What Peter and Paul wrote about women in their New Testament letters is controversial. I recently saw a show on TV in which a woman read a portion of Paul’s letter to Timothy (a young pastor) and scorned it.

My position, however, is to trust God to say truth through those apostolic writings.

Here are some words from my Bible memory that rile women up:

Let women keep silence in the church … I do not permit a woman to speak … if a woman has a question, let her ask her husband at home …

Women are the weaker vessel …

For it was the woman who was deceived, not the man …

Wives, submit to your husbands …

BUT SUPPOSE PETER AND PAUL LOVE WOMEN AND THEIR WORDS ARE ALL WRITTEN IN THAT LOVE!

It happens that I’m well-taught in New Testament koiné and classical Greek. I’ve read Paul’s letters in their original language. Here’s what’s interesting:

When Paul strongly says that women should be silent in a church’s worship service, his word means also calm, and peaceful.

How might this be loving advice instead of a put-down?

I’ve attended church meetings where women were disruptive. Argumentative. Loud. Trying to usurp the men. A loving touch for women in worship gatherings is to use their power to stay calm and operate under authority. (The Greek word in the apostles’ writings translated as “head veil” is not meant to taken literally. Women are NOT commanded to wear doilies on their heads in a show of submission. They are, in the church and home, to operate under authority.

I’ve read that, yes, women have less physical strength than men. But if that’s not meant to be a put-down, then it may be translated as a woman is the more delicate vessel. Like a Ming vase compared to a big, red clay plant pot. Nice!

About women being deceived more than men … suppose the apostles wrote that because it is true? Ouch! Yet this what I’ve observed: Women, the fair descendants of Eve the first woman on Earth, have a strong urge to be “like God.” That’s the idea that got Eve in trouble and it keeps on going. Women (like me) can be nasty, belittling men, being manipulative, sneaky, and trying incessantly to make men do or stop doing something. Let that deceptive behavior be replaced by a refreshing combination of assertion and trust.

Finally, I will show a loving side of “submission to men.” Remaining assertive and self-confident, not putting up with abuse of any kind, women can still let men lead. When women domineer men with the “like God” complex, men get either abusive or passive—or both. Adam did, and so have millions of men who either hurt women or just let the women do it all. When women of courage use their considerable power and intuition to allow men to lead, they strengthen the church, the home, and society in general.

by Rosemary B. Althoff

Book Review: The Hot Marble

By Rosemary B. Althoff

My friend and prayer partner, Linda Porcello, tells me that the root of procrastination is perfectionism and the root of perfectionism is low self-esteem. I believe it, for I have fallen into the pit many times.

The person with low self-esteem minimizes how much God loves him or her. (See the old hymn, “Just as I Am, I Come.”) Jesus said over and over, “Ask, and you shall receive.” And if you keep trying to do a personal makeover before you let Jesus help you start the desired task, you will be in danger of stepping into self-righteousness. In other words, you’ll impose on yourself religiosity, which is nothing like true religion.

An Exploration of Scientific Concepts in Soul’s Warfare

By Rosemary B. Althoff

Introduction

This article presents an overview of the scientific concepts featured in the Soul’s Warfare sci-fi book series. The aim is to provide sci-fi readers and fans with an organized understanding of the science that shapes the narrative, focusing on key themes such as spin glasses, gravitational resonance, teleportation, sonic-based computing, and creation history.

The Hot Marble: Arrival and Initial Observations

The story begins with the arrival of the hot marble, a mysterious object. Initial observations reveal its unusual characteristics, prompting further investigation by the characters.

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Scientific Examination

Physicist Lewis and Fred undertake a series of tests on the marble. Their experiments reveal the presence of a neural network within the silicon-based object. The psychological concept of spreading activation is introduced, highlighting the marble’s ability to store gravitational resonance signals across its structure.

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Gravitational Resonance

The narrative explores using gravitational resonance as a navigating and teleporting tool, focusing for the sake of the novels on the recording of resonance phenomena between Earth and Lanthra. The emergence of resonance rings and the role of iridium in enhancing these effects turn up in the CAVE CHAMBER novel.

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Energy Source

The planet’s core is the primary energy source. Scientists tap into the powerful event horizon playing around a planet’s center of gravity.

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Spin Glass and Space Structure

The silicon marble with trace elements has atomic fluidity, a feature examined through gravitational wave mapping. The series introduces the idea of galaxy stretching, linking the marble’s properties to broader space structural concepts.

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Creation History

Lanthra’s origin is explored through the lens of the six days of creation. Textual analysis of the Bible’s Genesis and other Biblical books presents the short history—not myth— of the universe’s formation.

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Conclusion

The Soul’s Warfare series integrates scientific concepts such as neural networks, spreading activation, spin glasses, gravitational resonance, sonic computing, and creation history to enrich its narrative. These elements serve as the foundation for the story’s exploration of advanced physics and origin themes, providing fans with a unique blend of science and fiction.