Why is religious belief privileged?
Oct. 11th, 2006 03:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chickenfeetI find the debates over the wearing of veils interesting. Generally speaking I think that if someone wants to wear a veil they should. Not because it's part of their religion but because I can't think of a good reason why they shouldn't. I note though that the debate is couched almost entirely in religious terms. That prompts me to ask the question why religious beliefs should be held to justify behaviour that would be be banned or discouraged if indulged in because of other beliefs, however deeply held. For example, why should a committed nudist not be permitted to meet Mr. Jack Straw or attend a lecture at Imperial College in a state of undress? They certainly couldn't be held to be a security risk! It might be argued that nudity offends some people but that, of course, is precisely the argument used against veils.
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Date: 2006-10-11 08:14 pm (UTC)OK, that's a bit overstated. Blame it on one too many discussions about the veil that take all of three seconds to degenerate into bitching about how Muslims don't 'let' 'their women' wear normal clothes and date outside their race and and and... it's enough to make a person want a headscarf. For wearing or for throttling, either.
More on topic, we do put 'freedom of conscience' into a higher category than 'because I feel like it', and I think we have to. And as long as a significant number of people are religious, that's going to get in there.
(And of course, also because it's a time-honoured convenient compromise that allows the law to exempt some people from some laws some of the time rather than either face endless small revolts (and these days lawsuits) and still, for example, stop the rest of us avoiding taxes by claiming we've taken a vow of poverty.
You're right, it's kind of nuts, but I don't see a simple alternative as long as we're descended from a legal system that privileged one religion by default because 'everyone was religious'. Either everyone gets it or nobody does, and it's so entrenched that I can't even begin to imagine the mess there...
I wonder if Straw has trouble telling nuns apart?
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Date: 2006-10-11 08:18 pm (UTC)There ought to be a response to that but I don't think my mind is filthy enough.
"The Mother Superior Doesn't Go In For That Sort Of Thing..."
Date: 2006-10-11 08:20 pm (UTC)*is ashamed*
*slightly*
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Date: 2006-10-11 09:26 pm (UTC)He used to be really good at it, but then got out of the habit.
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Date: 2006-10-11 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-11 09:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-11 09:41 pm (UTC)*thwaps Benny-the-Rat even harder*
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Date: 2006-10-12 05:50 am (UTC)