[DocFarmer]

Mamzelle,

You're painting all of Islam with a pretty broad brush here. My article was not about different cultures, it was about a single religion. Would you like me to portray all Catholics by the acts of a few paedophile priests? Would you like to know how the Holy Bible actually sanctions slavery? Christianity has been misued too...

Your point about the other countries and cultures is very valid. And I happen to agree with you and deplore those acts. But they are not the acts of ISLAM, they are the acts of cultures using religion as an excuse without any basis.

As for a shallow examination, what do you expect? I'm only a man...

Doc Farmer

[Mamzelle]

re: You're painting all of Islam with a pretty broad brush here. )))

I think I gave examples of how Muslim countries differ in their treatment of women. The best place for a woman in any largely Muslim ME nation would be Turkey, and Turkey has attempted a secular government.

All the nations are basing their cultural treatment of women on Sharia law, to one extent or another. The Shia tend to treat women a little better than the Sunni, but unfortunately the Sunni represent the majority of Islam. The Sauds, our "friends" probably treat women the worst, now that the Taliban is defunct.

As for Islam being distinct from the culture, I've made it my business to read the Koran, some of the al Hadish and writings from Mohammed. Being from a Christian evangelical culture, myself, I put great emphasis on original texts as an indicator of authentic ideology.

And the more I read, sadly, the worse it gets.