Atheism: The Ultimate Guide (COMPLETED)

21. Sexism in the Bible

1 Corinthians 11:5 

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.  For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.  

My Take: 

There are many things wrong with this verse. First of all, this verse starts by saying how a woman must have her head covered while praying. It also mentions how women must have long hair or else it is considered a disgrace. Why? Women are secondary to men in the Bible, this is shown quite frequently throughout. This verse says how a man needn't have his head covered while praying because man is the image and glory of God, while woman is not. Woman is in fact the image and glory of man. 

How this isn't considered sexist to people, I don't know. It's sexist enough how Eve was created from Adam, and for Adam, as well as being literally a "helper" rather than an "equal." Basically, God was like "I'll give dudes short hair because they don't need to cover their head, they're my image and glory" and then was like "women are not the glory and image of me, so I'll give them long hair to cover their head so it's not a disgrace." 

God obviously has clear opinions on men and women. He believes men have the real connection with God, as they are from his image, whereas women are more like second class citizens, who are not the image and glory of him. They have to be silent and submissive in the background as little helpers while the men do all the important shit. 

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.  

My Take: 

In basic terms, this verse says that women should not speak in church, and the law says they must be in submission. If they have questions, they can't ask them in the church, but must wait until they get home to ask their husbands. This is also in the New Testament, so y'all can't give me the "it's the Old Testament so it doesn't matter" argument. 

Do I even need to create an argument against this? Before any Christians in the comments freak out, I'll look at the context. I've looked, and it doesn't make it any better.

Back to the idea of women being second class citizens in the Bible. If men and women were truly equal in God's eyes, this verse wouldn't be in the Bible!

Ephesians 5:22-24

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.