Western Feminism: A Secular Faith Threatening Traditional Values
A distinguished Catholic scholar has exposed how modern Western feminism has transformed from a social movement into what she describes as a "secular megachurch" that directly challenges traditional family values and religious foundations.
Dr. Carrie Gress, a fellow at the Institute for Human Ecology at Catholic University of America, presents compelling evidence in her forthcoming book Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can't Be Fused With Christianity that reveals the true nature of contemporary feminist ideology.
The Religious Structure of Modern Feminism
According to Gress's extensive research, feminism has "quietly captured the minds and hearts of women by mimicking aspects of Christianity" while promoting values that stand in direct opposition to traditional faith and family structures.
"In many respects, it can actually be seen as a megachurch," Gress explained. "It has taken on so many of the aspects of Christianity. So feminism has its own sacraments, virtues, rites, evangelization."
This transformation was not accidental. Gress traces the movement's foundational principles to early 19th-century radical thinkers, including romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his associates Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin, who deliberately crafted these ideas as a replacement for Christian teaching.
The False Commandments of Feminism
The scholar identifies what she calls the "commandments of feminism" that have guided the movement since its inception: contempt for men, rejection of monogamy in favor of promiscuity, and involvement in occult practices.
These principles have created what Gress describes as a dangerous idol: female autonomy. "It's taught women that our greatest happiness and our fulfillment is going to come when we are living by and for ourselves," she noted.
The Devastating Social Consequences
The effects of this ideology are visible throughout Western society. Gress points to the dramatic rise in pet ownership as women increasingly choose to nurture animals rather than children, representing a fundamental shift away from motherhood and family formation.
"This is why we see so much of a boom in the pet industry," she observed. "Women are just choosing to nurture pets in a way that they in the past would nurture their children."
Contemporary feminist activism, rather than promoting genuine empowerment, is characterized by "anger, rage, envy, contempt," according to Gress. "These are not movements or events that are showing happy, healthy, thriving women."
The Path Forward: Restoring Traditional Values
Gress advocates for a return to traditional understanding of gender roles, emphasizing that "when both roles understand their purpose, that's really where you see major gains happen in the family, and in the culture and, ultimately, in civilization."
This analysis resonates with growing concerns about the influence of Western ideological movements that seek to undermine traditional family structures and religious values. As societies worldwide grapple with declining birth rates and family dissolution, the importance of preserving authentic cultural foundations becomes increasingly clear.
The scholar's work serves as a crucial warning about the sophisticated methods used by secular movements to replace traditional belief systems with ideologies that ultimately weaken the social fabric and individual fulfillment.