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TygrBright

(21,182 posts)
1. Chicken/Egg
Mon Dec 7, 2015, 01:53 PM
Dec 2015

I don't know whether it's "misogyny in religion" or "religion in misogyny," frankly.

Almost all forms of current religious belief are rooted in patriarchy, and the central function of patriarchy is the control and subjugation of half of humanity for the benefit of the other half, based on genitalia.

Virtually all religious doctrines of which I'm aware were initially formulated by males, most were initially recorded by males, and virtually all historical religious founder figures were endowed with a penis.

Misogyny not exactly an accident, or an accretion.

Many religions have made liberalizing gestures, at various times when equity has become a strong social value for some reason.

Even faiths such as Tao and the various streams of Buddhism originated within cultures with deeply-engrained structural misogyny, and their early histories (such as we can know them,) reveal ignorance and/or dismissal of the female spirituality and female experience.

Essentially, organized religion IS misogyny.

While the basic narratives of spiritual revelation, quest, and transformation in most religions may transcend gender identity (assuming you can re-contextualize them and re-frame the language a bit,) and many religions have identified spiritual concepts that may be equally helpful to someone seeking self-transformation regardless of gender, the doctrines and dogmas are all patriarchy.

There is a reason why fundamentalist religious fervor has become such a disproportionately powerful influence on males, and in cultures where traditional male dominance is being challenged by modernity, mass communications, and/or feminist movements. Pretty much all dogmas provide the justification and the "instructions from God" for keeping women subjugated.

Yes, it's about politics and economics as well, but those things, too, have evolved from, and remain shaped by, patriarchal assumptions.

steadfastly,
Bright

Recommendations

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Chicken/Egg TygrBright Dec 2015 #1
I think that is true. backscatter712 Dec 2015 #10
Interesting question. AtheistCrusader Dec 2015 #2
I think a lot of it is how people are socialized. backscatter712 Dec 2015 #3
Good thread. It should be obvious the niqab is male ownership of women Yorktown Dec 2015 #4
Yep. What does the Niqab say? backscatter712 Dec 2015 #5
Pfff. I suspect you are deaf to the wonders of religion. Yorktown Dec 2015 #6
I do my best. backscatter712 Dec 2015 #7
Keep up the good work ;) Yorktown Dec 2015 #8
Every idea or ideology must be examined and criticized. Promethean Dec 2015 #9
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