With characteristic aplomb, she attacked the continuing inequality of women's role in world religion and said differences of culture or religion could not be used as a justification for denying equal rights.
She denounced the treatment of women on religious grounds as a "distortion" of the true message of faiths such as Islam.
While i agree with Cherie Blair's intention i have to disagree that inequality is a "distortion" of the true message of faiths, I see inequality as being it's primary intention.
I am yet to encounter a single religion that views women as equals and i have yet to find a single religion which allow women the same rights as men. Christopher Hitchens recently said (i think at AAI) that women will be the key to abolishing religion from society, That they, More than anyone, Should be fighting for the abolition of religion. He likened it to a slave defending the plantation.
Take Britain for example. Muslim women seek the right to wear Hijabs and Burkahs, And British law grants that right. In reality though the more important right they posses is the right to not wear the Hijab or Burkah. They have the right to not abide by rules written by men thousands of miles away hundreds of years ago. Instead of celebrating their right to be free from inequality they seek instead the right to remain oppressed. Only religion could make someone fight that fight.
It doesn't take much in the way of research to find out about women's roles in religion and it takes even less time to see that religion views women as little more than animals.
In Islam
In Islam the scholars (Ulema's) decide what the women should wear in the company of men, What parts of the body should be covered and whether women are allowed to own property or not. it's also worth pointing out that Ulema's are always men.In some Islamic states women are stoned for being raped, Beaten for leaving home without a man and have their fingernails pulled out for wearing nail varnish. On the other hand men are allowed to marry and divorce every 24 hours, This is to bypass sex without marriage laws. The woman has no right to request a divorce and would probably be killed for such insubordination.
>"In Catholicism abortions and contraception aren't allowed and women are seen as nothing more than baby factories who's purpose is to increase the numbers."
ReplyDeleteThat's a common and popular myth. Historical fact documents that Christianity, and the Catholic Church in particular, has done much for women's equality.
>"All Popes have been men and up until recently women weren't allowed to be ordained as priests"
All Popes have also been Catholics. All Popes have also been baptised. What's your point?
I suspect you feel a lack of women priests somehow implies inequality. Not only are women not valid matter for ordination, neither are the vast majority of the world's men. I'm a Catholic male and am ineligble for ordination, the same as for any Catholic woman. No inequality here.
BTW, none of the 23 Catholic Churches ordains women. There's no "until recently". Women are not valid matter for ordination. Similarly grape juice is not valid matter for the Eucharist nor is milk valid matter for baptism.
I was going to post a long well thought out reply Timothy, but your line; "Women are not valid matter for ordination" shows exactly how right i am with my post.
ReplyDeleteYou can defend the catholic churches right to discriminate if you want, but you can't deny that they do discriminate.
Matt you continue to make me laugh. None of your posts have sources, which are usually good to put if you want to have look credible. Also, you said how you don't care that people believe in myths, but this very blog proves otherwise. If you didn't care, you wouldn't attack religions for very minor things. You also post nothing about the evils of Scientology, but maybe the word science makes you think it is good.
ReplyDelete"You can defend the catholic churches right to discriminate if you want, but you can't deny that they do discriminate."
You are right. However, you also forget to mention that every nation and every state discriminates in some form. Women are paid less than men, women are forced to stay in the house and cook. I personally find this appalling. I think that women and men and all races should be equal.
On a side note, Jesus said "Look not upon the sins, but on the faith, of the Church." Sure, every church has its problems, but you shouldn't look at the bad stuff they sometimes do, look at the message. Be nice to people. Don't steal, don't kill. etc. etc.
On another side note, you still have not responded to my post on the comments section of "questions by RichardDawkins.net" post. I would really like to hear what you have to say about that.
Sikhism is a world religion (fifth largest according to wikipedia) that strongly asserts equality between men and women. Substantial deference to reason and science too.
ReplyDeleteSince there is only one other reference to Sikhism in this blog, I am compelled to make another comment.
ReplyDeleteI have read the post critical of the canadian court's decision to allow a Sikh youth to carry a kirpan (dagger) and don't disagree. This can be regarded as an anachronism which isn't appropriate for children in school.
Please pardon the off topic comment. I am a Sikh, a scientist, and a skeptic who enjoys reading this blog.