![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
It seems that ultra-conservatism and ultra-orthodoxy in the Abrahamic religions leads to dangerous, confrontational beliefs. Radical Islam has shown the world its ugly side more than once, not only in violent acts, but in the extreme views of Sharia Law. Radical right Christianity isn't any better, where you have people who would seemingly love to impose their own rigid, bigoted, and illogical view of the world on everyone else. And recently, in Israel, the ultra-Orthodox community there has been causing an uproar. I've been reading about it for a few months now, but this NY Times article does a decent job of outlining the concerns.
Their lead incident is illustrative. There was a pediatrics professor, a Dr. Maayan, who had written a book on hereditary diseases, and had been given an award for the book by the Israeli Health Ministry. However, the Israeli Health Ministry is headed by someone who is ultra-Orthodox. At the awards ceremony, Dr. Maayan had to sit separately from her husband (because the ultra-Orthodox insist on strict segregation of the genders), and a male colleague had to accept the award for her, because women are not permitted on stage.
This was, it is to be noted, a public governmental ceremony…
What is it in these religions with common mythic roots that cause those who are the most far right to hold such repressive views -- especially toward women, sexuality, and science? How does a modern society deal fairly with such views?
Their lead incident is illustrative. There was a pediatrics professor, a Dr. Maayan, who had written a book on hereditary diseases, and had been given an award for the book by the Israeli Health Ministry. However, the Israeli Health Ministry is headed by someone who is ultra-Orthodox. At the awards ceremony, Dr. Maayan had to sit separately from her husband (because the ultra-Orthodox insist on strict segregation of the genders), and a male colleague had to accept the award for her, because women are not permitted on stage.
This was, it is to be noted, a public governmental ceremony…
What is it in these religions with common mythic roots that cause those who are the most far right to hold such repressive views -- especially toward women, sexuality, and science? How does a modern society deal fairly with such views?