Stupid Things Christians Fight About #2

April 28, 2011 by cloften  
Filed under Family and Parenting

What do you call a sequel done long after the original which barely anyone remembers?  Tron Legacy? Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps? ET 2: The Apocalypse? A bad idea?  Probably the latter.  When not even Shia Labeouf can make it successful, you know you shouldn’t do it.  I was going to put his picture in here in the hopes that it would generate some traffic.  Maybe if I just put his name in here it will end up on the Google search for his name on page 1274.

But it is not the gap between the original post and this post that makes me think this isn’t a good idea.  It’s the content. You see, I do not strive to be controversial.  Controversy has found me several times, but I don’t seek it.  This post seems, at least in part, like seeking controversy.  I may just write this blog post for my own interest and then never publish it.  If you read that sentence, clearly I didn’t.  We’ll see. (”Dude, if you aren’t publishing this, then to whom are you talking?” As always, the voices in my head)

You would think that stating an issue shouldn’t be controversial (i.e. stop fighting about it) wouldn’t be controversial.  But if the passions are very high, people often don’t want to be told that they shouldn’t be.

Disclaimer #17 (I know get on with it already) Just because I say you shouldn’t fight about it, doesn’t me that we can’t disagree or discuss.  I just wish we could simmer down a little.  That’s not true–I mean simmer down a lot.

In this corner: People who believe that certain pastoral/leadership positions in churches are limited to men.

In the other corner: People who believe that that there are no such restrictions and all pastoral/leadership position are open to both men and women.

You see? You are already mad, because what I should have said was this:

In this corner: Misogynist (read He-man, Woman-Haters Club. Boom! Dated reference!), neanderthal, Bible-thumping sexist idiots that think men are better than women and want to see women barefoot and pregnant.

In the other corner: Bible-hating, culture-compromising liberals who don’t care what God says about anything who dream of a utopian androgynous society.

Isn’t that how the debate is framed?  That’s how much of the conversation goes far too often.  We believe the worst about people, assume the worst motives in people, if (gasp) they disagree with us.

This is not the final, most important battle over the inspiration or inerrancy of the Bible.  If that’s what you’re concerned about the authority of the Scripture, talk about that.  This is a simple disagreement about which passages should inform the others and interpreting and applying Scripture in different cultural contexts.  In the same vein, this is not a civil rights issue.  This is a “What does the Bible say? What should Christians believe?” issue.

But Cloften, there are some woman-hating jerks out there that believe this.  Agreed.

But Cloften, there are some people who teach this that teach the Bible is outdated should be ignored when we as a society have evolved.  Agreed.

I give you permission (arrogant, no?) to fight (verbally) with any woman-hating jerks or Christian teachers that undermine the authority of the Scripture. I would just ask that when 2 people that love both women and the Bible talk about this issue that we could show at least some measure of civility and respect that elevates at least a little bit over the highly intellectual discourse of say, Fox News and MSNBC. (FYI, you should feel insulted by being compared to them.)

But it’s a slippery slope! Slippery slope! (That’s both of you talking, BTW.)  Fine. Calmly, rationally discuss what you fear the slippery slope will lead to. When you are done, pray for each other, and go focus, you know, on, like, well, important stuff–people who desperately need Christ and those that have no food or place to sleep.  Certainly, can we stop publicly insulting each other?  (I’m looking at you internet)

I know some amazing pastors (of both genders) that are a part of both kinds of churches that love women and the Bible. (Did I just blow your mind?) They are doing great things for God.  We also know bad examples on both sides. However, for those of us who agree on 100% of essential stuff and 90% of everything else, can we please settle down on the 10%?

BTW, somebody is wrong on this issue.  It’s probably you.