Since this topic first posted, I've thought some more on the issue. I think the Bible, as it was given to human kind, is stright from the heart of God. However, it was given in 3 basic languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Now most of us know that the King James version of the Bible, is believed to be (by many, not all, current Bible scholars) the most poorly translated version. That is important, because most of us try to live our lives based on the Bible, and if we are studying a poor translation, than it is easy to see how we can get tripped up. In an ideal world, we would know these 3 languages, so we wouldn't have to depend on someone's interpretation of the language, and meaning. But the fact is, we don't.
An example of how dangerous this can be, is found in a version of the Torah (part of what we call the books of Moses (Gen-Deut)where the Jewish leaders describe the curse of Ham (Gen 10) as resulting in black skin (based on the Hamitic myth that Blacks are the cursed sons of Ham). Now is this in the original Hebrew? No, at least not according to many leading Jewish thinkers and linguistic experts; until recent decades however, it was preached even in Christian churches as gospel. The only way I can be sure, is to go back to the original Hebrew and study for myself.
So while I do not doubt that the Word of God as given to humans is true, I do doubt those that would translate and interpret falsely, so as to ensure their own agenda. For centuries, this country taught that the Black man and woman were divinely cursed to be slaves forever--and they used mal-interpreted scripture to back it up.
And on women preachers, well the Bible also says that there is no longer any Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, bound nor free...
So as far as I'm concerned, I'll let God choose whom He will, to do his work.
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