The Religion Of The Ignorant

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF "FEMININITY"
IN IGNORANTISM

One of the most important suggestions that the religion of the ignorant inculcates in society is the various personal and mental structures identified by that religion and imposed on to people according to their gender. Among believers, however, character does not change according to gender. There is one common soul among the faithful. But in Ignorantism, one's character changes according to a person's gender, under the effect of an artificial distinction and social propaganda.

As a result of powerful indoctrination by the Religion of the Ignorant, women have assumed a rather weak character and a less than fully competent nature. Qualities like courage, intelligence, determination, agility, reason, competence and resistance to trouble and difficulty have no place in the roles set out for women in Ignorantism. And even where these are present, they are always faint and faulty. Both men and women share the prejudiced view that all these good characteristics need to be present in men. Elements such as jealousy, capriciousness, complaining, helplessness and sentimentality have always been defined as feminine.

The Religion of the Ignorant imposes a burden on women in the form of helplessness, irrationality, ignorance, naiveté and incompetence. In the light of the rules of this religion, women assume that appearance and, willingly or not, accept the obligation to reflect those defects. That state of mind imposed on women causes a very different personality to emerge, with all the attendant attitudes and behavior. The subconscious idea has been planted that these spiritual and psychological weaknesses are natural, part and parcel of being a woman. Women who adopt the role of irrationality, ignorance and incompetence shaped by society gradually do become genuinely irrational, ignorant and incompetent.

In the eyes of this religion, the aspects of women that need to be brought to the fore are those that make them female, such as facial and bodily beauty—rather than intellectual and spiritual beauty—, and sentimentality. Even those who believe themselves members of the most cultured and contemporary section of society still abide by this rule.

Distorted views and moral values peculiar to Ignorantism are constructed around this fundamental logic.

Inability to think heads the list of the characteristics prescribed by the Religion of the Ignorant. A woman who has adopted this belief therefore feels no need to exercise her mind on any subject. By making use of others' thoughts, she is unable to offer a solution on any matter, but merely implements those put before her. If her family falls on economic hard times, she will leave the solution to her husband to find. She herself, however, will offer no alternative as to what will be most advantageous to them or how they should go about making ends meet. She will see herself as being totally outside the issue, beyond accusing her husband of not bringing home enough money.

In Ignorantism, the female character is closed to development and progress. For that reason, a great many women make no effort to enhance their culture, abilities or experience. They tend not to follow scientific developments, technology, the economy or politics. The only fields of interest left to them are their own appearance, clothes, or makeup or matters to do with their domestic happiness.

Even faith is offered ready-made in the Religion of the Ignorant. A woman will shape her own belief in the direction of whatever her husband believes. If her intended spouse is a religious man, she will start taking an interest in religion. If he has no faith or behaves flexibly with regard to Allah's commandments, she will again begin living like him, even if in her heart of hearts she is aware of Allah's existence. She completely adopts the logical framework, perspective, tastes, world view and other judgments of her betrothed, and spends the rest of her life accordingly. For that reason, most women who live by Ignorantism have no understanding of right and wrong of their own. They set out a path for themselves by adopting the value judgments of their husband, of their boyfriend, or of their parents.

In order to survive, women who live by this religion need support and protection. Indeed, they generally do not protect any weak and despairing people around them, nor strive on their behalf. They protect nobody, but are protected themselves, and make an effort for nobody, though others strive for the sake of their comfort.