Jehovah Witness Religion-What is the role of women?
Question: Can a women lead the congregation in a Kingdom Hall and can she reside over a funeral?
ANSWER:
Hello Jane,
Your question is a bit difficult because it is really asking three things; and the answer to each is different.
In the "Subject", you ask what the role of women is in the "Jehovah's Witness" religion.
Yet your question asks if a woman can lead the Congregation in a Kingdom Hall;
and then, if a woman can reside over a funeral.
I will do my best to give you a thorough answer to all three.
In regards to the religious doctrine of "Jehovah's Witnesses", all baptized women are considered to be in subjection to all baptized men. This means that they can not take the lead in anything within the religion, or within the Kingdom Hall.
The only exception is what is called "taking the lead out in service". According to doctrine, a woman may, if no male is available, cover her head (to show subjection to the males who are not present), and then proceed to make field service arrangements and offer a closing prayer for that gathering.
("Field service arrangements", determine who rides in what car with who, and what territory will be covered.)
Other than that, women do not give "talks" in Kingdom Halls, unless they sit down at a table and put the information in "demonstration" format...a dramatization...a pretend scenario. In this way, it can be construed that she is not really "teaching" the men in her audience.
Of course to anyone who has thinking ability, this is hypocrisy.
I hope this addresses your first question.
As regards the covering of the woman's head to show subjection..."Jehovah's Witnesses" claim that all women are under subjection to all baptized men, and they must display this subjection in order to give the angels in heaven a good example. They base this doctrine upon 1Cor11:1-16:
1"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her[a] for a covering.
16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
I hope that you will let this scripture, upon which "Jehovah's Witnesses" rest this doctrine, to teach you what God's Word actually says in comparison to this doctrine.
Take note of verse 5...
"But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved."
There it says that if a woman prays or prophesies uncovered, she dishonors "HER HEAD". This is saying that she need not show subjection to ALL men, but only her personal head, which is her own husband. This is confirmed at Eph.5:22,23,24:
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."
Therefore, the "head" of each woman, is not ALL baptized men in general, but only her own husband (baptized or not), should she be married.
Note too, that the praying and prophesying a woman may do in verse 5, is public.
This CONTRADICTS the doctrine, which prohibits women from saying public prayers or public teaching in Kingdom Halls.
(This doctrine is hypocritically violated when women preach door-to-door.)
It seems uncovered women are permitted to take the lead teaching publicly when outside the Kingdom Halls (even in the presence of baptized men), but not inside Kingdom Halls. The Bible does not make this distinction of inside or outside buildings.
Verse 15&16 go well together....
This "Witness" doctrine ignores verse 15, which indicates that this "head covering" is the natural hair a woman possesses upon her head.
Verse 16 shows that this subject should not raise "contention".
Paul makes clear that if anyone has a problem with this show of subjection as already cared for by nature itself, that the true churches of God have no such custom of requiring more.
This he said, to counteract the excessive demands of the Jewish law...which DID require a woman to cover her head in excess of her hair.
We see that "Jehovah's Witnesses" are doing no better than the Jews, in going beyond what is written (Acts15:28,29; 1Cor.4:6; Matt.23:4; Isa.28:10).
Finally, verse 10 reads:
"For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head (Deut.11:18), because of the angels."
The "Witnesses" assume that this is speaking of the angelic spirits in heaven. They assume that these angels are lower than mortal women, in that women set a teaching example to these mighty Sons of God.
According to the Bible, the PERFECT MAN Christ, was made a little LOWER than the heavenly angels (Heb.2:7; Phil.2:7). Now from Jesus Christ...we must take a BIG step down a notch to go to IMPERFECT SINFUL HUMANS. Are we to reason that imperfect women today are really a teaching example to the mighty perfect Sons of God in Heaven (1Tim.2:14), while at the same time, unfit to teach imperfect men?
Let's see what this verse really means.
1Cor.11:10:
"For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels."
The symbolism Paul refers to, can be found if we return once again to Eph.5:22,23,24; only this time lets look at what a woman's subjection to her own husband is compared to...
Verse 23&24 read:
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."
Did you notice the comparison to Christ and the "Congregation"?
How does the subjection of the anointed "Congregation" (Christ's own wife/body) compare to "angels"? (1Cor.12:27,28; 1Cor.3:16)
It is a fact, according to the Bible, that the "New Creation" of anointed (Christ's wife), are called "angels". You can see many scriptures which prove this identity, at
pearl-judgeangels.blogspot.com
In order for these "angels" ("Greek" for "messenger")...to prove faithful and be sealed, they must remain in union and subjection to the "head" Christ, as his body. (Matt.22:30; Eph.2:6; Heb.1:6,7; 1John2:28; 1Cor.6:15) It is in regards to THESE angels, that Paul makes reference a woman showing subjection. A woman's subjection to her OWN HUSBAND, is a visible example to the anointed body of Christ's messengers (John1:51; Matt.10:5-7,27; 2Cor.5:20; 2:17; Rev.22:16,6; 1:20; Phil.2:15; Dan.12:3), as well as an allegory...
If a chosen one hopes to be among the 144000 conquerors who become established as Christ's "wife"; "she" must have that "symbol of authority (owner) upon her head" (Rev.14:1). It is upon the forehead that slaves are spiritually marked by their owner (those with authority over them), whether their master is good (Deut.11:18; Rev.7:3; 14:1; 22:4,3) or evil (Rev.13:16; 17:5; 1Tim.4:1-2).
"Because of the angels"...is a warning reminder of those who "forsook their proper dwelling place". If you read the context of Jude1:6,13, you will see that it is speaking of humans who are unfaithful among God's Chosen...."fallen stars" (Phil.2:15; 2Pet.3:17; Rev.2:5; 8:10; 12:4).
Called and Chosen ones must also remember these angelic ones... who "wandered away" from their subjection to their heavenly Father and Lord (2Pet.3:17; 1Cor.6:10; Rev.17:2; 1Thess.5:6-7,3; 2Cor.11:2-4), loosing their seal as a submissive slave of God and Christ. This can happen to anointed witness/messenger/angels, and is a personal warning to them. These must remain under the authority of YHVH (symbolized by His seal/name of ownership, on their foreheads), without spot from the world, or taint by the unfaithful harlots/wicked stewards (Rev.14:4,5; 17:1,2; 18:4; 1Cor.6:15,16).
"For this reason the woman (bride of Christ) ought to have a symbol of authority ("seal") on her head, because of the angels (who fell)." 1Cor.11:10
In this way, a woman does not speak or teach outside subjection to her head. In this, I speak of the head as Christ (Eph.5:23,24; Col.1:18), and the "woman" as his anointed congregation/"wife" (Gal.4:24; Rev.12:1; Heb.10:36). ("Woman"?)
When teaching, this woman must remain in union with her Lord (John15:4; 1Cor.6:17) by total subjection to him (Matt.10:27);
just as he remained in subjection to God (John12:49,50; 7:16; 8:28; 14:10,24; 17:8).
But when you ask, "Can" a woman reside over a funeral...I'm not sure if you are asking about what the doctrine of "Jehovah's witnesses" permits, or the truth of the Bible.
According to "Witness" doctrine, No...once again, due to subjection to baptized males, who are not present (If they were present, they would take over.)... or,
as an example for the invisible presence of angelic spirit sons of God, who might be scrutinizing whether or not a woman puts a cloth on her head.
If you would like to read about the role of women in the Bible, please consider
pearl-womenteach.blogspot.com
You may learn there, that the Bible expects especially "anointed" women, to work as hard as men in their public teaching. For, in the "body" of Christ, there is "neither male nor female" (Gal.3:28). In that article, you will find the many scriptures that indicate that men and women chosen to be Temple priests, are equal in God's sight; both in glory and in the faithful diligence that God expects of them, as they teach and prophesy, if so chosen to do so (1Cor.12:18,28,29; Acts 2:17-18).
This truth helps to answer your question about "residing over a funeral". My relatives are not Christians. Yet, at the death of a relative, I was asked to give a talk in light of my known familiarity with the Bible. I was able to use the occasion to give a fine witness to many people. Imagine God's disapproval if I had declined that opportunity, in favor of an unscriptural constraint through the doctrines of men! (Mark 7:13; 2Tim.4:2; Gal.1:10)
I hope these scriptural considerations answer your question. Thank you for your fine question, and if you feel you need to ask an additional one, please use the "follow up" form.
All the best,
Pearl
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