Comments on: Belgium burqa ban is Bad

By: Marshsll

Marshsll — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:14:23 +0000

You would allow a male theocracy to opress women if you hold this line of nonsense. Surely by your argument it is ok to ban women from driving cars working or marrying without their fathers arrangements. Maybe even forced female circumcision or stoning if their hair is visible in public eh?
All this is done where a male power structure invokes it’s ” God given” right to relegate women to a role that is defined as domestic subservient and non competitive with men.
Of course you will find some women who strongly support their own oppression. Ever hear of the Stockholm syndrome? There is a bit of that around in the Sydney Anglican Church!

By: Free as in Speech « Journeyman

Free as in Speech « Journeyman — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 01:47:28 +0000

[...] Bishop John Harrower on the banning of the burqa in Belgium: http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/2010/05/02/belgium-burqa-ban-is-bad/ [...]

By: Vicky

Vicky — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:09:04 +0000

the Koran states that women should be “covered” because of woman’s sin in the garden of Eden. What does “covered” mean? Also, the man actualy sinned too. The Koran also states that, for man, even a criminal (no matter what his crime) can enter into “Paradise” when he dies by killing one “infedel.” Who is the infedel? Any one who does not believe in Alla. So, firstly what happens to the woman when she dies? Well-she is inferior to the man and so therefore does not get the same rights. Also the man (lucky him) gets all his fleshly desires met by 10 virgins in Paradise. And more concerningly, should we be concened “as the infedel?” what is “freedom” for these women who state that they have freedom within their veils?When that freedom is based on sin and guilt.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:49:43 +0000

I don’t know that much about the burqa or the religious significance of this in Islam, so I may be off track here or miss the point…

But in response to the “restoring dignity to Muslim women” argument, as if this ban would grant them freedom instead of restricting them, and also implying that the only reason certain women wear the burqa is because an abusive male relative is forcing them to… well, I’m not convinced that this is the case for most of Muslim women in Australia, but even if it were… my concern would be, if they are not to be allowed to go out in public unless they wear a burqa as enforced by their male relatives or pressured by the Muslim community they are a part of, and if they are not allowed to wear a burqa in public as enforced by the non-Muslim in community… even if you think their wearing the burqa is contrary to their rights as women, the ban on the burqa would cause an even greater restriction – they would not be able to go out in public at all! They would not be allowed to leave their own house, and would be prisoners! That would, it seems to me, an incredible injustice done to these women and more anti-feminist than making them wear a burqa in the first place, but it is not the muslims that would be enforcing this ban on these women to go out in public, but the non-muslims! Even if no one is forcing her to wear a burqa but for her the burqa is an integral part of her faith, spirituality, identity etc. it is still the same, she either is forced to be a prisoner in her own home or to violate a sacred? rule in her own eyes, possibly pulling the woman into a sense of shame, but this is something that I am surprised I have not heard as an argument against the burqa! I am not an expert on the Muslim faith, or on the significance of burqas in the Muslim faith, so maybe this is because of something I’ve misunderstood, but this seems to me an incredibally important issue to be faced.

Perhaps who do not have a strong faith do not understand the implications of putting somebody in such a situation because, for them, the decision to leave the house or not wear a burqa might be obvious to them. Maybe they don’t realise the implications for an individual to face.

By: george kyaw naing

george kyaw naing — Wed, 05 May 2010 03:05:32 +0000

0%to 5 % clothing models, movie stars, pop stars, socialites invade our magazines, Tv screens, game consoles, mobile phones, bilboards. The West does nothing.
Now, Muslim women want to go with 100% clothing in public.
What’s the big deal?
Double standards?
Let’s fight for helpless Muslim women!