McAleese of Arabia

DublinWriter

Heard lots of people bleating on LiveLine today about how could our Mary go to Saudi when they still practice 'Apartheid' against women.

Feck that....the Saudi Government still practise public beheading!

For those that don't know about this, go goggle 'chop chop square' - it's grim stuff.

Yet, as always with the Celtic Tiger, the paw fumbles in the greasy till yet again.

With sales of Danish butter literally grinding to a halt in the middle-east, there was our Mary, pulling de forelock, saying "oh jaysus yer honour, t'wouldn't be ourselves showing dose pictures of Mo-ham-ed, sure we'd have nuttin to do with dat sort of ting...by de way, have you tried Kerrygold yerself at all at all?".

It made me ashamed to be Irish to see our President almost prostrate herself in front of the House of Saud.

Sand

Yeah, shes not exactly been covering herself in glory lately. Mind you, shes no worse than most (all?) world leaders worshipping the House of Saud. Theyve got oil and money to buy our stuff, so that trumps solidarity with Denmark any day. To top it off, the House of Saud are the worst best friends you could have, given their bankrolling of fundamentalism.

The best thing you can say about them is that any potential replacements are worse.

John_C

The Saudi's believe that women are not able to hold important positions in society. The best way to show them that they're wrong is for them to meet a woman doing a good job in an important role.

pete

DublinWriter wrote:

Feck that....the Saudi Government still practise public beheading!

You'd think that in this day and age they'd at least have the decency to carry out their executions behind closed doors like civilised folks.

mike65

Some rte hack covering her majestys visit was in discussion with a Saudi diplomate type. At the end of the chat she went to shake his hand and he refused not cos he was being rude but for religous/cultural reasons - she was inferior as a woman.

Mike.

simu

Oh boo hoo, they're extremely sexist over there - that's no news. Having good relations with such countries is more likely to lead to their gradual acceptance of women's rights than is refusing all contact and stomping off on our moral high ground imho.

pete

mike65 wrote:

At the end of the chat she went to shake his hand and he refused not cos he was being rude but for religous/cultural reasons - she was inferior as a woman.

Really? I thought it was all about avoiding desire and/or temptation, like this guy says. Not that I'd know.

Hobbes

pete wrote:

Really? I thought it was all about avoiding desire and/or temptation, like this guy says. Not that I'd know.

Its easier to claim women are inferior. Helps us feel special.

Beer is Life

"Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other" Sura 4:34?

Hobbes

Beer is Life wrote:

"Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other" Sura 4:34?

Great how some things can change in translation and then can be taken completly out of context of the whole thing.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/notislam/misconceptions.html#HEADING3

The_Minister

pete wrote:

Really? I thought it was all about avoiding desire and/or temptation, like this guy says. Not that I'd know.

So its a compliment for women if they won't shake hands because that means they believe that they are hot......cool

Beer is Life

Hobbes wrote:

Great how some things can change in translation and then can be taken completly out of context of the whole thing.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/notislam/misconceptions.html#HEADING3

Ok, there is something fishy here. I have one translation saying:

“Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because men spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those among you who fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them.” Sura 4:34

And another saying:"[4:34] Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great."

One is from an article by Voula Papas and the other is from your link

Lost in translation

Hobbes

Beer is Life wrote:

One is from an article by Voula Papas and the other is from your link

Lost in translation

Ok first up you have the issue of translation. Arabic can be translated different ways depending on context.

Another issue when it comes to Islam religon is that in the Catholic church what the pope say is pretty much the final word on it. While Islam does not have priests as such but more scholars. So it is better to get details from a professional scholar rather then trying to interpret for yourself or taking the interpretation of someone you don't know (which is kind of a rule in the Islam forum, that everyones opinion is thier own and not official).