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→Christians Practice FGM Too
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It is correct that some Christians practice FGM. Indeed about 20% of global FGM is attributable to non-Muslims, for the most part Christians.<ref name=":0">[http://archive.today/2021.04.09-040325/https://fgmtruth.wordpress.com/what-percentage-of-global-fgm-are-moslems-responsible-for/ What Percentage of Global FGM is done by Moslems?]</ref> | It is correct that some Christians practice FGM. Indeed about 20% of global FGM is attributable to non-Muslims, for the most part Christians.<ref name=":0">[http://archive.today/2021.04.09-040325/https://fgmtruth.wordpress.com/what-percentage-of-global-fgm-are-moslems-responsible-for/ What Percentage of Global FGM is done by Moslems?]</ref> | ||
Critics can point out that the premise of this argument implies that a practice can not be Islamic if some Christians also engage in it. This would mean that Islam's scope is restricted to that which Christians don't do - for example, the fact that some Christians abstain from alcohol or meat means that Islam's interdictions on consuming alcohol or pork are un-Islamic. | |||
''<nowiki/>''[[File:Infibmap correct20111.jpg|thumb|The prevalence of Female Genital Cutting. Note that many Western Christian countries are assigned the rubric '''<nowiki>'rare or limited to particular ethnic minority enclaves''</nowiki>.'' This indicates the presence of FGM-practicing immigrants (who are almost entirely Muslim), rather than that ''Christians'' in those countries engage in FGM.|alt=|left]] | ''<nowiki/>''[[File:Infibmap correct20111.jpg|thumb|The prevalence of Female Genital Cutting. Note that many Western Christian countries are assigned the rubric '''<nowiki>'rare or limited to particular ethnic minority enclaves''</nowiki>.'' This indicates the presence of FGM-practicing immigrants (who are almost entirely Muslim), rather than that ''Christians'' in those countries engage in FGM.|alt=|left]] | ||
The Christians who practice FGM nearly all live as isolated and persecuted minorities within dominant Islamic FGM-practicing cultures. Islamic FGM is a purity practice, and within FGM-practicing societies girls who are not cut are considered impure. Any contact or proximity with them, or sharing of objects | The Christians who practice FGM nearly all live as isolated and persecuted minorities within dominant Islamic FGM-practicing cultures. Islamic FGM is a purity practice, and within FGM-practicing societies girls who are not cut are considered impure. Any contact or proximity with them, or sharing of objects is considered as 'contaminating'. Individuals, families and communities that do not follow the dominant culture's purity observances are perceived as threatening the spiritual and religious lives of that community. For example, a Muslim's prayers will be rendered invalid if he is inadvertently contaminated, and will continue to be invalid until he correctly purifies himself. | ||
This means that in such Islamic communities, non-Muslims who do not follow the | This means that in such Islamic communities, non-Muslims who do not follow the community's purity observances are shunned, stigmatised, discriminated against and persecuted.<ref>[https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/the-aasiya-noreen-story/ The Story of Asia Bibi]</ref> Non-Muslims living in such societies come under great pressure to adopt dominant Islamic purity practices. | ||
The Copts are Christian and make up 10 to 15% of the population of Egypt. Copts practice FGM at about a 74% (compared to 92% Muslims). Copts recognise that they practice FGM in order to minimise persecution. And it is Christian minorities such as the Copts who appear to be the most ready to abandon FGM when it becomes safe for them to do so.<ref>[https://copticliterature.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/prevalence-of-and-support-for-female-genital-mutilation-within-the-copts-of-egypt-unicef-report-2013/ Prevalence of and support for Female Genital Mutilation within the Copts of Egypt: INICEF report (2013)]</ref> | |||
There are however three countries where FGM appears to be practiced by Christian ''majorities'' – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Liberia. | There are however three countries where FGM appears to be practiced by Christian ''majorities'' – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Liberia. | ||
FGM in Liberia is practiced as part of the initiation into secret women's societies. It should be noted that whilst only 12% of Liberia's population is Muslim, its marriage and kinship practices | FGM in Liberia is practiced as part of the initiation into secret women's societies. It should be noted that whilst only 12% of Liberia's population is Muslim, its marriage and kinship practices are Islamic: men can have up to 4 wives; a third of all Liberian marriages are polygamous; a third of married women aged between 15-49 are in polygamous marriages, and married woman's rights to inherit property from her spouse are restricted. <ref>https://www.genderindex.org/wp-content/uploads/files/datasheets/LR.pdf</ref> These are text-book conditions for the emergence of chastity assurance practices.<!-- link to Islamic law creates FGM --> | ||
Polygyny - though illegal- is also common amongst Muslils in Ethiopia and Eritrea. However, FGM in Ethiopia and Eritrea may be to a combination of historical factors: much of their history the surrounding Islamic states for centuries kept them isolated from mainstream Christianity, and they were the hubs of the Islamic slave trade, where slave girls captured in West Africa were infibulated (complete excision of the clitoris, labia minora, and most of the labia majora followed by stitching to close up most of the vagina) to guarantee their virginity and thus raise their price, in preparation for the slave markets of the Islamic Middle East. This Islamic practice was adopted by the locals, and has persisted. | Polygyny - though illegal- is also common amongst Muslils in Ethiopia and Eritrea. However, FGM in Ethiopia and Eritrea may be to a combination of historical factors: much of their history the surrounding Islamic states for centuries kept them isolated from mainstream Christianity, and they were the hubs of the Islamic slave trade, where slave girls captured in West Africa were infibulated (complete excision of the clitoris, labia minora, and most of the labia majora followed by stitching to close up most of the vagina) to guarantee their virginity and thus raise their price, in preparation for the slave markets of the Islamic Middle East. This Islamic practice was adopted by the locals, and has persisted. | ||