“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” — Atheist Professor Richard Dawkins
“God hates women.”
Really?
Let us consider the creation of the first woman:
“21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2: 21-23)
The woman was created out of man, a picture of Jesus Christ and the Body of Christ: all who believe on Him for redemption and life.
Formed from the rib (not the foot, nor the head), woman was on the same level with man.
Different, yet regarded with equal respect.
Aside from Biblical accounts, and in countries where the Gospel is preached, women fare very poorly in the world.
Very poorly.
What else would lead Dawkins to call the God of the Bible a woman hater?
“16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.” (Exodus 22: 16-17)
If a woman slept with a man, but the man would not marry her, he had to pay the father for defiling her. In other countries and cultures, where does one read about women being treated with such respect?
Also
“28If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.” (Deuteronomy 22: 28-29)
In the New Testament, women are regarded with honor, and to be treated with the same.
Jesus honored many women, including Mary, the woman who bore Him into the world.
“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1: 28)
About Mary Magdalene:
“1Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.” (John 12: 1-8)
and then
“Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” (Mark 14: 9)
Whatever women-hating God Dawkins is referring to, no one will find Him in the Bible
There are other passages which ungodly critics have attempt to wrest and distort, too, regarding the status of women in the Bible.
Paul never once despises women, but honors them, as he informs all of us as children of God to honor one another:
“1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Ephesians 5: 1-2)
Before doing anything, Paul takes great pains to explain our new standing, our glorious resurrection in Christ.
Then come the directions regarding love and submission:
“8And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:18-21)
Paul first encourages submission among believers to each other.
Then he speaks to married couples:
“22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” (Ephesians 5: 22-24)
Contrary to critics’ estimation, God does not hate women at all. Dawkins’ charge of divine misogyny is completely wrong.