Letter: Imagine a religion created by women

Editor:

I often wonder what a religion created by women would be like. Would it be about brutality and strict orthodoxy, often with death in hideous ways for those who are heterodox, deviating from extremely narrow and claustrophobic doctrines based on preserving the power of the elite males in a society?

Or would it be broad, accepting that there are nearly infinite aspects of creation that everyone is free to explore and see in their own unique ways?

Would it be a strict vertical hierarchy where the goal is to competitively move ahead of others while hoarding power whenever possible? Or would it be a horizontal structure of equals where there is no power to hoard?

Would childbirth be accepted as an important aspect of womanhood, not her entire existence and sole reason to live?

I have a very hard time wrapping my heart and head around male-centered and dominated religion. However, I would gladly accept a religion where all are equal in celebrating the world around them in the way unique to themselves without an authoritarian male telling people what and how to believe with an inherent threat of violence for not believing a specific way.

Richard Gardner

Upper Bern Township