At 15:43 05/09/2003 -0400, you wrote:
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(KSH)
However, as European merchants pulled ahead of Muslim merchants for reasons to do with differences in theological laws of inheritance, and short-circuited the Mediterranean in their trade with China and Asia, then Muslim society began its long decline into the reactionary, illiberal society that characterises so many Islamic countries today.
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(WBW)
If I were a resident of one of these illiberal societies not only would I be reactionary, I would be royally pissed.
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You'd also be reactionary. How many women in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia are strangled, burnt, stoned and put to the sword because they don't want to marry the husband chosen for them or they want to marry another? I don't suppose you know. I don't know either, but it's a very considerable number.
Even in this country, hundreds of Indian and Pakistani girls are sent back to their parents' countries buy force or by guile to marry 'ignorant' (their word, not mine) villagers. Every year -- in this country -- quite a number of individuals and families are killed (usually by burning the house down) for similar reasons. In the most recent case, a girl was strangled by her uncle, and witnessed with approval by her mother, for not marrying a person chosen for her.
If the founder of Islam and the scholars of Islam in its heyday were to know of what happens in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia today they would be as appalled as I am and as any person in any halfway decent society ought to be.
Come on, Bill. I don't expect rational arguments from everybody on FW -- one or two just keep sounding off with silly rhetorical statements -- but I expected some rationality from you.
You call yourself a Quaker. What would your founder, GeorgeFox have said about these practises? He'd have shown some moral backbone in saying what he thought about them.
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabi are reactionary societies because scores of millions of their people -- women and young people particularly are groaning and suffering in their regimes.
You say you would be royally pissed. I get royally pissed quite regularly when reading some postings on FW. I put a lot of careful thought in what I write and when I write. Some people just sound off with empty rhetoric and assume that they've made a contribution to discussion.
KSH
Keith Hudson, 6 Upper Camden Place, Bath, England, <www.evolutionary-economics.org>
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