Belgium to Stand Up for Children by Banning All Catholic Religious Garb | News and Views April 23, 2010

Innalhamdolillah. Faced with the absurdity of banning the niqab to protect the women who wear it by choice on the grounds that a few of them allegedly are forced to cover in Belgium, a country that would applaud them for uncovering, the Belgian parliament felt overwhelming pressure to stand up for the rights of children in the predominantly Catholic country by punishing anyone who wears Catholic priestly garb in public.  “We’re not attacking anyone’s religion.  Just protecting children who might be oppressed when they meet someone dressed like a member of the Catholic clergy.”

No, don’t get your frock all ruffled, the headline and newsclip above are the products of my imagination.  Sadly, the abuse of children by Belgian Catholic clergy is apparently very real:

Belgian Bishop Quits Over Sex Abuse
By Elisabetta Povoledo
Published: April 23, 2010

The longest-serving bishop in Belgium resigned after admitting he had sexually abused a young man years ago.
(Photograph and actual news text retrieved from the New York Times on-line)

May Allah protect the women and children of Belgium (and all of us) from all kinds of abuse, physical, mental, spiritual, sexual, and legislative included.