And Yahweh Elohim said: It is not good for the human to be alone by himself. I shall make for him a helper as his compliment.
Genesis 2: 18, Concordant Old Testament
The word misogynist is described as someone who dislikes or has a prejudice against women. Someone who is a misogynist does not sound too much to me like a loving father or husband. Yet lately more than a few people have taken to comparing Christian teaching to training a generation of misogynists. I can definitely see where one might get that idea, but is this way of thinking the way which God intended His children to live? Not by a long shot. Before the female was even created, God had her purpose in mind. We are told that the Lord's intent was to make for Adam a "Helper" comparable to him. That is, another who would help him in the Lord's creation. To this day, I don't believe that this has changed. For the longest lasting marriage relationships are those where each compliments the other. Think I'm wrong? How long do typical abusive relationships last? I have been blessed to have been in the company of more than a few Christian couples who can proudly boast marriages lasting over forty years. I have a dear friend who, when I questioned him about the idea of divorce in those tough times, claimed that in his day divorce was never an option. However, the word has been put out there that somehow Christian men are domineering, women hating slobs. I take offense to that. My own father, he was domineering, and he was never a Christian a day in his life. So where would one get the idea that Christian men are somehow domineering and dislike women? Well, we can take a look at modern Christian literature for starters. A man by the name of John Eldredge once penned a book titled "Wild at heart." The cover of this book boasted that by reading it one could "Discover the secret of a man's soul." Surely this book would hold the key to why Christian men feel they need to mistreat the women in their lives? Wrong. As I read through Eldridge's book, I was introduced to the concept of living my adventure. Far from being domineering, the author kindles the desire of men to be the hero, to save the woman in his life from any and all evil. Doesn't sound too misogynistic to me.
In whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek. There is no slave nor yet free. There is no male and female. For you all are one in Christ Jesus. Now if you are Christ's, consequently you are of Abraham's seed, enjoyers of the allotment according to the promise.
Galatians 3: 28-29, Concordant New Testament
I'm not sure where the whole movement began, but I know that at some point in my church going days I began hearing advice of how a "healthy" Christian home should operate. According to this doctrine, there was a chain of command in the home, and the husband was definitely at the top of it. The Christian man was supposed to set the example for all of the household to follow. His wife, therefore, was relegated to a life of supporting her husband's authority. Sadly, there are many Christians out there today who continue to adhere to this warped teaching. Knowing this, it is not hard to see where one would get the idea that Christian men were misogynists. That Christianity simply raised women to be subservient. The real gospel of Jesus could not be further from the truth. For in Jesus we are called to love our wives. The apostle Paul proclaims that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church {Ephesians 5:25}. That is, to love her and to give his own life for her. Not only that, but we are also called to love our wives as we love our own bodies {Ephesians 5:28}. Again, doesn't sound too misogynistic to me. The true love of a husband is not one that dominates but envelops his mate. As the love of Christ surrounds us, it is our love which also surrounds her. We do well to recognize that we have never been two individuals apart from Jesus, but one flesh in union with Him {John 17:21}.
Thus, the husbands also ought be loving their own wives as their own bodies, he who is loving his own wife is loving himself.
Ephesians 5: 28, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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