Banning religious garb is all the rage these days. The secular order must be maintained at all times.
The banning of Burqas and full face veils has become so popular, in fact, that even some countries you wouldn’t expect are getting in to the act. Recently, another country has banned the niqab, the full Islamic veil that reveals only a woman’s eyes, at all universities. Has Islamophobia taken over? Not quite.
The country that is doing the banning? Syria.
Let the outrage commence! Oh yeah… Nevermind.
Let me go on record …
July 20, 2010 at 5:42 pm
This isn't surprising to anyone with a shred of knowledge about the middle east. Syria's government is Baathist/secular (like Iran's was under Sadaam Hussein). As far as banning its usage in Europe, I just thank God for small favors. Even a stopped clock is wrong twice a day.
July 20, 2010 at 6:12 pm
I want to ban anyone wearing their pants so their underwear shows. Also anyone showing their bellies with too short tops. Another pet peeve is baseball caps on backwards. The people who dress in these ways are demeaning themselves. They have fallen prey to lazy fashion and lack any sense modesty.
July 20, 2010 at 7:41 pm
How about cut-off sweatpant shorts – at Mass!? Particularly when said shorts are giving the wearer a serious wedgie.
July 20, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Among other things, it's a security problem if one can't see the face at all – or can only see the eyes.
In the context of the burqua and the najib it is demeaning to women. These are not worn out of a sense of modesty but from a dictate of oppression of women by men. This comes from a fallacious argument that basically says that a man who sees (name any part – such as – oh, say the nose) of a woman, that man can not possibly control himself from raping her. Really. That's where it comes from.
So my issue is the idea that women are treated as chattle and men treat themselves as though they too are nothing above a barnyard animal.
Granted – attire in the US is totally out of control. Many people dress without a hint of self respect or modesty. Young girls especially walk around in the most unbelievable outfits. (Ball cap on backwards can be a practical proposition. Nothing wrong with it, when hat-wearing is appropriate)
But I think that women (and men) can wear modest clothing that is faaaar short of a burqua and still encourages mutual respect while not serving as an enticement.
Christian men are called to treat women as people and to see her person-hood no matter what she has on (or not). It's tougher to do when she's half naked of course, and has made herself into an object, but that does not let men off the hook.
A woman who feels the need to completely cover herself up (Religious excepted of course) is also making it harder for someone to respect her personhood. She is more likely to (still) be treated as an object (although of a different kind.)
July 20, 2010 at 11:11 pm
If the woman wants to wear it, she should be allowed to wear it. Nuns do. Traditional Catholic women wear a veil in church. It means "I love You God (Jesus)". What's wrong with that?! How do you know what every individual woman wearing one is thinking? Who made you her protector? Maybe you're working for Satan? Maybe you fear the religiousity of these women?
Why don't they pass a law that says it's up to the individual woman what she wears, not ban the practice!!!
Oops, we do that every day and call it "fashion statement"!
July 23, 2010 at 9:53 am
I support the bans suggested by lisag and Anonymous. Modesty, people!
July 23, 2010 at 3:38 pm
O: WHOA! There is NOTHING wrong with a nun wearing a habit or with "Traditional Catholic women": wearing a veil in church – or anywhere else for that matter! I wasn't talking about veils – (which are see-through) I think that is beautiful. But you may need to re-read the post. I was speaking about the BURQUA and its context!! Do you know what that is?
When you can show me that they are wearing Burquas because they are trying to say "I love you, Jesus" then you can tell me I am working for the devil, otherwise, that is, at best, a terrible thing to say about someone. If some women like wearing the Burque goody for them, but the FACT is that they DON'T have a choice. You do. Perhaps you see a difference in being FORCED to wear a FULL and complete Burqua because men are taught that it is impossible for them to control their sexual urges and CHOOSING to wear a veil in church out of love for Jesus.
And it semms like you think that a woman MUST wear a veil to love Jesus? Are you kidding? So who put YOU in charge of other women's salvation? What is it called when you make yourself God? I was saying that MEN must respect the personhood of women and that women must respect themselves by dressing modestly. So what I said is in-line with the teaching of the Church.
Last: you are darn right that I will protect ANY woman from being abused. (Which is what the Burqua is. NOT the habit or the veil!) Or anyone else for that matter and too bad if you don't like it.
I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you just misunderstood my post.