In relation to the artificial hymen I posted on last, fellow blogger, Kinzi, has uncovered a BBC article that makes me shudder. Not that I’m surprised, I was just hoping I wouldn’t see it. In short, an Egyptian scholar is advocating the death penalty to anyone caught importing the artificial hymen into Egypt. Oh and don’t think its for the reasons I objected to it. Oof…go read…I don’t want to say more, lest I spit.
Furthermore…as if it wasn’t bad enough
September 30, 2009 by Isobel
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About Me
I am a good ol' Canadian girl with a penchant for culture - food, language, music, and literature. I am also a humanist with some serious issues regarding the state of our world that I need to get off my chest. (ya that came out of left field, didn't it?) So, here, I'll share my opinions, experiences, and insights through writing - another passion of mine. Enjoy!Copyright Information
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Suffonsifisms by Isobel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License. In Memory of:
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Wooo hooo !! First comment!!
But seriously, we’ve been beating around the bush on this. The reason for this disgrace is the stultifying, ossifying, corrupting influence of religion. I think we’re being needlessly polite by not calling it out.
Whether it’s this; or the Catholic Priests lying to people in Africa telling them that condoms cause AIDS; or a little diabetic girl in Michigan being prayed to death by her devout parents who felt they could heal her with prayer; or denial of marriage rights to same sex couples; or children being denied a real education and instead are told that the Universe is only 10000 years old and people lived with dinosaurs, or, or, or….
“Professor Bayoumi, a scholar at the prestigious al-Azhar University, said it undermined the moral deterrent of fornication, which he described as a crime and one of the cardinal sins in Islam”
The fine professor didn’t say these should be banned because they pose obvious, documented health risks to the women who use them (Ironically, NOT using them seems to pose a bigger health risk). No!! He said they promote fornication which is a cardinal sin in ISLAM (you could just as easily insert the word Christianity, or Judaism) that is punishable by death. The obvious contradiction in his own statement seems to be lost on him.
It makes no sense to attack this piece of rubbish in isolation. You have to call out why this professor is saying these things. And the reason is religion.
That’s why I have the scarlet A on my blog, just like you do.
Great points, Brigand. You know I’m not one to defend religion…but I just want to say that I think there’s a fine line between those who are motivated by religion and those who use it as a weapon (or manipulation). In this case, he has definitely used it as a weapon and means of control. I don’t know how much of what he says he believes or if he is more interested in making sure women stay repressed. Thanks so much for adding to a great discussion.
And another thing!!
I don’t trust people who live their lives based on the prescriptions of some ancient holy how-to manual. What they are telling me is that they wouldn’t know any better otherwise. As though the Jews didn’t know any better until they reached the foot of Mt. Sinai, and only then discovered that lying to or killing each other were bad things. How insulting to basic human intelligence!!
Isobel, thanks for linking on this.
I must confess, I only edited the post, it was a guest post from friend Andy.
In fact, she is a little miffed I edited the, um, stronger allusions to things Brigand mentioned.
Brigand, a thanks for Red “A” folks to hold us religious folks accountable for obvious stupidity. I don’t agree with all you said, but the examples given are reprehensible.
Glad I could, Kinzi! It was an excellent post.
I’m never as elegant and concise in my writing as you are Isobel. You always make your point in as few a words as possible.
I linked to this and your previous excellent post on my blog.
http://www.abufares.net/2009/10/hymens-for-sale.html
Oh, Abufares, I think you get your points across just fine!
Thank you for your support and your superb post.
To tell you the truth, Isobel, the whole issue makes me SICK to my stomach!! Reading these kind of things and with that, being made aware they exist at OUR “SO HIGHLY DEVELOPED AGE”, makes me feel kicked back to the Middle Ages to times where chastity belts were mandatory when a husband left for a longer period of time or an enraged one wanted to take revenge for God knows what on his better half. Alone the fact there are women who feel they need to resort to that … and men who mistakenly think they have ANY right to demand a woman to be virgin when entering marriage but they themselves taking the freedom to “experiment” … and then on their part, to have the utter audacity to demand the DEATH PENALTY for people who bring this to Egypt??? Who in the world do they think they are?? Who do men, who assume they have the right to dictate women, think they are anyway??
Don’t get me wrong – I am all PRO virtues, values ect. but this is plain disgusting me! I consider myself a feminist – NOT the ’60’s bra-slinging kind of course but one who fights injustice against women with determination as well as ANY attempt of men to tell women what and what not to do!
GREAT post Isobel … thanks so much!
Hmmm, Karin, maybe we should start slinging our bras again – or whatever article of clothing makes its point. I wonder if you whip an AH at an idiot – will it discharge fake blood on impact?
I’m disgusted too and I’m happy to have you join my little posse of the disgusted and pissed off.
WHY do women continue to allow this BULLSHIT to be pressed onto them! STAND UP AND FIGHT!
If men want virgins – then let them jerk off for the rest of their lives and leave us alone with our hands, lips and dildo’s. Save us the hardship and physical destruction of pregnancy and childbirth and thus reduce the overpopulation of the planet. Seriously! The punishment suits the imbeciles perfectly.
I am with Brigand. I am not often in alignment with all that he says (I am assuming he is in fact a He – there’s male tone there). But as an Atheist (well, I’m Pagan – but that’s a spirituality and not a religion) … I can’t help but agree. Call a spade a spade.
Religion it has been said by a far far greater man that I can ever hope to emulate is the opium of the masses. I wish it wasn’t so – but when faced with this type of insult to my gender I can’t help but agree. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Ya, but Fantasia, in Afghanistan women can’t refuse sex to their husbands…its the law. So we’d have to overturn that before we put your plan into action.
You know, people giggle if they see a computer on someone’s desk that is older than 5 years. But people put so much credibility in 2000 year old scribblings. Upgrade, people! We need an upgrade!! NOW!!
Pissed off I am … ROYALLY even – in the face of so much arrogance and IDIOCY!!!
Hahaha … sisters in arms – but without bra-slinging please;-)!!!!
Can’t I sling one??? They drive me crazy!!
Ok … so HOW do we make this happen!!?? I want in!
One thing you can do is try to reverse this.
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/02/talk_fast_we_might_be_criminal.php