him? He blamed the woman. As part of the punishment God pronounced, He said that Eve would be subject to Adam. This is not because God wanted it this way but because Adam would not get it out of his stubborn skull that Eve was to blame (even though she was not). One finds two kinds of punishment in the Bible, one imposed and the other natural. For example, if a parent warns their child repeatedly not to hurt their brother or sister but they persist, the parent may impose a punishment such as a hiding. However, if a parent warns a child about not touching poisons or other bottles they are not familiar with and the child drinks the poison anyway, the 'punishment' is natural. The 'punishment' Eve received was not God punishing her. Adam was going to punish her because he (like a twit) blamed her for his wrongdoing. God simply informed her of what was going on in Adam's head. God's punishment on both of them was banishment from the Garden of Eden, physical death and a life of toil. This is obviously a harsh punishment humanity bears to this day but God never made women to be subservient to men.
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Name : Eugene, City : Johannesburg, State : NA Country : South Africa, Amen! God loves all His children equally. He is a personal God that wants a Father / Child relationship with everyone regardless of gender or race( He created all of them you know...we are all one race.. HUMAN) Read the Bible with an open mind and heart and sincerely ask God to reveal His Living Word to you.. He will!
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Name : J-Mead, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 35, City : Harrrisburg, State : PA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Your question invokes 2 answers. As a general rule all women are not required to submit to any and all men. The scripture that people often use says,'wives submit to your own husband'. That is a very specific relationship. God wants what is best for us.Marriage is a partnership. He constantly refers to marriage as becoming one. Do you react negatively when your brain tells you to get up in the morning or your bladder tells you to take a bathroom break? It's like a passenger submitting to the driver, is one inferior to the other? The car won't go with 2 drivers.
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Name : Gina21689, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 33, City : Dallas, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I am a Christian, and I beleive in equality in the home and in the world. So even if there are passages about 'submission' I think its just the best to disregard them. There are also passages in the bible about stoning women who aren't virgins, but do we do that? No, because its not in the best interest. There are many ways that a woman is a better leader of her family, just as there are many situations when lying is a smarter idea then telling the truth (ex. telling your friend about her surprise party). Other Christian may feel differently, but I know for one thing there is no way Im going to be the second ranking officer if I ever choose to get married.
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Name : Kim26355, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 19, City : bakersfield, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : varies, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I am not a Christian and I do not believe what the Bible says. But I do KNOW what the Bible says and I know that many Christians are ignorant or in denial about the fact that the Bible does indeed place women below men. Many Christians don't believe this applies to them, even though in the same breath they will tell you that the Bible is the 'infallible Word of God'. I cannot quote the complete scriptures here due to the limit on the number of words we can post, but here are the verses. You can look them up online if you wish. From the New Testament: I Timothy (2:11-13) Ephesians (5:22-24) Colossians (3:18) I Corinthians (14: 34-35)
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Name : Heather, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 31, City : Cleveland, State : TN Country : United States, Occupation : Self-employed - Internet, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Why do you think subservience makes a woman inferior? You're probably subservient to your boss at work, but that doesn't make you an inferior human being does it? Don't let male egotism fool you; women have almost always had more actual power (mostly because they don't have such a highly competitive nature as men do). Most guys are will learn REALLY quickly that upsetting their wives make them feel bad and women set the tone of the home. When mom is mad/sad/unhappy everyone feels it, especially men.
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Name : Wyn, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : Augusta, State : GA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, 
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