For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Edward Pagan
I believe that we need to keep cultural differences in mind. Back then, women had a much different role in society than they do today. Paul may have commanded the women to remain silent in those cases in order to keep the harmony and peace as men had a more authoritative role than they do today. Paul may have written something different today as it has become very acceptable for women to have a more active role in the church. For example, would he command women to cover their heads today? And no, I don't believe that the hair is a "covering" as some may suggest.
Danny Hickman
The bible is not to be understood as a book of rules. Paul isn't Moses coming down off the mountain with the law.
Consider this: I think Paul said some things that would be better left unsaid.
I know how that sounds to some of us. But there's nothing disrespectful about me saying that.
Consider this: Solomon wrote things that are clearly not to be taken as coming straight from the lips of God. The book of Ecclesiastes is the word of God. In it Solomon tells us that "life is useless," "all is vanity." That's just one of the things he writes that we know for sure, does not track with what God wants us to believe. God didn't censor Solomon, and I think Paul gets the same pass.
The bible teaches us, it doesn't command us.
It's beyond me as to why it's so hard for some of us to realize and admit that some things have been traditionally a certain way, and that way is not right. Women have always been treated as second class. ALL THE MEN OF THE BIBLE, except one, the Son Of Man, treated women in a way that was not right.
Abraham claimed his wife was his sister out of fear. (I wonder how Sarai felt about that). David had many children by many wives. Solomon had a harem. I could go on and on with how wretched women have been treated.
With all these heroes saying and doing things to dishonor women, why would we think Paul is different?
God uses our weaknesses to make us stronger. We all have them. The scriptures were not censored by God.
Danny Hickman
Let me be clear; I've heard it preached and taught that even though Solomon began his writing in the book of Ecclesiastes by saying that life was a waste of time, he fixed it at the end of the book, when he summarized in chapter 12. But he never retracts his saying that "all is futility." He even says it during the summary. It has real meaning, but is not doctrinal.
That's not how we're to view life, but those words teach us something of great value. All is not futile or a "grasping for the wind." But we grow as believers from all the writings of scripture. There is a good reason for Solomon being allowed to write that.
He told us why he said all these dark things in that book. He says, "The words of the wise are like goads, and masters of these collections are like driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive study is wearying to the body" (Eccl 12:11,12). I think he said something there.
There's a good reason for Paul being allowed to write to THAT church that women are to be quiet in church. He wrote also somewhere that he didn't allow a woman to teach. He didn't say 'Jesus doesn't allow a woman to teach.' Jesus is the head of the church, not Paul.
Do we really believe that Jesus doesn't want a woman with leadership skills, skills that He gave her, to not use them because He doesn't want her teaching egotistical men? I, for one, don't believe that.