Baptist Misogyny

This might surprise you, Behethland, but I have some pretty serious problems with the Baptists and one of the main problems I have is their misogyny. Their basis for it is obviously Pauline, but as I implied before, I think it is safe to at least cast a critical eye over anything Paul asserts that is not supported directly or indirectly by the Gospels or the Apocalypse.

Remember that the history of Judaism is patriarchal, and Paul was nothing if not a Jew. Many scholars believe Saul of Tarsus may have been a Zealot (the sect, not the adjective). There is nothing to suggest that Jesus felt the same about women. In fact, in John we see multiple instances of Jesus being very accepting of women in his ministry (e.g. the sisters of Lazarus, Mary of Magdala, the Samaritan Woman at the well, etc.), and of course there is the story of the woman caught in adultry. The synoptic Gospels do not refute John in any way on this subject. Some scholars have suggested that Mary of Magdala (A.K.A. the Magdalene) might have been a co-equal disciple with the well-known twelve. I would have no trouble believing that. After all, she was at the cross and she was the first person to see the risen Christ. Yes, I know, that messes up the wonderful numerology of the disciples representing the patriarchs of Israel, but I always thought that was pretty much of a stretch anyway.

If there are women leaving the Baptists, I can believe this has something to do with it. On the other hand, the Catholic Church maintains a strict gender delineation and their numbers are growing very rapidly around the world. On the third hand, being very familiar with the Catholic Church, I can say unequivocally their outlook on women could never, ever be characterized as misogynist.