Craig

Thanks again Cheryl for your comments and encouragement.
This is what is now in my head.
1 “I am not permitting” is an indication that Paul was addressing a local situation (as in 1 Cor 7:6-8, 25-40.) rather than stating a universal law that could be written in the sky for all people for all time.
2 But “I am not permitting” does not necessarily mean “I am … temporarily, just for the moment, due to the current situation which will hopefully change …. not permitting”.
(I have understood some egals to be saying this – but I may well have misunderstood! This is what led to my question, because if authentein is bad why would Paul only temporarily prohibit it?)
3 If “I am not permitting” does not necessarily mean “I am only temporarily not permitting ”, then I can understand that
4 Authentein is negative.
This makes sense to me. Does it sound on the right track?