Take back the earth

I heard only one reference that religion was the root of all the horror that women experience in our world today. In passing some speakers mention that religion must be reformed. These facts and ideas are repeated in the venue of the 9th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women in Seoul, Korea.
Somehow women have been led to believe that reformation of religion to reflect women's roles will solve the problem like some magic elixir. Reform the same old stuff? Invent a new religion where women can have equality and power will follow. Oh, right! Watch the new pope!
Reformation is where many religious women are focussed and results show that women can become priests. Whoop tee doo! Now they can preach the gospel of denigration of women. As if women aren't already responsible for the strength of the churches - embroidering layments, arranging flowers, dusting the sacristy, fundraisers, teachers of children, and leaders of women's groups. With this support they build the church power bases and tighten the restrictions around themselves.
For centuries women have been told what their places are and they meekly accept them. Somewhere a holy word says the meek shall inherit the earth. Big deal! What women have to do is take back the earth. In ancient times women were held in high regard because of childbearing. We'll never know how many centuries it took for men to realize or visualize what role they played in creating new children all the while enjoying the sexuality of willing partners. Jealousy may have played a part in the pairing of female and male but mating for life as we call it more likely came from the protective and compassionate gene we homo sapiens developed.
Marriage was taken over from the matriarchal society when brute strength was used in agricultural societies long after humans developed language. Look to the research on marriage. The daughter selected a male for consideration of the mother who accepted him on the basis of his work ethic. From my culture I can see Mama saying : "You don't lay around under my roof just to produce babies, get to work!" If you don't believe in the influence of women in that realm, think about the church institution of matrimony. Word sources are very revealing.
Change takes place slowly depending on the pressures exerted. Of course it took centuries to instill the insecurity through verbal abuse that women are trying to rise above. I don't believe the caveman had to drag a women into his cave. Women come into estrus with the animal itch to copulate at least monthly. A female might have chosen an acceptable mate for more reasons than his physique. Research shows that males get more consideration when protecting and providing for females and children when females are not in estrus.
The same pressure and verbal abuse gave men the inferiority they project when they beat their spouses and their children. They were somehow given the impression that males ruled. And by English common law developed from church practice, children became property of the man of the house, the same as women. If the man couldn't be heard, by god, he could be felt!
Blame will not erase the results. Thoughts and action on those thoughts must follow. We've had the brains to get us this far. Let's have new thoughts and the courage to reject those parts of our society that are the true roots of abuse.
Naomi Sherer