Is there any job inside a church that a woman shouldn't perform?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

So I'm a slanderer for quoting the bible? It says it in black and white. Look it up if you wish.

No, you are slandering the gospel by treating Paul as an advocate of slavery simply because he admonished slaveowners to be kind to their slaves.  In addition, to disguise your slander as truth, you conveniently failed to mention Paul's letter to Philemon, a whole book of the New Testament dedicated to admonishing a slaveowner to free his slave on the basis of the love of Christ.

---

And, I've got another question for you jmfcst, Because I don't believe in it anymore, does that make me a bad person?

Not at all, it just makes you unsaved.

[Dr. Cynic]

I never said anything about a specific character, nor am I slandering. It is what I read. Conviently, I am more unfamiliar with the New Testament, so you could be feeding me a line of horsesh**t, and I would be forced to dig out the old family bible and look it back up, which I will do, because if I am wrong on this subject, I would like to clarify it.

However, in regards to my personal beliefs, I refuse to accept that there is some being out there who hates gays, liberals, muslims, buddhists, etc. because they don't believe the same as a christian does. If the path to heaven is hate, unacceptence, and the lack of ability to embrace progress, then I say the hell with it.

Which is what I said six years ago.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I never said anything about a specific character, nor am I slandering. It is what I read.

The passage you paraphrased was written by Paul.

---

Conviently, I am more unfamiliar with the New Testament, so you could be feeding me a line of horsesh**t, and I would be forced to dig out the old family bible and look it back up, which I will do, because if I am wrong on this subject, I would like to clarify it.

Well, make up your mind, dude.  Do you know the bible or don't you?

My grandfather was a minister, and he told me bible stories every day, so don't tell me I don't know the bible.

---

However, in regards to my personal beliefs, I refuse to accept that there is some being out there who hates gays, liberals, muslims, buddhists, etc. because they don't believe the same as a christian does. If the path to heaven is hate, unacceptence, and the lack of ability to embrace progress, then I say the hell with it.

Which is what I said six years ago.

Christ died for the sins of gays, liberals, muslims...even my sins, even while I was still a sinner.  All that he asks in return is to accept his sacrifice.

[MasterJedi]

Yes, but only a Priest.

[Nym90]

It should be up to the individual church to decide, as I believe strongly in seperation of church and state, which would include government having no right to regulate gender discrimination in a church's hiring practices.

My personal answer is no.

[dazzleman]

It should be up to the individual church to decide, as I believe strongly in seperation of church and state, which would include government having no right to regulate gender discrimination in a church's hiring practices.

My personal answer is no.

I agree.  I think it's foolish for churches to exclude women from certain jobs, and not in keeping with the true spirit of the bible.

But the government should not be involved in any way.  For me, that goes without saying.

[DanielX]

Gangster, Thief, Murderer, Arsonist, Drug dealer, person who puts gum under desks, a performance belcher, etc.

Seriously, I can't think of much. Even prostitution - many ancient religions had temple prostitution. I believe in ancient babylonian, 'prostitute' and 'priestess' were the same word...

[??????????]

I agree.  I think it's foolish for churches to exclude women from certain jobs, and not in keeping with the true spirit of the bible.

Are you familiar at all with what the bible says about a womans role in the church?

[dazzleman]

I agree.  I think it's foolish for churches to exclude women from certain jobs, and not in keeping with the true spirit of the bible.

Are you familiar at all with what the bible says about a womans role in the church?

Yes, but I don't regard the bible as a legal document.  I think the bible reflects its times to a certain extent, and reflects the prejudices of the men who wrote it.  The bible also approves slavery in certain parts.

You have to remember that Jesus was a rebel.  He rebelled against a lot of the legalistic stuff, and now we see many churches dedicated to Jesus' teaching engaging in the legalistic stuff.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't challenge any of the fundamental tenets of the bible.  I just don't consider this a fundamental tenet.  I don't believe that God truly designated half the people he created to be above the other half.

I also don't believe that God has a 'chosen people.'  I don't believe he places some of the people he created over others.  God sits back to see if we choose him, and if we do, he accepts us, regardless of background, gender, etc. 

Though I am a committed Christian, I don't believe Christianity is the only way to God.  The belief that one must be a Christian or they will burn in hell is an old chauvinistic, missionary belief in my opinion.  Attitude and lifestyle are what matter.  I'm all in favor of spreading Christianity to those who are receptive, but I don't believe that those not exposed to it will never have a shot at getting into heaven.

I had an interesting discussion with a couple of people about missionaries in Africa.  One person said that instead of focusing on religion, the missionaries in Africa should help to treat the people with AIDS.  I pointed out that Christianity, with its emphasis on monogamy and faithfulness, could be the best guarantee against AIDS, since AIDS is devastating Africa due in large part to the sexual practices prevalent there, which include widespread homosexual activity and a great deal of sex outside marriage or committed relationships.