What's the difference?

I have been pondering the current upsurge of intolerance for others in society of late. The increasing banning of hajibs,burkas, etc in some countries and States is of some wonderment to me. These women and girls wear this as a symbol of their dedication to the beliefs of their religion. Nothing more, nothing less. Their religious principles and steadfastness are a honorable and noble in the mixed societies in which we live. I do not believe they attempt to stand out, nor create trouble , nor do many of them want anything more but acceptance of their beliefs. They seek not to convert the non Muslim nor prove the Catholic, Anglican, Unitarian or Seventh Day Adventist wrong...They simple want what we all have had. The right to worship in our way.

I think back the days of my childhood when nuns wore habits and garments much not all that different from the dress worn by many Muslim women of today. I don't recall the patients some of these nuns ,who were nurses, complain about the habit. Nor did I ever hear that an Irish nun; of which there were many; was a terrorist threat because she came from the "troubles" and might be a member of the IRA, or may harbour a bomb beneath her habit and gown...No sorry, folks, just the Catholic Church. But watch those Rosary beads, they could be made of C4 or Plastique. Or maybe the nuns who taught many of us in the 70's and 80's and before where secretly planting in us the agents for the uprising of the faith of Vatican 2.; the New Crusades..Bit late now, we missed it, people.

Within the Orthodox Jewish faith there is a need for women to have their heads covered, they utilise wigs for this purpose in many cases, but the premise remains static; that of an religious observance, humility and a sign of faith in ones religion. Many European women of many faiths, no doubt; covered their heads as either a religious matter or when in mourning. Did we ever worry about this? NO. Was a call ever placed to ASIO by any wig outfitters to say a woman of the Jewish faith was purchasing two wigs for herself? I really doubt it. We can be alarmed by what we are being told or were can be just lerts, looking for a reason to habour ill will against that which we do not try to understand. I'd rather be neither.

I am sure I am not thinking on such a vast plane ,that no one else can see the parallels I have touched on here. Nuns were cloistered away in convents, yet lived, worked and worshipped amongst us all and still do where the community is fortunate enough to have them. Women of faiths that have clothing as a religious observance do like wise...So why do society sneer and taunt the other religions? Is it a lack of understanding? I think not, for the life of a nun was always the unknown question of every Catholic educated child and no doubt the fascination of many non Catholic people as well. I never heard of a nun being stoned, spat upon or ridiculed in a public place except by a inebriated misdemeanant. I feel it is the Governments increasing creep towards a quasi "WASP Australian"policy as opposed to the "white Australian policy of the 1950's. I have yet to see a picture of the PM in a handshake with any indigenous leader, non Christian based religious leader or any real meaningful, proactive talks that weren't a photo opportunity with any of the above. They tell us to be alert, not alarmed, based on the US information( and how infallible is that ?) that it was a religious war that is being wrought by the Muslim faith. Yep, and the Sheraton bombing was the result of Holy Water disguised as nitro.