The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the world's largest Baptist sect, the largest Protestant sect and the second largest Christian sect in the US. They have over 13 million members/supporters.
Saddleback Christian megachurch is the church that was formerly led by the famous Christian author of the best seller The Purpose Driven Life*, Christian clergyman Rick Warren. After Warren left the pulpit, he was replaced by Christian clergyman Andy Wood. Andy Wood's wife, Stacie Wood, was recently made a "teaching pastor." This caused the SBC to expel Saddleback megachurch from the SBC. Since the SBC is based on what they erroneously believe is the Word of God, the Christian Bible, and since the man-made Christian Bible is strongly misogynistic, it does not allow women to be clergy or teaching pastors. Many people believe the reason for the SBC kicking Saddleback megachurch out of the Baptist Convention is motivated by right-wing political interests. It is not. The reason is religious. Following the misogynistic teachings in the Christian Bible, the SBC kicked Saddleback megachurch out of the SBC. In a statement the SBC gave the reason they expelled Saddleback megachurch. It states that because Saddleback megachurch "...has a faith and practice that does not closely identify with the Convention's adopted statement of faith, as demonstrated by the church having a female teaching pastor functioning in the office of pastor."
Before making his wife a teaching pastor, Andy Wood should have consulted his Christian Bible. There he would have found clear attacks against women and prohibitions against women not only not being members of the clergy and not being allowed to teach but requiring women to remain silent while in church. It's pretty difficult to teach if you're not allowed to speak!
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 clearly states:
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
If Andy would have looked further in his Christian Bible, he would have found 1 Timothy 2:11-12 which teaches:
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
The biblical "reasoning" for this harmful misogyny is found in verses 13-15 which state:
"For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."
Not only does this foolishness show there is no rational reason for misogyny, it also throws doubt over what is required for a person to be "saved" and to avoid burning in hell for eternity. It therefore weakens Christianity's biggest selling point, salvation!
Occurrences such as this offer Deists and all freethinkers a great opportunity to help educate people to the true teachings of the Christian Bible. Most people are not at all aware of the raw misogyny that is promoted by the Christian Bible. Likewise, people are not aware of the ungodly, harmful and foolish teachings in the Hebrew Bible, the Quran and the Book of Mormon. It's important for Deists and other freethinkers to not only bring these very real and very damaging religious teachings to the attention of as many people as we can, along with offering them a true, rational and natural alternative to both "revealed" religions and to Atheism in reason-based Deism.
*Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life claims the harmful, irrational and ungodly Christian Bible is an "owner's manual" given to us by God for how we should live our lives. Warren wrote the Christian Bible "is our Owner's Manual, explaining why we are alive, how life works, what to avoid, and what to expect in the future. It explains what no self-help or philosophy book could know." In spite of this, in 2021 Warren went directly against his "owners manual" and ordained three women as Christian clergy members!
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