27 March, 2009 | Leave a Comment
This week I’ve gotten into a couple heated debates with men about patriarchal religion. If you know me or read this blog, then you know that nothing upsets me more than this topic. I am a spiritual person in certain ways, but I do not believe in patriarchal religion. I could never believe in a god that gave men rights that were denied to women and I find it difficult to respect anyone who supports such beliefs. I know I shouldn’t waste my time arguing with people about this and sometimes I wonder why I do it. But tonight, I stumbled upon two articles that reminded me why this fight is so important:
-Brazilian Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho tried to prevent a 9-year-old girl from having an abortion. She was pregnant with twins because her stepfather raped her. Without an abortion, this abused and tortured child would have likely died. Thankfully, the girl had the abortion, but in revenge, the Vatican has excommunicated the girl’s mother and the doctors who performed the procedure – however, the rapist is still a member of the church. If that doesn’t say it all, nothing does. I cannot possibly put my feelings about this into words, so I won’t even try. This editorial in the Guardian by Cath Elliott is worth reading.
-In Turkey, the suicide rate amongst women has skyrocketed. It seems now that the government has cracked down on “honor killings,” girls who violate the family “honor” are being forced to kill themselves instead of being murdered by their fathers and other male relatives. This article really defies belief.
I know it’s not healthy to spend Friday night reading stuff like this, but if a quick scan through the papers reveals two such horrific stories, then it just shows the degree to which women and girls in this world suffer and die because of patriarchal religion and culture.
Anglofille said @ 10:55 pm | religion | 5 Comments
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All of this is disturbing— thank you for bringing it to the forefront.
I don’t think the rest of the world is ready to hear about all of this, though.
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there was a 30min documentary about honor killings in Turkey last night on Channel 4. Even having read about it before, it was still very sickening to hear some of the stories told by these women. Definitely made me rethink my position on Turkey’s candidacy to join the EU.
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Ken Says:
March 29th, 2009 at 11:37 pmNewt Gingrich converted to Catholicism this weekend. He made his first confession and First Communion, and now Newt starts out with all forgiven. I made my first confession and First Communion, too. But at least I could plead I was seven at the time and was gently (but most certainly) compelled to do it.
By way of contrast, President Obama has been invited to deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame University. For those of you outside the US, Notre Dame is the most famous Catholic college in America.
The same ultras who welcome the odious Newt to their ranks, are raising a stink that the President, avowedly pro choice and pro embryonic stem cell research is allowed to sully this Catholic campus. You wouldn’t believe the loaded, one sided conversation on Fox News this morning.
Anyway, I have no grudge against Notre Dame. They have made it clear that Obama will speak as scheduled. It is clear those guys play a longer game than the deluded critics. However I do chalk this up as reason number 157 why I want nothing more to do with the Catholic Church.
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Caroline Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 3:34 pmDisgusting that Pope Benedict allowed that brazen Holocaust denier back into the church. Soooo backward and wrong!
Turkey is becoming paradoxically more affluent and cosmopolitan and at the same time more Islamic/traditional. Their president is an Islamist who more and more is showing his true colors while pretending less and less to placate the West. It will be interesting to see which way they go…I for one have an idea where it will be…
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Jan Says:
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:21 pmNot about Turkey (or Egypt, for that matter), but this is even more outrageous, and also related to religion. Please have a look:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/03/31/afghan-family-law-women.html
