[grey_whiskers]

The notion of sin and "morality" from an invisible god of punishments derived from the old shamans. The idea of extending "humanness" to blacks, to Native Americans came later. The idea that female humans might be equal humans was a key understanding from Darwin.

Don't post drivel.

Can you post any specific evidence for each of these claims, or are you merely mindlessly parroting what others in a position of authority have told you?

You might try reading up on William Wilberforce (or even Charles Dickens' American Notes) before wanking off about how Darwin extended humanity to minorities.

And as for women not being equal, you might bother to read passages of St. Paul ('there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor master, for you are all one in Christ Jesus'); or (since Catholicism is oft-mentioned in this thread) consider the unique position ascribed to Mary, before saying that Christianity primarily subjugated women (i.e. neither the Jews nor Christians had temple prositutes...).

I could say more but I don't want to start a flame war.

Cheers!

[thomaswest]

Darwin did not foresee that his idea would contribute to equal political status for women, but the idea that we all evolved from previous animals made it difficult for men to argue that there was a special creation for Eve.

Especially, an Eve that was inferior by reason of being secondary in creation. A species with male and female components evolving via natural processes undermined claims that females were ‘by nature’ somehow different, separate, and morally weaker. Indeed, Darwin forced onto churches the radical notion that if some humans have souls, then all humans must have them, even women, Africans, Asians, American Indians, and “pagans”.