| There is an interesting case of the interpretation of | | | | of integration into their new homelands can become |
| religious tolerance playing itself out in Germany. A | | | | more problematic. |
| young woman, German Moroccan, had filed for | | | | Religious tolerance, however, has always had to be |
| divorce in the Frankfurt court last October. In her | | | | fought hard for. Whether a dissenter was burnt at the |
| application she had requested a waiver of the | | | | stake, or tortured during the inquisition, beheaded during |
| one-year waiting period, which is required in German | | | | the crusades or suffered any one of numerous ways |
| law, as she felt a quick divorce might stop her husband | | | | of being punished, mankind has not taken to religious |
| from beating her up and threatening to kill her. | | | | differences kindly. Eventually the religions based on |
| In January this year, her attorney received a fax from | | | | Christianity have learnt to more or less tolerate one |
| the judge saying that she was not prepared to grant | | | | another. Placing religions next to each other, where the |
| this immediate divorce on the grounds that the Koran | | | | main prophet is not the same entity is proving to be |
| allowed a husband to beat his wife. It's a supposed | | | | the next challenge. |
| right, which is the subject of intense debate among | | | | But even the question of different prophets might not |
| Muslims themselves. The woman's attorney has taken | | | | be the underlying stumbling block to acceptance. |
| this judgement to the media and the judge in question | | | | Possibly, what could be a more important reason for |
| has since been excused from the case, citing a conflict | | | | the reluctance to tolerate each other this time around |
| of interest. It has been causing a small stir in the | | | | could be the perceived gender inequality issues |
| German parliament where the debate has been about | | | | between the western and eastern religions. Having |
| human rights and religious considerations. | | | | said that, women have only received their rights in the |
| The question of religious tolerance is again raising its | | | | western society very recently, and the inequalities |
| head in the UK. Schools will be able to ban pupils from | | | | were definitely supported by the Christian faith. In fact |
| wearing full-face veils in the UK. Of course the UK | | | | there are some Christian churches that do not allow |
| government is really sitting on the fence here. The final | | | | women to become priests. They may not support |
| decision will rest with the school. The government | | | | chastising the wife anymore - did in the past, but they |
| knows this is a hot topic and won't really stick its neck | | | | certainly don't rush with equal status either. |
| out too much. | | | | If it is a question of physical abuse on the woman only, |
| Religious freedom and tolerance in any country is quite | | | | where does this paranoia about the veils come into it |
| a large issue. In effect, the real problems in the above | | | | then? And lets face it, these instances of Muslim men |
| instances stem from the fact that some immigrants, | | | | beating up their wives, are certainly mirrored in homes |
| sometimes-illegal ones, have moved into European | | | | where other religions are practiced. France was an |
| countries with strong religious leanings. Their religious | | | | early adopter of the banning of veils at schools. So the |
| and cultural beliefs, which confirm their identity to them, | | | | UK is not alone in this issue. Is it purely a clash of |
| are quite different to the ones practiced in the host | | | | cultures then? A fear of beliefs unknown? Not an |
| country. Add to that some global terrorist atrocities | | | | easy question to answer. |
| performed in the name of this religion, and the issues | | | | |