Chapter 4

So many things stood out to me in this chapter, it will be hard to organize my thoughts. As in the beginning chapters, I once again found that humans seem to be cruel by nature. Not just cruel, but seem to be scared and will bend with the wind or majority as you read in the chapter. I am referring to the facts that societies deemed it necessary to execute individuals that did no more than appear to disrupt the majority norm. From Socrates to Jesus, there were men who sought to change and challenge how things were done and when persons in power feel threatened they eliminated them. Then years later society pulls them back in and finds meaning in their messages. Civilization has evolved in the sense that it is unlawful to execute individuals in America and we have came along way to have freedom of speech. People of today are encouraged and sometimes celebrated to think differently, challenge the present and past, yet one must do this delicately, or they are still cast aside. As we have evolved it seems that there is a need to test the boundaries, maybe this isn't evolution because as one saw in Socrates that need has always been there, it is more accepted in today's society. Even still, for the majority there is an inherit fear of the unknown or un-norm. We want it, but are afraid of it and if it isn't done delicately, you are in big trouble.

It is also apparent that there is a strong need in humans to find purpose and faith. I am immensely impressed in the impact that individuals had on our history and future. I often think I have no power or how could I have impact on the world (even if that world is my immediate surroundings). Then I am reminded of how only one persons have been tremendously impact-full in the past. We are all just one person and it is important to remember that when we are a part of society. We can impact the world in both a positive and negative way as long as we get outside ourselves, outside our comfort zones, or perhaps even challenge the norm. Of course there are many ways that single individuals have shaped today, but the part in the chapter about the Buddha and Jesus and the effects they had on people and religion is amazing. To think that the entire timeline of history revolved around one birth and death is truly remarkable.

I found similarities in the religions, such as the obvious of having deities, heaven and hell, sacrifices and rules. I used to think, like some, that all religions are basically the same and reading about the similarities made me understand why this theory is relevant. I also thought once, that there are many religions just as there are cultures and that they were created that way to ensure that people could find connection with something. And that ultimately, we all would be led to the same spot (unless you are Hindu and will be resurrecting). This to me made sense for a brief moment as if they are different languages.

I liked how Strayer makes it a point when talking about Jesus that women were equal to men. However, it didn't take long for men to twist this and once again rule that women would be subdue. I wonder why women stood for this? Was it really that men were so much stronger, or was it the idea that they were stronger? Were there no women that could stand up to the men and demand change? There were the martys that followed Christianity and I applaud them. The entire sense of the alpha male frankly pisses me off. A strong man is not a man that walks around beating his chest or his woman. A strong man is caring and compassionate. I think it was Confucius who talks about what it meant to be a man and he may be on to something. Except of course the thought of ruling over women.

How different would our world be if men were subdued to men those days? How about Christianity, would the bible be reflected differently, if women sat down at the table and decided which books should be included? I think so. I think the entire sections on women subduing to their husbands would have been thrown out! Maybe if women decided our fate, our world wouldn't be so fearful. Except women were fearful and that may have been why they were easily told what to do. Anyway, if women were more in positions of power then, would there have been so many executions? Would civilization been less cruel? I would like to thank yes. Maybe if there were more influential women back then, civilization may not have faced slavery or inequality of any kind. Sure women can be ruthless as well, but are the lesser of the two evils? Either way, our history has been skewed because it derived from half of the population. If women weren't even taken into account then the history that we know may be even further from the truth.