So Sarkozy sees the burka as a sign of female 'subservience' and does not want women to be allowed to wear them across France (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8112821.stm). The very description he uses suggests something about his belief system, western, secularist, politically correct. The burka, he added, does not represent, '...the idea the French republic has of women's dignity'. No! I guess this is best represented by the culture of keeping both a wife and a mistress. At least in Islam you officially keep wives but no mistresses.
Still the debate is somewhat irrelevant isn't it? Does fashion reveal belief in any other than a bad way? A monk may do good work, a priest offer a lifeline to a bereaved family, but does the habit or the dog collar provide any added value today?
Surely the merit of a belief is in its effect upon the 'believing' individual and the experience of the 'unbelieving' neighbour. Well that's what I get from the story of the good Samaritan.
I cannot but wonder why those commending religion take up so much time first arguing with their co-religionists over objective expressions of truth that lie beyond reason and its handmaiden of proofs, before then engaging in over emotional argument with those of a different religious persuasion. All it takes to demonstrate the value of a belief is the experience anyone has of it. If I need a burka, a cross, an orange tunic to announce that I am both holy and right then I probably haven't got any contribution of value to make to society. What's more I am most likely neither ho;y nor right! If I just seek to be a friend, do some good that reflects my belief, and if asked provide a simple explanation, that is surely sufficient.
As a follower of Jesus I must confess with some shame that too many years have been taken up with designing the perfect Christian model, and too little just living as invited to by Jesus. My wife, Katey, as she battled with MS, quickly ran out of interest in what we believe as an objective fact and enjoyed experiencing the substance of that belief with those who dared to journey with her. She may have been dressed in outrageous garments by official carers short on time and searching for easy clothing solutions but let me tell you what Katey ended up wearing bore no resemblance to the wonderful women she was.
I am not convinced that what we wear tells anyone anything about what we actually believe - there is a better way to illustrate that. Its what each of us does moment by moment as day gives way to day.
