I don’t read fiction, and these books are about the kind of treatment which these poor women experienced..You cannot talk about books which you haven’t read .I recall of an episode where a girl had an affair with a foreigner and was drowned in the family’s swimming pool. Another was a well educated girl who was locked in a tower by her uncle after the death of her father.

[Daphne – I am not discussing the book. I am saying that you can’t extrapolate from a book about Saudi Arabia to Muslim life in general. Saudi Arabia is a country in which religion is used as justification for what men wish to do in any case. In Malta, the same things are done without the guise of religion. Almost every murder or act of extreme violence committed here involves a man and his wife or girlfriend, generally because she has displeased, dishonoured or disobeyed him. The last one was a few days ago in Bormla. Please explain to me how this is different. And it happens DESPITE the fact that in Malta, unlike Saudi, they end up spending years in jail for doing it.]

Daphne you quote the exception to prove an inexistent normality. Obviously you haven’t read Daughters of Arabia, it is not about Arabian women only , it’s about the way men under the excuse of Islam treat women in various Muslim countries..
“They are about SAUDI ARABIA, JOHN – about a country, not a religion.”. You and I make the difference but for most of the Muslim dominated countries country and religion are inseparable.

[Daphne – My point was that the books are about life for women in Saudi Arabia, and not life for women in any other predominantly Muslim country, or Muslim women in general. I don’t read books like that, for the same reason that I don’t read books that detail experience of child abuse, or drunken parents, or the rest of it. They sensationalise real suffering and turn it into morbid entertainment.]

The one who spares his rod hates his child, but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him.
– Proverbs 13:24

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8058224.stm

[Daphne – She’s the queen of Jordon, not Saudi Arabia.]

May we have more of this exceptional woman. Are there any Muslim queens?

[Daphne – Yes, this one. http://www.queenrania.jo/ She even has her own official website, John, isn’t that amazing for a Muslim woman?]

There are only muslim Kings with a harem in tow.

[Daphne – You don’t know, and yet you presume to speak.]

She is basically the wife of the King of Jordan.

[Daphne – Yes, and she remains a queen, however she acquired the title.]

She was born in Kuwait and like many rich Arabs studied in a renowned university.

[Daphne – Oh, I thought Muslim women were kept under lock and key, and whipped regularly? Anyway, she’s Palestinian, not Kuwaiti.]

Daph, I recommend you to read “Daughters of Arabia” and “Princess” by Jean Sasson?

[Daphne – They are about SAUDI ARABIA, JOHN – about a country, not a religion.]

You will understand why we don’t have more Ranias.

@ Etienne: I am not an expert in such matters but I worked with moderate Muslims, mainly Egyptians and Moroccans and I have seen Saudis, Indonesians, Pakistanis and Malaysians. All I can say is that the last four tend to try to convert you by forcing you not to drink a bottle of beer.

In Saudi many households have a satellite receiver. You’ll see villas with a substation built near them to provide electricity and a 3 metre dish on the rooftop.

Here’s another interpreter of Islam:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/022670.php

[Daphne – Here’s a Muslim to stupefy the bigots. They wouldn’t know where to begin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D94LaaaPmm8 And my 1986 baby is the small figure on the right keeping people away, which is the real reason I posted this link, of course.]

Also, to your benefit I can easily say that I think Muhammad’s teachings are a step backwards in comparison to the teachings of Jesus. No doubt about it. Apart from the introduction of hell and the beforementioned compulsory love for our enemies, my only criticism of Jesus (or his alleged teachings) is his support for the barbaric Old Testament. Jesus seemed in general to be a pretty neat guy.

My view is quite the opposite. I personally think Islam is a bad religion, but as it also happens I think most religions are bad. That said, I would not stop anyone from expressing their religious belief, as long as it’s done in a lawful manner, not obstructing other peoples’ rights. Of course we have to fight against radicalism and extremism. No doubt about it. In fact, it is mainly because of such extremism I find the Christian injunction of universal love of our enemies both destructive and suicidal.

You cited Islamic law as punishing sexual relations outside marriage with 100 lashes. I’d rather be lashed a hundred times for a pleasant time with a woman, than being stoned to death for doing something extreme like, let’s say, picking firewood for my family on the wrong day of the week.

I will support you 100% in your stance against extremism and fundamentalism, but your undying support for the Catholic Church, while not hesitating to attack Islam, is untenable.

We here are not afraid of the normal Muslim but of the radical type. The misguided radical Muslim is not a softy, he is not like the ‘intimidating’ Mr Vincenti.

There are also bad interpretations of the Catholic religion in Malta. Can any Catholic in his right senses approve of the exaggerations in our ‘religiious’ feasts, making a feast of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ in Saint Paul’s Bay or parading a statue of the Holy Trinity in Marsa?
Some say that if Christ came back he wouldn’t recognise his church. May I add that not even the Prophet Mohammed (may Allah bless his name) would recognise Islam.

Thankfully there are no more crusaders trying to convert people to Catholicism with the sword, but the problem is that there are Jihadists who are in a Holy war against western culture.These will do their damn best to impose their culture and religion on us. I have seen it being done in other countries.