h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

oh thanks, i didn't know that, no wonder maybe. There has sometimes been a strange zeal to deny any connection of women and political power of any kind, particularly the public kind. You know i'm not out to prove anything of the kind, but it's hard to overlook in some cases.
So are you saying that Jews didn't have slaves? Come to think of it, i never saw slavery mentioned among Jews either. But why not?
Not even non-Jew slaves? Like the Muslims, who had non-Muslim slaves, but if you said There is no God beside Allah etc then you were freed?

Maggy, did you ever see this site? http://www.religioustolerance.org/ord_bibl.htm
I'd really like to know at some time what do you think of it?
To my mind, while it's clear that they're advocating womens ordination, it has a very restrained language, and sounds extremely sensible, but that is only general impression, as i don't have the specific knowledge to judge.

Because if it is true that many of the sayings in Corinthians etc are of later date, and due to weaknesses in the translations, i'll have to make apologies to St. Paul, of whom i had formed a poor opinion.

Lots of questions!

Slavery -- it wasn't exactly approved of but it did happen. Never other Jews. And all slaves were freed in a Sabbatical year (which was every seven years).

Women and Corinthians etc. Well, it's back to the social mores again. Paul wasn't as bad as we think he was because he was working within a system which was MUCH worse than his preaching. However, I've had problems with him for years. Poor old Deborah spends years with him in book 3 and gives up in disgust!

Roman and Greek women in those days could be and were killed by their fathers or husbands for misbehaviour. The man had the right of life or death over wife and children. In Greek society, women were allowed to do pretty well nothing; Roman society was better but not much.

Have I talked about the Cybele cult? No woman wanted to be associated with that because they could get walloped - and the priestesses all went bareheaded with long hair. So Paul may well have been being protective. It's obvious that a/ if he shouts about it, women are already doing it and b/ that he does have women deacons and supporters because he praises them.

One of the oldests NT texts in existence, the Euphrates Text, which dates from the very early second century clearly mentions 'women and the wives of those who followed' Jesus.


Phew. Need a cup of now!

No you didn't talk about the Cybele cult. What about it then? I like asking you, because i know you will talk about the earth mother no more thatn is strictly necessary.

The Earth Mother .....Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh

No, seriously. She was known as Magna Mater in Rome and she was served by women who were unveiled and wore their hair loose - and by male priests who castrated themselves and also grew their hair long so you couldn't tell them from the women. This outraged people so much that a lot of them got cut down in the streets.

As, in Graeco-Roman society, women just did not prophesy in the streets (the priestesses of other cults stayed in their temples apart from the Vestal Virgins who were seriously revered as long as they didn't put a foot wrong...). So a Christian woman out there proclaiming Jesus etc. and with her head uncovered, was very likely to be mistaken for a Magna Mater priest/priestess and, even if she wasn't, she'd bring the whole thing into disrepute.

In those circumstances I'd have told them not to do it too I think!

How are the other books doing, Maggy, are they out yet?

Kingdom will be out in mid to late May. Next one's out in summer 2004 but I'm also editing a conference book on a conference I'm running over Easter in Spain so there's that too.

I'm awfully lucky

I've put your next book on my Amazon wishlist...

oh yes you are, definitely, but it's also well deserved.
Tremendous congratters, you've taken off now!

Thanks, I needed that. Not a particularly promising day in the office...even though I was so bouncy earlier. But such is life!

oh who cares about the office when having sold three novels! Watch me, once i get there!

There you are, that's better!

Yes, it is better. I'm currently working from Spain! It was really scary realising that I was going to have to do that...but I'm running this conference this coming week and I still have to work! It's fine because neither is full-time but I was really nervous about getting the internet sorted out in the house where I'm staying etc.

I'm such a techno-phobe!

hi maggy or meg, its kate, you book was very good,

Hello you! I saw your picture in the newspaper (my Mum sent me a copy). You've had your hair cut. It looked good.

I like your new name too. Good to have you back!

thanks meg love kate

thanks meg love kate