Islam and Women

It is not as if we are not all overwhelmed with the subject, but it bears being informed about.  While we all know that there are multitudes of honorable Muslim families who love each other dearly, we also know that there is much wrong in the teaching and the ideology.  The abuses need to be uncovered, acknowledged and remedied.  Of course, I would think that adherents should become followers of Jesus Christ, who loved and elevated women, teaching them with much grace, and restoring the most fallen with gentility.  But even without this, human decency teaches us differently from what is actually happening.

This show came across my stream today: a documentary movie called Honor Diaries is being highlighted.  We should all support it.

http://www.honordiaries.com/

It looks like it is available on Netflix.  I will try and watch it with my husband.

Another piece that came across was this image summarizing some scriptures that perpetuate abuses:

Thirdly, Barbara Kay discussed the problem with the woman activist who demands to be sworn in as a new Canadian wearing a face veil.  She shows clearly how this demand is different from other accommodations, and the injustice involved with the face veil, as women in a various Islamic societies do not have the option of NOT wearing it.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/17/barbara-kay-zunera-ishaq-does-a-disservice-to-women-forced-to-wear-the-veil/

I am really not much of a feminist, and I have not had reason to be.  The men in my family have all been wonderful, loving, married to one woman at a time, indulgent toward their daughters and granddaughters, encouraging education, etc.  I was able to study or work or stay home when I wanted.  I was able to marry the young man of my young first love.  I have really had to deal with any sort of coercion or denigration.  I think the most denigrating thing that happened to me was that my uncle would not take the girls out on his fishing boat.  Also, my grandmother said that girls do not whistle.  Come to think of it, I have been chastised several times, in my life, for whistling.

But, among all the oppression a woman can face, this abhorrence of her sexuality is the most demonic thing of all the possible oppression.  A woman wants to love and nurture.  A woman wants to marry a prince and be swept away.  A woman wants to give, give, give and receive.  A woman is romantic and wants to be united to a lover...  How can you cut our her clitoris, marry her to ancient men in her prepubesence, raper her, shut her in, allow the punishments allowed in the Koran and Hadith.  Has she no feelings?  Has she no value?  Is she not a human being?

Where are all the feminists?  Where are all the liberal theologians?  Where are all those seeking self-fulfillment?  Will you not stand up for those who are not even allowed to be a human woman, at the most basic level?