“Oh, they did!” Ruth said. “Especially the men and women who had lost children in the rising violence. They protested adamantly in the name of the Mother and did all they could to resist. But this only infuriated the men, who then sought a way to undermine the people’s power so they could continue their plunder.”

Ruth went on to explain that it was then decided among the outcast men that the best way to weaken the people was to destroy the Mother.

Anna gasped.

“But knowing that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to force themselves between the people and the Mother, they decided to simply create a new divinity—a male.”

“A male god?” Anna asked. “Like the one my father always called out to?”

Ruth nodded. “Yes, but rather than upholding the value of life and cooperation, this new god, in various texts the men produced, espoused domination and destruction. In one story after another, he favored some people over others and declared that only those he deemed worthy were entitled to life and its bounty. He called for death to those who were not chosen. And belittled the life-giving capability of women, first by saying that only men could wield spiritual power, and second by claiming that women had arisen from men, rather than the other way around!”

“But all those things are insane!” Anna protested.

“True,” Ruth sighed in agreement. “Which is why the outcasts eventually had to enforce their beliefs with blades.”

Anna’s skin went cold.

“Quickly becoming intolerant of anyone who defied them, and of those who practiced what they called ‘the old ways,’ the men began killing and torturing resistors. This new movement soon ushered in a period of catastrophic violence. And, in their efforts to undermine all earthly symbols of the Mother, the proponents of the male god eradicated untold numbers of priestesses and female healers, along with all evidence of their existence. Entire villages were slaughtered. Vast stores of manuscripts burned.”

Anna shuddered at the thought of Zahra’s ghastly murder being repeated over and over. She then realized that her father’s hatred of the old woman had arisen because he, too, had been persuaded to trust in the male god and the proponents’ need to crush dissention.

Ruth nodded, seeing that Anna was drawing connections. She then continued. “The new movement has had many names and incarnations. But its every form revolves around a central, irrational myth: that a single male god independently generated life on earth.” Ruth shook her head at the perversity. “Have you ever seen a male bird or bee or fish or man generate new life from its own body alone? In fact, I am not even sure a female could do this. Though no female would be so arrogant as to claim that she could!”

Anna’s eyes widened, astounded by Ruth’s words. “But why does not anyone other than the Sisters denounce this?” she asked.