"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Paul to the persecuted at Philippi (2:5-11)

01 May 2010

Belgium Bans People Wearing Burqas in Public (moved)

Belgium is set to become the first ever country in Europe to ban the burqa being worn in public places.
The vote in Parliament for a nationwide ban on Islamic clothes or veils that do not allow the wearer to be fully identified was almost unanimous.
The full-face niqab and burqa worn by some Muslim women are not a mandatory requirements of Islam, but a personal choice.People found flouting the new law could be given a fine of more than $30 or even be faced with a week in jail.
Vice president of the Muslim Executive of Belgium, Isabelle Praile, warned that the new law could be the start of a slippery slope.

I found this at http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/30/belgium-bans-people-wearing-burqas-public/?test=latestnews, for those who aer interested.

This whole thing infuriates me to no end. It falls under the category of "tremendous international bad idea." I find it appalling that the bill passed with almost unanamous support. Isn't it obvious why this won't work? The woman quoted in the article gave the first good reason saying it was a slippery slope to more government control over religoius dress in public. That is one concern that I, as a Christian can stand side by side with the Muslim and argue for a mutual concern. But it also breaks my heart for women who wear th burqua as a matter of personal piety. Imagine, if you will, that you lived in a land where the cultural norm was a string bikini, and that culture outlawed your jeans and tee shirt to force your compliance. I, for one, wouldn't be caught dead in public in a bikini, its just glorified underwear! But the woman who wears the burqua because of her own personal beliefs does so for the same sense of modesty and discomfort wearing what the culture at large wears. Its cruel to force her to strip down to our standards.

The target of course is to eliminate the problem of women who are forced to wear the burqua because of their husband's personal beliefs. Yet these women are obviously controlled by those beliefs, those husbands. How on earth, even if the woman did not share the husband's belief, does this government think they will accomplish anything short of house arresting these women? They will only keep the burqua off the street by the fact that their husbands will now totally eliminate their wives' freedom of movement, making them prisoners in their own homes.

Ah, Belgium, your weak eyes will no longer be offended by the burqua. Alas, what have you done???