the flame who lost his way essays

the flame who lost his way essays It is not possible or commendable in mainstream United States to imitate biblical-times gender role patterns. In biblical times, male and female weren't associated according to gender as much as they were according to relationship. Because of the enmeshed society where individuating was not only not done but wasn't seen as normal or healthy we cannot as individuals in the United States begin to imitate let alone completely understand gender role patterns in biblical-times. Women were seen as sisters, wives, mothers, daughters etc. not as women in the sense of gender. Men were also enveloped within relationship as brother, husband, father, son etc. not as maleness. Relationship defined who they were as a person in relationship. An individual was usually someone outside the group, inferior, sick or unacceptable. In the United States we value individuality. We have whole professions dedicated specifically to heal those who are not individuals in one sense or another. We value the self-alone, not as much as relationship. Who we are isn't bound in what relationship we are in but usually in what we do for a living. Because of this foundational difference in orientation as human beings we should not and could not imitate biblical-times gender role patterns. When we as Western thinkers read the Bible through our United States, individual promoting lenses we tend to view the culture of the ancient Near East as barbaric and dehumanizing for some classes, especially women. We feel they are treated as inferior and we cannot understand how a gracious God could not only allow but also institute such a prejudiced society. But here is where we misunderstand the culture and women. Are they treated inferior or just different? The presuppositions of Hebrew culture regarding men and women lead to the understanding of the roles of each sex. According to Proverbs women were easy to fall into adultery, therefore, men were to keep them pure according ...