TIGblogs TIG | TIGblogs GROUP TIGBLOGS LOGIN SIGNUP
Katea's Blog
Katea's Blog
Religious Fundamentalism(s) and Women's Rights
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

When I received a mail from AWID asking me what I think about Religious Fundamentlisms and what do I know about it, immediately my response was, "the use of religion and religious practices to legitimize abuses, discrimination, restrictions specifically on women." It is almost an open knowledge about rape and sexual abuses by a church minister, pastor, priest or whatever you call them, and it took sometime before someone finally had the gut to expose it. This, of course, we immediately react to and file complaints. But what about the subtle manipulation of one's own life due to our religion? How does one religion become fundamentalistic? How do RFs affect women, particularly young women? How do we resist RFs? These are just some of the questions we tackled during a 4-day-conference in Istanbul recently (Nov 18-21, 2007)

RFs do not directly affect me, as I'm quite eclectic with my religious practices. As a matter of fact, I have always been fascinated with religion--the mysterious side of it. But I never allowed anyone to impose something on me and I grew up in an a family, where curiosity is encouraged even questioning the existence/non-existence of God even if my family is a devoted Catholic. What I do not like, is that when options become limited because of religion. Say for instance, health and sexual reproductive rights. In the Philippines, the use of contraceptives and abortion are heavily discouraged, if not illegal. The reason behind this is that it is immoral and a capital sin to take away one's life or to prevent life from "living". According to our priest, life begins not at the moment of conception but at the time when man and woman unite in bed. Therefore, the use of contraceptives prevents the coming of life. Abortion, on the other hand, should never be an option because it's not the child's fault.

In my opinion, the use of contraceptives prevents unwanted pregnancy, which in most cases, is always the sole responsibility of the woman (most of the time young woman). She can either be discriminated and humiliated by the society for the "untimely" pregnancy. She may not be able to finish school (as some schools have defined restrictions on this). She may not be able to find a good job (because she did not finish school). She may get a job which may not be able to support her and her child. She may get into prostitution. Then she gets into drugs, she gets addicted, sells her child, gets depressed and commits suicide. But that's her fault right? Because if she has not gotten into PMS, she would not have born a child. So the moral of the story, do not engage into PMS. Make sure you marry the guy first so that both of you will be responsible for the kid. So what about the growing number of population among the "married couples" who are also not allowed or discouraged to use contraceptives? Well, some would say, "children are the gift of God, the more children you have, the more blessings you receive, and also the more help you can get when they grow old." So, it does not matter whether the parents can give them basic needs and good education. And what happens when they can no longer feed their children? Can the Church support them? "But why look for a good life in this lifetime, when the Kingdom of God can be reached after death?" If there's one thing I know about God, S/He does not want us to suffer: physically, mentally, and spiritually. That's the reason why s/he sent all these prophets, teachers, angels and the rest of the gang. Because if otherwise, then what a sadist God some people have.

For abortion, the only reason why women's rights groups push it is not because they are so irresponsible and immoral. The only reason why they push it is when the life of the woman is in danger. The most common would be health reasons, and the more lasting effect would be psychological. Say for instance, the girl/woman is raped and she gets pregnant. Don't you think it is a valid reason to get an abortion? Yes, the life of the child is important but are we saying that the life of the mother/woman isn't?

If there is an option to use contraceptives and administer abortion, this does not mean that women are compelled to do this option. If the woman who is a rape victim says she will deliver the child, it is also her right and should be commended for her strength and gut. If a young woman does not engage in PMS to avoid the use of contraceptions, that is also her right. Nobody says it's wrong. But when you limit the options and impose rules and laws on women who do not accept it, then this is when the women's rights activists say, "our body, our rights."

November 28, 2007 | 3:54 AM Comments  1 comments

You must be logged in to add tags.


Comments

abc4all A Better Community for All (ABC4All)
November 28, 2007 | 5:25 AM
An Important Subject / An Invitation to Collaborate on Research
Invitation from Kate (Philippines) to collaborate doing research on Religious Fundamentalism

To read about the invitation, please go here:
http://groups.takingitglobal.org/abc4allglobalteam/messages/?
view=msg&id=181713

Thank you Kate, for your dedicated and thoughtful approach.

Burt / ABC4All
hekatea's Profile

hekatea's Friends


Latest Posts
Child/Youth...
On Reading Umberto Eco
Learning a New Language
Lucca Leadership Training
The 2008 Justice...

Monthly Archive
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
July 2008
August 2008

Change Language


Tags Archive
animation anime australia books chiangmai competition environment gender greenpeace humanrights internationalconference justice leadership movie outback philanthropy photography politics production reading scams selfdiscovery seminar thailand training travel writing youth ztenbn

Filter By Type
Events
News
Travel
Topics

Friends
Zainul Abedin
-franz-
-SB- Shobuz Bhai
A Better Community for All (ABC4All)
A.B. PobuwoloTowaye
Aare Kornar !
ABen-Shema
ABHIPRAYA
Adam Kaufman
Adel
Adrielle Saldanha
african prince
Ai
Ajit
AK
alfred ibulu jr
alima
AmakaforKids
Amanda Kefalas
amani007
Andrew
Angie
Anita Yip
ankag
ansh
Arundhaty Parida
Askia
Awais Aftab
AWellEarth.net
azaleaicornmill
Ben Holland
Benoit Couture
BERYL
Bettina Rudolf
bigpun007
BIR1935
Bishnu
bk
Blake Jacobi
BOLA OLANREWAJU
bundesliga
Caitlin
Cam
Camolot
Carlo
Carolyn
Carrie
Charles
Charles Candelario
Chase
Cherrie
cherry
ChieuNghi Truong
Chris
Chris Wells
Chris Williams
Christine
clarita zarate
Dan Tshin
danielle
Danish
Dave Matthews
Dhiviya
dia el deen abd el fattah
Dilip Kr. Saha
Donna Roy
dudu
Elijah C. Briggs
Eric
Eva Huijbregts
Evelyn
Evelyn
Farah Rahimtula
FEMI DUROJAYE
florabale
George C. Owens
Global Fund
Gloria
Greta
Hansha Sanjyal
Harikrishnan.G
Harry Bobor Stevens
Haylz
Helen
Henry Ekwuruke
idreeskhan
ISNAYP Media
J R
James
Jamil Ahmad Malik
jean celeste paredes
jeanne castellanos
Jewel-
Jonah Wittkamper
Jörg
jOrOss
Joyce Christine
JUSTICE FOR ALL
Kahendi
Karen Lee Gross
Karin Chisholm
Kat Birch
Katie Broad
Katja
khalid khan jogezai
KIMM
Kyna Mori C. Flores
Larin
LauraK
LorenzoHarewood
Luís Manuel Pin
Lula M
lutherking
lutherking
Malcolm Lawrence
Marc Ludwig
MARCKENSON
Mariane Vadeboncoeur
Marie
Marina Different
Mark
Mary
mary ann c
maryjn
Mateusz Palys
Medaer Frans
MEDJEEN
Michael Furdyk
michelle
michelle
Miguel Silva
Miles Robert (Rob) Aronson
mohamed elkashash
Muddasir Ali Issani
Naglaa
Naomi den Besten
Natalie Steiner
nielu natha
Nina
nockia
Noelle Anne Rodriguez
norhana
Nuijten
Ogunro Temitope
Ossama ALASS
Owulezi
Ozerova Irina
Padam Raj
Peace2Peace
Pham Thanh Nhon
Phyo Win Latt
princes chona regencia
rahul bhowmik
Rajesh
Ranjan K Baruah
Ranya
Rebecca Lohman
ROSANIE
Rotaract Club of Manila Metro
S.Senthilpushpa
S.Senthilpushpa
Saindique
Sandy Mae
Sara Hamilton
Sarah
Sarah Boyd
Schrodinger
Sebastain
Selene Biffi
Semakula Saidi
Shahnawaz شاهنواز
Shireen
sleemfesh
soccer-girl110
SSandifer
Sudip Aryal
Sunny
surendar
Swapnil
sweden45
Tamoy
Tanya
Teresa Allan
Terri Willard
TOPH
Tracey
tree
Uli Heinrich
Uranusz
VICTORY ASHAMOLE C
Vivek
vixie
W.Thomas Black
We-R-One
WeAreTeachers
wilfried fink
Will
Yama Enayat
Youth Develop Nepal
Yuming Ma
Zach
ZAM
zand
Zeljka Banicek
Zovya
~Caroline~

Links
ABC4All
Arts and Letters Daily
Association for Progressive...
Association for Women's...
Atikha
CocoNatur
Council of Europe
eldis
Feminist
Friends of Seven Lakes Kids
idealist
International Women's...
Nabuur
Native Planet
Youth Action Network
Youth for Change
Youth for Exchange and...


51592 views
Important Disclaimer