Do you respect a religious belief that imposes female genital mutilation, AKA female circumcision?

Question

If not, can you still respect the believers right to hold this belief, even as you try to prevent its practice?

(The practice involves removal of the clitoris, the primary organ for female sexual pleasure.)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) primarily occurs in eastern and central Africa. Female genital cutting is believed to have originated in Pharaonic Egypt (hence the term "Pharaonic circumcision"). It crosses the lines of various religious groups. It is found among Muslims and Animists.

Although in some regions some Muslims do practice it, UNICEF stated that it was not possible to provide a direct link between Islam and FGM.

Answer 1

I cannot respect a belief that causes the suffering of others.

But I can respect that it is tradition in their faith, though it would be nice to be able to stop it.

Answer 2

No I don't because I believe that female should have just as much equal rights towards their lives. Well, the believers have the right and will continue to hold the right to think what they want regardless of whether one tries to prevent it or not. You cannot stop someone from thinking a certain way. It's an individual choice which he/she will defend if you try to prove otherwise and most of the time, actually, backfires making them more against your point.

It's basically ignorance that needs to be checked but in the end it all depends on that individual.

Well, it really depends on whether the girl or women loses the feeling or not.

Answer 3

Thank you for so kindly explaining the purpose of the clitoris.... I was a bit confused on that. [/patronizing tone and assholitude]

Anyway, no, it's a horrible practice, and it shouldn't be allowed any more than I should be able to lop off my kid's right arm because it's what I believe. I also wouldn't respect the belief itself or the person believing it any more than than I would respect someone's belief to mutilate someone in another way, or the person who would do such a thing... But I do in general respect the system of beliefs from which flawed practices like that spring, as it usually isn't all among them who practice these things, and there are less horrific points in these religions.

Answer 4

I am Muslim and have never heard of this as a religious practice.I've heard that in some societies they believed that if women couldn't feel sexual pleasure they would be less likely to be permiscious as teenagers and wouldnt cheat on their husbands later in life. I think that it is a disgusting practice, and should be banned.
I dont think that it is right to attach it to a religion when it is a regional practice based on beliefs of people of a certain area not a certain religion. So you can of course not agree with certain things but still respect people who believe in it, because people are not all about one belief, alot of times it is an idea that is passed on for generations so it is not always something that they themselves chose to believe but something that they have grown up believing.

Answer 5

Religious belief still has to coincide with law.

God even says to obey the law of the land.

I can respect the believers right to hold this belief, but would I condone it? No.

Would I try to prevent it? If it were done on her own free will, I couldn't. If she is wearing a head covering and made to be a second class citizen and taken to do this circumcision . . . I would support the end of such torture.

Answer 6

No. And it is a cultural practice not a religious practice. It is an extreme way of preventing women from having sexual pleasure since they believe that is something only reserved for men. Many cultures not just primitive ones fear female sexuality.

Answer 7

I have no respect for barbaric ideas like that. I see no reason why we should let any one have a right to destroy society for the sake of religion. Any country that takes there laws DiRECTLY out of religious text is cruel.


PS That practice should be punished by the death penalty. ( I would guess its done at a young age by family members)

Answer 8

I respect freedom of religion, but this is a cultural belief that supposedly makes women more faithful to their husbands since they can't enjoy the act of sexual intercourse. There is no proof of this whatsoever, and the fact that it's usually older, superstitious women that perform this act of torture upon little girls just doesn't make sense to me. I would hope that these people would investigate the history of this practice and why it has become part of their tradition.

Answer 9

Is this a religious belief or a tribal custom? I wasn’t aware that it was connected to a specific religion.

I think the best way to prevent the practice is through education. The more educated the female population become in these areas, the more they are likely to stand up for their rights.

Answer 10

NO!! I will not respect the believers right either, that practice is torture, cruel, inhumane and barbaric. Any person who practices it is sick and disgusts me especially the older women performing it to young girls. i remember seeing an article of it with a picture. The picture of that poor little girl is something i will never forget and those older women torturing her. I have no respect any believer in that- THEY ARE SICK! HOW COULD THEY DO THAT TO A LITTLE GIRL?