What should a British Muslim do?

[johncocker]

There you go, telling other people what to do again...limiting other people's freedom. As far as I'm concerned women can wear what they choose and it's nobodies business but their own.

---------- Post added 11-07-2015 at 11:58 ----------

 

 

The wearing of the burkha or niqab HAS been imposed upon women by a patriarchal society, but the women themselves are so indoctrinated to believe otherwise that it is nigh on impossible to get them to realise this. They may even protest that they wear the full covering even when male members of their family are dead set against it, as if this proves their point, that it is their choice, but again this is not so, for at some point the wearing of the burkah/niqab was imposed upon women by a patriarchal society, if not by their direct relatives.

 

 

 

 

 

I occasionally see women dressed like that near where I work. So what?

So I can't wrap a scarf around my face on a cold day? Or wear a balaclava? Balls to that.

 

 

 

Am sure that if a person of African descent paraded in the street wearing the chains and yoke of slavery there would be a public outrage. But what if the person argued that it was their choice? Would you then just accept it.

Wearing the burkah/niqab is not harmless, it reinforces the out-dated beliefs of repressive patriarchal societies that often brutalise women if they step out of line, . It is a symbol of female suffering, not choice.

Edited July 11, 2015 by johncocker

[Blaster Bate]

So what if they are?.

 

So you accept the inference by mulims that our women are immodest because they don't wear a cloth round their head and face.

[Cyclone]

Are you trying to say that they aren't entitled to that opinion, or just looking really hard for some reason to be offended by them?

 

---------- Post added 11-07-2015 at 16:53 ----------

 

Isn't it a strange coincidence that it's only Asian women that are "choosing" to wear it?

 

Is that right. Perhaps Plain Talker can put you right on that.

[Nijinsky]

What should a British Muslim do?

 

Firstly to address the problem of the tail wagging the dog.

[Eater Sundae]

I missed the reflections of burka wearers as how it makes them feel. Both on this thread and generally. The modesty reason is rarely, if ever, given in the first person. Is it immodest to flout your opinions on a public forum? Please give me a few bullet points as to what makes it so good? I guess you'll tell me where to get off for being lazy, fair enough.

 

Below is the only first person reason I have come across.

 

A convert Muslim saying "It makes me feel safe from prying male eyes".

 

I guess that's like wearing sunglasses all the time as some males and females do from all communities. Which to my thinking is a psychological solution to a confidence issue.

 

I reckon its a cultural issue.

 

In western society the cultural norm is for women to, as a minimum, cover their breasts. However, on beaches in some holiday resorts, it is culturally acceptable for those same women to go topless if they choose.

In Thailand, the cultural norm is to keep your head at a lower level than that of an elder or your boss.

Also in Thailand, it is rude to show the soles of your feet towards someone.

These are just cultural norms in different societies.

In some Muslim societies, it is the norm for women to cover their hair (in some cases it is nominal only), in some it includes partial or full coverage of the face. The fact that the norm varies in different societies reinforces the idea that it is cultural, in my opinion.

[Halibut]

That isn't correct. Religious freedom requires people to follow their religion whilst staying within the parameters of what is legal and without their beliefs and choices having a negative impact on others. Followers of the Islamic faith are not upholding their end of the deal

 

A small minority of Muslims are not upholding their end.

 

- we are under constant threat from Islamic extremism, it costs us billions of pounds to police the threat and freedoms are being eroded to, supposedly, provide scurity from the Islamic threat. I pay a heavy price for their religion and that is unacceptable.

 

Please explain how you feel you are suffering because some people are Muslim.

[Guest]

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[Halibut]

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Wisest thing you've said this week.

[Chris_Sleeps]

The burqa gets in the way of this.

You can't even be sure that the person wearing one is even male or female which has obvious security concerns.

Still don't quite fully understand this. If you're trying to keep something secure, a veiled face has concerns. I get that. But for the average person in the street - what is obviously concerning you? It doesn't make a difference to me whether a person in a burqa is male, female, or Piers Morgan. Doesn't affect me one bit.

Followers of the Islamic faith are not upholding their end of the deal

Some. You missed that very important word out.

 

Some critics of Islam are not keeping their beliefs within the parameters of what is legal.

[Guest]

Still don't quite fully understand this. If you're trying to keep something secure, a veiled face has concerns. I get that. But for the average person in the street - what is obviously concerning you? It doesn't make a difference to me whether a person in a burqa is male, female, or Piers Morgan. Doesn't affect me one bit.

 

 

Its just anti social and puts a barrier up. Face to face recognition/communication is a natural part of social interaction in a normal healthy functioning society.

 

Tell me how a culture that makes women cover their faces promotes equality.