^This. Even though we're different faiths and cover in slightly different, yet similar, ways, you pretty much summed up my thoughts on the matter.

Personally, I don't believe in revolutions to overthrow the government, especially in countries like that but my reasons are a bit too complicated and difficult for me to explain properly to be honest. However, I will say, that it isn't quite a false start since Egypt has overthrown many rulers before Mubarak and it has never ended well for them. I don't see them having a successful government chosen by the people within my lifetime, honestly. But again, just my opinion.

The whole thing was dumb, IMO. They should never have started the first revolution in the first place, IMO. The thing people don't realize is that the cultural differences make it difficult and almost impossible for a country like that to immediately transition to a democracy. They DID elect Morsi democratically and then they decided they didn't want him (as they have with most of the leaders they've had for the last several decades). Whoever he is replaced with, they will likely revolt against him too. There are far too many groups, all of whom have different wishes. There are tons of Morsi supporters very upset about this, plenty of people in favor of the coup, and still others who don't like either side. What a joke.

Yeah, I tend to not go too wacky with my clothing but I definitely don't think I dress plain or drab. And in the house I dress very nicely and attractively (IMO). Overseas especially, as mentioned upthread, this is a big deal, women put a lot of effort into their appearance, especially when in their house. I don't tend to wear much decor on my clothes outside (though I did when I was younger) but definitely I don't dress drably and try to care for my appearance. There are plenty of blogs by covering Muslim women for hijabi fashion and they are very nice. I would agree that the article almost makes it sound like she thinks modest is a way to get away without having to put effort into one's appearance and that is not the case at all, at least not in Muslim circles. Out of curiosity, what is half-Muslim?! Either you are Muslim or you aren't, I'd think someone married to a Muslim would know that you can't be half a religion LOL (you could certainly be half middle eastern...though I would assume if the daughter decided to start wearing hijab she might identify herself as Muslim period.)

I'm assuming they eat dairy? - Quiche - Vegetarian/vegan lasagna (I used to do a vegetarian one but these days I've been making the Vegan Lasagna w/cauliflower ricotta from Appetite for Reduction- recipe easily found with google- because I'm dairy-free) - Chickpea picatta (also from appetite for reduction and can be found w/google, served over mashed potatoes and with a green veggie). - The Glazed Walnut Lentil loaf from Oh She Glows w/mashed and balsamic glazed/roasted asparagus. http://ohsheglows.com/2012/10/05/glazed-lentil-walnut-apple-loaf-revisited/ - Indian chickpea curry, aloo gobi, and lentil curry w/basmati rice - I make a quick vegan chili mix and use it as a filling for mexican food (tacos, burritos, chimichangas...) or as a base for chili pie/taco salad. My usual method includes black beans but they aren't a must. I sautee onion and garlic, add a can of drained chickpeas and spices (chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, cumin), mash up the chickpeas, blend canned tomatoes/tomato sauce and some chipotle pepper with adobo and add that to the mix, add some molasses, brown sugar, dijon mustard, worcestershire, and a good amount of vegetable broth (at this point I add black beans too and some fresh corn), bring it to a boil and let it simmer covered for a while. Add cilantro and lime juice and taste for seasoning.

I think that, as clear as you are about when other people's opinions are based on things that are not widely accepted as fact, you should probably disclose that the idea of Jesus, the person, not having existed period is a pretty fringe idea. His existence (not his divinity/role religiously) is a widely accepted fact amongst historians of all persuasions.

Would you consider documenting the information and anonymously giving it to the more stable parent who will be seeking custody? I consider financial stability definitely less important that mental/emotional stability and a child having a safe place to grow up. I think state law differs a lot because I heard that it some states a mother who was abusing drugs while pregnant could be compelled to enter a rehab program till she delivers but if not, I would think the documentation would come in handy in that if the authorities are aware they could take custody from her at the time of birth. I think the father coming into possession of proof is the best solution because he can give it to his lawyers and see what they can do with it and make sure he has custody. Based on what you described that mom needs to be forced to get clean for the duration of the program and then have custody given to the father unless/until she cleans up her act. It sounds like the situation is severe enough it definitely merits your getting involved in these ways. That poor child needs SOMEONE to advocate for them. I don't believe in putting the child's right before the mother's legally but she made the choice to keep the baby and to continue her pregnancy so she is now responsible for that child's well-being. At the very least, the doctors will need to know when she delivers because the child may well have to be treated for the effects of the drugs.

Here is a listing of stores selling modest clothes and dresses: http://www.modestclothes.com/

Same as Mrs. Mungo. I would call CPS for advice and document if possible without causing problems. Is the person who could be seeking custody of the child more stable?

Portland is always the exception to every rule.

Well, everyone knows that walking around with hairy pits really gets the fires burning. I mean, just go out like that in a nice tank top and make sure to conspicuously lift your arms. Men walking by will have their eyes just drawn to you, their whole faces light up, and their facial expressions are just priceless.

If I ever have a spider crawling on me, my husband has been ordered to grab the closest heavy object and knock me out. I now have to amend that. If a black widow is crawling on me, I would like him to shoot me. Please.

Spryte, you know, I can actually get that. When people ask me why I cover, I know that a lot of other people respond that it is because it is protection or to be judged by personality, not appearance...and so on. I do think there is some wisdom and benefits behind it but for me I feel like those things could probably be argued and for me, the real reason is that it is ordered in our holy book. I always do wonder if when I give that answer people are put out wanting a more anthropological answer so it was interesting to hear your take. For me, I just give that reason because I don't believe that tank tops (or clothes items in general) are inherently immodest or that they lead to dangerous situations and I think among the private company of women, family members, and my husband I probably dress more immodestly than many members here so it isn't a personal opposition. On the other hand, I will say that HERE, I don't think any man will get worked up over the sight of one's upper arm but if you're living in a society where almost everyone covers, people tend to look to what is exposed. So for example, if you live in a very conservative area where the majority covers their body, hair, face, and even their hands and you don't cover your hands then men (who are completely deprived of "eye-candy" lol) may focus on that feature as attractive. In this setting I've actually heard of men finding a woman (who they have no idea what she actually looks like) attractive because she had really pretty hands, was wearing a nice ring, had her nails nicely done or maybe some henna...etc. It seems weird in a way but I guess that would make sense anthropologically? I don't get bothered by people dressing "immodestly" around me at all. That being said, I get annoyed by the attitude when people are trying to make a point. For the Muslim holiday of Eid, often the whole mosque goes and does their prayers outside at a park. One year, there was a group of younger college-age people who were at the park. They were wearing bikinis and cover-ups (no problem) BUT when they saw the environment, a couple of the girls started giggling, took off their cover ups so they were only in tiny bikinis and walked specifically up to the area where a bunch of the more conservative men were sitting around and started making 'small-talk' complete with looking over to the women's table and placing hands on some of the guys' shoulders (a no-no for us). The guys were uncomfortable but they didn't want to be rude and be a bad example or fulfill some Muslim stereotype by expressing their discomfort. The women were uncomfortable because it was really clear that these girls were purposely trying to make a point. Most of us just decided not to address it but the one woman who got mad enough to go up to them and confront them to ask them to be respectful was a woman who doesn't cover at all. So, it was really only the attitude and not the dress at all. Now, enough being serious. I want to go back to my snark ;)

Don't feel bad for finding it hilarious ;) . I wear long sleeves for religious reasons though I don't think sleeveless shirts are by nature immodest or skanky. I just don't think armpits are sexy LOL and when I read the topic that was the exact imagery that came to my mind. I would agree that bare shoulders can be sexy but a boat neck/wide neck top would be more likely to be attractive than a good view of my pits IMO.

Vaccination not vacation, FriedClams. I think you may have misread ;) :laugh:

Most men are driven crazy by the sight of armpits. Even crazier if it has been a few days, you've got a bit of stubble coming in, and there is some deodorant powder residue. You might disagree but that is just because you don't really know men or what they want. Edited because site is not sight ;).

Mashaallah, that looks great. How old is the child you are using this for? I will be saving this for the future, inshaallah. :) Btw, wasn't there an IMAX movie (that is now available online) that might correspond with Ibn Battuta? Journey to Mecca or something? You may have already seen it though. I didn't watch it yet so I don't know whether it would work.

I thought this was a really weird poll and totally out there but also bought the explanation upthread that you didn't have an agenda and weren't trying to make a point until I read the last few posts. I'm fairly sure we're not running out of children to be adopted. Unless by children you mean exclusively healthy, white, newborns adopted domestically (and not through foster care). Religious or not, I'm not sure how much better off an unwanted child is bouncing around between houses, stuck with a parent who cannot parent them, or in foster care than with same gender parents. If the mother approves of the prospective adopters, I'm not sure where the problem would be.

They must've sent you the one they didn't send me. :glare: I checked the box but never got a catalog with my order.

Ah, that makes more sense then how I was understanding it. Just to clarify, Muslims don't only believe that they are a fulfillment of Christianity and Judaism but that Islam is the evolution of the original monotheistic faith, called the Hanif which Muslims believe was the original faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus before their messages were 'corrupted'. So, my point is only that Muslims believe that although Islam as we call it is a newer faith, the religious teachings have existed through God's prophets since the beginning.

I don't think the Muslim faith makes any apostolic claim whatsoever? :confused1: Or are you instead talking about the age of the faith in general? Honestly, I just was confused by what you meant and am trying to clarify what the statement meant. I understood it when I read it as Mormonism can't make the same apostolic claim but since Muslims are not Christians (as I know you're well aware, of course) I was just unsure of what you meant. It is interesting, when I was Christian, I was very familiar with the RCC but never encountered anyone related to EO or even really knew much about it, although I guess I was slightly familiar with Coptic Christians. Most of what I have learned regarding Eastern Orthodoxy has been from this forum.

Growing up Episcopalian, I was taught that the Original Sin was forgiven by Jesus' death and no one after that had that sin upon them. In my current faith, we believe that Adam and Eve repented and asked God to forgive them after they sinned and He did so no sin was passed on to subsequent generations. I'm surprised to hear that there are Christian denominations that did not have the concept of original sin. These discussions are interesting as I'm always learning more about topics that I thought I knew well.

Don't Christians believe that the Jewish rejection of Jesus as the Son of God led to the replacement of the Jews as the chosen ones to the Christians being those chosen by God? Or is that only specific sub-groups. Obviously, I don't believe Jesus is the son of God or divine or that the Jews are still the chosen ones anymore so I'm afraid I'm of little helpful input to you, OP.

I hope it doesn't hurt to jump that far. I did read the breakdown you posted. I understand that is how you interpreted it. I know there was the whole 'teletubbies' scandal but that is not the only thing they were known for and it remained a popular childrens' show. In fact, in the circles I grew up it was almost a classist thing...there was a stereotype that rednecks liked Teletubbies whereas others preferred the old classic Sesame Street. The double rainbow doesn't refer to a rainbow flag but to the double rainbow viral video about being so 'high' which you seem to have ignored when mentioned before. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/double-rainbow You have a valid argument that they are relying on traditional gender role stereotypes (girls, esp little girls like pink and purses), however, I do not see how this translates to homosexuality unless you ARE saying that if a man likes pink and carries a purse that identifies him as a homosexual and I don't think that you believe that. You've somehow made the leap from a guy being made fun of for driving a pink tractor with a teletubbies seat who then decides to keep it and 'screw em' to gay bashing to blackface to hate crimes. I'm sure it is my inferior brain capacity but I really don't see how you're making these leaps, even once you explained it out to me. I sure hope you two are as vehement about all forms of bullying and you never like any sort of comedian. I was bullied a plenty in school pre-high school for not being 'cool' and for being a geek or a nerd and I knew people who self-harmed and attempted suicide because of bullying like that. I've never seen anyone opposed to nerd/geek jokes because nerds are bullied at school, a real issue in our society. BTW, I hate country music and have no emotional connection to this song or the guy who sings it. I'm not even sure who he is.

How is it clear? I don't see it nor do many posters? And I'm usually pretty good at picking up on offense. But I think that if anything he is relying on sexual stereotypes regarding women and I don't see how homosexuality factors into it unless YOU are relying on stereotypes of gay men (as being effeminate). So an unclear possible insult to homosexuals in a dumb comedian's song = calling Black people 'the n word', dressing them up as slaves at a plantation, calling black people 'monkeys', and sexually harassing and racially harassing your employees? I'm just having trouble getting this and I am not saying the difference is because it is gay vs black but because the actions and what is being said are on a completely different scale.