A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Religion Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

I could not believe what my reason told me was derogatory to the character of the Supreme Being: and, having no fear of the devil before mine eyes, I venture to call this a suggestion of reason, instead of resting my weakness on the broad shoulders of the first seducer of my sex. (5.7)

Frankly, Wollstonecraft doesn't buy the idea that women are all weak because Satan seduced Eve in the Garden of Eden. She thinks instead that God created men and women to be partners in life, and therefore equal.

Quote #8

If it be merely the refuge of weakness or wild fanaticism, and not a governing principle of conduct, drawn from self-knowledge, and a rational opinion respecting the attributes of God, what can it be expected to produce? (5.161)

Wollstonecraft can't see any rational purpose behind the oppression of women. It just seems to be a matter of tradition simply for the sake of tradition. You can't say that men are naturally better than women without saying that God created a flawed creature when he created women, and Wollstonecraft argues that this argument is pure blasphemy.

Quote #9

Most prospects in life are marred by the shuffling worldly wisdom of men, who, forgetting that they cannot serve God and mammon, endeavor to blend contradictory things. (5.162)

There are lots of men in the world who want to serve God and make lots of money (the weird word "mammon" refers to material wealth). But Wollstonecraft insists that you can't have it both ways. The Bible is very clear when it comes to greed. Greed is a horrible thing and it's immoral for a person to have way more than she or he needs to live.