Just watching this program about Yvonne Ridley on BBC 2 and I was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about how Muslim women are treated as a part of the faith? Ridley got captured by the Taliban just before the war broke out where she was a undercover reporter, held captive and when she was released she decided to become a Muslim, pack her eight year old daughter off to boarding school, and went to work at a Muslim website (which she then got fired from). Slightly off topic but the guides that took her around the country were left to be tortured/rot in prison while she got out. The website she worked on was anti-western if there was such a thing, and she got in trouble numerous times as she kept publishing pictures of British and American soldiers dead or abusing civilians. So what I’d like to know from anyone with experience of Muslim culture, could her first hand experience really be so attractive she decides to change her whole lifestyle? Or can I conclude that she’s stupid and its just Stockholm syndrome?

YEAH BRO I DON'T WHY THIS CRAZY ASS LADY WOURLD GO BACK TO THAT SHITTY ASS THIRD WORLD COUNTRY AND BE TREATED WORSE THAT SHIT. YEAH I HEARD THAT THOSE MIDDLE EAST MEN HAVE 10 INCHERS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BRO? OR THAT BITCH DOES IN FACT HAVE THLE FRIKIN STOLKHOM SYMDROME

Well women in fundamentalist muslim countries are treated incredably badly (i.e. Iran) however I'm not sure as to weather this is religious or merely because of the people in charge thinkin they're better than everyonw else.

well, if your god said it's ok to beat the living fuck out of woemen you prolly would do it.

when westerners imagine muslim women they imagine the extreme fundemendalist muslims, such as the taliban. just like other religious text, the koran has been misinterpreted so a few could impose what they want on others.

you've got to remember that the burka is a custom in the middle east because of the weather, not because god said women shouldn't be seen.

the koran doesn't give muslim men the right to beat their women or anything like that.

until the 1930s' western women were treated very badly anmd had no rights.

well i've learnt something today: Ignore people who write in capitals

quote:Originally posted by ararise:

Well women in fundamentalist muslim countries are treated incredably badly (i.e. Iran)

This is absolutely not true and gives Iranians like myself a bad reputation thanks to your ignorance. Women in Iran are treated with the utmost respect unlike what the propaganda has brainwashed you with. There are many facts about Iranian women that most people do not know anything about such as the fact that women are allowed to vote and run for office contrary to popular beliefs (this includes running for presidency). In fact there are exactly the same number of Iranian women in parliament then American women in the US senate. Arranged marriages are not condoned by Islam however they still continue as long as both the man and woman agree. Also since the revolution in 1979, literacy among Iranian women has risen from less than 50% to over 70%. While it is true that there are restrictions on women becoming judges (they can funtion as judges but do not have the title) or religious leaders (also can study the religion but cannot be given a title) this is not to say that they are treated badly or disrespected.

I've been studying the Islamic religion on my own for a while now and it truely has a great concept for a spiritual person. Many of the traditions teach you to be humble and lower yourself before god such as during prayers. It is somewhat extreme in some of the facts such as praying 5 times daily (once at sunrise being the most extreme) but I garauntee that those who abide by all the rules of Islam will probably lead a better life (at least spiritualy) then those who dont. The reason for this is because Muslims accept that these traditions are a requirement rather then a supplement like what most Christians believe about prayer.

In Christianity all you have to do is ask Jesus in your heart for forgiveness and you automaticaly go to heaven. Praying is not a requirement although it is encouraged. In Islam it is not only encouraged but also required. There are other requirements (such as the pillars of Islam which includes prayer) that some people will call extreme but like I already said, those people who follow the rules and requirements of Islam will feel more fulfilled in their quest at becoming a spiritual person.

[This message has been edited by Kia Kordestani (edited 03-24-2004).]

=) Salam, haletori khoobi? hahahah no no i can't speak Iranian. Im Armenian but my family came from Iran =) Im christian however.



I just wanted to say that, Christianity expresses love, just like Islam, and equivalence, and humbling before God. Although prayer is not a requirement, it IS encouraged, but then again, how can someone be spiritual without praying, why would someone even delve into religion when they lack a spiritual life, so i suppose its kind of useless, comparing people who kill, rape, pray and say sorry, and keep doing it over and over. They aren't Christians, they are just masking their own insecurities using Christianity as a cover of their problems. God knows who does what and doesn't. He understands if you are pure about your decisions, he will help you if you're request is pure, remember God (or Allah in Islam) knows everything and all. He knows thats i am typing this, and you are reading it, he has seen your life already. He understands you, so don't think hes stupid and falsely apoligize. =)

But interesting post about Islam, thanks.