Does Catholicism Hate Women?

Catholicism often gets erroneously blamed for being misogynistic on the basis that it does not ordain women to the priesthood. I would like to point out, however, that Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism all have similar doctrines at work within their world-systems. Even more primitive shamanic religious forms exhibit this characteristic.  While I think it is obvious that virtually all cultures are patriarchal in expression and that it is natural that religion would follow the local cultural identity, there may very well be something more psychological at work here.

Feminism often fails to value or even positively recognize the inherent instinct of males to protect females. Our mating practices are based on this, as are nearly all aspects of our interpersonal activity, including our biology. I then suspect that because dealing with God on the level of priest (or its cultural equivalent) is a highly dangerous business, the role of spiritual intermediary would naturally fall to the male on an evolutionary basis.

In respect to this thought, I personally feel it is a ludicrous, highly derogatory accusation on the part of those who criticize Catholicism in this way. It is always helpful to explore the biological origins of potentially problematic human behavior. Often, the answer to the problem (sometimes even the solution) can be found in such a way. Ask yourself: when was the last time you made a fully rational decision, based only upon good, solid, objective judgement? Then consider how often our judgement, as a species, is produced out of "monkey-brain" emotionalism.

The choice to either spiritually evolve or remain complacent is ultimately in the hands of each and every individual, yet regardless of which choice you decide to make, always remember the consequences of your actions are also yours, no matter how much effort you put into finding a scapegoat, be it through religion, the government, traditionalism, or liberalism.

+Bryan D. Ouellette in ecclesia Patriarch Nicholas III