Many of the emotions one takes for granted as being common to all, are no more than cultural stereotypes. Various peoples of the world living in other ages make us review the myth of a mother’s love being natural and self-evident. This comes with the new, emerging concept of a father’s love. The 4th commandment recognises a child’s respect for his parents raising the question that this attitude might not be natural but acquired. The origins of paternal and conjugal authority are to be found in India but can also be traced back to Greco Roman antiquity where such authority was in full sway. Aristotle puts male authority into its theoretical context, attributing male dominance to the physical inferiority of the female of the species. Although the word of Christ bases the mystery of marriage (and not the contract) on love and respect between the two sexes, the Jewish provenance of Christianity still counts. Did not Eve bring on the Fall of Man? Saint Paul preaches the superiority of man to whom woman owes total obedience as to the Lord her God