Reply #94: It is a matter one may easily dispute from either side. [View All]

[bemildred]

I direct you to Aidoneus post #60 for more detail on the event.

The line between "culture" and "religion" is at best arbitrary and
a matter of opinion, and at worst fictitious. One may consider it
as a recent political invention. My objection to the use of the
religious labels is twofold:

1.) It is incorrect to infer that because one adheres to either of
the religions in question, that one may be expected to exhibit the
boneheaded paternalistic violence in question here, or even that
one may be expected to exhibit anything less than normal enlightened
western attitudes.

2.) Approximately similar boneheaded paternalistic violence may be
seen in persons nominally adhering to other religions elsewhere
in the world, as well as both of those in question.

Thus, religion is not the determining factor. I tend to favor the
idea that the determining factor is patrilineal descent, which makes
the issue of paternity of progeny economically important, which makes
sons more valuable than daughters, etc. etc.

I think that the main reason this sort of thing has faded away in
"advanced" western cultures is that we now allow inheritance through
either parent, a fine system, and inheritance of "illegitimate"
offspring is better protected. It is noticeable that religion has
lost some of its punch in our societies too, although not without
a fight.

This is not to say that religion does not matter, it may. Religions
that institutionalize gender bias may be considered to be prone to
this sort of thing, it is just that it may not be taken as an
instrumental cause by itself.

This fellow may well allege religious justifications for his actions,
and I would normally be biased to give credence to his opinion, but
in this case he has clearly added something to Islam from his own
cultural roots, as would be the case with similarly behaving twits
claiming biblical justification for, say, witholding medical care
from their offspring, or beating the crap out of them to correct
their "willfulness". One does not extrapolate from David Koresh to
"Christians". I am well aware that there are problems with this sort
of violence in various Middle Eastern cultures, I just don't think
the critical factor is religion.

Regards.