MSNBC – Another Kind of Warrior reports on the struggle of women to have their voice heard. This time through Rania al-Baz.
Although they will say that theirs is a peaceful and respectful religion, and Rania al-Baz is quoted as saying that for the one man that beat her a hundred have stood by her, the facts are that anywhere that Islam rules women are in trouble.
There is an old saying here in America:”pretty is as pretty does” and this applies to the results of our beliefs. What we say our doctrines are must be held in the light of the overall balance of results of those doctrines in society at large.
I know that Christianity does not hold a spotless record. Yet it remains that a doctrine that holds that each life counts is the one that will preserve freedom and dignity for those lives. Whatever race. Whatever sex. Whatever age.
Why do we keep seeing the continued oppression of women ? Why are laws and judges accomplices when they ought to be victims advocates?
I think I have to say that when I look at these Muslim controlled countries it is then that I am most thankful for a secular system.
I am grateful that our government is one that holds religions accountable to the higher good of all concerned.
Does this sound like heresy to some of my fellow Christians? I can’t imagine that, but I will state my unequivicable conviction that Truth has the power to prove itself given an even playing base. And even if not given that, it will triumph eventually. Our duty is to give Truth the highway to express itself. A government of the most neutral dispassion towards religion best serves that end.
Additionally, we will do that government a disservice if we don’t call moral inequities to account. That also is our duty. Individually, I believe we need to fortify our determination to speak up for human rights. We need to lend our support to those who are doing so.
If women are free and unafraid in their society and they still choose Islam, or whatever religion they choose, that is their human right. But they ought to be free to choose. They should have those protections that make it safe to choose.
People ought to be able to determine what is best for themselves so long as it does not jeopardize the existance of another.
Democracy 101.
Don’t tread on me.
This is something that needs to be said and I think you said it particularly well. The secular system we have has nurtured strong religious faiths. If you look at Europe, in which many countries have established or semi-established faiths, the churches there have tended to evolve toward a more pro-forma religion.
The last thing any Christian conservative or any person of any faith should want is to establish a religion.
It’s odd, isn’t it? sometimes you have to be able to look at another religion to do that. We thrive on compare and contrast to arrive at a balance in our thinking.
I surprised myself in how strongly I ended up feeling about this.