WOW! Steph, I seriously need to applaud your post!
Thanks for the uplifting words Teej. Sometimes after giving my spiel, I feel like I went a little overboard but your words were very encouraging. Thanks!
Men and women are different creatures, innately, in a complementary sort of way, neither one being *better* than the other, but each fulfilling the other. This said, we approach life (and relationships) differently. Men are driven more by respect, and women more by love. When someone did a survey of men and asked them whether they'd prefer to be respected or loved, if they could only have one of the two, they overwhelmingly responded that they would rather be respected. This obviously doesn't mean unquestioning obedience, but a sort of respect for their skills and talents that negates running roughshod over them or ignoring their advice or preferences.
Thank you Doranwen! That was exactly what I was trying to say and could not say it as eloquently as you.
God started with people who came out of pure paganism. The pagan civilizations in those days did things we would be shocked at. Incest, religious prostitution and human sacrifice, lack of human rights (slavery and other abuses), etc. If you take a look at the background for what was happening at the time the command was given, you'll find they actually *limited* such practices. Through rules regarding being able to support wives properly and divorce them with certificates, wanton polygamy and the treating of women as goods to be traded off at the highest bidder were both restricted, and men couldn't mistreat women and cheat on them while holding onto them as their wives. Being forced to divorce their wife properly limited some of the fooling around they could do without social repercussions. This sort of thing happens over and over. It was a gradual process, transforming the Israelites. You'll notice in the New Testament there still are no actual prohibitions against ordinary men having more than one wife, but the elders, the leaders and examples of the church, were not allowed to have more than one.
Another thing I had rolling around in my brain that I could not articulate. That is so true. Thanks for making that point.
