Looking at the state of Christianity today one might be tempted to believe that not only do modern Christians love women, but they damn near worship them. From the Mother's Day sermon (you know, the one where we pretend that women are sinless for a day) to the deference to always believing women crying "#metoo", it seems evident that Christians across the theological spectrum are bending over backwards (and bending scripture) to empower and elevate women to the highest status their confessions, conventions, or congregations will allow (and when those don't allow for more women-worship they are amended to provide more latitude).

So where do I get off that Christians do not love women? Simple: Christians, to their shame, don't even know what women are anymore. Christians love what they *think* women *should be*, not what women actually are.

Conservative Christians are tempted to snicker at this point, but fare little better. Despite loudly protesting that marriage is between "a man and a woman" and firmly stating that "there are only two genders" they are utterly ignorant as to the true nature of one of those two genders.

Women are functionally solipsistic. They are hypergamous. They re-write history based on their emotional state; feels is reals. Female leaders are a curse on God's people. Women arethe most responsible teenagers in the house.

The list goes on. Now, one might object that this is all because of secular influence.

Is it?

Why then does the Bible warn against females being the sexual tempters in proverbs? Why do we see Potiphar's wife acting out beta-bux alpha f***s? Why do we have biblical law given regarding the practice of acquiring war brides?

Female nature predates modernity. Our forefathers in the faith knew far better the reality of what women truly are. You may be thinking I hate women at this point. Far from it. Unlike most Christians today we here in RPC actually love women *knowing what they actually are* and invite you to do so, knowingly, as well.

Imagine two men who each claim to love sports cars. One says, "I love sports cars because they can tow my boat, haul a load of wood, and fit all my dogs in the bed." The other says, "I love sports cars because of how fast they go, how quick they accelerate, and they were built to handle a windy road."

Which man actually loves sports cars? The one who actually knows what a sports car is and doesn't mistake it for a truck.

Modern Christians mistake women for men. Think about it. What do women frequently get praised for? Their ability to assume leadership roles (male attribute). Their service in the military (male attribute). Their loyalty (male attribute). Their ability to preach a sermon or organize a congregation (male roles). Modern churches do not love women for being female, but for being mediocre males.

What if women are hypergamous, solipsistic, emotively driven, and flexible in loyalty because they were designed by God to be that way because they are *fundamentally different* in their role and function? Let me suggest that women are not meant to mirror the male design and are primarily intended as a vessel to seduce men, produce offspring, and nurture them. If this is what women really are, can anyone claim that the church at large loves them anymore than secular society does?

The historical church had a rather different understanding of women than we find taught in pulpits today:

"Woman does not possess the image of God in herself but only when taken togetherwith the male who is her head, so that the whole substance is one image. Butwhen she is assigned the role as helpmate, a function that pertains to heralone, then she is not the image of God. But as far as the man is concerned, heis by himself alone the image of God just as fully and completely as when he andthe woman are joined together into one." –Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo Regius (354-430) On the Trinity 

The word and works of God is quite clear, that women were made either to be wives or prostitutes. –Martin Luther, Reformer (1483-1546), Works 12.94

Thus the woman, who had perversely exceeded her proper bounds, is forced back to her own position. She had, indeed, previously been subject to her husband, but that was a liberal and gentle subjection; now, however, she is cast into servitude. **–**John Calvin, Reformer (1509-1564): Commentary on Genesis, p. 172.

Even as the church must fear Christ Jesus, so must the wives also fear their husbands. And this inward fear must be shewed by an outward meekness and lowliness in her speeches and carriage to her husband. . . . For if there be not fear and reverence in the inferior, there can be no sound nor constant honor yielded to the superior. –John Dod: A Plaine and Familiar Exposition of the Ten Commandements, Puritan guidebook first published in 1603

Men have broad and large chests, and small narrow hips, and more understanding than women, who have but small and narrow breasts, and broad hips, to the end they should remain at home, sit still, keep house, and bear and bring up children. –Martin Luther, Reformer (1483-1546), Table Talk

Women are amazingly forthcoming if you listen closely. Most strong-independent-career women I know would love nothing more than to stay home, breed, and raise their children. They low-key loath their husbands because they have to shoulder part of his responsibility to provide instead of getting to focus on being homemakers and moms.

Could you imagine Sarah telling Abraham, "Abraham, could you please, for the love of Yahweh, pick up after yourself and help take care of the kids so I can go to yoga class? I am just so overwhelmed at work and need a night off to myself"? Or Rachel telling Jacob, "Jake, think about how much my daddy has done to provide opportunity to our family. Do you really think it is a good idea to run away and leave him?" No. These women clearly understood and respected the concept of male headship.

In summary, most Christians love an imaginary ideal of women that does not exist. What they claim to love is a femininity that is nothing more than a poor imitation of masculinity.