Patriarchy

In this paper, I'll be debunking the "Tenets of 'Biblical' Patriarchy", written by Vision Forum.

1. “God reveals Himself as masculine, not feminine.” This is true. God does reveal Himself as masculine. However, this absolutely does not mean that men are in some way superior to women. Aristotle taught that women are morally, physically, and intellectually inferior to men. Meanwhile, men are at the peak of perfection. But nothing could be further from the truth. To say that God created something less than perfect is nothing but blasphemy. God made men and women in His image. They are both equal.
   
2. “God ordained distinct gender roles for man and woman as part of the created order.” This also is true. However, patriarchy carries this much farther than it will openly admit. Patriarchy holds that women absolutely may not work outside the home, they hold no authority, and they have far less social privilege. I'll debunk these in order. Proverbs 31 praises women working outside the home. Are they never at home? Of course they are. But it's clearly not wrong for women to work outside the home. Proverbs 31 also speaks to women having authority. (Gotta' love this chapter.) “She opens (GASP) her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching (shocking) of kindness is on her tongue.” The belief on social privilege is truly laughable. I don't even really need to go into depth on this. “And they were devoting themselves to and the fellowship...” Guess what. “They” includes women. Bam. Case closed.
   
3. “A husband and father is the head of his household, a family leader, provider, and protector.” This too is correct. However, a wife is also a family leader. And while I would advocate that a man has more authority than her, she does have an incredible amount of it. She, too, can be a provider. And while it's the man's responsibility, there's clearly nothing wrong with her pitching in as long as it doesn't interfere with her other responsibilities. A wife is also a protector. And while it's in a smaller sense, she's still responsible for instructing or rebuking her children and even her husband if he's sinning.
   
4. “Male leadership in the home carries over into the church: only men are permitted to hold the ruling office in the church. A God-honoring society will likewise prefer male leadership in civil and other spheres.” This is pretty much completely correct. However, this doesn't mean what they think it means. It absolutely doesn't mean that women are worth less than men. It just means they're supposed to hold different offices. You don't see men being mothers or clothing designers (the manly ones of us, at least). Just as there are privileges God gives just to men, there are privileges He gives to just women.
   
5. “Since the woman was created as a helper to her husband, as the bearer of children, and as a 'keeper at home', the God-ordained and proper sphere of dominion for a wife is the household and that which is connected to the home.” Wow, that escalated quickly. Anyway, I'll jump right in. Let's get one thing straight. Women were not created to just be “helpers to their husbands”. Everything and everyone was created to honor God, not man. However, while it is true that women were created for this as the main sub-purpose, the relationship is mutual. Men need help from their wives and wives need help from their husbands. I don't think patriarchs realize that they're committing intellectual suicide by including this phrase, but they are. The very fact that women are supposed to be helpers to their husbands means that men are not as impressive and self-sustaining as they'd like to believe. Men need someone to help them. “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.” (1 Cor. 11-12) Moving on to the keeper at home part... While a wife is called to keep the home, so is the husband, in a very real sense. He works for the purpose of keeping his home. And now we get to the fun part. “The proper sphere of dominion for a wife is the household and that which is connected to the home.” They actually have this mostly right, shockingly. But notice the words “for a wife”. If a woman isn't married, her proper sphere is obviously not caring for her children and husband.
   
6. “God's command to be fruitful and multiply still applies to married couples today.” I'm actually not sure where they're trying to go with this. I could speculate, but I'm just gonna' leave it at saying this statement is correct.
   
7. “Christian parents must provide their children with a thoroughly Christian education, one that teaches the Bible and a biblical view of God and the world.” I'm pretty sure what they're trying to do here is advertise homeschooling. In any case, they're correct. However, I wouldn't agree that Christian schools are sinful.
   
8. “Both sons and daughters are under the command of their fathers as long as they are under his roof or otherwise the recipients of his provision and protection.” What they're trying to say is that unmarried, adult women are subject to their father's authority. I honestly have mixed feelings about this and am studying it further. (Feel free to leave your thoughts.)
   

Well, I guess that concludes my arguments. (I may release a part 2 sometime.) In conclusion, patriarchy is the new racism. It's a legalistic, anti-biblical worldview that will ultimately lead, if followed, to the decay of the family. To teach daughters they have less worth than men is abominable in the sight of God. It's time that men who are patriarchs grew up, admitted they're not perfect, and that they're not better than women. Of course men and women are different, but to say that one is better than the other is absolutely unacceptable. So, to all my patriarch brothers: Grow up. And get the right version of the Bible, 'cause you're obviously not reading the right one. You've never even read the passages you use to defend your position. You're using this belief system as a cover-up for pride, which God absolutely despises. I think it's time we all humbled ourselves and resolved to live in accordance with what God says. To my patriarch sisters: You aren't worthless. You aren't some kind of second-rate person. Don't listen to the lies. You're just as precious in the sight of God as men are. To conclude my conclusion, it's time we stopped this heresy in its tracks and sent it back to the pits of Hell.