And I think it is still prevalent. I was at a wedding maybe three summers ago where the vows said by the woman were all about supporting and obeying her husband, because that is what the Bible teaches. The words “you are as inferior to him as he is to God,” were used. His vows were totally different and talked about being a good leader to his wife.

The order is irrelevant. Biblical Christianity hinges on humans being the most important creations on earth, but they were not created first. Light, land, water, plants, sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, animals were all created before man was in Genesis 1, and nobody points to that as being proof that plants are superior to human beings. Furthermore, there are MANY places in the Bible where God challenged the (then) cultural notion that being the firstborn had real significance. David is a good example of this. See 1 Samuel 16 to see what I mean.

“to be a companion and helper (not to be her own person).”
It’s true that God created Eve because Adam needed another creature like him. Some versions use “helper” here, others “companion”… the point being that it was not good for mankind to be alone. Adam and Eve were the prototype of marriage. But how is this sexist? I certainly would be insulted if you were to tell *me* that I was not my own person because I was a helper and a companion to my husband. That’s what a marriage is for. In the same way, he is a companion and helper to me. Why did the concept not get mentioned before Eve came along? There’s no evidence to suggest it’s indicative of anything beyond the fact that there was nothing to apply to concept to before there were two people in the world.

“Then, Eve is the reason for the downfall, representing woman’s natural capacity for sin–not man’s. She is the temptress, and she must be punished.”

Adam and Eve both broke the promise made to God, and they were both punished and cast out for it. God did not play favorites here.

“For thousands of years this story has been told by many people in such a way that clearly blame woman for man’s downfall.”

I completely agree with that. But there key part to that is the word “people”.

You might not personally feel that story denotes men as superior,but many people use it (and other bible references) as evidence for women’s inherent inferiority and resulting servitude to men. She was created second, to be a companion and helper (not to be her own person). Then, Eve is the reason for the downfall, representing woman’s natural capacity for sin–not man’s. She is the temptress, and she must be punished. For thousands of years this story has been told by many people in such a way that they clearly blame woman for man’s downfall.