I know, Irmeli. I've lived in China and in India--not as a tourist. I actually lived in those places. But, as you can see if you read my latest post to Willitex, female American soldiers are raped by their "comrades" in epidemic proportions. That tells you a lot about the status of women in the U.S. The status of women in the American fundamentalist Christian world is also pretty bad. I think things are lots better in Western Europe, though I hear from one poster in this forum that things are great in silicon valley. a
--- Irmeli Mattsson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Angela! > At least you can have that kind of job. You can > choose your husband, > and divorce him, if he treats you badly.If a man > rapes you, you are > not made guilty for it, and being killed by your > family members > because of this crime. > Women's position may not be perfect in the west > either, but it is > hugely better than in the east. It is worst in the > Muslim culture, but > not much better in India, China, Tibet etc. The > Tibetan word woman, > means 'born low'. > The Purusha men probably have been in their > attitudes been strongly > influenced by the Indian culture. > > Irmeli > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela > Mailander > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Who's we, white man? > > We think we don't hold slaves only because we > don't > > understand that a sweat shop in China is > tantamount to > > slavery. When China tried, recently, once again, > to > > do something about it, American corporate > interests > > blocked their efforts completely --in a kind of > > non-military solution. > > > > We seek non military solutions? Since when? > Wasn't > > the 20th century one of the bloodiest in history? > And > > it was all engineered by the white boys. > > > > We have made some token progress with regard to > the > > status of women, but you see how easily our > Purusha > > men forgot all about that. Last time I taught at > a > > university in the States, I got $10,000 less per > year > > than the men, less qualified, and doing the same > job. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- Stu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Irmeli > > > Mattsson" > > > <Irmeli.Mattsson@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Hi Angela! > > > > > > > > I also know personally some Muslims or former > > > Muslims, who have come > > > > as refugees to Finland, and they are truly > fine > > > people. E.g. I have > > > > learned to know a conductor from Afghanistan, > to > > > whom I'm hiring an > > > > apartment. I don't perceive any serious > defects in > > > his reasoning. > > > > During the years I have also hired apartments > to > > > many kinds of > > > > Muslims. And I have seen severe domestic > > > violence.The Muslim men are > > > > allowed to beat their wifes. The women are > > > practically always very > > > > submissive, fearful.They don't speak to me, > even > > > if I'm a woman. > > > > > > > > Even the man interviewed in TV, I described > > > earlier seemed to be a > > > > decent human being. However there were glaring > > > defects in his > > > > reasoning concerning those matters.In other > areas > > > of life he probably > > > > would do better. > > > > Strong religious beliefs makes it almost > > > impossible to think clearly, > > > > because then you would need to start > questioning > > > the ultimate truths > > > > of the doctrine.The same problem is in other > > > religions. Although > > > > questioning is in them usually easier. The > > > sanctions of doing it are > > > > not so horrifying. > > > > > > > > Irmeli > > > > > > > > > > Healthy humans can generally be really nice, > > > spiritual, friendly > > > people. However, they are also capable of > > > subscribing to belief > > > systems whose realization can shock modern > liberal > > > minds. > > > > > > We westerners put a value on freedom of > expression. > > > We have no > > > problem with rational dialog on any subject. > These > > > nice friendly > > > spirits have made death threats to anyone making > the > > > slightest > > > satirical comment on their icons. They shut > down > > > dialog with threats. > > > These wonderful neighbors can be very kind, but > > > they also have > > > iron-age values that clash with the modern. > > > > > > Imagine if we transplanted a group of brilliant > > > ancient minds like > > > Aristotle's into modern times. They may come > off as > > > polished, > > > intellectual, astute people. However they would > be > > > offended by they > > > way we treat our women, look for non-military > > > solutions, give freedom > > > to slaves, question authority and so on. > > > > > > No doubt many third world people embrace > modernity, > > > assimilate it and > > > contribute wonderfully to society. Part of this > > > process requires > > > understanding ancient tribal/religious > identities as > > > secondary to > > > modern beliefs in humanism, tolerance, and > science. > > > > > > s. > > > > > > > > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends > > http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends > http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
