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Q&A Help – Women and Intelligence

November 1st, 2014

I usually don’t write about the questions I get, but this one demands it. What do you think of this?
— — Asia
Question Text Ive always wondered why God gave women intelligence and reasoning skills. God created women as servants to men,you dont need advanced intelligence to understand simple commands. Wouldnt it be more beneficial for women to be less intelligent? Additionally women were created to glorify men, why does god seek worship from women as well? Women were created to bear children and in heaven there is no sex or children to raise so what is the point of them even being there

  • Lincoln Bostick Wow!!!!
    9 hrs · Like · 1
  • Timothy Craig Munger That’s what I said, Lincoln!
    9 hrs · Like
  • Lea Ann Davis McCombs OH my goodness! Its a good thing I didn’t get this question. I would probably be asked to leave GQ after my answer! lol
    8 hrs · Like · 2
  • Lea Ann Davis McCombs On second thought, go ahead and send it to me!! LOL!
    8 hrs · Like · 2
  • Timothy Craig Munger I couldn’t believe what I was reading! I think he probably lost a job to a woman, or got out witted by a woman!
    8 hrs · Like
  • Tim White “It was not good for man to be alone.” This was the ruling from the all-wise One. And in perfect wisdom, he made woman as just what man would need. Man already had a less intelligent, adoring pet. His name is Rover. Man would not be satisfied without the complete woman as God created her.
    8 hrs · Like · 2
  • Timothy Craig Munger Somehow that got lost for him, I think.
    8 hrs · Like
  • Tim White As far as child-bearing, this is to be a fruit love and unity between those who respect each other and value each other. Consider this, with the sorry, rotten attitude some men have towards women, how much more would man be incapable of loving a woman is she were not worthy of our respect. Oh, my, I would not want to think through that thought very far.
    8 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
  • Ed Chait He should be made to watch “The Stepford Wives” one hundred times.
    8 hrs · Like · 2
  • TJ Conwell Oh my. Ya, I think this one might have actually garnered a solid lesson in creation and mutual respect for God’s creation from me (and probably done rather sternly). Show grace my brother — but … WOW.
    7 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
  • Tim White As long as man has an avenue of marriage and relationship based upon mutual respect and dual submission, I believe God’s purpose is working fine today. That very few find that unity in marriage, or that fulfillment, is not a flaw in the gift or design, but further indication of the fallenness of man. Just saying….
    8 hrs · Like · 2
  • Tim White OK, I am done with my soapbox. Next?
    8 hrs · Like · 1
  • Lori DeGrazia Hard to know if this is a sincere question… Praying for wisdom for you.
    8 hrs · Like · 3
  • Lincoln Bostick It does sound to me that this person lives in a culture or country whereby woman are not respected, and/or have no rights in that culture or country.
    8 hrs · Like · 4
  • Dawn James Wow! Cultural bias might be the only ‘excuse’ this guy could have for his attitude! Praying for you, too, for wisdom and the right words to communicate truth!
    7 hrs · Like · 1
  • Mary Bennett Reetz Well, okay then! lol. He’s come to the right place to get a Godly answer that will be just what he needs to hear via the Holy Spirit. Praying!
    7 hrs · Like · 1
  • Jeff Laird I think the two biggest issues to hit on are where he says that woman was created to glorify man, and to remind him of what Paul says about men loving women as Christ loved the church. The first is absolutely not biblical, in any sense of the word. Women, like men, were created to glorify God. Thinking otherwise is incredibly arrogant. The second puts a man’s place in the home into its proper perspective
    7 hrs · Like · 2
  • Ed Chait To address one of his comments, where in the Bible does it say that women were created for the exclusive purpose of bearing children?
    7 hrs · Like
  • TJ Conwell Folks — could he be coming from a Muslim or strict middle eastern upbringing? His views on women seem to be very “they are not equal at all” … could help answer him with the proper perspective.
    7 hrs · Like · 3
  • Jeff Laird Alternatively, you could just tell him that, with an attitude like that, he won’t have to spend much time around those inferior women anyway.
    7 hrs · Like · 2
  • Ed Chait Assuming he is single.
    7 hrs · Like · 1
  • Tim White Hopefully he is single.
    7 hrs · Like · 2
  • Elizabeth DeVore TJ, that was my thought, as well. That’s he’s either Muslim (although how to explain all the virgins) or a sociopath.
    6 hrs · Like · 2
  • Ed Chait That attitude towards women is still prevalent in several cultures.
    6 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
  • Johan Ferreira Always give the best answer you can and never forget that people sometimes just ask questions to get a rise out of us. But even when they do, let’s show what the love of Jesus is all about
    6 hrs · Like · 3
  • Ed Chait Thank you for the reminder, Johan.
    6 hrs · Like
  • Dean Revell His manner of thinking is at the most earthly – didnt Jesus Himself teach us that there will not even be any marriage at the resurrection; our eternal state will far exceed the need for relationships instituted in this life time by God ?
    6 hrs · Like
  • Sarah Van Baale I know a few people from Nigeria who think this way. I don’t really engage in their arguments, but rather just keep pointing them to what the Bible teaches. They make many strange claims, but if you handle it like Jesus did in the desert, you should be fine. Chances are this person isn’t really a Christian. One of the many wonderful things about our faith is that Jesus uplifted women when many were beat down. God places no greater value on men over women, adults over children, or majority over minority. Pointing out simple Biblical truth is probably all that’s needed. But if the questioner doesn’t believe the Bible has authority, then he is going to believe whatever he wants to believe regardless of the truth.
    4 hrs · Like · 2
  • Christopher Dupre Looks like a baiting effort. He may be making a point with his questions.
    4 hrs · Like · 2
    • Timothy Craig Munger Here’s my answer to this inquirer. I tried to honor him, his inquiry, and the Word of God.Thank you for writing to us as we appreciate hearing from you. Your question on the reason God gave women intelligence and reasoning ability is interesting. Whether its as young boys who want to show that boys are better, or the girls want to show that girls are better, there has always been a contest of wills between the genders. In 1973 that gave rise to the tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, billed as “The Battle of the Sexes”. Bobby wanted to show that men were better, even made the statement, “The best way to handle women is to keep them pregnant and barefoot.” Unfortunately, he lost badly in his match, so he didn’t achieve his aim of showing the superiority of men.

      The Bible has a far different view of women. In Genesis 1:26,27, God equates men and women, saying both are made in the image of God. “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the birds of the earth and over every creeping that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Both men and women are made in the image of God. In Genesis 2:18-25 God institutes marriage. He sees Adam’s need of a mate, and when Adam realizes he has no one like himself, “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD GOd had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21-22).

      After the fall of man the conflict, and tension, between man and woman, or more specifically husband and wife, began. God said to the woman in Genesis 3:16, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” The phrase “your desire” indicates a tension in the heart of every woman, the desire to be loved, nurtured, and cared for on the one hand. Yet on the other, “”The woman has the same sort of desire for her husband that sin has for Cain (cf. Genesis 4:7), a desire to possess or control him (emphasis added). This desire disputes the headship of the husband. As the Lord tells Cain what he should do, i.e. master or rule sin, the Lord also states what the husband should do, rule over his wife…These words begin the battle of the sexes. As a result of the fall, man no longer rules easily; he must fight for his headship. Sin has corrupted both the willing submission of the wife and loving headship of the husband. The woman’s desire is to control her husband (to usurp his divinely appointed headship), and he must master her if he can. So the rule of love founded in pardise is replaced by struggle, tyranny, and domination” (Genesis: An Expositional Commentary; p.179; James Montgomery Boice). So the arrogance and the conflict between men and women enters the world because of sin. So it continues to this day.

      Women in Scripture and history have made an impact on our world, for both good and evil; just as men have impacted the world for both good and evil. God made women not to glorify men, rather to glorify God. He desires men and women to worship Him, “But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:23, 24). He gave them reason and intelligence so they could make wise, godly decisions for their home and for society. God makes it clear that the home functions with the husband leading, the wife submitting to her husband (NOT women submitting to men), and children obeying the parents (Colossians 3:19-20). God reminds us as husbands how important our relationship to our wives is in 1 Peter 3:7, “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered” (emphasis added). God relates how we as husbands treat our wife as to how He will treat our prayer life; “that your prayers may not be hindered.”

      God made women to beautify our homes, improve our world, and to glorify Himself. He gave them a mind and ability to reason to function in our world, and He allows them to enter Heaven because He loves them, and has redeemed them through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just like He loves all mankind, male and female alike.

      Thank you for writing to us, and we hope that you’ll write again. May you know God’s grace and peace daily.

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      Yesterday at 6:06am · Like · 2
    • Jessica Goforth Good answer. I think that was the most misogynistic question I’ve ever read.
      Yesterday at 9:29am · Like · 1
    • Ed Chait I agree, *great* Christian answer to either an individual or a culture that makes one want to pick them up by the shirt collar individually or collectively.

      There is one sentence that I will offer some constructive criticism on. “God made women to be      autify our homes” could be interpreted in a manner that you did not intend. Women definitely do that, but for a mindset like this questioner currently has, he might think you were saying that women are like nice decorations for the home.

      Of course I know you didn’t intend that, but just thought I would mention it.
      Yesterday at 12:32pm · Like · 1

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