Naughty Word of the Day

Okay, here's the bad word of the day. If you are reading this post, be sure not to do so out loud. If you are at work, you might not want anyone else to see it. It is indeed an offensive and indecent word to even the most liberal among us. In fact, if you are offended by bad words, perhaps you should just stop reading now. Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you tomorrow.

Now, for anyone left reading, here it is: "patriarchy". That's the word, right there. Don't try it out in mixed company. It can get you in trouble. Don't even begin to suggest that the concept is biblical, that God ordained it, that it is the Christian thing to do. That might even get you banned from church. Never mind that every biblical structure for family is a patriarchal one. And don't think that just because Paul lays the cause of sin at Adam's feet will get you any mercy here. Just ... don't.

By no means appeal to Scripture on this topic. Telling people to look up 1 Cor 11:1-11 will just make you some enemies. Sure, most people like the Proverbs, but that verse that says "A capable wife is the crown of her husband, but one causing shame is like rottenness in his bones" (Prov 12:4) is way too sexist and has been deleted from most up-to-date, modern Bibles. (If your Bible still has it, you might try a black highlighter.) An appeal to Paul's call for wives to submit to their husbands "as to the Lord" (Eph 5:22-23) supported by Peter's command for wives to be subject even to their ungodly husbands (1 Peter 3:1) just won't bolster that idea at all. Sure, sure, it says it, but this is one of those places you must not take it as written. That was then; this is now.

Please, please be careful with trying to bring the Bible into any such discussions. Sure, God said, "Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. My people--infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them" (Isa 3:11-12). But we've evolved and now it's good to be oppressed by our children and ruled by our women. Any man with any intelligence knows that. And just because the Bible lists only "the husband of one wife" as opposed to "the wife of one husband" as a key qualification for church governance is no reason to assume that it's referring to males. And don't even try to point out that the Bible references God as "Father", never "Mother", or that Jesus is the "Bridegroom". That's just ... well ... sexist. And suggesting that putting the biblical yoke of leadership on the shoulders of the man is liberating for the woman is just not going to fly at all.

Look, there are lots of reasons to suggest that "patriarchy" is biblical, that God dreamt it up, that it is the right structure, and that those wishing to follow Christ ought to be in that structure. Lots of reasons. But I'm telling you, it's not going to fly, even among Christians. Especially among Christian women, but even a majority of men these days. We've all been trained. "Get in touch with your inner child." "You need to feel your feminine side." And we've bought it in direct opposition to God's Word. Okay, so maybe if you think that bearing the stigma of using the "p" word is better than contradicting God. Maybe that's your case. Good luck with that. Because while most of us guys will be keeping our heads low and avoiding both the assurance from everyone around us that patriarchy is wrong as well as hoping that God doesn't chastise us for agreeing, you'll be on your own ... just you and God. See how that works for you. Oh ... wait ...