If you educate the girls

[MikeeUSA]

If you educate the girls you lose good young brides. The men of the taliban, perhapse (if what we hear is true), would prefer that girls be married at puberty and be good sweet obedient wives. You and I both know that educating girls teaches them to be rebellious and teaches them to try to reject marriage untill an age when they would be in control (16, 18, 20+), rather than being a subservient young bride (puberty).

Of-course, I doubt you would have a problem with that. I've never met a muslim on the internet that _wasn't_ pro-women's rights in the feminist sense. It's a shame but perhaps a self-selected sample: those muslims who were sent away to university or other school are well educated in many things including their religion and thus believe in women's rights and power. Those men who were not sent away are uneducated and just know in their hearts what is desirable... to have young obedient servant wives.

I'm not convinced that the people who destroy the girls schools are Taliban though. Probably propaganda. But if such men exist, they're just trying to help out all the men of their society to keep the girls as good little wives married off young. The best gift.

let us condemn both...

one thing more, Isrealis may be the enemies to blow up Palestanian schools ...why should Muslim Taleban be blowing up mosques, schools, and fellow Muslims in a Muslim land...Is not that more condemnable? Is not it unjustified depriving innocent Pashtuns/Muslims of the opportunity to education or even depriving innocent kids, daughters, wives, sisters, of their male family members and sometimes the only earning hand ?

[BarakzaiAbdali]

If you educate the girls you lose good young brides. The men of the taliban, perhapse (if what we hear is true), would prefer that girls be married at puberty and be good sweet obedient wives. You and I both know that educating girls teaches them to be rebellious and teaches them to try to reject marriage untill an age when they would be in control (16, 18, 20+), rather than being a subservient young bride (puberty).

Of-course, I doubt you would have a problem with that. I've never met a muslim on the internet that _wasn't_ pro-women's rights in the feminist sense. It's a shame but perhaps a self-selected sample: those muslims who were sent away to university or other school are well educated in many things including their religion and thus believe in women's rights and power. Those men who were not sent away are uneducated and just know in their hearts what is desirable... to have young obedient servant wives.

I'm not convinced that the people who destroy the girls schools are Taliban though. Probably propaganda. But if such men exist, they're just trying to help out all the men of their society to keep the girls as good little wives married off young. The best gift.

Mike once again, another presumption. Read about our womens rights movement and sufferagette movement here in the USA. Rights trickled down. Black males had the right to vote before any and all females. The sex with more muscle mass and testosterone asserted its independence and rights in 1776 and it took >100 years to bring those rights to women. Medical schools only in the last 20 years have started to establish equal seats and ratios for the sexes.

MIKE, the MEN there, the average Afghan, is a slave of the warlord and of his Malik and of his system... if he is still a slave... and if he cannot assert his rights... how do you except the weakest and most vulernable members (women and children) to suddenly gain equal rights, pay, and the chance to rule a country?

Think Mike! Did it happen overnight here where suddenly men all ceded the rights to women? No, first the white male secured his domain and then the rights trickled down after struggles and after some white men like Gerrit Smith stepped in and offered his services to help out their cause. Moreover, divorce law in the US used to be as restrictive as the incorrect reading of how women cannot initiate divorce.

The 19th amendement was only ratified in 1920.

So first, free the country, leave it, and let the Afghans work out their own problems whether it be through bloodshed or through paper treaties. Its their business.

[ScimitarXEdge]

Hello MIKEEUSA;

I probably shouldn't be coming on here as much due to my work schedule coming back on track after the passing of the New Years. However; this sudden barrage of posts you have made today, all with the same exact message and theme, has illicited my response.


Firstly on my mind, your disturbing fetishism with commodifying young women. See MIKEEUSA; you must understand social and values and rules from an anthropological basis, not a perspective of shallow civilizational politicizations and sick fetishisms. In Islam the emphasis on sexual morality which is often personified by the construct of virginity, has nothing to do with this fetishism for commodifying of women; but rather to guard the sanctity of women and the well being of human society. The idea of sexual purity is not intended for the purpose of satiating shallow male machodom but for teaching Men and Women alike the value of SELF RESPECT and healthy outlets for sexual relationships. Although one could find references and attempt to construe them as implying that the goal of "Virginity" is to entertain males. This is certainly not the case in the Islamic Value System when taking into account all of it's sources. Marriage at puberty was not encouraged as an attempt to maintain a cycle of exploiting women, it was/is a naturalistically derived event of maturation which alloted when the markings of adult life departed from childhood life. It was apart of the evolutionary relationships with human needs and their faculties for maintaining equilibrium with the natural world and human society. It alloted for both males and females a rites of passage for their sexuality which is a mechanism ingrained in them as well as a reproductive strategy to assure a foundation for sustainability; furthermore it established the need for social productivity in maintaining family and societal life. In Summary our views of sexual purity, women and morality are intended for guarding women from degradation, not to give sick individuals an "unwrapped treat". A Woman's importance is infinitely more than just what's between her legs.

Secondly; women's education. Contrary to Western Media perversions, Islam mandates that men and women attain knowledge, for knowledge is an invaluable resource in how to cultivate and nurture life. The Value of educating women cannot be under stressed. Even early on in the Islamic History, women were being encouraged to gain knowledge, teach knowledge and apply knowledge in all spheres of social , private and spiritual life. Our Beloved Prophet (saw) used to inculcate education for his wives, especially Lady 'Aisha (ra) whom we often refer to as 'Bibi 'Aisha" to indicate her maternal stature over all Muslims. Indeed the education of women is of dire importance to their social contribution, for women are integral to all spheres of life. Islam teaches us that the roles of men and women are not functionally identical but rather complimentary. It does not propose that men and women do the same things or perform the same duties in every manner; because the characteristics and tendencies of males and females are different. We recognize that while males tend to be protectors, maintainers of order, and rationalists; women in turn tend to be nurturers, teachers of mercy and compassion and our spiritual connection to God Almighty for women are givers of life. Our Manhaj (Way of Life) teaches us that as long as these essential roles are fulfilled, that Males and Females can strive for any morally just manner that cultivates their talents and their contributions to society, as doctors, philosophers, spiritual guides, politicians, engineers. No one's merit or work will go to waste. As long as we honor God, respect his creation, do not abuse and misuse Nature, we are at liberty to choose. Of course do not subscribe to the Capitalistic or even Socialistic notion of gender "value"; we don't see males and females as functionally identical, and that women can therefore be exploited under the guise of portraying male duties. If there is resistance towards Educating women in some parts of the Muslim world, it is not because the value of knowledge is diminished, but because the educational constructs being implanted from Capitalist hegemonic sources appear not to educate but rather indoctrinate the exploitation of women, they teach girls from early ages conformity to physical commodification and to disregard their own sanctity and self respect and that their importance is defined by the entertainment usage of their sexuality. Things which are morally corrupt. That's why we can see in the West thousands and thousands of young women who drop out of school because they end up pregnant with no paternal commitment or responsibility. A demonstration of how lack of proper education cultivates moral disorder while Islam demonstrates how education is key to promoting sexual well being, morality, dignity and self respect.

As a Muslim male, because of the values my religion has taught me, I would want my wife to be educated not to impress my friends by how "progressive" I may seem or tout the prestige of academics; but because I realize that I cannot always be there to guard her or rescue her even if I want to; that one day there may come a time that I may lose my life and that day may come soon; and I cannot leave this world bearing the pain of wondering what would happen to my beloved when I am gone. Although I wish to guard her and protect her, I want to know that she is capable to support and provide for herself without me, so I can rest assured that she will at least have the tools to thrive. I would want my wife to be able to educate our children and inculcate them with true and noble values, to be able to read and know whether a bottle of liquid is toxic to feed to children or whether it's something edible, to be able to manage her resources and finances so that she is a competent and viable human being, that she honors her self respect by her own sense of dignity, with or without me.

Lastly; in regards to rights. There are no issue of women having more or less rights than men. We all have rights and duties; and each gender's duty is to compliment and contribute to the other. Not merely exploit the benefits of the other while the other cow tows their weight; that's not complimentary, that's parasitism. This is precisely what Capitalist Secular nations sanction under the guise of gender equality, hence girls are pregnant and children are regularly born without any paternal support in their lives. The situations we see in the Middle East or Asia in contemporary times are a corruption of the original standards and principles or reactions against other corruptions that stem from Secular Capitalist Hegemonic order. Women are not to be "sold"; they are not cattle or toys. Even cattle deserve greater honor than that. The issue of brides or their families to be given monetary sums or resources is to help convey that the sustainability if the bride is assured and to lighten the hardships which could arise when one of their daughters marry into another family. This of course has been corrupted and turned into something other than it's original intention; a situation where change is BAD (make note Toramana). Islam shuns the selling of women, not because it is trying to curtail male liberties or female liberties; but because it's degrading and destructive to men and women alike. The "Mahr" system is solely for the protection of women.

Keep in mind MIKEEUSA that your understanding of other societies is from the prism of a wasteful Junkfood Culture; one which consumes without responsibility, that views everything as an exploitable resource and evaluates things by their material value alone. We don't want this culture nor do we want it emulated. While I admit I do live in a Western country, my goal here is not to personify it's values in my life; but rather to undo the damage it has done and is doing to the WORLD, for Muslim and Non-Muslim alike.

Sincerely,

Scimitar Edge

[MikeeUSA]

Alot of you CANNOT read english!

I said I am OPPOSED to women's rights. I want girls to be SLAVES to their husband.
Men to be free, NOT women.