Nawal El Saadawi

• patriarchy is the source of oppression not religion: men distort religion to act in their own interests and to help justify their own interests and help justify their privilege and the oppression of women.
• the origins of oppressive religion: religion became patriarchal through the misinterpretation of religious beliefs by men, she uses the story of Isis and Osiris and Adam and Eve to support it
• Isis and Osiris: men emphasise the superiority of Osiris and conveniently leave out the fact that all male gods were given the ability to move by the deity, the goddess Isis
• Adam and Eve: men portray Eve as a temptress who created sin in the world, but the original story says clearly that Eve was gifted with knowledge and intelligence whereas Adam was only one of her instruments utilized to increase her knowledge and give shape to her creativity
• monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Islam and Judaism were established and interpreted in context of patriarchal social structure
• women can and should liberate themselves: long tradition of religious radicals liberating themselves, including Christ who was a revolutionary leader who opposed oppression