*SIGH* call me narrow minded very narrow minded but i think they should ban this muslim headscarf in christian countries

Hey Chewie, its not like me to quote the bible but here's something interesting in 1 Corithians 14.

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Sounds pretty archaic today...

When Vatican II came in (for the Catholic church), plenty of nuns refused to stop wearing the full habit and I bet some women were horrified when other women began doing the readings in church.

The headscarf is a religious symbol but also a symbol of oppression. As mentioned, many women, even in western society, are forced to wear the headscarf by fathers, brothers, husbands or boyfriends. Is that out of fear or true choice. Some women do choose to wear it, which is up them, but just becuase something is written in the Bible, Koran or Torah does not mean that it must be taken at its most literal sense (although I'm sure a lot of fundamentalists may disagree). By making the headscarf more optional in society, perhaps society provides muslim women more freedom to choose, without fear, what their religious identity is.

btw - I also think that there is a very strong connection between the burka and the headscarf - only women have to wear them!!!

If i wans't allowed to wear a baseball cap at school girls shouldn't be allowed to wear head scarfs.

On a more serious note, the comparison between head scarfs and chains with a cross is stupid. If i wore a big hat that said i love jesus it would be different. Or if i tattooed it on my forehead.

Originally Posted by chewie_nz

easy...ban pupils in state schools from wearing ANY and ALL forms of religous symbols, headscarves...crosses...star of david etc etc


make it fair (or unfair) on everyone

I hear you Chewie!

I also support that MP! Good Work! ban all religious symbols once and forever!

Actully Ms Bishop wants to only ban Musilm Headcrafs. Apparently showing other religious symbols, present a different message.
This women went on TV, to say to a Muslim women, that she shouldn't wear her headscraf. Said it practically to her face, and the women was clearly offended deeply. But Ms Bishop had the courage to say it to her over a video link.
It's great to offer muslim "freedom" and that, but it's another thing to sit in the same room as one.

if they are going to ban the hajib, then they should ban all religious symbols. i think the most equal thing is making Nuns give up thier habits,as this is exactly the same sort of thing.
good to see that the idea was shot down by other Pollies tho

Originally Posted by Rabs

I think theres a big diffrence between covering your face to the point of being unrecognizable and wearing a cross around your kneck. All hell will break loose if we try to say students cant wear crosses here in America.

1. The ban only applies to public schools in France, anywhere else religous symbols are permitted. France like the US, support freedom of religon.

2. Thats a major difference between France and the USA. Secularism and Intergration are law. You are not permitted to create a community within a community such as in the UK (as someone said last week the UK are beginning to adopt the French system). This sounds harsh, but the reality is unlike the USA European countries have throngs of immigrants from the ME, Africa, Asia who are not that far away trying to get in. if we didnt have this intergration policy it would be French culture that would be washed away. That thought frightens people here.

Although in Muslim places like Egypt it is an offence for Christians to repair their churches; and in Saudi Arabia it is an offence to wear a cross in public; and in west Papua New Guinea it is an offence for a Christian to breath, I do not believe Muslim head-scarffes should be banned. Religious freedom for all.

Yeah right unless it's justified by security and identification reasons. I don't agree with the French ban law at all.

It is my opinion that if this is a religious thing then yes, it should be banned from schools. People are saying that the word "God" and all that it implies should be removed from schools. Religious holidays should not be celebrated in schools etc etc. If this is to be called a part of their religion then it has no place in a public school since most of the rest of any "christian" based religion is oppressed in schools.

If it is a part of their culture rather than religion, they need to be reminded that they are in a different country that does not have those same cultural values. Emphasis being placed on the identification aspect rather than cultural or religious persecution makes it a fair practice in my opinion.

Now let us take into consideration a dress code, if there is to be no headwear worn indoors then the "head scarf" should not be worn indoors.

Any way you slice it or dice it, it all comes down to how you view the topic. I for am all for banning anything that hides someone's face or facial expressions in a public school or on identification papers. I am all for banning headwear indoors in public schools. I am against someone defying a law or a rule on the basis of religious or cultural freedoms just because they feel they should be an exception.