nothingtoseehere

Thank you thank you thank you perejro! :D

THAT. WAS. FECKING. AWESOME. *smiles all day* :nice:

I love being a Coldplay fan. :heart:

Gwyneth. There. I said it.

That trailer only showed like 10 seconds of the vid but I am already in LOVE with it! It's so cute! Sent shivers down my spine, it did! :nice: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFuFjOXMsuI]YouTube - Coldplay - Strawberry Swing trailer (Official Video)[/ame] It's on youtube for those who aren't able to watch on coldplay.com

Aw that was sweet! :nice: I love the bit about you meeting his dad. The boys seem like such nice, down-to-earth people, and that really makes me love them all that much more! :heart:

^Yeah, Ne-Yo's comments kinda impressed me! :nice: That was nice. :)

Uncomfortable, maybe, but would it affect you in the long run? Your comparison there isn't really substantial... The disrespecting of one's religious beliefs is not the same as the disrespecting of one's desire to look at another's face. Seriously, would you ridicule someone who thinks they'd end up in hell if they showed you their face? Would you keep trying to get them to reveal themselves and humiliate them, just so you can have a look at their face? Mark, are you even trying to understand why the ban isn't really necessary?

You don't understand. I know perhaps some non-Muslims may find it ridiculous that we think about the afterlife so much, but for those who truly believe that the burqa is compulsory in Islam, not wearing one may affect what happens to them after they die. Now, I don't believe that'll happen, but there are those who do believe that, and I respect that. Does it really hurt when you can't wear short-sleeved shirts, shorts and bikinis? Does it spiritually affect you? You know, there's a well-known saying in Islam that goes, 'There's no force in Islam.' While we cannot force our beliefs on you, we do expect some respect. And covering up is a sign of repect. I know it's the same with a lot of non-Muslim countries, too. ;)

Yeah Mark, but the people ruling the countries should consider their people, too. And when it's about the burqa, I only hope that they'd try to understand those wearing them more, and not immediately say that it's like a prison for women who wear it. Yes, it is oppressive if forced, but it's also oppressive to ban it. So before you go around banning things, do look at it from another angle and try to understand.

Yes, including secular countries. For some people, religion and beliefs isn't something you can just turn on and off. Like, what if there was a country that decided to ban all forms of clothing? You probably wouldn't mind if you're okay with showing your body to the public, but if your body is something you prize as a part of you that is private, then you'd be outraged too, right? And about ignoring the rules. Didn't you read the post about respect?

But in Muslim states that follow Islamic laws, religion doesn't only apply in places deemed holy. Islam is a way of life, and it should be practiced no matter where you are.

I'm sorry if I came off as judgemental but those comments about wife-beating Muslim men are what angered me as you generalised all Muslim men who are married to burqa-wearing women.

Exactly, Mark. In SOME countries. And if you don't agree with these countries doing this, then why do you condone the banning of the burqa? It's a bit hypocritical, no? I can understand why some Muslim countries ban revealing clothes. The thing about flesh-showing is that in Islam, it is considered wrong, too, for a man to ogle at a woman's body. Doing so is sinful, so when a foreign woman visits wearing revealing clothes, it is disresepectful as it's causing a man to sin. Like you wouldn't expect women to go to Church looking like prostitutes, would you? It's about respect.

Thanks, MrNick. I'm aware that a lot of people don't tolerate other people who aren't like them. That's why I had to say something here. I used to live in Manchester and I know what it's like to be part of the minority, to be judged for looking different. I had stones thrown at me when I was a kid, and the kids throwing those stones at me were like, 'Go back home, you chink!' And I'm not even Chinese. :rolleyes: I understand that these days though, people are more tolerating and not so judgemental, that's why it kinda shocked me when some people on here said some somewhat nasty things.

Actually, her views regarding the burqa is the same as mine. It isn't compulsory in Isam. But the issue here is modesty. What one finds modest might not be to another person.

But why can't some people find the total covering of the face acceptable or necessary? Why is it unnerving? Is it because of the prejudice you hold against people who do this? When you see someone doing this, you immediately link it to terorrism? In this case, it is not the burqa-wearing woman who's at fault, it's the person judging her. I won't disagree that you're not convinced, but I do hope you can change your opinion because I know women who wear the burqa on their own free will and they are the most humble yet strong women I know. :) The burqa shouldn't be banned, because, like I said before, banning it and telling a woman to take it off is just like telling any other woman to reveal to others her private bits. That's just harrassment.

Why are you putting words in my mouth? I feel sorry for those who are being treated like sexual objects. I don't care what country they're in!

I didn't say I dont like your culture. You've completely missed the point. I said not every culture is like yours, and you should accept that this world is made up of people with many different beliefs.

Who says I don't like your culture? :dozey:

Right. I'm a Muslim woman, so I'm going to say something and I hope that those of you who have argued against the burqa can please reconsider their prejudices and be a little bit more tolerating towards others. I haven't gone through every page in the thread yet, but some of your comments are really hurtful as they're degrading us Muslims. Mark, thank you for showing us all how ignorant you really are. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT judge a religion based on the people in that religion. Yes, the burqa is not necessary, as Islam allows a woman's face to be shown, but modesty is also another issue here. What's modest to you may not be modest to other people, so why can't you accept it if a woman finds the showing of her face not modest? Weren't ankles once considered erotic to some men once upon a time in Europe? The slightest revealing of the ankle used to drive some men totally crazy, or so I've read... In some parts of the world, being naked around other people is considered normal, yet nudity is banned in other countries. See what I mean? Forcing a woman to take off her burqa and reveal a part of her that she believes should be protected is a complete violation. It's like telling any other woman to show you her private parts. It's harrassment, that's what it is. And no, these women aren't being beaten by their husbands. How dare you insult us women and Muslim men that way. Sure, the Taliban had forced their women to cover up in burqas, but the Taliban do not reflect the entire Muslim world. Like I said, do NOT judge a religion based its people. Mark, some women find wearing the burqa liberating. It's a symbol of liberation against what some people (like Sarkozy, for example) are trying to turn us into. Why can't you accept that this world is made up of so many different people with different beliefs and opinions and colours? Do you really want us to be the same? Us Muslim women who choose to cover up do so because we don't want to be judged on our looks, we don't want to become sexual objects. We don't want to walk about showing off our cleavage for some people to ogle at, or wear tight clothes to attract unwanted attention. Being a sexual object is oppressive too you know, and I'd rather have someone judge me on my brains, not my looks. Not every culture is like yours, Mark, and you can't judge us because you don't understand us. I have friends who where the burqa, and they are intelligent individuals who aren't being ruled by anyone.

Flaming Lips? Wowzers! :stunned:

WOOOT! That is deliciously sweet news!!! I love having new Coldplay material... Yummy! :dance:

Ugh I love how R#42 makes me feel like I'm there watching the concert. Even if he's only sending us live pictures.

Hey Rudy, I thought there was such thing as Kari Ayam flavour? Wait let me go downstairs and check... Heehee... I'll ask my sis when she comes over. :D Mmmm Durian. And Maggi Goreng. Haven't had those in ages... 8)