Some discard the abaya as nonsense and irrelevant in this day and age. For others it is as much a custom to wear it as the sari is for Indians or the schtreimel and bekishe are on Hasidic Jewish men. Some are forced to wear it by their parents or villages. Still for others yet – it’s a fashion statement, adorned with sequence, embroidery, black lace, etc. (it also hugs every curve of the body revealing a surprising amount of detail above and below). It’s worn for too many different reasons to wax generalizations about it.

As for my efforts to try to pull Islam into the 21st century. Religion is a personal thing. It’s between God and myself. If someone tried to tell me, against my will, what to believe then I’d use whatever force necessary to stop them; so I don’t believe it’s up to me to tell people that their spirituality is all out of whack unless it gets in my way personally. I just try to live a good life, work hard, do no harm, and lead by example. Someone’s bound to be watching.

One last thing and then I’m going to let this one rest. I don’t hear and see too much compassion for the women in China who mistakenly have more than one child. One would think state-institutionalized child abduction followed by a mandatory ovariectomy are far more insidious crimes than forcing people to wear clothes of any sort. Save this one for another post when China’s on the verge of dumping all their accumulated U.S. FER, however.

Done here.

GD

Can you understand that position, and why aren’t you, as a muslim, trying to pull your religion into the 21st century? (Not trying to be confrontational – just a question).

I understand why it’s posted here. What no one else seems to understand is what Islam is really about.

Islam is no more the religion of control through violence than the Catholic Church is (or was in the 12th century under Gregory IX??). It all depends on who’s practicing it, what their culture teaches them, and what the dillweed-in-charge is directing his ministers to enforce (or vice versa). When was the last time you heard of anyone getting stoned or flogged in Morrocco, Egypt, or the UAE?

Corrupt political parties need to control through violence. It’s the only way they can stay in power. You know that. They’re using the religion as a weapon against their generally uneducated masses to keep them subdued and distracted from reality. Have you seen reality in Pakistan or Afghanistan in the last two decades? I don’t recommend the trip. It’s not pleasant, but some groups of people in those countries are very, VERY wealthy.

In some of the North Africa and GCC countries, burkas or abayas are optional even though shariah law is in effect. In KSA, Afhganistan, Pakistan, Iran, abayas, or a variation thereof, are mandatory. But who cares? Why do you care what the women are mandated to wear in foreign countries, anyway? Because CNN and Fox News tells you it’s time to care? No one cared before we entered the ME again in ‘01 and then only after we were attacked on our own turf.

It’s up to the people in those countries to change how they dress and act, and it shouldn’t be any of your business. It may be another 2 to 3 generations before any degree of evolution begins to kick in, if at all. Give it time.

As far as honor killings go, that’s not really an Islamic thing. It’s more a regional/culture thing. Hindu families in India are just as prone to matricide, and even more countless acts of infanticide than you’d ever care to imagine. Been there. Seen that. It’s ugly and I don’t see Anderson Cooper covering it.

Finally, Deuteronomy 22:21, 22, 23. Is it law, guidance, or just a bunch of Judea drivel? You tell me? All religions evolve, thankfully. Are you okay with that?

PS: If shariah law ever replaces the US Constitution, then we’d all deserve it for just sitting back and letting it happen without putting up a real fight where it counts. Protect America by fighting passionately for its fundamental values. Both parties lost touch with those values years ago. Both parties need to be out of the way and out of office.

Regards,
Gunthar

As an American woman and a member of Puma PAC, People United Means Action, I have a couple of questions about your marvelous new Slave Barbie Collector’s Item:

* Does she come with stones?
* Does her head come off?
* Does she come with a tiny vial of acid?
* Does she need to be accompanied by a man in order to leave the store?
* Who gets flogged if she takes her Burqa off in public? Doll? Or child?
* Who arranges Burqa Barbie’s marriage?
* If Burqa Barbie is “honor killed” do I get a refund?

Gunthar, you seem to be jumping right over the fact that Islam is the religion of control through violence. Are you okay with that?

Women as property MUST STOP! How are you going to feel when Shariah Law becomes law here in the US and your mother, wife, daughter, sister are required to walk around in cloth coffins?