Lynn Margulis & Dorion Sagan, interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-KHzsvomWc

Travesty in Kentucky

Contrary to the current media circus, County Clerk Kim Davis's refusal to issue a wedding license is not a matter of principle nor religious freedom. It is a well publicized example of abandonment of an oath of office and malfeasance of a public official. 

Her county government nor her office have 1st Amendment rights. The people of her county do. The correct behavior by a county clerk anywhere my country, when faced with being compelled by law to act in a manner contrary to her personal conscience, and if unwilling to comply, is to resign the office.  Period. 

Upon relinquishing the burden of office, Davis would be no longer under the duty of her oath and position, and could echo to the media hills the reason for her resignation. Of course, the correct, honorable and traditional path would not continue her 15 minutes of fame, launching her onto the GOP stage, at least as an extra.

Any elected public official, or aspirant to that status, who does not agree with the above, is unworthy of public office, and nothing more than an opportunistic panderer and lickspittle.

Misogyny, Eve and Khadija bint Khuwayl

Most readers are familiar with the role played by the concept of original sin and the view of Eve in the history of Christian culture as it relates to Misogyny in "western" culture.

“The formalized doctrine of original sin was first developed in the 2nd-century by Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons, in his struggle against Gnosticism.  Irenaeus contrasted their doctrine with the view that the Fall was a step in the wrong direction by Adam, with whom, Irenaeus believed, his descendants had some solidarity or identity.  Irenaeus believed that Adam's sin had grave consequences for humanity, that it is the source of human sinfulness, mortality and enslavement to sin, and that all human beings participate in his sin and share his guilt” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_sin

This concept would be tied to Eve's actions by Augustine, among others and well, the rest is literally history. 

The doctrine is not an element of mainstream Judiasm, wherein Adam and Eve’s punishment is tangible and immediate, including the loss of immortality for themselves and their descendants, having to work for a living, painful childbirth, fear of snakes, etc..

Islam also does not have original sin as an element. In Islam, the burden of a sin is born only by the sinner. But wait, there is more...

Khadija bint Khuwaylid

She was a 40 year old widow who became the young Prophet Muhammad's first wife and the first convert to Islam.

The tradition in many arab speaking Moslem countries of the laity having the Koran read to them, has given men a real leg up, and their own misogynistic edge.

 “Khadija became a very successful merchant. It is said that when the Quraysh's trade caravans gathered to embark upon their summer journey to Syria or winter journey to Yemen, Khadija's caravan equalled the caravans of all other traders of the Quraysh put together.”…Khadija entrusted a friend named Nafisa to approach Muhammad and ask if he would consider marrying. At first Muhammad was hesitant because he had no money to support a wife. Nafisa then asked if he would consider marriage to a woman who had the means to provide for herself. Muhammad agreed to meet with Khadija, and after this meeting they consulted their respective uncles. The uncles agreed to the marriage, and Muhammad's uncles accompanied him to make a formal proposal to Khadija.  It is disputed whether it was only Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib or only Abu Talib or both who accompanied Muhammad on this errand. Khadija's uncle accepted the proposal, and the marriage took place. “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khadijah_bint_Khuwaylid

Can you imagine a young woman in Afghanistan, who has learned to read, and decides to read a Koran? Talk about a WTF moment!