Invisible Bonds

What would we think of a society where a number of citizens decide to
enslave their fellow-citizens, using the techniques of propaganda? Not
only does their brain-washing result in manipulating their’ targets
into a subservient role, but it succeeds in making them accept that role
gladly, and even become enforcers of their own servitude.
Such a scenario has actually been accomplished. To achieve polarization,
the first step of any’ propaganda campaign, the perpetrators devised
a legend declaring that their group would be living in paradise right now
if it were not for the actions of the other group. To insure acceptance,
this assertion was packaged as a divine pronouncement, making the “sin”
so great that it demands payment to this day.
The success of this campaign is evident by the fact that many people
today are not even aware of it! They do not understand that the fable of
Eve has been responsible for much of the subjugation of women to males
through the centuries.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one who understood: “The most powerful
influence on the human mind is through religious emotions, and all the
leading religions on the earth teach the subjection of one sex and the
domination of the other, thus enfeebling the love of liberty on the one
side and stimulating the

‘love of tyranny on the other.”
These effects have continued from ancient times to the present day.
As Stanton says, “What power is it that makes the Hindoo woman burn
herself on the funeral pyre of her husband? Her religion. What holds the
Turkish women in the harem? Her religion. By what power do the Mormons
perpetuate their system of polygamy? By their religion. Man, of himself,
could not do this, but when he declares, ?Thus saith the Lord,? of course
he can do it. So long as ministers stand up and tell us that as Christ
is the head of the church, so is man the head of the woman, how are we
to break the chains which have held women down through the ages?”
Clearly, women are conditioned by what is claimed to be divine revelation
to lose their love of liberty,’ to consider themselves unworthy of
even claiming such a right.
The love of tyranny is exemplified by the role of priests and the actions
of rulers, who, through the ages, have worked together to perpetuate this
conditioning. Both sermons and laws dictate women?s inferiority. Both have
as their objective the control of the family unit, accomplished through
the domination of women.
Currently, in our country, a woman?s right to birth control and abortion
are seen as a threat by some religions because this liberty would disturb
the balance carefully created to keep women subservient. Again, religions
call on the civil government to pass laws enforcing their view, and modern
politicians, intent on political power, often comply. And again, some women,
thoroughly indoctrinated, serve as the enforcers of their own servitude.
It is time for a new Age of Enlightenment that exposes the intolerance
of such religious beliefs and revises them to treat all humans equally
regardless of sex or other differences. We need to renew our commitment
to liberty, condemning tyranny in any form. Slavery, whether it be physical,
or emotional threats that cripple the intellect, cannot be condoned.