Fellow_Human,
You maybe convinced of the truth that Islam upholds the equality of women, and that from the Qur'an. However the majority of Muslim nations see women as lesser persons as the property of the man. I suggest you start a teaching tour to Muslims in places like Iran, so they hear the truth of your belief rather than have them held in fear and submission to male authority.

Doesn't Allah command you to spread his message to those that pervert the faith. Until Islam changes, any converts will be pushed back into intellectual darkness and religious superstition. Instead of trying to defend Islam to Western infidels you ought to be changing the hatred and oppression and misinformation the Islamic deceived propogate so that later they do not overun your efforts. Jesus Messiah commanded us who follow him to demonstrate sacrifical care for each other and so change others view of him and his teaching. Those that follow Christ have a responsibility of ministry to each other.

Most Australians regard the human body as useful,normal,necessary and sometimes as drop dead gorgeous[depending on the gender]
But very, very few of us regard the body as something to be ashamed of or as something to hide.
Therefore it is totally alien for us to see anyone in this country who feels it necessary to get around in something that resembles a tent.
In fact most of us would regard such a restriction of freedom as a form of cruelty.
It must be a complete culture shock for strangers from nations with the restrictive laws to come here and find the often immodest manners of dress......but this is a western country and our dress has evolved to suit our climate and our easy way of life.

Philo,

No argument there!

I know the bad practices by some Muslims and myself, amongst others, we spend every opportunity to correct and promote 'meaning' practice. I am planning a website for this purpose in the near future.
I am doing my bit, hope you are doing yours!

All the best,

Philo, for once you are right. “Posted by Philo, Sunday, 30 October 2005 1:16:56 AM “

Hamlet, having spent a great deal of time in my youth with indigenous people, as well as spending a lot of time in Asia working, I must disagree. They lower their eyes to you because they think you are stupid and not worthy of a reply. These people are animists and have a deeper understanding of life than the religious, they are humble in most aspects of their life, no inferior nor suppressed.

They only wear their paraphernalia during ceremonies, unlike the religious who prefer to impose their culture forcefully upon others at all times. The religious have no qualms as to what method they use, be it psychological and or physical. Sadly the politically correct, closeted within their delusions can't see beyond their rose coloured glasses, to see trhe underlining agenda of islam.

How can you respect the Hijab, when it represents a view that expresses itself in violence, destruction, suppression of its adherents and non believers. It's sole aim is to impose islamic rule everywhere, including Australia. Ideologies that have no other recourse to conversion than violence, infiltration, disruption and division, are surely evil beliefs.

Just give us one example of a islamic country that is not in conflict internally, that doesn't impose physical and capital punishment, or suppression of minorities and other belief systems with in its borders, or that doesn't force its women to be subordinate to men. Explain why women are forced to worship separately in small rooms whilst men enjoy the expanse of the mosque. Show us a mosque that gives equality to the genders. Show us where islam allows freedom of expression beyond its religious cultural constraints.

According to the god you believe in, your religion should be freeing you from restraint, rather than restricting and suppressing individual expression.

Alchemist

Are you sure that you are not describing the State of Israel when you list the sins of Islamic countries? Different worship spaces for men and women, religious conflict - between Hassidic and 'secular' Jews? The Rabis having power over marriage and divorce...

I do not 'respect' the hijab, I respect the rights of a woman to make a decision whether to wear it or not.

I have seen many instances of people wearing crucifixes behaving in ways that could only be considered to be against all Christian teaching, but I do not consider people wearing any form of 'religious garb' to be forcing their religion on me or anyone else.

What would you have Australia do? Ban the weraring of all religiously significant clothing or accoutremonts? Ban Jewish men from wearing the skullcap perhaps? Ban the turban? Ban 'Christ Saves' T-Shirts? Are the wearers of these items forcing anything on you?

I live in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, where I often see Hassidic Jews whering their dark suits, yamulka, ringlets and tassled scarves. This sets them apart, but does me no harm.

Just in case you hadn't noticed, the mission statement of the Christian churches includes the conversion of as many people as posible. This isn't unique to Islam.

I have no problems with acceptance of any form of clothing providing it is not identifying a superiority of inferiority over others. I have Indian friends who once identified themselves by their caste mark, who have become Christian and no longer want to distuinguish in this way. Equality is not all wearing the same clothes; but by wearing any form of dress that deliberately states I am of more class or less class than you is antisocial.

Prime Minister Howard recently learned this lesson when attending a dinner of heads of government meeting in an open neck shirt supplied by the conference when all others were wearing dinner suits.

Personally know I could not do honest business with a person whose face I could not see. As for the Chinese, our company exports from China and we have frequent visits from Chinese reps and we do eye to eye business deals. Though they are serving us they are not our menial servants.