how can you not find this interesting and worth a thought?

France's controversial ban on wearing Islamic veils such as burqas took effect Monday.

The ban pertains to the burqa, a full-body covering that includes a mesh window over the face, and the niqab, a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes.

The hijab, which covers the hair and neck but not the face, and the chador, which covers the body but not the face, apparently are not banned by the law.

OK.. so do we understand the enormity of this law in France- that it is not allowing people to live the way they/their husband feel(s) is right in the eyes of God/Allah?

This is Huge

This is game changer

But then I was thinking about how if I don't believe in their religion, and I were to go to their country I would be forced to dress as though I did. How strange is that?

I am not laying any real answer out here folks- just a bunch of thoughts.

Like last week I went to the zoo and there was a woman(i think she was a woman) fully covered including face with black with sunglasses.(this would not be legal in France anymore).. and I was like.. "I wonder if she has a zoo pass- I wonder what the picture looks like on the zoo pass- I wonder if she stole her friends zoo pass who also wears the same garb- No one would ever know. There is no way the zoo security is going to ask this fundamentalist to de-scarf her face to show here identity. and this is my small point.

I am all about religious freedom. I depend on it. But what if our religious service means that we betray/conflict/deny the proper security of a country/institution? These women could easily be men. They could easily be someone else. Do you want to go on a plane ride to NYC with one of these people on board? Just saying..

and here is my other personal problem with this religious fashion- this has nothing to do with legalities.. but I had this thought. What if I was the last person on earth who was not a Muslim extremist. i was the only one in the supermarket who was not wearing full black garb. I could make eye contact with no one-I could smile at no one- I could connect with no one. (K truth is- if I was the last one left I would be taken and tortured to death- lets be real).. but my point is- there is something against Humanity and Togetherness and Fellow Person-ness in people completely covering themselves and actually Cutting Themselves Off from Everyone Else Around them. That is what bothers me the most. There is no connection. It completely denies the unity of humanity.

i know you think I am going off on this- but it is true. I make an effort to make eye contact with all sorts of different kinds of people- these are the one kind that I find always leave me feelin at a loss.

Not to mention it is scary. Good grief what do you think my 3 year old thinks when she sees that? She thinks what I think. She thinks- there is something wrong. and she is right.

And why black? why not pink? or white? or rainbow? Like why looks so dead? didn't God make you alive? What are you afraid of? Don't you want to smile and share a smile with someone else?

Don't you want to feel the breeze on your face?

I get actually pretty caught up in this topic. I remember the first time I saw women covered in Burqas in the Calgary Herald like 10 years ago- I read it out loud in my University class and you know what - i cried- that's right folks I cried- I cried because I was also a woman. I cried because I knew that it meant bondage. it still makes me sad-

I see no beauty in them. I see no beauty in their faith. I can't actually even see them at all

The only other people that dress with such coverings that I can think of are astronauts, radiation scientists, welders, and of course criminals- robbers or terrorists really like to cover their faces.

Back to the point. I encourage all people to exercise their religious freedom. I am very glad that France absolutely continues to allow these woman to cover 98% of their being. I am glad that I can wear what I feel is appropriate. I am glad that I don't have to wear what I don't think is appropriate. i am very thankful that we can meet and worship and not be afraid. I was just reading last week that all the people that were part of a christian church that was in the home in China were taken into custody. Religious Freedom is a gift.

this is truly meant for no offense to any fundamentalist Muslim people. I clearly don't understand the conviction for full coverage. although I do understand the conviction to live for God.