Islam: Archaic, antediluvian & anti-female

Philly.com ^ | 02-05-04 | LLOYD WILLIAMS

[veronica]

BELIEVE IT or not, right now I'm about as fed up with Islam as the Revs. Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and the rest of the Christian Coalition combined. But for a different reason. I just can't stand the unwavering, arrogant contempt that that repressive religion exhibits toward women.

The straw that broke the camel's back for me was the proclamation a couple of weeks ago by the grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, during a three-day conference in Jeddah. (The grand mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia.)

His offensive remarks came at a time when millions of his faithful followers from all over the world were convening in his country for the Hajj, the annual holy trek from Mecca to Medina.

When Mr. Mufti talks, Muslims listen, for it falls to him to interpret the Koran and issue religious edicts. This makes him about as close as Islam gets to having a pope. So, it's incumbent on responsible westerners to take note of the nonsense coming out of his mouth. He has a litany of liturgical complaints about the opposite sex, and basically dismisses the idea of equal rights for women as a violation of Islam.

This shameless sheikh said, "Allowing women to mix with men is the root of every evil and catastrophe." The Saudi political ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah, rubber-stamped this notion with a shrug, acknowledging, "This country is either Muslim or nothing at all."

So being a women in that Muslim nation means living with laws prohibiting you from leaving the house unaccompanied or with any man except a close relative. The authorities enforce a strict social code mandating that all females dress in black shawls and have very limited contact with anyone outside of their immediate family.

Half of Saudi's citizens must endure this humiliating segregation plus an endless list of other human-rights violations. Women are not allowed, by law, to do many things most of us take for granted, like drive a car, or just travel anywhere without permission. The state-sponsored oppression includes girls being forced to marry against their will and killed for having sex with someone not of their father's choosing.

Excluded from public life and disenfranchised politically, women are denied employment, education, inheritance and divorce rights, and are routinely tortured for complaining about this.

Recently, Lubna Olayan, an intrepid feminist activist, was brave enough, some say crazy enough, to speak out, calling for equality in her homeland, regardless of class, religion or gender.

BUT THE grand mufti, channeling Allah's reaction to Ms. Olayan, announced, "I decree that Muslims should beware and avoid being carried away by this propaganda which destroys religion, morals and virtues.

"Such talk about this being the start of liberating the Saudi woman is null and void. One's duty is to obey Islamic law by complying with orders and shunning that which is forbidden."

Listen, I know they're supposed to be our allies and are still considered the "good Arabs" even though 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 terrorists were Saudis.

But I can't help wondering why we consider these particular backward-thinking Neanderthals to be less of a threat than the rest of the designated Axis of Evil.

Tell me if I'm reading this wrong. The basic tenets of the faith dictate that half the population be subservient to the other half. That type of logic reminds me of the brand of Christianity that once rationalized slavery.

Sexism is as reprehensible as racism. If Islam doesn't get its act together, Operation Saudi Freedom looms unavoidably on the desert horizon.

Only this far-more-noble showdown than the one with Saddam will be waged not only over oil, but over basic human dignity.

[Mamzelle]

Just as Jews in the media worry-worry-worry about Mel Gibson and ignore Islamists, Feminists in the media worry about the Pope and ignore Islamists.

[TheGeezer]

Who is Lloyd Williams?

[tkathy]

Maybe the wusses on the left are finally starting to get it...

[veronica]

I don't know which Jews you are talking about, but I worry plenty about Muslims. Mel's project has been cynically marketed BY HIM to create maximum controvery, but that's just controversy and Hollywood PR. Islam on the other hand poses a clear and present danger to America and the rest of the world. I certainly know the difference, though, no doubt Mel's movie might stir some anti-Jewish sentiment, but only among those who are so inclined in the first place.

[theFIRMbss]

>"Allowing women to mix with men is the root of every evil and catastrophe."

>1920 -- "Despite the political subversion of anti-suffragists, particularly in Tennessee, three quarters of state legislatures ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on 26 August. American women win full voting rights."

Well, it is an odd
coincidence that the world
dived straight into hell

right after our gals
fought and earned the right to play
political games...

[rovenstinez]

MORE than half of the population are women. Isn't there some strange deal about being more females in Saudi than other countries? There are wild speculations about why more women are born than men. One being that woman aren't fulfilled in sexual experience of marriage.

[Mamzelle]

Jews in the media, as I said. So easy to find the defensive, non? Foxman, et al.

[veronica]

But not Michael Medved, David Horowitz and other more Conservative Jews. They have defended Gibson. Maybe in the future you could specify SOME Jews, not just "Jews" in the media.

[Lijahsbubbe]

The grand mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia

it falls to him to interpret the Koran and issue religious edicts

This shameless sheikh said, "Allowing women to mix with men is the root of every evil and catastrophe

So being a women in that Muslim nation means living with laws prohibiting you from leaving the house unaccompanied or with any man except a close relative. The authorities enforce a strict social code mandating that all females dress in black shawls and have very limited contact with anyone outside of their immediate family.

This should be noted by posters here who seem to believe that Islam has a lunatic fringe. Every fiber of Islam is lunatic and is a threat to civilized society.

Any politician, including the President, who would try to normalize this religion is deluded. Islam is no benefit to America, and I for the life of me, cannot see why we continue to import disaster.

[Mamzelle]

Now it's *me*--not Mel!

LOL.

[FBD]

"Maybe the wusses on the left are finally starting to get it..."

After reading this line? (below) I don't think so. :

---

>"Only this far-more-noble showdown than the one with Saddam will be waged not only over oil, but over basic human dignity."

---

Ahh... this war is being waged because of terrorism, Mr. Williams, not oil, OR repressed Islamic women...

[TalBlack]

Islam is not Divinely inspired.

Islam is a pre-Marxisisim Marxisim that very wisely co-opted God and used him as Marxisim has used the state ie: to control EVERYONE as closely as possible. This is simply mans way of playing God, it's as close as he can get to being God, it is the fundamental definition of Evil.

In western society husbands who treat thair wives as this "religion" treats women are literally mentally ill (I've known a few of these psychos-who hasen't?)

Islam is Evil and will precipitate that final battle that we have all heard so much about over the millenia.

Have a nice day!

[Gunrunner2]

Hmmmm. . . .

[ClearBlueSky]

I'm as astonished and as angry as you , Lijahsbubbe. All Muslims are TAUGHT the same thing, they believe the same thing- that Islam must prevail or its opponents must be destroyed. Just because every Muslim is not a terrorist Jihadist doesn't mean that they don't support them and believe they are right in what they do.
Remember the celebrations in the streets, the blood on the hands and the JOY at 9-11.
We should not only stop IMPORTING the followers of this death-cult, we should legally ban it and deport it's followers.

[Servant of the 9]

I just can't stand the unwavering, arrogant contempt that that repressive religion exhibits toward women.

I agree, but how is that different from Baptists?

So9

[ClearBlueSky]

I haven't seen any Baptists shroud their women in rags and kneel them down for a bullet to the brain, have you?
The Baptist religion is Christian, and I don't believe ANY Christian religion demands females be treated as Islam does.

[CaptainK]

To be precise, the world dived straight into hell on Dec. 11th 2002.

[Servant of the 9]

The Baptist religion is Christian, and I don't believe ANY Christian religion demands females be treated as Islam does.

The Southern Baptist Convention demands a woman do exactly as her husband says.

So9

[NTegraT]

Well, I have a great idea. How about Islamic women worldwide declare Sadie Hawkins week once a year where all men must abide by the rules set up for women. The women can go where they want to, drive where they want to, take along a man, if they're kin to them and they want to. I think it'd be great. Surely it can't be the women who are evil so it must be the togetherness that's evil. I think that'd be a great thing to see. Only women on the streets for one solid week. The men can stay home and telecommute. The men must wear robes and cover their heads if they go out. Women can wear whatever they want to. Interesting to ponder but don't waste too much time thinking about it because we all know it's all about power.