Background:
The world was very different in Old Testament days and then when Jesus was alive. There were very strict gender roles, there were strong societal traditions and rules that dictated family structure, and there was very little blending of cultures. The religious leaders had very high input and impact on daily life and in many cases, significant input on governmental law and policy. Social class was less fluid, and people were born and lived and died in a linear manner with relatively few choices for change of status or role.
Read Genesis 1:27, Romans 14:1-3, and Galatians 5:13.
In the first passage, we find that we were created differently. God created man and woman, calling them by name to be different, the word “them” being plural as in two separate and distinct creations. In the second passage, we find that we do not all prefer the same food nor are we all of the same strength of spirit. If we extend this thought, God seems to recognize that there is variation among people—we are not all the same.
Much is made today of all people sharing commonality and being one race and that traditional gender roles are not accurate and no longer desired, that perhaps there isn’t even such a thing as gender. Marketing is being taken to task for showing men in traditional male roles and women in traditional female roles, to the point that there is even some question if we can or should advertise to men or women separately. However, that is not what the Bible tells us. The Bible tells us we are all created equal in the eyes of God (Galatians 3:28) and that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) so we share some commonality. Yet, we were created male and female and we have free will to make our own decisions from our own preferences. We are unique creations, imbued with individuality and not as clones of each other without distinction.
Instructions:
As you think about these changing opinions and societal pressures, respond to the following questions in 150-200 words.
- How does a company or industry market differently to men vs women?
- Is personal preference becoming both more important with more choices in the market of that company or industry while at the same time being an anachronism under the pressure that we should all be the same without distinction? Why?
- How does marketing in a company or industry balance individuality with the range of ethical foundations in today’s highly diverse but also interconnected world?
