Top judges in key ruling on sharia marriage

[CHIMO]

Source: The Observer

Three senior judges are to rule on the legality of an arranged marriage conducted in the UK under sharia law, a judgment that could have profound consequences for British Muslims.

Last week, as Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, declared it was 'inevitable' that certain parts of Islamic law would be introduced into Britain, the Court of Appeal was told how a 26-year-old British Muslim with learning difficulties was married over the telephone to a woman in Bangladesh. It was arranged by the man's father and deemed lawful under sharia law.

Lord Justice Thorpe, Lord Justice Hall and Lady Justice Hallett were asked by the man's family to reject an earlier decision that, because the groom was unable to give his consent, the marriage was unlawful. Mr Justice Wood said that the true test into the validity of the marriage was 'whether the marriage is so offensive to the conscience of the English court that it should refuse to recognise and give effect to the proper foreign law'.

Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, echoed these sentiments and added: 'I don't believe in a multicultural society. When people come into this country they have to obey the laws of the land.'



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/10/religion.law2

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Some Catholics are going to have to evaluate whether their religion is part of Caeser's area or is it dependent on who is Caeser?

[msongs]

1. are the english really gonna commit religious suicide? nt

[CHIMO]

2. Don't Know

What you really mean?

[Glorfindel]

3. I sincerely hope not!

That would be the camel's nose under the tent. After validating "arranged" marriage without the consent of the groom, what would be next? Polygamy? The enforced burka? Mandatory female genital mutilation?
Any of a long list of horrifying practices? The fact that an English court could actually be considering such a ridiculous case is alarming, in and of itself.

[aquart]

6. WHY was the groom unable to consent?

[Glorfindel]

7. Evidently because of his learning disability...

"an earlier decision that, because the groom was unable to give his consent, the marriage was unlawful."
That was the opinion of the lower court that's being appealed.

[cstanleytech]

4. Eh, if the guy was consenting

I would not care one wit but if the court deems him unfit mentally then yeah the marriage should be annulled.
I'm not bashing sharia law, this has little to do with it to me because its not about a religion but about the right to freely choose.

[pnwmom]

5. Why are you criticizing the Catholic Church -- and taking the Cardinal's

quote of of context -- and not the Archbishop of Caterbury, Dr. Williams, who advocated for introducing parts of Islamic law into Britain?

SNIP
Already two members of the General Synod, the church's parliament, have called for Williams to resign amid criticism from leading bishops, secular groups and government figures. Today, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Lord George Carey, Williams's predecessor, has accused him of 'overstating the case for accommodating Islamic legal codes', adding that 'acceptance of some Muslim laws would be disastrous for the nation'.

Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, echoed these sentiments and added: 'I don't believe in a multicultural society. When people come into this country they have to obey the laws of the land.'

SNIP

________________________

I think the Cardinal misspoke about a "multicultural society." But I agree with him that immigrants have to respect the laws of the country they immigrate to. And Sharia law shouldn't be recognized either in England or the U.S.

[CHIMO]

11. The Cardinal

Is making a statement about civil matters not religious matters.

Canada is a multicultural country not a melting pot. He is saying that Catholics in Canada have different rules to follow than those in England.

It is not his place.

As for the reaction to the Archbishop, I suppose that they are saying with their statements that bypassing the courts and going to arbitration should now also be outlawed.

I would like to hear more from the Archbishop on just what he is saying before I jump to conclusions.

England is not France. The laws, and their interpretations, in England change with society.

[pnwmom]

12. The Cardinal didn't say anything about Catholics in Canada. n/t

[CHIMO]

14. He Said

And I will repeat the paragraph:

Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, echoed these sentiments and added: 'I don't believe in a multicultural society. When people come into this country they have to obey the laws of the land.'

He does not believe in Canada's multicultural society. It is not a belief.

He is, I suppose, still a Catholic or at least catholic?

[pnwmom]

15. It's not clear at all to me what he meant by that. I assumed he meant

that he doesn't believe in a country having multiple systems of laws -- religious systems like Sharia side by side with State law for everyone else.

And I agree with him about that.

[ohio2007]

8. Only in England can a man have four wives and it's all legal to have the govt support them

As long as he's a good muslim that is.No others are allowed the same basic human rights of polygamy

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23435519-details/Muslim+husbands+with+more+than+one+wife+to+get+extra+benefits+as+ministers+recognise+polygamy/article.do

[AlphaCentauri]

9. The cardinal echos Pat Buchanan on immigration

I don't agree with the cardinals statement.
Human rights have to be above religious believes and practices. I would not agree with any religious law that forces people to act against their will.

[pnwmom]

13. The Cardinal is opposing Sharia law in England. It seems that you should

agree with him, based on your statements here.

[AlphaCentauri]

16. I just don't agree with any of them n/t

[pnwmom]

17. I don't understand. You think England should recognize Sharia law? n/t

[AlphaCentauri]

18. I would advocate separation of church and state

[pnwmom]

19. Then you would disagree with the people who think that for Muslims in a

western country, Sharia should be able to replace Western law.

[Alameda]

10. No marriage is lawfull under Sharia law

if both parties do not agree to it.