Afghan women, Author Eric Draper (PD as federal work product)
Many fear the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan will place in jeopardy the advances girls and women have made there in the past 20 years [1].
If the Taliban resumes control of the country (as now seems inevitable), women are likely again to be penalized for infractions such as failure to wear a burka, leaving home unaccompanied by a male, and adultery [2]. Even music will again be forbidden, since the Prophet Muhammad is thought by some to have criticized the use of musical instruments [3].
Punishments have, in the past, ranged from beating or flogging, by religious police, to death by stoning [4].
Radical Islam v. Christianity
The Taliban argues that the harsh restrictions placed on women are meant to revere and protect them. Taliban leaders have, however, been known to engage in human trafficking, selling women into slavery and forced prostitution [5].
The contrast between Radical Islam and Christianity could not be more clear.
When Christ was confronted with a woman caught in adultery, He defended her against her accusers, then instructed her to go and sin no more (John 8: 3-11).
“…He…said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first’ ” (John 8: 7).
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[1] CNBC, “US withdrawal of troops puts Afghan women’s education in peril” by Richard Engel, 5/3/21, https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/05/03/u-s-withdrawal-of-troops-put-womens-education-in-peril.html.
[2] Wikipedia, “Women in Afghanistan”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Afghanistan.
[3] Wikipedia, “Islamic music”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_music.
[4] Radio Free Europe Radio Library, “Afghan Rights Group Investigating Video of Woman Being Stoned to Death” by Frud Bezhan, 2/3/20, https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-rights-group-investigates-video-of-woman-being-stoned-to-death/30414665.html.
[5] Time Magazine, “Lifting the Veil on Taliban Sex Slavery” by , http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,201892,00.html.
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ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
The situation in Afghanistan is heartbreaking. What do you think the answer is?
Personally, I do not believe in nation building, however well-intentioned. Capitalism can perhaps be exported, but belief in democracy cannot. History and culture in the Mideast run counter to it. The Bible, moreover, tells us that Israel will be a source of trembling for the nations (Zech. 12: 2). Fundamentally, the Mideastern conflict is spiritual in nature and will not be resolved until Christ’s return.
That is rather well said, my Dear Anna. I see GREAT parallels to that conflict n India’s (new) internal situ.
Thank you, Swami.
🙂
The contrast between Radical Islam and Christianity could not be more clear. If the taliban seize power, and it looks like it, it will be terrible for women. all progress made in the last 20 years would be lost.
I wish you all my best, your friend Marie
You are so right, Marie. I wish you all good things, dear friend. A. ❤
May we keep praying for Afghanistan! May God have mercy on His people and lead them to safe pastures. God bless
That seems their only recourse.
Again.
Anna I am really puzzled with Afghanistan. I cannot understand why Taliban fighters can be such good soldiers and Afghan Army soldiers can be so bad. Or is there a deal there between them? And reference women, I see the regular Afghan government as simply being Taliban “light” as they both agree on Sharia law and women there all wear burkas anyways. Well, like I said, to me it’s confusing and suspicious…
I don’t know what the answer is, Francisco. I have heard experts explain that Afghanistan is not truly a unified country, but rather a series of tribes without a national identity. Certainly, the fact that Afghan armed forces greatly outnumbering the Taliban have simply ceded control of the country suggests that culture and religion are far more important than politics there.
Or that the regular Afghan Armed Forces were paid off. We saw the president flee and the government and the police abandoned the city. Was it that they all got enough from twenty years of US money? The Taliban, like any other gang, is only in it for the money, so their interest in controlling Afghanistan is in order to control the poppy fields and the hashish trade through Iran and Turkey to the Middle East and Europe. And in the US, I think it was a repeat of the Vietnam War, where the only ones that made off with riches were those in the military-industrial complex. And I also believe that many Afghans support the Taliban, mostly because their views on women, religion and society are the same. After all, didn’t we see women wearing hijabs and burkas all along, even during the supposed “elected” government? I must admit, I do not know much about that country, but what I see leads me to believe that this was all just theatre…
Very insightful, Francisco. It is distressing to think how many American lives were lost (and how much treasure wasted) in the fruitless 20 year effort to change things.
Absolutely Anna. Quite a shame that history should repeat itself in that manner…
The entire situation is tragic.
Seeing the heartbreaking images of Afghan citizens desperately clinging to an airplane in order to escape the coming regime serves to reinforce the truth that unless a nation is fully committed to staying until the job is complete,they have no business “interfering”. In fact, our departure has assuredly made an terrible situation much worse for the Afghani peoples, especially women and children.
I am reminded of former Soviet Premier Gorbachev’s telling admission of defeat when his country eventually pulled out of Afghanistan. Why history had to be repeated once again is something I cannot understand.
I, too, recall the Russian departure from Afghanistan. At that time, the US funded the Afghan mujahideen.
We may over the last 20 years have prevented terrorist organizations from using Afghanistan as a home base. But there is no winning this complex chess game permanently — not since the male population of Afghanistan seems satisfied to return the Taliban to power.
So heartbreaking
Yes, it is.
Thanks for raising awareness of this