tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post7480722056949249077..comments2024-03-28T13:08:26.494-04:00Comments on Religion & American Law: Gender Discrimination and Islam - A Violation of Free ExerciseBrantley Gasawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02894338478934982958noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-44229203208236839062010-03-04T00:17:18.070-05:002010-03-04T00:17:18.070-05:00I think this is a very interesting article because...I think this is a very interesting article because it gives an example of an instance where the legitimacy of religious convictions are being questioned. While I don't necessarily agree with the idea of separate prayer spaces, that doesn't necessarily make it wrong. What I do think is certainly wrong in this instance is the police involvement. The mosque should not have involved civil officials in the matter, as they are entangling the civil law with religion. Since there seemed to be a good number of Muslim women outraged over the "Penalty box", I think this is an instance where the members of the mosque need to come together to decide how they are going to move forward and if they are willing to change their traditions.Kerry Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11982060338262664276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-90386215757947816902010-03-03T20:01:36.081-05:002010-03-03T20:01:36.081-05:00I think this article is great because it brings up...I think this article is great because it brings up issues we’ve been discussing in, what I see as, a new way. I believe what made this a violation of free exercise was the involvement of the police. This issue reminds me of another article we discussed where a religious test was needed to hold a position in a certain organization; a certain private, Christian organization. How non-Muslims feel about the segregated prayer rules are irrelevant, it is an issue between these women and their religion. If they don’t like it, they should pray somewhere else. The women were in prayer on the grounds of their church, the actions taken place there were not under the law of the United States (the Constitution) but of the law of that house of worship and its long honored traditions. The other members of the mosque should have made a bigger deal of their defiance instead of calling in unauthorized government officials.Jessica Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08720694447229961254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-18158317348838719732010-03-03T14:07:17.464-05:002010-03-03T14:07:17.464-05:00I think that women’s civil rights should take prec...I think that women’s civil rights should take precedent over those of religious beliefs. In this country, we have worked hard to reduce discrimination based on race, gender, and religion and in our post-modern world discrimination on these bases is illegal. However, our country was also founded on the idea of religious freedom and a citizen’s right to exercise his or her religion freely. Therefore, I cannot say with absolute certainty, where I stand on this matter.<br /> Additionally, I am perplexed by the police officers’ involvement. I do not think that the police should have had a hand in this situation at all. Why are the police, or any public authority, enforcing what is considered a religious rule? It does not appear to me that these women were breaking a civil law, but rather a religious one. If that is the case then I think that this is an example in which the “wall of separation” was not upheld.Lauren Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17366570487073979473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-69933212771641801962010-03-03T02:04:53.468-05:002010-03-03T02:04:53.468-05:00Have you seen this commentary on Asra's book?
...Have you seen <a href="http://loga-abdullah.blogspot.com/2010/03/asra-nomani-standing-alone-in-mecca.html" rel="nofollow">this </a>commentary on Asra's book?<br /><br />http://loga-abdullah.blogspot.com/2010/03/asra-nomani-standing-alone-in-mecca.html<br /><br />Interested to hear your thoughts.Loga'Abdullahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17508400030329243955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-63386759489280571762010-03-02T20:56:22.889-05:002010-03-02T20:56:22.889-05:00This article was certainly one that raised a numbe...This article was certainly one that raised a number of important questions. This particular case seems to be even more complicated than the ones we have discussed in class, because it also deals with gender discrimination within a particular religion. As has been discussed in class it is difficult to determine the verity of one's religious beliefs. It seems that in this case both the Islamic men and the Islamic women felt as if they were abiding by their religious beliefs; however, these beliefs came into conflict with one another. Then the state stepped in and offered a remedy; but while implementing the remedy the state was forced to choose which group's religious beliefs were accurate and which were not. Once again the question of whether or not it was the state's duty to intervene arises. This is a particularly difficult case; and one in which I am having diffculty coming to a conclusion on. Personally I do not think that the women should have been ostracized into the "penalty box." However, who is to say that the men in this case were not acting based on true religious convictions?Abby Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06162338278428970964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606201113344523885.post-58183898152208188432010-03-02T11:37:32.150-05:002010-03-02T11:37:32.150-05:00This is an extremely interesting article because i...This is an extremely interesting article because it embodies all the questions we have been discussing in class but it also adds another element of discrimination. In the Islamic religion, as seen in this article, there are old traditions of male and female segregation that are continuing to be upheld. As an American woman born into the 20th century, I cannot imagine not being allowed to do the same things as my male counterparts. I cannot say I’m educated within the Islamic discipline by any means but I feel that while practicing religious traditions in America, anti-discrimination laws need to be upheld and followed. Women throughout the history of America have been fighting for the right of equality and we have become a modern society that respects the individual. I disagree with the police officer’s statement and actions. The women who were expressing their individual rights should not have been punished for something that they are guaranteed on American soil, even if their religious traditions deem it unacceptable. Traditions are not laws but habits that sometimes need to be adjusted with the changing times, such as equality for all.Alicia_Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17794592533231186094noreply@blogger.com