Ignorance is bliss....

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   lrohnerposted 14 years ago

   I have a deadline a few days out on an article about the rules and obligations in a Muslim marriage. Knowing next to nothing about the religion, I did a bit of research. Well, all I have to say is....
   
   ICK
   
   and
   
   EWWWWW!
   
   Are they serious? Here's some of what I learned:
   
   - Muhammad married a 6 year old and had sex with her at 9 years old. And they listen to this guy??? Huh?
   
   - When there is discord in the marriage, the hubby reasons with the wife. If that doesn't work, he beats her.
   
   - Pretty much everything about sex is not "mandated" but "advised", including the days to do it or not do it. And oh, btw, they can't have sex during an eclipse or when the woman has her period. Go figure.
   
   - A woman is a means to a man's pleasure???
   
   - Men shouldn't marry a stupid woman cuz they'll have stupid kids?
   
   Man. Stop me now. The stuff I've read is sick on so many levels...

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      Kimberly Bunchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ... Lol. I heard something about that before: about them back in those days marrying children. It was considered 'normal' and a standard practice back then. Therefore, it was 'common' to marry children that young, and was considered acceptable behavior. Go figure?!
      
      Insane in the membrane wouldn't you say?
      
      It boils down as no respect for children!!
      
      
      
      Luckily times have greatly improved over the centuries. So what you are reading was the norm back in the stone ages...opps, I mean back then lol.

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      Elpasoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Are you kidding? Is it true some Jewish sects have sex by cutting a hole in their sheet? Do Christian take the cake on outrageous rules on sex?
      
      Write about all the really good stuff the Hindu and Indians do with sex! Yeah Baby!

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      TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Gotta love Islam...
      
      Especially when it speaks for itself.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi friend
      
      The first and the foremost source about Islam is Quran; the points mentioned by our friend cannot be established from Quran. He needs more research and knowledge in my opinion.
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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   Flightkeeperposted 14 years ago

   Unfortunately Irohner, people may accuse you of being bigoted towards Muslims and misinterpreting the Koran, by pointing those things out.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That's true - and if you read the Old Testament, there are similar things in there, too.

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         lrohnerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         As my subject line says--"Ignorance is bliss..."

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         Flightkeeperposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         True Marisa, but I think that among Christians there is agreement that the Bible was a historical and in some sects literal account written by men, not a directive from God himself.

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            DoorMattnomoreposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Not the Christians I know. I grew up being told we had to follow every letter of the Bible. Like, women must cover thier heads when they pray, and can not teach from the bible if a man is present.

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      lrohnerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      See, that's the problem. I had no ill feelings towards them at all. Then I spent a couple of days researching, and it was pretty disgusting. And if anyone wants to correct the stuff I've read, I'm totally open to listening.

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   tjhooperposted 14 years ago

   see even though I agree with you, you have to understand culture before you criticize the religion. Study what the culture was like back then, and you'll realize just how different people are now. Same goes for christians. Back in the old testament (and even new) Slavery was pretty much an occupation and was in no way a negative thing.

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      lrohnerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      But most of the stuff (except the having-sex-with-a-9-year-old) is happening now--not then. I mean, slavery might have been accepted back then, but it's not now. Most religions have evolved as their people have. But to make it okay to beat your wife in this day and age for any reason is just highly, well, sick.

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         tjhooperposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         that's just it though. Back then, males were the dominant species, and women were their for their service. Men were the primary and women were there to help, not lead.
         
         I know this concept is very hard to understand in today's society and women's rights movements, but that's just how it was back then. People who hold their religion to the letter is willing to adapt that once upon a time's culture.

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      TMMasonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      There were no "Christians" back in the old testsment...
      
      And there is no comparison to Christianity when it comes to Islam.

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   Stimpposted 14 years ago

   Rather than doing online or literary research....might I suggest that you take some of your questions and interview an actual muslim.  I say this because, like you, all of the things I heard about their marriages appauled me.  I work in the IT industry...I became very good friends with one of "them".  I posed the very same questions you have....I found it to be enlightening and not quite what the media makes it out to be.  Just a thought.  I'm not saying that this kind of stuff doesn't happen, but as a female, I posed these questions to MEN of the muslim religion.  They were very frank and candid in my barage of questioning.  So, I just ask that you not pass judgement on the whole "lot of them" until you do thorough research.
   
   Meanwhile, you stopped my inclination to buy the "Ultimate Rock Ballads" collections CDs.  Which MAY have been...MAY HAVE BEEN....an impulse buy.  :-)
   
   Good Lord....I still hear the infomercial...I'm still right on the edge of buying....STOP ME.  for gods sake....STOP ME...

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   Rishy Richposted 14 years ago

   The points you have mentioned are years old & obviously a strong criticism against Islam. I lived in a muslim society & the funny part is that Muslims are usually unaware of these flaws while Christians/Jews are pointing these out. Same attitude has been found among the Christians & Jews who are unaware of their religious flaws. What we have to keep in mind that No religion is perfect...Since one way or the other they are man made. Each of these religions have some positive impacts on society but they are not free from adverse effects on mankind either...which is why we had & still having so many clashes regarding religion. Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism...all most all major religions of the World has some absurd teachings, weird verses & psychotic threats which cannot be the law of Any known God we can think of.
   
   
   Talking about the flaw of a single religion will only portray your anger & hatred towards that religion...as a result, your opinion will only seem like a biased christian/jew view against Islam...an unbiased view requires portraying either the flaws of other religions(including yours) or portraying the positive sides of Islam. If you think that Islam is for uncivilized people & all Muslims are ignorant barbers then I suggest to study The Islamic Golden age...You will learn what this Ignorant people has contributed to mankind, how did it impact the Renaissance of Europe & what knowledge they provided to the world. Thanks

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   sandieganlizposted 14 years ago

   I can see how the interpretation can change the "meaning" of the so-called value, and how it was written during an Old Age time...blah, blah, blah. I definitely agree you should interview a married Muslim couple and ask about their marriage values. But, honestly, I have to say that some of their traditions are too male-oriented and repressive. Oh well, thus is old tradition of a particular denomination! Better than Execution, I guess!!

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   earnestshubposted 14 years ago

   muslims and biblical religions are much the same. There are a few more hate passages against women in the quoran, but basically religion disrespects and even hates women.
   As for the times changing from the past. How would an omnipotent god be caught in time?
   
   It is all a crock!

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   LeanManposted 14 years ago

   They are still marrying kids out here, every now and then there is a case of a young girl who wants a divorce from her husband after being sold into marriage to some old man by her parents..
   Things are improving, more and more people are saying it is wrong and despite a bit of dithering the courts are now granting the divorces..
   But people must remember that this is how things have been done for a very very long time, "civilization" as we define it in the west is only a generation old out here...

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   lrohnerposted 14 years ago

   For those of you who think I'm just pulling obscure bits of info out of my arse, you're wrong. I know next to nothing about the Muslim religion--not even enough, I'm afraid, to be able to ask intelligent questions of those who practice the faith. I'm reading the book "Opening the Qur'an: Introducing Islam's Holy Book" by Walter H. Wagner. Is that a bad choice? Did I pick the wrong book?

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    LeanManposted 14 years ago

    I have had some quite in depth discussions regarding how women are treated with some of the women I work with here in saudi..
    
    It seems that there are a number of phrases in the Koran that are used to justify treating women badly but as in many languages the words used in the text have several meanings, so for instance where some say the Koran justifies beating women the words can also mean firmly putting them right (maybe just as bad.. lol).. Don't ask me the specific phrases etc as I am not a scholar..
    
    It appears that a few imams and others choose to take the extreme interpretation of a number of things within the Koran if it meets with their own views..
    
    Society here in Saudi is changing as the women here demand more and more rights, but things are slow to change as the people with the power are on the whole aged politicians and imams that still believe in the "old ways" and don't like change.
    
    But things are changing... mostly for the better..

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       alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       About the same with Christians - a few aged despots laying down the law and those who have pretensions to some form of middle class trying to whip the outdated moral laws around everyone else.

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    Richieb799posted 14 years ago

    Well the part about not having sex during her period, whats wrong with that rule, I mean, unless you have a fetish with blood..I can see how that is a matter of good taste

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