Bill banning child marriage fails in Pakistan after it’s deemed ‘un-Islamic’

[FLPanhandle]

Pakistani lawmakers had to withdraw a bill aimed at curbing the practice of child marriage after a prominent religious body declared the legislation un-Islamic.

The bill, which proposed raising the marriage age for females from 16 to 18, also called for harsher penalties for those who would arrange marriages involving children. Despite the laws in place, child marriages, particularly involving young female brides, are common in parts of the country. It's estimated that some 20 percent of girls in the country are married before they turn 18.

But the Council of Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body which gives advice to parliament on the compatibility of laws with Sharia, appeared to slap down the legislation after deeming it "un-Islamic" and "blasphemous," according to Agence France Presse. It had already handed down a similar ruling in 2014.

The council has garnered opprobrium in the past. In 2013, reports AFP, "it suggested making DNA inadmissible evidence in rape cases, instead calling for the revival of an Islamic law that makes it mandatory for a survivor to provide four witnesses to back their claims."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm an atheist so I have no problem with condemning all religions, but I will say Islamic based cultures are the worst of the lot.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Marriage at 16 is allowed in a lot of other places too, though

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/table_marriage

I was surprised to find that some US states allow marriage under 16 in certain circumstances (which appear to boil down to "a judge thinks it's OK, they both was to get married, and their parents are OK with it&quot , eg http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-122.html#NRS122Sec025 http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/19-A/title19-Asec652.html .

[La Lioness Priyanka]

22. most of europe too, but that doesnt fit the convenient narrative

[FrodosPet]

23. PAKISTAN: Child marriages on the rise across rural Sindh

http://www.irinnews.org/report/33985/pakistan-child-marriages-on-the-rise-across-rural-sindh

Khairpur, 31 March 2006 (IRIN) - In the small, dusty city of Khairpur, in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh, with its bazaars selling the hand-spun, embroidered cloth typical of the region, as well as the dates grown widely in the area, Sumera, 11, is in high spirits.

~ snip ~

“It is fun to get married. Everyone pays attention to me, and my skin has been rubbed with ‘uptan’ [a traditional turmeric-based paste to soften skin], just like the beautiful women I see in television dramas,” the girl said.

But in the next room, Sumera’s mother, Kalsoom Begum, is in a more sombre mood. The mother of six children, five of them daughters, is visibly upset at seeing her eldest child married off so early. There are also other reasons for her sadness. Though Sumera does not yet know this, the man she is about to marry is 45 years old, nearly four times her own age. He has paid Sumera’s father the equivalent of US $4,237 for her hand.

“She is only a little girl. She knows nothing of what marriage is all about or the relations with her husband that will come with it,” Kalsoom explained.

~ snip ~

People may want it to be the same thing, but it is NOT the same thing. Few Europeans are selling 11 year old children to become sex slaves to horny nasty old men.

[smirkymonkey]

74. +1000

What on earth is wrong with these people? This is so wrong.

[Fla Dem]

97. Nothing but government sanctioned pedophilia. Dirty Old Men, all of them. nt

[clarice]

111. Why oh Why are some posters trying to rationalize this???!! I don't get it. nt

[Le Taz Hot]

42. Congratulations!

First one out of the chute to justify it! Under 16. Pedophiles rejoice! You're home free! So, Muriel, any 3-year-olds in your family you'd like to sacrifice to the cause? It's OK in certain circumstances don't 'cha know?

[muriel_volestrangler]

49. Congratrulations! You have not bothered reading what I wrote

You can't count, either - 3 is not the same as 16. You know, you are incredibly ignorant and offensive when you say that what I wrote in any way 'justifies' anything. You can pretend that a marriage age of 16, in Pakistan, the USA or Europe, is 'pedophilia', but it isn't, by typical standards - it's the average.

What I actually wrote was that some states in the USA allow marriage under 16. I didn't say that was OK. I said it surprised me. I find it pretty nasty, actually, but you have just decided to defame me, rather than asking.

[Oneironaut]

95. Ok, but the 16 thing is mostly ignored.

That's the problem. It was only one part of this. There are also 10 year olds being forced into marriage with 50 year old men, and harsher penalties for that were rejected as un-Islamic.

[muriel_volestrangler]

98. But if some are ignoring a law, changing it doesn't mean those people will obey the new one

Making it illegal for 16 or 17 year olds to marry each other wouldn't help those under 16, or, if this is the concern, 16 or 17 year olds marrying those much older.

[Oneironaut]

104. There is also the symbolic aspect of making a law.

Unfortunately, the rejection of harsher penalties was also symbolic. It showed that this type of behavior is allowed. That nothing should change.

[polly7]

2. That picture ....

Heartbreaking that any child anywhere in this world is forced into a marriage like this where they will, usually, be mistreated, abused and completely denied any chance at the life they were entitled to as human beings.

[The2ndWheel]

5. I would say this is another good example that no human being is objectively entitled to anything

They're all just choices that change, or don't change, over whatever it is that we call time.

[polly7]

6. Every human being is entitled to choose their own path in life, whether it's easy to follow or

proves even impossible, is irrelevant. Taking choice away by forcing children to endure lives filled with misery - as most of these forced marriages do - is an example of just that, denying a human being any chance at a future. There is no 'choice' involved here.

[The2ndWheel]

8. Does that entitlement exist independent of human thought?

If not, they're all subjective choices. We choose this, they choose that. The old men that wrote these rules feel entitled as well. They're trying to choose their own path. Except it's wrong, but not to them. Good, bad, right, wrong, these are things that are decided by whoever wins, and that's why might has made right in human history.

[polly7]

9. I'm only interested in the rights of children and the entitlement to have even a chance

to mature and be able to choose their own path. The old men that feel self-entitled to destroy and own lives are not only wrong, they're evil. Might makes right is what has to be changed - everywhere. Whether it's being done by these people by war, religion, class ... whatever - human rights groups and ordinary people worldwide need to do more to help these children.

[The2ndWheel]

11. "Every human being is entitled to choose their own path in life"

I'm only interested in the rights of children and the entitlement to have even a chance to mature and be able to choose their own path.

Alright, so every human being isn't quite entitled to choose their own path. It depends on the context, so it's a subjective choice.

Might makes right is what has to be changed - everywhere. Whether it's being done by these people by war, religion, class ... whatever - human rights groups and ordinary people worldwide need to do more to help these children.

It needs to be changed, people over the world need to help the children; how? Not only how do you do that, but how do you keep doing it so that the rules don't just get re-written? Might, which can mean different things. It doesn't always have to be at the end of a gun, although those do help a centralized authority keep its authority. Who going to go into these societies and ask nicely? Can you please stop doing that? What if they say no?

[polly7]

12. All I have to say to this is ............ you TRY, using whatever means are available.

Every child deserves the right to not be abused, imprisoned, enslaved, etc. You TRY.

[smirkymonkey]

75. Not when it takes away the choice of others.

It is so wrong.

[clarice]

92. +1000. nt

[Nye Bevan]

3. Well, Muhammad married a six-year old girl.

To be fair, however, he waited until she was 9 or 10 to consummate the marriage (he was in his fifties at the time).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisha

[Coventina]

13. Careful, I was called a bigot for bringing that up.

I was also told Muhammad's behavior is irrelevant to the behavior of Muslims today.

[TipTok]

24. Except for that whole thing about living your life in perfect emulation of old Mo...

... to be the best muslim you can be.

Ha... What a crock...

[Coventina]

26. Tut tut! Don't be an Islamophobe!!

[TipTok]

27. ... and an obvious racist of course

[Coventina]

29. Obviously!

[WinkyDink]

70. 1. Mohammed himself said it. Another wife was 9; 2. Truth offends fanatics; 3. Hahahahaha! Yeah,

right. EVERYTHING Mohammed did is "relevant" to today's Muslims. THAT IS THEIR RELIGION!

[treestar]

80. European royalty did the same thing

Last edited Mon Jan 18, 2016, 11:54 AM - Edit history (1)

In fact, Margaret Beaufort, gave birth to Henry Tudor at 13.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Beaufort,_Countess_of_Richmond_and_Derby

[Nye Bevan]

87. I would ridicule any religion that was based on emaulating 15th century European royalty (nt)

[treestar]

89. You were referring to Mohamed

who was before that time.

Now, the age is Pakistan is 16.

[MosheFeingold]

99. That was middle aged back then

Life expectancy was mid-30s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy

[treestar]

100. It was as low or lower in Mohamed's time

And European royalty often held weddings for two children - no consummation until later, of course.

[MosheFeingold]

102. OK

But this law is in the 21st century.

Life expectancy, even in Pakistan, is over 60 somewhere.

[clarice]

110. Was she auctioned off? nt

[CanonRay]

4. A sick, sexually repressed culture.

[MariaThinks]

7. like i've said before, there are core values in this religion that make it impossible to

be moderate.

[zazen]

10. I agree--Jesus, if he existed, maybe married Mary Magdalene, an ADULT

The Old Testament doesn't depend on just one "prophet." Siddhartha bailed on his wife and son, which was a selfish act I always thought was rather glossed over in Buddhism, but he didn't do it to go off and screw children.

But when you center a faith around a human like this, and that includes Jesus and Mohammed, then his (and it's always his) choices matter. Jesus of the New Testament and of history wasn't focused on demonstrating male power over women.

In contrast, a man in his 50s marrying and having sex with a completely pre-pubescent girl (in addition to his pre-existing wives, who have no sexual freedom themselves) is prima facie patriarchal and abusive. There is no social arrangement on some other planet that could explain it.

We're not talking about the Neolithic where life expectancy might be 21 and he was 18 and she was 9. We're talking about a society that co-existed with Byzantium. There were plenty of 16-year-olds around he could marry.

But his supposed "holiness" and blessing by God was presumably further illustrated to his believers because he got to have sex with a young child, as if God is some pimp-sex-trafficker who supplies the holiest of males with the most nubile female children as a reward. That's at the core of their prophet's story and I don't have to respect it.

[MariaThinks]

16. and any questioning or discusson on the prophet gets a death sentence

by stoning by other muslims.

[smirkymonkey]

76. +1000

[CanonRay]

15. I read where there is a movement within Islam

to adopt a more liberal/moderate view. I think it's taking root in Indonesia. Hopefully it will spread.

[TipTok]

25. The goal should be to realize what a fairy tale it all is...

... not just believe in leprechauns instead of leprechauns and unicorns.

[smirkymonkey]

81. You don't hear much about these atrocities in Indonesia, which is where a majority

of the world's muslims are from. It seems to be cultural, from the Arab, North African and South Asian world. Hopefully, Indonesia can turn the world's opinion of Islam around. They seem to be much more reasonable.

[dsc]

88. a majority of muslims are not from Indonesia

they are the largest Muslim country but have about a fifth of the worlds Muslims not a majority of them.

[smirkymonkey]

96. Sorry, I was a bit off, but this might help explain it more clearly:

"According to the Pew Research Center in 2010 there were 50 Muslim-majority countries.[23][24] Around 62% of the world's Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia, with over 1 billion adherents.[25] The largest Muslim population in a country is in Indonesia, a nation home to 12.7% of the world's Muslims, followed by Pakistan (11.0%), India (10.9%), and Bangladesh (9.2%).[1][26] About 20% of Muslims live in Arab countries.[27] In the Middle East, the non-Arab countries of Turkey and Iran are the largest Muslim-majority countries; in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria have the most populous Muslim communities.[1][26] The study found more Muslims in the United Kingdom than in Lebanon and more in China than in Syria.[1]"

[Binkie The Clown]

14. Young girls have every right to be afraid of Islam.

You might even say they are right to be phobic about a religion that allows them to be abused. Hmmm Islam....Phobic.....

OMG! Those girls are Islamophobes! People throw that word around without ever considering that perhaps in some circumstances Islamophobia is a rational attitude, and not a racial slur.

[MariaThinks]

17. i'm phobic about

bombs going off all around the world.
radicalization as muslims begin to study their religion more
words like 'death to nonbelievers' in a religion's holy book
marrying girls less than 16
killing people for freedom of expression
death sentences being the common punishment for anything a lot of muslims don't agree with

[smirkymonkey]

64. +1000

[Coventina]

18. I'm waiting for certain posters to show up and explain how this is all about respect for women.

I'm waiting......

taptaptaptaptap......

[Rex]

20. Never going to happen, they pick and choose based on news stories.

How will they spin child slavery? This should be good...think I will wait too.

[BlueJazz]

52. I can't even imagine that kind of life. The images in my mind are things that humans should not..

...have to think about. (less 8 year old children).

[Rex]

19. Religions endorse slavery, it is a proven fact.

Religion was a great tool when we were primitive bi-peds running around trying to explain the stars and moon...now it is a hindrance to all human kind.

Selling children into slavery is as evil as it gets.

[Fast Walker 52]

85. yes, definitely

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. child marriage is fairly common in Hindu India too. As an atheist, I object to your lack

of understand of culture vs religion and ahistorical perspective

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Age of majority to marry in Mexico is 16

[Coventina]

30. Also under the control of a patriarchal religion.

Same disease, different locations.

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. That is not the point

and actually Mexico has separation of church and state, far stricter than the United States and it is considered a secular state. You should read the Mexican constitution just for shits and giggles.

I guess Europe is also controlled by a patriarchal religion, never mind that Europe in general is far more secular than the US as well.

MY point is that slamming this due to a religious reason alone is shitty in the extreme.

[Coventina]

32. Why? The religious body deemed it "un-Islamic" and "blasphemous".

Their words, not any of ours.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Becuase there is far more to slam this than just on religious reasons.

and there is something about a speck in somebody else's eye and a log in yours.

http://marriage.about.com/cs/teenmarriage/a/teenus.htm

The United States also allows this. here is the guide state by state. Granted, it is not as easy as it used to be, but it is still a practice.

For the record, I do not think a 16 year old is mature enough to marry. Hell, I don't think anybody is mature enough before at least 20 and brain development is with me on this.

[Coventina]

34. Again, the US was settled by believers in a patriarchal religion, we're slowly recovering from that.

I'm not going to say the US is blameless, far from it.

But when you have a religious body keeping a government from setting a law to protect children, yeah, I'm gonna call them out on it.

And I'm going to say that marriage in general is pretty patriarchal in nature and it's an institution that should also be done away with.
If people want to pledge themselves privately to each other, then that's great but governments should treat all individuals equally and quit having separate benefits for "married" and "unmarried" persons. It's all about control and originates in patriarchal control of women.

My husband and I got legally married for one reason only: so I could get health insurance.
And no, I didn't take his name.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. Congrats

But there is a role in government keeping those records.

Though there should be no difference in how civil society treats people. But we are still a society, and as such wekeep records of a lot of shit. Births, deaths heat status of populations, marriage, divorce. As a society we do this shit b

[Coventina]

36. I'm in agreement in keeping records of births, deaths, taking a census.

Birth certificates should have the name of the mother and father if at all possible.

A government has a right and responsibility to know who its citizens are.

But regulating their personal life is a MUCH tougher sell to me.

Again, our traditions all come from patriarchal forms that are about subjugating women.

But, what's actually necessary and egalitarian has not been sorted out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Marriage is a contract

Like divorce

This is a legal contract. It is no longer about you becoming property but how property is shared or not a religious marriage is a different story

I got zero issues with how civil society does this now,,,things have changed...a lot

[Coventina]

38. Things have changed a lot, but they still are not equal.

If that were the case, there would NO "legality" to religious weddings.

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. Hmm you need a license from the state

Though I would prefer what Mexico does, yup that backwards religious country. The state marries you. Whether you go to church after that is your business

[Coventina]

41. That's true of Great Britain as well. I would prefer that model to ours.

If you don't think that the Catholic Church exerts an undue amount of influence in Mexico, just take a look at their abortion laws.

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. In Baja California Norte and Nayarit

Tell me, and I grew up down there, what are both the abortion and lgbt laws in the DF?

[Coventina]

44. I don't know what the "DF" is. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Federal District, aka Mexico City

By the way, why those states got away with it us because the Mexican Supreme Court requires a supermajority to overturn state laws...it is a federal republic after all. So when people say ours should I shake my head.

FYI the Supreme Court had a clear majority to overturn them, and people are fighting to change them. The laws were not, and aré stop not popular, and it was a PAN aliance with the born again Christians that are taking like off like oh the proverbial wild fire.

[Coventina]

47. So, again, patriarchal religion.

I maintain that the entire Abrahamic tradition is misogynistic in its foundations and MOST (not all) of its manifestations.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. Whatever

I will say fix things here

[Coventina]

51. And I will say that Sisterhood is global. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. Nice talking point, but until you actually learn actual details

see Mexico as a textbook example (it is not a federal law)... well then...

And yes, even you could find allies down there, but not with those stereotypes at play. I am quite turned off by your statements, mostly due to the depth of ignorance of how that happened, where they are happening (like the US INDIVIDUAL STATES can pass, and in fact do regularly, laws), Yes voting has consequences.

I have learned that people who speak in empty talking points tend to broad brush things though, so no particular surprise there.

[Coventina]

56. I don't even understand the point you are trying to make anymore.

My point is that patriarchal religion has worked with government to subjugate women for thousands of years, and we're still struggling against it, as evinced by the OP.

You seem unwilling to agree with that point, or to think that that is some kind of stereotype.
I never said that the US is free of that kind of problem, quite the opposite, I specifically stated that it DOES have the same problem, just to a lesser degree.

Feel free to call the subjugation of women a talking point.

But I can tell you, I've lived the reality of it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

57. You want to change things

you need to learn how individual places do things, and chiefly why. These statements that patriarchal religion this or that, (and I am an atheist) turn people even within religions who are likely more liberal than you in many, if not all subjects quite off.

Feel free to have the last word

[Coventina]

60. I had no idea the term "patriarchy" was offensive to liberals.

That's news to me and I've been a member of DU since 2002, and a liberal and a feminist for long before that.

In my experience, only those who want to uphold the patriarchy are offended by calling it what it is.

[nadinbrzezinski]

61. Not offended, like white supremacy is a real thing

but you do not change things by insulting potential allies. And your posts have been quite ignorant and even when you were told how wrong you were on one particular subject, well you deflected.

As to feminism and all that, it is fine by me. I have broken a few glass ceilings... I just don't talk about it.

[Coventina]

62. You did not prove me wrong at all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Mexico

And please show me where I insulted potential allies. I want to correct that behavior.

on edit: grammar.

[nadinbrzezinski]

63. Yes I did, you said Mexico.

I told you this is a state issue.

Funny, even that wikipedia entry agrees.

And it is as fucking controversial in Mexico, as it is in the United States, The only fucking difference is that this is not a state issue in the US, but a Federal issue.

You might want to try that little dishonest trick with somebody who has no clue. Have an excellent day, and this time, do have the last word.

I really do not care to continue with this dishonest argument from you.

[Coventina]

65. You are adorable!!

Funny how the Wikipedia entry agrees with me:

The anti-abortion movement in Mexico has been led by the Catholic Church.[12] The Church remains influential in Mexico, and in any discussion of abortion, the government must discuss the reactions and policies of the Church.[12] It is also the Church's influence that has guided the debate towards a health rationale rather than a choice rationale – staying away from a pro-choice stance.[12]

I never argued with you one bit over whether it was a state or federal issue in Mexico, my point was that abortion is illegal in almost all of Mexico except in cases of rape or life of the mother.

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. Yes, yes you are

that wiki entry is late to the party to the shifting politics in Mexico

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_Mexico

You are indeed quite adorable.

And by the way, the conservative belt is using the cristero flag (yes that was a FAR RIGHT WING CATHOLIC movement in the 1920z), but also using AMERICAN, FUNDAMENTALIST (As in born again churches) culture war tactics.

If you have no idea what the fuck i am talking about, that is fine. You are indeed fucking adorable. And by the way, ignorant of Mexican politics.. .

[Coventina]

68. And, according to your link, Protestants/evangelicals are a whopping 7.6% of the population.

Making them less common than the LGBTQ community.

I still do not understand where you have proven me wrong on anything, ESPECIALLY since I specifically said that they are patriarchal as well.

[KentuckyWoman]

40. Massachusetts allows it at age 12 with parental consent.

Most states minimum age with parental consent is 15 and 16.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_marriage_in_the_United_States

The big problem in Pakistan seems to be ILLEGAL marriages. Girls as young as 5 are basically sold off into marriage which seems to be more common than anyone wants to admit. Making the penalties harsher would help, but not raising the marriage age.

[tabasco]

48. And Islam allows marriage before age nine.

https://islamqa.info/en/146882

[Fast Walker 52]

84. WTF???? Why???? Freaking insane!!!

Those laws are probably (I hope) horribly outdated. But why haven't they changed that???

[tabasco]

45. This freak religion needs to be outlawed.

If child rape is one of its tenets.

With regard to females, the father may give his minor, virgin daughter who has not yet reached the age of nine in marriage, and there is no difference of opinion concerning that, if he gives her in marriage to someone who is compatible. Ibn al-Mundhir said: All of those scholars from whom we acquired knowledge unanimously agreed that it is permissible for a father to give his minor daughter in marriage if he arranges her to someone who is compatible, and it is permissible for him to do that even if she is reluctant. End quote.

https://islamqa.info/en/146882

[smirkymonkey]

78. That is just sick.

Don't these people love their children? Why would they subject them to such a horrible fate?

[underthematrix]

53. Every religion seems to have a PEDOPHILE loophole.

We have a huge number of people who belong to the largest pedophile organization in the world. The Catholic Church. Of course they don't allow you to marry your victims. I was baptized and raised Catholic and attended a Catholic primary school. We were never ever allowed to be alone with a PRIEST or NUN. That was in the early fifties. Yep. My mother was ahead of her time.

Then there's all those fundamentalist and orthodox religions where pedophilia is also a problem. Just ask any state child protection agency.

I no longer practice any religion because from my perspective it's Satan's cesspool.

[WinkyDink]

71. Excuse me. You DO recognize the HUGE difference between a religion's very tenets, and a religion's

virtual apostates?

[underthematrix]

73. I don't think the children who are victimized make that distinction.

The unspeakable horror done to their bodies and their spirit probably very much the same.

[Jenny_92808]

54. In the US...

In Massachusetts girls may marry at age 12 with parental consent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_marriage_in_the_United_States

[smirkymonkey]

79. And how often does that happen?

It seems to me that some parents care about their children more than others.

[Liberal_in_LA]

58. Ugh

[hifiguy]

59. That really says it all, doesn't it?

Of all the ideas of humankind, the Abrahamic religions are without any question the worst.

[leftynyc]

82. Uh - where are the rash of

marriages where girls are being SOLD to their future husbands while still adolescents in Christian and Jewish countries with the blessings of their governments? I only see ONE religion doing that notwithstanding your blanket condemnation for all Abrahamic religions.

[backscatter712]

66. If religion is the opiate of the masses...

...Islam at this moment is about at the level of Krokodil...

[Skittles]

69. disgusting

I will never understand why so many men want to fuck children

[smirkymonkey]

83. Seriously, what is wrong with these people?

It's so sick!

[clarice]

94. and THEN, try to justify it by religious tenet. *barf* nt

[ericson00]

72. well said

I 1000% agree on this:

I'm an atheist so I have no problem with condemning all religions, but I will say Islamic based cultures are the worst of the lot.

[treestar]

77. At 16 it can be allowed here

it may take parental permission, but it can be done:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_marriage_in_the_United_States

Any marriage in Pakistan would require parental consent. Even at 18 or over.

Saying Islamic cultures are "the worst of the lot" would take knowledge of others besides that of the US. And you haven't even given the statistics for other Islamic countries.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/the-lowest-age-you-can-legally-get-married-around-the-world-10415517.html

A quit look shows that Belarus is worse than Pakistan.

[smirkymonkey]

86. I don't care what country it is, it is wrong. Personally, I think that nobody

should get married before the age of 25, if not 30.

[treestar]

91. I don't think you cared at all

until you heard it was a Muslim Country. Haven't seen any posts decrying the ability to get married at 16 in the US.

[Oneironaut]

93. 16 is the official age there, and is mostly ignored.

It's more like 9 year old girls being forced to marry 40 year old men. Harsher penalties for this were rejected as "un-Islamic." This does not happen in the U.S., and it is definitely not acceptable.

[clarice]

109. Go man Go. nt

[smirkymonkey]

101. You apparently did not hear what I said in my previous posts

it is encouraged in some countries while not in others. It is wrong regardless of the country.

[clarice]

108. Ohhh....well that makes everything OK...Thanks.... I feel much better. nt

[clarice]

103. Has NOW commented on this? nt

[Odin2005]

105. Pakistan is the victim of Saudi-backed proselytism of radical Wahhabi fundamentalism.

Traditionally South Asian Muslims were a very tolerant bunch, with strong Sufi tendencies. This current extremist BS is a modern phenomenon.

[clarice]

107. Perhaps...is that why they are marrying children ?? nt

[Odin2005]

112. That was normal in South Asia even back before there were Muslims in South Asia

Indian arranged marriages and all that. It is just that the Saudi-backed fundamentalism has made social reform against such things very hard.

[clarice]

106. Just checked the NOW website......nothing on this....go figure. nt