On the cutting edge of Islamic theology:
November 23rd, 2006 | by Craig R. Harmon |Is female genital mutilation necessary or merely optional? One cleric at least believes that it just might not be absolutely necessary.
Also, we should not forget the other great advance in women’s rights in Islam: Pakistan is considering making it so that a woman who has been raped doesn’t require four Muslim males to testify on her behalf that she was not the seductress so that she won’t be punished in court for having been raped. The new law would also remove the death penalty for a woman having sex outside of marriage.
Women’s rights have a long way to go in some Islamic countries and communities but with progress like this, Muslim women might have a decent life in, oh, say, another three or four centuries.
6 Responses to “On the cutting edge of Islamic theology:”
By Jersey McJones on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply
So, we have two choices here:
1) Bomb them all, included the raped women, into oblivion while screaming at them to modernize and in all likelyhood making their position more intractable.
2) Slowly but surely expose them to modern society through trade, diplomacy and communications like the popular media and internet.
Vinegar or sugar?
What’s it gonna be, boy?
Let’s look at some contemporary examples:
1) USSR: Collapsed, big mess, sliding back toward totalitarianism.
2) China: Slowly modernizing, 25 years of double digit growth, relative peace and stability.
A) Cuba: As intractable as ever, some gains for religious freedom, but not much more.
B) Vietnam: About to became a free trading partner, continuing to stabilize Southeast Asia, strong growth.
What’s it gonna be, boy? Vinegar or sugar?
JMJ
By Craig R. Harmon on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply
Are you drunk? Sheesh!
By Jersey McJones on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply
Nah, I just had “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” stuck in my head! I can’t get drunk right now, I have walking pneumonia.
JMJ
By Craig R. Harmon on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply
Okay, I see shades of the lyrics there.
I wonder how Meat…uh, Mr. Loaf is doing these days…
and why he typically waits a decade or more between releasing albums.
By Jersey McJones on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply
Actually, he had an interview in RS last month. He’s still the same ol’ Meat. I think he has a new album coming out. I hope it’s less melodramatic schmooze and more rock ‘n roll. I miss the old Meat!
JMJ
By Craig R. Harmon on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply
We can hope.