The question of why many women identify as Christian despite the religion viewing them as subordinate to men is complicated by various factors, but essentially, women often turn to the very faith that places them in problematic life circumstances.
Women’s Christian Indoctrination
All women born into a Christian-dominated culture are indoctrinated to believe Christianity is not just normal — but the truth. Readily you see the problem that anyone raised to believe the outlandish story of God creating the world in seven days and sending his only son to be murdered for all the sins of the sinners he created (because this was the most effective and reasonable way to deal with his creations) will be less resistant to the notion that they are subordinate to men and passive in the church. Worsening this irrational foundation is the fact that most if not all sects of Christianity admonish the act of divorce. So not only is a woman raised to be passive and subordinate but also to stay in a marriage if she is unhappy. Whether you are being abused by a man or extremely unhappy, you must stay because marriage is a sacred vow made to your God who created the world in six days, sent his son to be murdered after already failing once to rid the world of sin by flooding and killing everyone but a select few.
Why wouldn’t you believe marriage and family are the zenith of your life?
From the beginning, women in a Christian dominated society are setup to believe they are doing the right thing whether seeking a Christian man to start a family or asking a priest or pastor for help when they are being abused or driven into poverty by an alcoholic or gambling husband.
The Diversity & Liberalism of Christianity
Christians take offence at my condemnation of their treatment of women. They claim this subjugation of women through indoctrination is not a universally held belief within Christianity, and there has been a significant evolution of thought regarding gender roles within the faith. However, the fact remains that like many other world religions, Christianity has been interpreted in ways, but in the majority, still prescribes a gender-based hierarchy. This interpretation continues to place women under the authority of men in various aspects of life, including within the church, marriage, and society at large.
Christians claim great diversity exists within the faith, with groups separated into conservative, fundamentalist, egalitarian, etc. They say some perspectives within Christianity interpret scripture for the abolition of gender-specific roles in both the church and marriage. For example, the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, particularly the verse Galatians 3:28, signify a spiritual emancipation that transcends race, social status, and gender, promoting the idea that all are one in Christ Jesus. Some of these interpretations fall into the realm of Complementarianism, also known as Traditionalism or Hierarchicalism, interpreting scripture to mean that the freedoms offered in Christ do not extend to overturning traditional gender roles. They maintain that the Bible prescribes a male-priority based hierarchy, with men and women having "complementary" roles in the church and home. As paradoxical as it sounds, there are even Christian feminists arguing that the Bible, when properly understood, is one of Christianity’s greatest assets in promoting the equality of men and women. They contend that biblical teachings on women are based on absolute truth and that both men and women are created in God's image, affirming their equal dignity and worth.
I mention all these 'diverse' interpretations because, as a Christian, you might think, “Yeah, Christianity is diverse and liberal.” If you are thinking this, it is because you are a victim of indoctrination that has you programmed to think irrationally. Consider for a moment the absurdity of the fact that the same Bible, Jesus, and God can be interpreted to mean women should be subjugated by men or women shouldn’t be subjugated by men.
If a story or thought is so arbitrary as to mean anything, it is meaningless.
All these interpretations cannot be right and you claiming your interpretation is the truth is just you making up more fiction based on the fiction you already believe. Christians and nonChristians are constantly sucked into these arguments of interpretation where Bible verses are quoted back and forth as though they mean something.
There is no empirical evidence, hell there is not even good anecdotal evidence, to prove Christianity true! Christian liberal interpretations for the equality of women are simply meaningless observations based on an improbable, contradictory book carrying no more weight than fundamentalist evangelical opinions.
You Have No Choice
If the Bible, Jesus, and God are so good for women, then why are there so many interpretations as to whether women have equal standing in Christianity? Consider for a moment the debate itself. Christians subject a woman’s equality to a ludicrous Bible verse comparison contest with no winners because anyone can prove and disprove anything with scripture. Why is a woman’s equality even open for debate? This is like arguing whether or not some Americans can have freedom or be slaves. Furthermore, if this subjugation is a choice for women, then why do Christians feel the need to indoctrinate their girls with this belief, giving them no choice?
I would say to Christian women, the choice to continue believing Christianity is yours, but I am sure it is not.
