The problem is that there are enough educated people pretending there is no problem with religion. These people know better, and they have an obligation to destroy this notion of moral relativism.
It is true, for example, that a sizable percentage of women in Muslim societies agree that they should be subservient to their husbands. That they believe this way does not relieve us of our moral obligation to point out how and why this is wrong. This is nothing more than Stockholm Syndrome on a much larger scale; these women have been held hostage, literally and figuratively, since birth. They have been held hostage by misogynistic men who get their ideas from a correct reading of religious texts and teachings.
I never get any push back when I criticize the atrocity that is North Korea. We all agree that North Koreans live under an oppressive and tyrannical regime. North Korea is a religious state if ever there was one; you must submit completely to the will of the supreme leader and acknowledge his right to demand obedience. Indeed, we attack and condemn the government of North Korea at every opportunity. No one for a second would ever hold their tongue in chastising the leadership of North Korea for the treatment of its citizens, even though many North Koreans would be appalled to hear us say such things if they had access to outside information.
Why then do you remain silent on the situation of women living under Islamic tyranny? If it is because you fear violent backlash from within the Muslim community, now we're getting somewhere. If, however, it is because you argue from the viewpoint of moral relativism then you are a hypocrite, as evidenced by my North Korea example. No one would ever be tempted to say, "North Koreans have a right to believe that Kim Jong-Un can treat them however he pleases. Who are you to say their ideas are wrong?"
And so it goes with women living under Islam.
You can go on all you want about "this is not Islam"; you, with your western sensibilities and secular upbringing. The fact that this IS Islam, and easily justifiable, is not dependent upon your tempered interpretation of the faith. To these men and women (sigh) YOUR Islam, where you have premarital sex and show your hair and drink booze, is sinfulness of the highest order.
ReplyDeleteFinally, it is difficult to understand how 'Muslim' women can defend the faith which, for centuries, has been the reason for their subjugation. Again, you may think that Islam means something different to you, but that isn't even an argument. According to the Quran and the Hadith, women are inferior to men; we are told this ad nauseum. That you don't wish to believe it does not make it any less true.