Troubled

[Shanazel]

Yeah, well, it happened over a year ago and I am still irate that they didn't even bother to SEE the program before banning it. You'd have thought I was wearing tear away hot pants and dancing hootchie kootch instead of wearing a full length skirt, long sleeves, a modest neckline, and teaching the folkloric side of the dance. Teachers specifically requested the class for years. The parents who were present at the program made a point of participating and then telling me how much fun it was. ONE parent who never saw it objected.

It isn't the parents, Farasha. It is the gutless school district.

 

[khanjar]

You see the US still has it's own religious problems where we are a secular country where religion does not have much control, sure we get the politicians try it on, Bliar was the last one to do that with his reasons to invade Iraq, but he had just come back from a brain washing exercise with Bush, so what did we expect really but we don't tolerate politicians spouting religion , they do that and most think they have lost it, what they believe they are wise to keep it to themselves, but mention of Bliar curious how he converted to catholicism after he left office, he sure must have had a conscience about what he did that catholicism could absolve him of via a few hail mary's and he is clean in the eyes of god.

Because let us remember one thing much that is in religion is about belief and belief does not have any factual basis, and so there are myriad interpretations that can be used to assault peoples common sense, common sense says one thing, you are told god says another thing what do you do, follow god or follow common sense bearing in mind if you are a believer, your common sense is god inspired.

But of opposing sides in war, they do what they do in the name of god so in effect it is god killing god, where is the common sense in that, there isn't any it is really about people doing what they want to do, not what they are forced to do, when it is they, their homes and families are not being directly threatened.

See where religion falls down, good because it is a political tool of control and little else with the majority.

 

[Amulya]

Yes Christian fundamentalists can be just as bad! They can be downright scary. We got some in Holland and the rules they got..... just insane.
For example:
My mother and her sister once had a holiday job in one of those towns and walked in the street on Sunday. People were throwing stones at them for that! Totally insane
Those freaks come in most religions and they would ban belly dance as well.

Btw one of my friends is Muslim and she's is one of the most peaceful people I have ever met.

Stupid that they didn't even give you a change Shan

 

[Ariadne]

It isn't the parents, Farasha. It is the gutless school district.

This. School districts here these days are so scared of lawsuits they usually fold over anything and everything. Most of the cases I've heard of though are actually anti-religion and not anti-dance. That really sucks Shanazel! I am so sick of them being so gutless.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

Yes Christian fundamentalists can be just as bad! They can be downright scary. We got some in Holland and the rules they got..... just insane.
For example:
My mother and her sister once had a holiday job in one of those towns and walked in the street on Sunday. People were throwing stones at them for that! Totally insane
Those freaks come in most religions and they would ban belly dance as well.

Btw one of my friends is Muslim and she's is one of the most peaceful people I have ever met.

Stupid that they didn't even give you a change Shan

WHAT?!?! For SERIOUS, they threw STONES at you?!?!?!!!!!! They could have HURT y'all, even KILLED you!!!! >:0 And these were people who claimed to be CHRISTIAN?!?!?!?

I think I need to quit checking out threads that make me go into a rage. >:/ Just when I think I can have faith in certain people, they do something stupid to infuriate me again. >:/

I'm a Christian, and a fundamentalist at that, but some of the things I've been hearing on the news and reading online are making my blood pressure shoot sky-high! Yes, I DO have a high expectation from people---I expect everyone to show kindness, compassion, and understanding towards all, I expect them to be unselfish, kind, thoughtful, gentle, compassionate, and with a sense of responsibility towards the happiness and well-being of others, NOT being judgmental, cruel, bull-headed, impatient, or merciless.

UGH, my "own kind" (?!?!?!?!?) DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! >:/

Oh, good cow, I have a lot up pent-up anger issues. -_-

Edit: I'm sorry for the continuous rants I've been on lately. My grandparents raised me with a high sense of responsibility for my fellow man, and drilled The Golden Rule in my head. They taught that "the sun doesn't rise and set" on me, and to put myself in other people's shoes. Growing up, and after getting married and being an at-home wife and mother for 24 years, I had the Pollyanna view that all people were raised like I was, and believed that everyone was good and decent. It took three years in the work force to realize the world isn't as sweet as I once believed it to be. -_- I just have NO PATIENCE AT ALL for people who have an unkind nature. None. Zero tolerance.

Well, maybe I shouldn't say zero tolerance. Everyone does have their off-days, times when we may be impatient, less than kind, or just downright ornery. Everyone makes mistakes; no one is perfect. Mistakes can be forgiven. Mistakes are to learn from. But if it's in someone's nature to be self-centered, cruel, or downright evil, THEN I have serious issues with that person.

 

[Greek Bonfire]

This is not from Cairo, but rather Libya. However, I find the perspective to be a good illustration of what may be a more typical (possibly?) reaction from your average person, regardless of their country of origin. Video shows Libyans trying to rescue US ambassador - Yahoo! News

I can't tell you how much this lifted my heart. And Tarik is right - this is not a Muslim dance or any contemporary religious dance since most religions don't even approve of any Middle Eastern dance!

 

[Amulya]

Farasha, by fundamentalist I meant more the word extremist. These words tend to have different meanings in different countries I think. I don't see you as 'fundamentalist' at all: you belly dance in my dictionary a fundamentalist of any religion wouldn't belly dance.

 

[Ariadne]

These words tend to have different meanings in different countries I think.

Not just different countries. Here near the Mojave Desert a "Fundamentalist" also means an extremist because of a specific extreme sect that refer to themselves as the "Fundamentalist Church". For us Fundamentalist has come to mean those who take observance beyond what is required by religious creed to obsessive levels (often outright perverting it) even to separating themselves out from the rest of society and enforcing their own rules in a militant fashion.

When I want to distinguish between them I use Orthodox - those "of, pertaining to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc. " rather then Fundamentalist. I realize that among Protestants in other area's of the country "Fundamentalist" = Orthodox but I will usually have a knee jerk reaction whenever I hear the name anyway until I find out where and what religion it is speaking of. I think the problem is when people assume that any one that is Orthodox/Fundamentalist must also be automatically Extremist/Fundamentalist. The two are not the same.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

Farasha, by fundamentalist I meant more the word extremist. These words tend to have different meanings in different countries I think. I don't see you as 'fundamentalist' at all: you belly dance in my dictionary a fundamentalist of any religion wouldn't belly dance.

Amulya, I hope you didn't think I took offense to your post! I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. Wish I could say more, but I'm off to work as I type this (don't worry, Hubby's driving). I love you lots, and please forgive me if I hurt you in any way.

 

[Amulya]

Farasha, no I didn't but just wanted to make sure I didn't say something stupid

Ariadne, indeed orthodox is a good word to use instead. Although with the word Christian it can be confusing as people think of Greek or Eastern Orthodox. So difficult!

 

[Birdlight]

I just wanted to add to this. My dance partner and long time excellent friend is Muslim. And a darn brilliant belly dancer!

It's not the religion that bans dance and blows people up, it's crazy people who would find another excuse to try and manipulate and control, and hurt, even if religion had never existed.

That's what I'd tell people. This dance doesn't relate to terrorism, religion or flying monkeys with little bells on!

 

[befree]

Kick Ass and Take Some Names

After reading this thread, I could give my personal opinion, shade it with nuance, history, economic realities, blah blah blah..... but my most true and gut reaction resonates with the statement "Yeah, the same extremist jerks "over there" (who shot the Pakistani girl for wanting an education, and impose dress codes in the street, and think death by suicide bomb is an honor) would also ban belly dancing...are we gonna let them?" And then I would give them a copy of the article "Iranian woman beats the crap out of cleric who tells her to cover up." I'm off to Xerox a few dozen copies now myself.