Atheism – Professor Peter BoghossianPortland State University

November 4, 2015

FROM GODDESS TO GODExpunging the feminine

from the divine

Karen L. Garst, PhD

Email:

karen@faithlessfeminist.com

Blog:

www.faithlessfeminist.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/faithlessfeminist

Twitter:

@karen_garst

How does culture reproduce itself?

Spoken language – at least 100,000 years ago

Music – 55,000 years ago in Africa

Rituals – 50,000 years ago

Art – paintings and carvings – 30,000 years ago

Writing – 3,000 BCE - Mesopotamia

Venus of LespugneFrance – 20,000 – 18,000 BCE

Venus of LausselFrance – 22,000 -18,000 BCE

Mother Goddess Giving BirthCatal Huyuk – 6,000 – 5,800 BCE

Hagar Qim, Malta4,000 to 3,000 BCE

Goddess and SnakeCrete – 4,500 BCE

God and GoddessSumerian Seal, Iraq – 2,500 BCE

Goddess with SnakesMinoan, Crete – 1,600 BCE

Goddess in Crete1600 BCE

Branch Goddess in CanaanMiddle Bronze Age IIB 1750 – 1550 BCE

Clay PillarsIsrael – 9th century BCE

Cobra = Goddess in Egyptian

Snake = Healing = Caduceus

Memes of the Goddess

Importance of images

Mother/child/birth

Home and hearth

Cycles of nature and women

Creator is part of creation

Goddess and God TogetherNeolithic and Bronze Ages

Male deity arrives and incorporates existing goddesses

Co-exists with goddess as consort

Male deity assumes greater role

Militaries become more prevalent

Cities become increasingly fortified

Israelite Imposition of Yahweh1200 BCE to 600 BCE

Multiple references in Bible against pagan gods – 7th century BCE

Figurines of naked goddess, offering stands and incense altars found throughout Northern and Southern Kingdoms

Manasseh (d. 642 BCE) – King of Judah – Put Asherah cult object in Temple in Jerusalem

Southern Kingdom still destroying high places in Bethel – Reforms of King Josiah (d. 609 BCE)

Exile in Babylon 586 BCE - finalize first five books of Bible as well as several others

Yahweh and his AsherahKuntillet ‘Ajrud – Israel – 8th Century BCE

Exile in BabylonMarduk (male) conquers Tiamet (female)

Demonizing Feminine in Old Testament

Genesis – Eve – Devalues the images of the goddess - snake, garden, tree

Yahweh – no mother, no children

Woman – not part of divine, cause of sin

Woman – unclean, cannot participate in worship

Patriarchy – human property, virgin, adultery, rape

Near sacrifice of Isaac – final break with strong female role

Memes of Monotheism

One deity – male – woman is not part of the divine

Divine is separate from creation

Morality is written laws instead of tribal relationships

Written language replaces images

Linear time replaces cyclical time

Separation from the physical world with a goal of attaining a spiritual existence

Legacy for Women in 2015

Not part of divine

Most religious leaders are men

Female sexuality

Devaluation of right brain

Very low participation in power structure

Attacks on birth control and abortion

United StatesNot in lead for women’s rights

United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - Ratified by 186/193 member nations – but not the US

Women heads of state – 52 countries in the last 50 years including Sweden and Germany currently – but not the US

Paid leave for newborns – 188 countries – but not the US

Wage equality – US 65th - Iceland (1), Finland (2), Norway (3) and Sweden (4)

Bibliography

Goddess ReligionThe Language of the Goddess Marija Gimbutas 1989Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God Keel and Uehlinger 1992The Alphabet Versus the Goddess Leonard Shlain 1998In the Wake of the Goddesses Tikva Frymer-Kensky 1992The Myth of the Goddess Anne Baring and 1991

Jules CashfordMatriarchy/Patriarchy/WomenBehind the Sex of God Carol Ochs 1977Beyond God the Father Mary Daly 1993Female Power and Male Dominance Peggy Reeves Sanday 1981Her Share of the Blessings Ross Shepard Kraemer 1992The Chalice and the Blade Diane Eisler 1988The Creation of Patriarchy Gerda Lerner 1987The Female Experience and the Nature Judith Ochshorn 1981of the DivineThe World According to Eve Cullen Murphy 1998When God was a Woman Merlin Stone 1976When Women were Priests Karen Jo Torjesen 1995Woe to the Women Annie Laurie Gaylor 1981Women in Early Christianity Patricia Cox Miller 2005