From when I was 0 till I was 13 my family attended an exclusive Brethren Church. At the annual conference of the Church there was always one speaker who would berate women for not showing subjection to their husband because they failed to fully cover their head. The hair was considered by them to be the glory of the woman that would excite other men [not because of grey hair as someone suggested]. The head covering was a sign of subjection to their husband. I as a child would hear women talking among themseles about the lack of respect and subjection so-and-so showed toward her husband. They were forbidden to speak or participate in any activity of the church unless it was preparing lunch and attending to children.

This practise came from a belief that the ancient Abrahamic religion got it right for all time. Women must not expose their skin or hair to men other than their husband, it in their opinion is akin to adultery.

The practise is similar in Islam. I on one occasion when entering a shop in Auburn happened to step aside for a fully clad Muslim woman. Our eyes clashed as I thought she might acknowledge my courtesy, but she ran down the street after picking up her two young children yelling out, "A man!" "A Man!" infering I had attempted to molest her. This under Mosaic law is the plea of a woman raped in the city. The head covering may be a sensitive part of their belief but if they are to participate in and understand our society there needs to be intellectual changes made. Otherwise they will remain in darkness, and view our culture as abominable and decadent. I know how the exclusive Brethren viewed society outside their religion

Times Online, Anthony Brown, 26 October 2005

"The Netherlands is likely to become the first country in Europe to ban the burka, under government proposals that would bring in some of the toughest curbs on Muslim clothing in the world. The country's hardline Integration Minister, Rita Verdonk, known as the Iron Lady for her series of tough anti-immigration measures, told Parliament that she was going to investigate where and when the burka should be banned. The burka, traditional clothing in some Islamic societies, covers a woman's face and body, leaving only a strip of gauze for the eyes. Mrs Verdonk gave warning that the "time of cosy tea-drinking" with Muslim groups had passed and that natives and immigrants should have the courage to be critical of each other. She recently cancelled a meeting with Muslim leaders who refused to shake her hand because she was a woman..."

At: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1823334,00.html

To Helen and Shakira,

Respecting hijab?

Let me tell you that I would fight to the death to defend your right to wear the hijab or anything else you chose to wear.

What you are confronted with here in many of the above comments is not what Australia or Australians are about. What you are reading is the mindless rhetoric vomited forth by brainwashed fools who've bought the miserable doctrine of Marx - leftists. They speak the talk of the Devil as if were the language of God.

They don't really understand what they're talking about.

They have no respect for the love of family. They have no respect for the love of children. They have no respect for the love of the unborn. They have no respect for humanity. They simply have no respect. But it's not wholly their fault. They were "educated" to believe in the doctrine of Marx and its hatred for spirituality, religion, God and man. They have been taught to hate anything that represents God. They are but lost children. Please forgive them, for they do not know the evil that they do.

But, Helen and Shakira, please rest assured that there are some of us out here who know and who will stand up and fight against their tyranny and injustice, their bigotry and their racial hatred, their mendacity and their prejudice. That's the universal force they cannot defeat. Whilst you hold your values for truth, they cannot win. Fight the fight for your families and God bless you.

And in case all you others are wondering if I'm some sort of deranged suicide bomber, let me assure that I'm not. I'm a good law abiding citizen, Anglo-Saxon, seventh generation Christian Australian, who loves democracy, freedom, justice and peace. My father fought the Nazi Axis in WW2 and by God, I'll fight any evil or mendacity just the same as he did, if I have to. But God help me that that never happens.

Maximus, Philo and Arjay:

Your words have been heard in Australia before:

Think 1868 instead of 2005 and "Catholic" for Islamic or Moslem and you will be simply repeating what was said 150 years ago.

see
http://www.shoalhaven.net.au/~cathyd/history/prince.html

Sectarian hatred is not new to Australia, and it is interesting that you are simply continuing, you might say adding to the heritage, of ethnic hatred.

And I know that nothing I say can open your closed minds.

I 'inhabit' another forum site, hosted in the USA, (yes, that is correct, the very country that lost 3000 dead in one attack four years ago). This forum is mainly contributed to by men of military and law enforcement background, some of whom have actually fought in the ME and some are currently in Afghanistan and Iraq. These guys see terror up front, not the piss weak version that you read about.

The interesting thing is that if you were to espouse your hatred on that site you would be banned within days. Why?

Because they would see you for what you are, and recognise that what you stand for is what many of these men have fought for - liberty, democracy and respect for humanity.

My goodness, we're in full swing on this one, aren't we?

In another recent thread http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=150 , I said

"As I understand it, 'hijab' in Islam refers to a general code of modest dress for both women and men. In many Western societies, women interpret this as dressing [sexually] modestly, according to the social context". A good background to this comment is to be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab .

According to this perspective, hijab equates to a generalised modesty about exposure of the body. The head scarf or the more extreme burqua seem to me to be elaborations on this theme, that are deployed politically in various ways - both within Islam and with respect to Islam's interactions with Western modernity (and postmodernity).

Obviously, the expression of this conflict enclothing the bodies of Muslim women is confronting for many ordinary Aussies - who are more used to worshipping the beach culture of exhibitionism and exposure.

My opinion - as a devout agnostic :) - is that young Muslim women, like their predominantly 'Christian' (at least in name) Aussie forebears, will eventually get over the cultural bondage prescribed by their parents' religions and have ordinary Aussie lives.

I reckon that in about a century or so we might have sorted much of this stuff out. And that's peanuts in human history :)

It seems the fundamentalist Christians and Muslims have a lot in common.Just keep your puritanical ways and superstitions to yourselves and don't try to inflict them on free thinking law abiding people.I'm free from the bible bashers and a lot happier for it.