What do you think of this?

Question

There were two petitions concerning a native community (the Newars) in Nepal recently. Apparently there is a religious tradition of selecting a Buddhist girl or girls of childhood age to represent the Hindu goddess Taleju. This ritual is used to unite the Buddhist and Hindu community. However, one petition from the Nepalese supreme court is calling this a violation of human rights as the girls are required to abdicate, or forego their civil liberties, until they hit puberty. They are also deprived of contact with their natural family and formal education. The other petition is supporting it, saying to deny it would be to deny the Newars their right to religious freedom. Former "Kumaris" (girls who are selected as goddesses) report no ill will towards the experience, other than a slight regret at the lack of formal education and some difficulty in the transition.

At least one of the recent group of Kumaris went on to receive a Bachelor of Science.

More info here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070102/wl_csm/ogoddes

Answer 1

Sometimes, cultures just have to change. Education is too important to forgo (civil rights, too!).

Besides, even in the United States, the practice of religion is still regulated to an extent (though it is minimal). Think outlawed drug-use, snake-handling, human sacrifice (no joke), etc.

Answer 2

If this happened in America, this is what I would say:

The rights of the parents come first,
then the rights of the child,
then the freedom of religion.

So if the parent wants their child to participate, then the child must.

If the parent leaves it to the child, and the child decides no, then the child must not be made to do this.

And lastly, no law could be made prohibiting this ritual.