Does your religion or worldview address gender differences regarding: expectations, roles, limitations (or does it)?

Atheist View

The Atheist Perspective

Yes, insofar as they are scientifically demonstrated to exist, and not merely presumed to exist. We know men and women are biologically different, with different physical and neurological advantages and disadvantages. But all people are highly variable in their genetic and environmental makeup, and all are highly resourceful and adaptable. Thus there are no absolute differences.

For example, men on average tend to be physically stronger than women, yet there are many women who are stronger than the average man, and many men who are weaker than the average woman. Thus, we cannot define any absolute or fixed differences in male and female roles. Some women will make far better firefighters than some men, while some men will be far better at childcare than some women. Each individual must be guided and evaluated by their own unique set of talents and orientations. Gender differences, even when they exist, only produce statistical trends, not certainties.

Likewise, presumption and tradition are frequently in error. Thus scientifically sound and empirical facts are all we can trust. For example, the traditional notion that women are less intelligent than men is factually unfounded (even statistically), as is the notion that women are innately more capable in the kitchen than men. And even when differences do materialize (such as when a woman is more prone to uncontrolled expressions of emotion, or a man is more prone to sexual rumination), those differences are often quantifiably smaller than is often assumed (men uncontrollably express their emotions more often, and women think about sex more often, than stereotypes imply), and culture can often have a larger impact on these differences than biology (in some cultures men crying is more accepted and thus more in evidence, just as in some cultures women exploring their sexuality is more accepted and thus more in evidence).

Naturalism values science and reason over all other authorities, and thus attends to all these facts when addressing gender differences.

Are Women Just Stupid?

Atheist view Christian view

Christian View

The Christian Perspective

Christianity does detail many differences between genders.

Before we address the differences, however, we must first note and discuss one of the most central doctrines of the Christian faith as plainly stated by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus".

What Galatians 3:28 means is that the road of salvation is no different for men than it is for women, no different for slaves than it is for free, and no different for Jews than for Greeks. For each and every one of these types of individuals, salvation comes by grace alone (Sola Gratia) through faith alone (Sola Fide) in Jesus Christ alone (Solo Christo) as scripture teaches (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; John 14:6; etc). Each of us that the Lord has called are equally related, as adopted siblings, to Christ Jesus.

What Galatians 3:28 DOES NOT MEAN is that Jews and Greeks are identical, that slaves and free people are identical, or that men and women are identical. Quite obviously, we are not all identical.

Getting back to the actual question, there are so many references to the differences between men and women in the Bible that I will simply quote a number of scriptures below and suggest that the interested reader study them over in their proper context within the Bible (in other words, for a full and proper answer to this question, you have a lot of reading to do). All texts below come from the NASB.

Genesis 3:16-19
To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you." Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."

Genesis 17:10
This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.

Exodus 12:5
Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

Exodus 21:7
If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do.

Leviticus 4:23
If his sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without defect.

Leviticus 6:18
Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it.

Leviticus 12:2-5
Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: 'When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.'

Leviticus 18:22
You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13
If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 27:3-7
If your valuation is of the male from twenty years even to sixty years old, then your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. Or if it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. If it be from five years even to twenty years old then your valuation for the male shall be twenty shekels and for the female ten shekels. But if they are from a month even up to five years old, then your valuation shall be five shekels of silver for the male, and for the female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. If they are from sixty years old and upward, if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.

Numbers 1:2-3
Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 31:17-18
Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves.

Deuteronomy 23:1
No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD.

1 Kings 14:10
I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone.

Proverbs 31:10-29
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: "Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all."

Jeremiah 30:6
Ask now, and see If a male can give birth.

Luke 2:23
As it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD".

Romans 1:27
In the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

1 Corinthians 11:3-15
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

1 Timothy 2:8-15
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

1 Timothy 3:2-12
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

God bless and guide you in your studies.

Atheist view Christian view