@fresco,
Alright, I'd wade in here:
My mother came from third world conditions. Within her village, women regularly did not wear tops. This is the same in many island nations where extreme poverty prevails.
The thing is:
- this wasn't considered immodest. It was normal attire
- it didn't drive the men to wife swap etc that you appear to believe it does
- the village was communal, and it still didn't drive men & women to divorce, sleep around etc.
It seems that the more something is banned, the more 'tempting' it becomes - which would explain why western women visiting the middle east have reported muslim men as being the most sex mad men they have come across...
...on the evidence then, your views create a self fulfilling condition, not based in reality, but in belief.
And I wonder
why it is women who are forced to be the subject of such modesty rules (or for whom, only women have the rules enforced), or segregation rules (in this case, segregation through staying at home). Yes, yes, I know, you will argue they are not forced...and many won't be (probably even a majority)...while others will comply because of the abuse they will cop if they don't, and in some areas, being enforced by sharia courts...hence the use of the words 'forced' (ie. like it or you'll have to do it anyway).
Here in the west, you will see Muslim men wearing western clothing while their wives cover themselves (in some cases with only the eyes revealed). This type of behaviour is plain double standards. This one behaviour creates a LOT of ill will and judgement towards Muslims. But added to the Sharia rulings that make it into the news, you will find that very few western people think women are empowered by such (that is in relation to western mindsets - I attended a lecture by a Muslim woman once, who said it was empowering).
On the flip side, what you say about women being sexualised in the west is very correct. The younger ones appear to be competing more and more in regards to this, with social media and smart phones having 'revolutionised' the way this attitude affects young people. There is argument that 'empowerment' has ended up in a bad place.
The thing is, both extremes I see as bad.
Quote:Mixing is the prime element which promotes evil temptations which results in.... rapes and all the evils which free society promotes
This is utter bullshit. And yes, this sentence deserves the use of such words. Rapists all make a choice that - which remains utterly their responsibility. And no, I haven't removed anything from context - it's the same sentence with the structure including rapes in the results.
Quote:As a result homes are wrecked and hearts are broken. Islam not only prohibits adulatory but also gives us means to safeguard against such evils.
Other than such already shown to be incorrect (and where it is not , self fulfilling) -we are able to get over a broken heart, and actions show the kind of person they married, and offers the opportunity to find someone more trustworthy-
On the flip side, an empowered world allows women to:
- leave abusive husbands
- support themselves and their children if they leave abusive husbands (many won't leave without this ability)
- not expose their children to the relationship abuse / domestic violence exhibited by their parents (which around 80% will then end up in similar relationships), and enable the carer to take the children into a healthy environment
And allows couples to separate if they have been unhappy for so long without being able to fix the issues causing unhappiness (other than it being better for such couples to separated, teaching children that you do not have to stay in long term unhappy marriages, if you have also taught them that you should do everything you honestly could to rectify the matter, is a good thing).
That is to say - I do not see a broken heart as the end of things, but as the start of a new journey, a likely something even better. I see the primary thing we can teach children in life as being: how to have healthy self esteem, and how to be happy. Everything else that is good in life, will flow from those two places, enhance their lives, and enhance others lives.
My observation of religion is that, being overly rule based, it doesn't teach children these, but that many people eventually find them. My observation of Australia is that it is piss poor at teaching such, and only a low percentage of people truly find such. This though, is a reflection of Australia now, than 30 years back, and a reflection of cities as opposed to towns.