THE Taliban press conference announced that women’s rights would respected “within the framework of Islamic law”.
The concern is that people should all have the same rights irrelevant of what they believe or do in life.
Most religions and their texts do present positive suggestions on how to live your life, but simple obedience may be challenging as shown by some of the lines of Exodus in the Christian Bible.
The line that “anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death” could see many if not most modern children in real trouble. Another rule allows slavery “if a man sells his daughter as a servant…”
There is, however, one biblical concept that perhaps everyone should consider: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But I fear it is not going to be the future for women in Afghanistan.
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Don’t chicken out
The ongoing COVID pandemic has cost us all so much, a number of deaths, ongoing illnesses, our freedom at times and often our jobs.
There is a real concern that it will take us a long time to recover our lives, but we must fight to achieve this.
One minor story highlighted the extent of the problems that can occur – Nandos in the United Kingdom have had to shut a number of stores for a while because they can’t get chickens. If our food supply systems start to fail it will be a difficult time for all.
A common response to the shutdowns has been for people to get into growing their own vegetables, an activity that should always be encouraged. But the real solution will be to stop the pandemic and that is beyond the individual and yet needs to be done at the national level with all individuals doing the right thing but so many haven’t yet.
I want to return to a world with the freedom to go and buy whatever food, good, bad or junk, that I like and to continue working in my garden without being stressed.
Everyone knows what to do and it’s about time they all started doing it. Don’t chicken out of making the right choices. (dfitzger@melbpc.org.au)/PN
