Social ambiguities
To question and probe social norms is vital as it highlights the limits and ironies in human intellect.
Example, two men can marry, dress like and claim to be woman. Also, a teen girl can abort as many babies as she wants or have several kids from different men and the taxpayer covers the full cost.
When anyone says that homosexuality is condemned by the Torah, Bible and Quran some are enraged and freedom of opinion and expression is forgotten and hate speech is hastily alleged.
When woman sells intimacy for cash, people rush to judgement, as if a person would willingly subject themselves to such indignity. Please note, I am not arguing for legalised prostitution but simply stressing the conflict within our collective moral conscious. Since some share intimacy after dinner and a movie, what is the difference? Is it the quantity of men or the intimacy for direct cash?
Let’s explain.
In prophetic times, marriage was a contract where a man bought exclusive rights to his wife’s body. Since nobody can control another person’s thoughts and feelings, intimacy was the line in the sand.
In return, the man, his family, village, tribe, had a duty to maintain and defend the woman. This is the general approach of the Torah, Bible and Quran and most faiths and cultures. Men had options and could marry more than one wife or marry for a contractual period depending on affordability.
Example, an architect in Istanbul receives a job contract in Cairo for 2yrs. He could marry in Cairo with a finance and time specific contract and return to his family in Istanbul when the contract ends. Since some abused this right, the 2nd Caliph Umar, banned marriages based on time specific contract.
Today, a man has several girlfriends without financial duty and he is considered a “player” by some. Also, some woman know their husbands cheat and allow this as long as he doesn’t marry a 2nd wife.
Due to a global shortage of eligible men, many woman struggle financially. Yet few consider the honest but needy woman and her kids. Often, if a woman is a 2nd wife in a financially and secured contracted marriage they are judged as husband stealers. When the women ask family for help they are measured a burden. If they prostitute, they are condemned to hell by those who refuse to help.
So, who exactly must take responsibility for these dignified, lonely, deprived woman and their kids?
How can homosexuality be okay when it is banned by Torah, Bible and Quran but polygamy, which is ratified by all Holy Scriptures is criticized? When and who decided these new behavioural codes?
Just asking for a friend.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress