Would someone like to put forward an explanation for the nature of the burqa?

'. While I may think that nearly all of these systems are devoid of common sense, some are more palatable than others. Islam'

and this from an educated man. I would say more like one bound to blind secular dogma totally devoid of any moral base to make a rational decision. Phil displays a total ignorance of the old testament being ignorant to the fact that believers in Jehovah God and His Son have brought more freedom to mankind than the big bang beleivers. Phil turns a blind eye to see that secularism has led to massive drug use, gross immorality, promotion of perverted lifestyles, teenage suicide, emasculating of the male population.

We are increasingly sensitised these days to pervasive, oppressive and violent misogyny around the world, but we are at the same time confronted with the historically novel prospect that empowering women has the potential to produce a seismic shift in favour of human wellbeing. So I can understand why Phil Dye should be speculating in this OP that progressive Moslem women could become increasingly instrumental in influencing interpretations of Islamic theology, and it could just be that demographic and secularising factors may assist the process:
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/humanisms-rise/.

Mr Opinion,

The burqa exists to hide from the world the lousy choice that the groom' parents made for him, it also exists to give the fat and the ugly a decent chance in life.

//Would someone like to put forward an explanation for the nature of the burqa?//

They're designed to make people look silly. It's a common theme in religions the world over. The tonsure haircut, the mitre, the habit, payot, burqas, saffron togas etc. are all designed to make the wearer look daft. Which just goes to show that religious people do have a sense of humour.

The only ones with any dress sense are the Mormons, although their tendency to dress in uniform and the fact that you never encounter a solitary Mormon is a little creepy... I reckon Mormons share some sort of hive mind.

//Have a go at the Burga all you want but leave my shirt and trousers alone.//

Your shirt and trews are fine - if wikipedia is correct, they're pre-medieval. You can still wear shirt and trousers, and I can still wear my preferred casual attire of thongs, loincloth, cloak and stag antler headdress without upsetting anybody's delicate sensibilities. Because this is Australia and people should be free to wear what they want to wear. As long was what they want to wear doesn't come from the medieval period.