Freedom From Judgement

In my last blog, I discussed how some religions practiced in America can cause women to restrict their rights, and whether or not non-members of that religion are justified in judging that religion based on the fact that the beliefs held by members of that religion restrict women's rights. One example of a religion that is practiced in America and can cause women to restrict their rights is Islam.

Americans value freedom almost more than anything. Due to this, I would speculate that to many non-Muslim Americans, a lot of Shariah (Islamic Law) regarding women may seem to infringe on things that they consider  to be every Americans right.  Such as the ability to wear what you want (freedom of expression), being allowed to drive a car, and being able to leave the house or seek employment without having to first be given permission by your husband. Non-Islamic people may wonder if women could really be happy under these laws.

This brings to mind an article in the New York Times that I read a while back. It's the story of a girl named Tharima who organizes an all girl prom for the Muslim girls at her school because following Shariah they aren't allowed to go to their school's boy/girl prom. Tharima's hard work payed off and her dream became a reality; the prom was a success. What is important to remember from this story is that (as far as I can tell) Tharima's dream was not to go to the boy/girl prom. She chose to do prom her way, and a way that would follow the guidelines of her religion.

Tharima setting up for prom night

At this point reader, you may be conflicted. On one hand, people's rights are restricted which conflicts with many Americans strong sense of freedom. On the other hand, it seems that many of the American women whose rights are restricted consider those rules part of being a faithful and moral person and are also happy living their lives according to these religious guidelines.

Although it may seem contradictory I would argue that restricting your own rights is an example of true freedom. People should have the freedom to not express their freedoms if they don't want to. And I'm not only talking about legal freedom, I'm talking about social freedom as well. I'm talking about not judging someone just because they chose to wear Hijab or go to an all girl prom. Everyone knows that in America you legally have the freedom to be part of any religion but I wonder if people of different religions feel equally free. Some people may think that if you have to dress a certain way according to a religion then you're not very American because you aren't expressing your freedom. I would argue that the only thing that would make someone feel not American is the judgement received from these types of people: people who misinterpret the meaning of freedom.

Lastly, I would like to add that because religion is a sensitive subject, I hope I did not offend anyone in this blog. If I have, please let me know. Addationally, I would like to make clear that I am only talking about religious freedom in the context of American society, not on a global scale. I also admit to not being as knowledgeable as maybe I should be to discuss this subject, considering the fact that I am neither a Muslim or a member of the particular branch of Christianity that the couple getting married in my last blog are a part of.