I have always said that FGM was around long before Islam came along. It was a cultural practice, and should still be known as such. I freely acknowledge there are still those that perform it that are not Muslim. I have no problem in saying categorically that it was not originally a Muslim practice. Read what I said again. I make that clear.

The problem is that many within Islam now insist on it as part of the religion. It has become part of Islam in many parts of the world, and in some places it has become all but compulsory for Muslim women. In parts of Indonesia, for example, babies are cut to celebrate Mohammed’s birthday. Getting this abhorrent practice wiped out has been much easier in areas that are not Muslim because there’s no one insisting it’s part of the religion. Health workers explain why the practice is detrimental to all to community leaders, and thus get their help to stop it. That’s much harder when there’s an imam who insists Allah either prefers or requires it.

This is a belated response to the discussion. Regardless of what Reza Aslan writes, which by the way has been extensively reviewed by relevant scholars in the US and globally, kindly please note that FGM is not an ‘Islamic’ practice; you and those who support your view are completely wrong. Your point about FGM being practiced in some Arab muslim countries overlooks the fact that a large number of Christians from Central Africa also avidly promote this odious practice, which is basically customary, and has nothing to do with Islamic or Christian religious tenents. Yes, they are presented as ‘religious’ by the powers that be in these societies, but that should not lead you to label the practice as ‘Islamic’; you have to admit this is rather one-sided — I.e call it ‘Islamic’ even when large populations of Christians endorse the practice. Please see Kevin Drum’s article in Mother Jones – ‘FGM is not a uniquely muslim problem’, 6 February 2016.

Very scary, as always with religious fundamentalists. Thankfully, he’s not in a decision-making position with the government. It seems they’ve made moves to shut him up in the past when his rhetoric has gone too far – let’s hope they do the same again this time.

http://m.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Safed-chief-rabbi-Destroy-enemy-to-deter-attacks-423745#article=6018NzE3MkYwRDVFOTc4NDRBMzgzQjhGRjI0RDk0RDQ5NEE=

And this is the problem I have. The left needs to be part of the discussion to educate the wider public, so they know that not all Muslims are like this, but that some Jews and Christians are. We can’t shut down all criticism of Muslims out of fear it will feed the bigots. We need a culture of honesty and basing decisions on evidence. That is the culture that will lead more people to recognize the faults of the West and how we’re a part of the problem. The right will find evidence for their bigotry no matter what. The rest of us need to focus on the truth, wherever we find it.

You wrongly predict what is in the other video. Go watch it, if you have the courage.

Doc, I’m not defending what this girls parents did, or the community they put her in. But as the girls says, you can find the same thing in extremist Christian communities and ultra-orthodox Jewish communities. Isolation from the world, brainwashing, distinctive dress, fear of mainstream society. Unless you tell me the longer video shows her being trained to be a suicide bomber I’m still going to decline an hour of watching her. Too many people, like that interviewer are trying to use particular anecdotes like this to indict 1.6 billion Muslims. Look at the big picture and what westerners have done as well as what Muslims have done. You can’t understand a situation unless you can view it from different perspectives. Good to hear from you again. pax

If you appreciated that, go back and watch the one-hour video, as that is the same woman, not interrupted by anyone, speaking in enough detail to clear up quite a lot more. It is eye-opening. It was eye-opening to me, far worse than I’d realized, and perhaps worse than the impression you got, given the moderator’s interruptions in the short video. Be brave. Watch her speak at length. She’s probably closer to 30 years old, now, too.

Lol, I can but admire your good humour and restraint, Pax!

Now doc, saying I “choose ignorance” is very unkind. I’d rather be called “full of sh$t”. I’ve listened to you carefully and engaged in honest conversation with you. Do you always feel you have to insult people who disagree with you?