Girls in Danger, abroad and at home, because of religious fundamentalism

[annabanana]

Dear Girls -- Here's Why Nasty Old Religious Men Are Terrified of You
http://www.alternet.org/story/155577/dear_girls_--_here%27s_why_nasty_old_religious_men_are_terrified_of_you?akid=8842.71875.9CJiPV&rd=1&t=21

You are powerful beyond words, because you threaten to unravel the control of corrupt men who abuse their authority.

In the United States last week there were people who wouldn't let boys play a baseball championship final because a girl was on the opposing team.
If you were not powerful, they would not take you so seriously and they take you very, very seriously. You should, too. You can set the world on fire.

It doesn't feel this way, I know. If that were true, you think, I would not have to sit out baseball games out of respect for religious beliefs that require my subservience and call it a gift. I would not be turned away from serving God with my brothers. I would not be taught that I'm an evil temptress or the virtue keeper of boys. I would not have virginity wielded as a weapon against me and my worth determined by my womb. I would not be spat on and called a whore by men when I am eight because my arms are bare. I would not be poisoned for going to school. I would not be forced, at the age of 9, to carry twins borne of child torture. I would not have to kill myself to avoid marrying my rapist. If this were true, they would pursue my rapists instead of stoning me for their crimes. I, and thousands others, would not be killed for "honor."

Powerful article on religious fanaticism....

[AsahinaKimi]

1. Powerful

Thank you for posting this.

[hifiguy]

2. Can't K&R this one enough!

Outstanding piece.

[longship]

3. R&K. Always nice to read your posts, AnnaBanana. nt

[felix_numinous]

4. K&R!!

Free women are necessary for a free country.

[DLevine]

5. K&R. n/t

[riderinthestorm]

6. Proud to add my K&R here.. nt

[lunatica]

7. Some men have always been terrified of woman

And they blame women for how THEY feel about women.

[gratuitous]

16. True dat

And their fear is such an emasculating sensation, they grab for "religion" to cover their own shame, seeking divine imprimatur for their own violence.

[lunatica]

17. Yes, and in trying to hide their shame and fear

They punish the object of their desire and fear. This means they believe women are powerful and need to be kept oppressed so they can be controlled. It really is terror of women.

[MerryBlooms]

8. Very good piece, thank you.

[Initech]

9. Religious fanatics scare the crap out of me.

The thing I truly fear the most is that the American Taliban takes over our government and begins passing laws that completely dwarf DOMA and DADT. And then those assholes like Bryan Fischer and that North Carolina preacher will declare a holy war on anyone that's not a straight white Christian male.

[Zorra]

10. Excellent, thanks! K & R nt

[G_j]

11. right on.. KnR

[Quantess]

12. Here in Sweden it's because of Islam.

Religious fundamentalists are just plain backwards, no matter what religion they are.
Any religious scuffle here is predictably because of the muslims. Sorry to be so honest. In Gothenburg / Göteborg there was some anti-semitism, which was primarily between muslims and jews.

Most traditional Swedish people are not all that religious.

[annabanana]

13. (accident of history)

I'm sure that there were Manichean nutjobs somewhere in Sweden's story.

[Quantess]

14. What is a Manichean?

[riderinthestorm]

18. A Saturday kick for an important article nt

[Tumbulu]

19. worth reading

thanks for posting it.

[Iris]

20. another kick

n/t

[GoneOffShore]

21. Excellent piece on fundamentalist extremists . Oh, wait, there isn't any other kind.

From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.
-- Denis Diderot, Essai sur le Mérite de la Vertu (1745)

[GObamaGO]

22. The article is spot on

The fear of loss of power makes people who perceive that they have such power do very desperate things.

[RainDog]

23. k&r n/t

[Agony]

24. Kick

[Scout]

25. thank you, excellent read, lots of source articles too.

i'm going to share on facebook.

highly recommend this!

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. kick