LIGHT IN OUR BROKEN WORLD - Part 2

PATERNALISTIC DOMINANCE & RELIGION

This continues a series of personal reflections that emerged from my time at Die Quelle, the International Satsang Association ( ISA) Sadhana Ashram. It explores some of my responses to a quote from Sister Ishpriya. These reflections focus on some of the roots of the current crisis facing humanity and how both  as a member of the ISA Iand a Spiritual Traveller,  I could begin to undertake the responsibility of bringing some light into our broken world. For further details on the ISA visit http://www.international-satsang.org   and for a copy of other reflections visit the Resources Pages of   http://www.satsang-companionship.org.uk  and also its Blog Pages  http://midlands-satsang.blogspot.com/

In Part 1 these reflections looked at some aspects of our Broken Planet and suggested 4 important contributing factors that were at the roots of our 'brokenness' .


In Part 2 we look at two of these :-  Paternalistic Dominance and some of the negative impact of Religion

1. Paternalistic Domination    The first of these is the area of paternalistic domination. Our human family has been on a long journey that has lasted for hundreds of millennia. It is a common experience to take a ‘wrong turn’ on a journey. I believe that about ten to twelve millennia ago humanity took a wrong turn. It changed and in becoming an agrarian culture also adopted a very paternalistic approach to life. This had several important consequences.

Balance of the Yin and Yang   As humans, regardless of our gender, we require balance. Both ancient wisdom and modern psychology believe that every human being has a masculine and feminine side to their psyche. Both are needed for our survival.  These are not mutually exclusive or opposite but are complementary. They are not opposites but part of a whole.

In Eastern Philosophy and excellent symbol for this is found in Taoism. It is the Yin – Yang symbol.  Here the Yin (Black with a white dot) is seen as the feminine or soft aspect of reality and the Yang is seen as the masculine or hard aspect.  

               

Complementary Balance

In Jungian psychology we have the Animus (feminine) and Anima (masculine) aspects of the psyche. The important thing is that both are necessary in order to be fully human. They are  part of the complementary whole and  are needed in order  for us to achieve balance and harmony. It is important to note that these feminine and masculine aspects are in everybody regardless of gender or sexuality.

However, with the dawn of the paternalistic age humanity began to focus more on the masculine and its will to control and towards power.  This imbalance in our psyche has resulted in the human family drifting away from the soft and feminine and towards the hard and masculine. In terms of our use of the brain, we have both focused on and emphasised the left side, which is more logical and thinking, rather than the right side which is more creative and feeling. Both of these are needed. This is not an Either- Or  but a Both- And situation. Once again, our tendency towards Duality and separateness rather than oneness and Unity is a stumbling block to our journey into spiritual awareness.

Thus the paternalistic era has resulted in humanity ‘drifting’ towards celebrating the masculine and at the best down-playing the feminine. The consequence has been the suppression of the feminine and in many cases this has led to the terrible abuse of women and children.  Just as serious has been our loss of our more affective and creative feminine side. This is a loss for all, both male and female. It has also had repercussions for humanity in its suppressive approach towards sex and sexuality. This latter point requires a longer and more detailed reflection which is best done separately.  However, this is another important area that has certainly impacted on all the major Faith Traditions and particularly those of the West – the People of the Book – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

2.                  The Impact of Religion  

Note : Given the sensitivity of religion as a subject and my intention to publish these reflections, I want to clarify my position regarding religion. I was brought up a Christian and , although I am open to the truth in  other traditions, I am still rooted in my Christianity and particularly Celtic Spirituality. In the Celtic Tradition, as in many of the aboriginal traditions, there is a greater reverence for the Earth and our environment and a better balance between the masculine and the feminine.

 I draw a great deal from the teachings of Jesus and recognise the great truth, value and wisdom of His Teaching. However, I also feel that all Religions (particularly in the way they have expressed the teachings of their tradition, have played some part creating our ‘Broken World’. As the saying goes ‘unless you are willing to be part of the solution , you are part of the problem’. This, I believe,  is true for the religions of the world and certainly true for those who call themselves ‘ Followers of Jesus’

Since the dawn of time humanity has searched for and expressed their sense of the spiritual and their understanding of the Mystery behind and beyond all creation. We have considerable evidence that spiritual traditions were around about 70, 000 years ago. It is only in the last 5000 or so years that the major Faith Traditions have emerged and begun to formulate their view of the Mystery and establish themselves religions. Now Religion has contributed much that is positive to our world. It underpins much of our inherited moral values, laws, art and literature.   It has been, and continues to be, extremely important because of the values it teaches and upholds and the structure, support and spiritual dimension it brings to many..  However, we also need to realise that the Religions arose during this paternalistic era. Consequently, the Faith Traditions mainly support or emphasise the masculine aspect of the Mystery. This paternalistic approach to the divine Mystery is arguably even more central to the 3 Western Religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  Their depiction of the God who is Mystery is male and they deny or, at the very least underplay and sometimes have even suppressed any notion of the femininity of God.

Now rationally and theologically the Faith Traditions may admit to the fact that God – the Mystery – can neither be male nor female but their depiction and response to God is certainly masculine. This in itself could merely be a mistake and a lack of balance. However, historically these religions have used the masculinity of God to deny women a place or a voice in the organisation and day-to-day operation of religion. Positions of authority are reserved for men and women are denied this opportunity. Rabbis, priests and Imams are all men and the Sacred Scriptures are used to justify this stance. Yet these scriptures were formulated and written by men in a time when the Paternalistic Era was at its height and power. Even in the Eastern Faith Traditions the emphasis on the masculine is dominant. The  overall result has been that formal religions have played apart in the suppression of the feminine. This is also apparent in their approach to sex and sexuality.

Sex is a wonderfully creative gift and thus more attuned to the creative and feminine aspect of humanity. In a loving and consenting relationship it requires our surrender to intimacy and thus a loss of control, a loss of self.  It involves giving up some of the self and being open to self-surrender. This can naturally provoke anxiety and a little fear but love, in a sense, conquers these and assists our surrender. Arguably, this may be the reason a masculine and male dominated religion projects its fears about intimacy,sex and sexuality onto others and ultimately onto women.

The net result has been a further drift away from the feminine and the strengthening of the masculine will to power and control. 

So religion in its over focus on the masculinity of God has colluded with and encouraged the fear and suspicion of the feminine and its creative and affective gifts. It has tended to accept and celebrate the logical and theological approach to spirituality. This is very apparent in the Western Religions and their very strong set of rules and prohibitions – many of which are directed against our feminine side and also to the idea that ‘Man’ is the ruler of the earth and all ‘He’ possesses. This has led to our estrangement from our environment, our denial of the creativity of the feminine and our estrangement from our real self. Arguably the ultimate loss has been bad for our world and has led to humanity striving for more control. This in turn has led to us ‘using’ the Earth not merely for our needs but for our greed. History shows that this in turn has played a part in our tendency towards oppression, violence and war.

Paradoxically, the religions of the West all emphasise the importance God places in the values of peace, justice and love. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis a great Christian Writer of the 20^th Century ‘It is not that Christianity has failed, it has never been tried’!   My belief is that what has been tried is Christendom. That is, a form of Christianity based on a patriarchal and hierarchical model and not the fellowship of equality love and compassion that is preached in Jesus’ Manifesto – outlined in The Sermon on the Mount. (See Matthew 5).