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Is it Ok if men stay home with children while women work
- Thread starter TBLADY
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TBLADY said:
Main Entry: 2nurture
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): nur·tured; nur·tur·ing
/'n&rch-ri[ng], 'n&r-ch&-/1 : to supply with nourishment
2 : [SIZE=-1]EDUCATE[/SIZE]
3 : to further the development of : [SIZE=-1]FOSTER[/SIZE]
Of course men are just as capable as women. I know some wonderful fathers.
You don't believe so?
I've always felt that raising one's kids and spreading God's Word were the two most important tasks a human could ever face. It has always irritated me that as a male, I am required by the majority of western society and the vast majority of Christians, to abandon any ideas of being a full time parent, and, instead, bow to the enslavement of earning the almighty buck, to the expense of time parenting and time serving God with my talents. Yes, I know one can serve God wherever one is, but I'm referring to a full time vocation. Parenting ultimately is more important, fulfilling, and blessed in every way than any 9-5 job (which usually turn out to be more like 8-6 or 7-until-whenever-the-job-is-done jobs).
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Well, of course, men can be househusbands! This is a decision left to the husband and the wife and God. None of us sitting here can tell husbands to, "Get out of the house and don't come back until you bring home some money and lots of it!!!"
But, unfortunately that is EXACTLY what Christians have done to men. We have reduced them and their contributions to the family to mere sperm donors and ATM machines. Sickening, absolutely sickening.
We have claimed that the bible "tells" husbands that staying at home makes them spiritual wimps and that the only qualification of being a father is to put a paycheck on the table and occasionally throw his weight around by yelling at the kids.
When my brother and I were in pre-school, my mother went to beauty school during the day. My dad rearranged his work schedule so that he could be with us while she was at school. He fed us, played with us, cleaned the house, chatised us, and did everything that my mother would have done.
Both my mother and my father worked outside the home and both my mother and my father nurtured us. Granted, his hours outside the home were longer than hers and her authority over the household outranked his, but BOTH of my parents were workers and nurturers.
But, unfortunately that is EXACTLY what Christians have done to men. We have reduced them and their contributions to the family to mere sperm donors and ATM machines. Sickening, absolutely sickening.
We have claimed that the bible "tells" husbands that staying at home makes them spiritual wimps and that the only qualification of being a father is to put a paycheck on the table and occasionally throw his weight around by yelling at the kids.
When my brother and I were in pre-school, my mother went to beauty school during the day. My dad rearranged his work schedule so that he could be with us while she was at school. He fed us, played with us, cleaned the house, chatised us, and did everything that my mother would have done.
Both my mother and my father worked outside the home and both my mother and my father nurtured us. Granted, his hours outside the home were longer than hers and her authority over the household outranked his, but BOTH of my parents were workers and nurturers.
Rufus_1611
New Member
Scarlett O. said:
Man is to provide for the home...
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." - 1 Timothy 5:8
Woman is to be the keeper at home...
"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." - Titus 2:3-5
So, Rufus, you are saying that my parents were ungodly parents?
Rufus_1611
New Member
Scarlett O. said:
I have no interest in talking about your parents. This board is too emotional to begin with, without bringing our kin into the debates.
What I'm saying is, if you want to know God's model for the family He has graciously provided instructions for it in the Holy Bible. That instruction is that the husband should provide for the home and the woman should be a keeper at home.
If you want a different model, one where the husband stays home and the woman provides for the home...study feminism.
mcdirector
Active Member
I guess part of this issue is what "keeper of the home" means. In another thread Prov. 31 was mentioned. Now that is one multidimensional woman and she's out selling her wares while she is tending to her household (and the dozen other things listed - like buying fields, planting vineyards, volunteering with the needy, etc).
Rufus_1611
New Member
mcdirector said:
Do you mean that part of the issue is what "keepers at home" means?
mcdirector
Active Member
You are right, I misquoted.
NASB & ESV both say workers/working at home.
It's my understanding that the Titus passage -- workers at home -- is in contrast to women who are idle (and all the things that go with that - like 1 Tim 5:13). Obviously much needs to be done outside the home too as is indicated in Proverbs 31.
NASB & ESV both say workers/working at home.
It's my understanding that the Titus passage -- workers at home -- is in contrast to women who are idle (and all the things that go with that - like 1 Tim 5:13). Obviously much needs to be done outside the home too as is indicated in Proverbs 31.
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Rufus_1611 said:
NAS gives it: "to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored." Titus 2:5
I'm not sure the point is to say that these things, and only these things should be done by all young women. I say this for two reasons, primarily. First, the instruction seems targeted at older women and what they should be teaching the younger at hand, not to all younger women as a standing rule. Second, the purpose of the instruction is given: "that the word of God be not blasphemed." The NAS gives "so that the word of God will not be dishonored." Blasphemy is a strong word and connotations may have changed. But if avoiding "blasphemy" is the purpose, then if we as a society decided that it is ok for wives to work outside the home, then "blasphemy" against the word will not happen because of it. In fact, the word is being criticized in our society because some claim it teaches these gender roles, rather than the word being criticized for teaching women that they can do whatever they want, or nothing, as Paul seems concerned with.
I'm not trying to put words in Paul's mouth here. If anyone can shed more light, I'd appreciate it. Also, I am not one of those that try to interpret all Scripture through the eyes culture; sometimes I think instructions are for everyone in all cultures and should be followed whether the rest of society likes it or not.
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