‘Has Human Rights Achieved More Than Religion’, was the debate I was watching this morning. And I found it laughable that anyone would argue against such a self evident statement.
Because religion is manmade; and because the great monotheistic traditions are particularly old and reflect the values of the time; women, minorities, and contrarians are set for particularly harsh treatments under the tenets of those religions. This relatively fair, equal, and integrated society we’re building now is blatantly in spite of religion.
What else could lead to such a blatantly discriminatory practice, being accepted in 21st century Britain? If not for the exceptions religion is granted such a move would certainly be illegal.
The Jewish Chronicle reports…
“The British leaders of a major Chasidic sect have declared that women should not be allowed to drive.
In a letter sent out last week, Belz rabbis said that having female drivers goes against “the traditional rules of modesty in our camp” and against the norms of Chasidic institutions.
It added that, from August, children would be barred from their schools if their mothers drove them there.
According to the letter — which was signed by leaders from Belz educational institutions and endorsed by the group’s rabbis — there has been an increased incidence of “mothers of pupils who have started to drive” which has led to “great resentment among parents of pupils of our institutions”.
They said that the Belzer Rebbe in Israel, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, has advised them to introduce a policy of not allowing pupils to come to their schools if their mothers drive”
What could be so wrong about women driving their children to school that it has to be banned? Yeah, I can’t think of anything either.
And to see how religion really curtails people’s rights, often with their express permission, because it’s God who said so; just read the statement released by the head of women in that sect, endorsing the policy and feeling privileged that they’re being barred from driving.
“[We feel] extremely privileged and valued to be part of a community where the highest standards of refinement, morality and dignity are respected. We believe that driving a vehicle is a high pressured activity where our values may be compromised by exposure to selfishness, road-rage, bad language and other inappropriate behaviour.”
Unbelievable.