Sunday school teacher fired because she has a vagina

Baptist preacher Tim LeBouf fired 81-year-old Mary Lambert, who has taught Sunday School for more than 50 years. Why? Did she show up to work late? Did she exhibit improper conduct in the classroom?

Oh, no. She was fired because she was a woman, and apparently some obscure reference in the Bible says that women shouldn't teach men or some stupid shit like that:

"My belief is that the qualifications for both men and women teaching spiritual matters in a church setting end at the church door, period," LaBouf said in a statement on the church Web site (http://www.nnyinfo.com/firstbaptist).

LaBouf and the church board fired Mary Lambert, 81, earlier this month in a letter that cited the scriptural qualifications for Sunday School teachers, Lambert said.

"They quote First Timothy Two, 11-14: A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, she must be silent," Lambert said, reading from the letter.

Please. Seriously. I simply cannot understand how people can base their lives and their actions on a literal interpretation of the Bible - a book written by men, and not (if you believe) in God himself. How can you expect any text to remain intact over centuries, when even the messages going out in contemporary media are completely out of control?

And honestly, the subjugation of women in relation to men is a notion that has absolutely no place in modern society, and I don't care what faith you are (or aren't).

My good friend Jonsey is blogging again, and his post on this subject caught my eye. Go to his post and read his take on this issue --- he is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful writers in the blogosphere I've read in a while, and he approaches politics and social issues from another, very interesting angle.

(Cross-posted on BIO.)