Mephisto discusses religious freedom with Faust
Mephisto : Ah, dear Faust, I'm so glad to see you.
Faust : And you too, my dear colleague. I have brought sticky buns for us both to enjoy.
M : How thoughtful of you. Before we enjoy them, perhaps we could spend a little time having a discourse about life?
F : Why, of course, if you wish it to be so.
M : I do, I really do. I find myself more than a little confused dear colleague, and that is not a comfortable place to be.
F : Indeed it is not dear Mephisto, perhaps I might help you with your considerations?
M : Why, thank you dear Faust, I am most appreciative. Could I, perhaps, start by asking whether you believe in religious freedom or not?
F : Why, of course I do dear Mephisto, why would I not?
M : Ah, yes, why would you not? Indeed, perhaps that is the crux of the matter, not to mention the crucifix of the matter.
F : I would like to beg your pardon dear Mephisto, perhaps you could explain a little further?
M : I shall try dear colleague, I shall try. Here are two recent problems which have been troubling me. One is about a Muslim lady, called Aishah Azmi , she has been banned from wearing the niqab while teaching in a British junior school. The other is about a Christian lady, called Nadia Eweida , who has been banned by British Airways from wearing her Christian cross necklace at work.
F : I see, and might I ask why they have been sacked or banned?
M : Yes, indeed you might for this, I fear, is the crux of the problem. Ms. Azmi did not wear her Niqab when she attended for interview for the job of teaching assistant at the school in question, she only began wearing it once she had been given the job. The school in question decided that she was allowed to wear it in the corridors of the school or in the staff room, where she might come into contact with adult males, but that she should remove it in the classroom. Ms Azmi says that she was very happy with this arrangement and agreed to do just this, but male colleagues regularly entered her classroom, thus making it impossible for her to leave her veil off.
F : Ah, yes, this would be a problem, I really do see that. Could the school have ensured that no adult male colleagues entered any room in which she was teaching whilst not wearing the niqab?
M : Indeed of course they could dear Faust, but they didn't. But then we come to Ms. Eweida who was asked to make sure her Christian cross necklace was not visible. She refused. British Airways therefore asked her to go home and not return.
F : Why couldn't she wear it under her blouse?
M : This is an excellent question dear Faust, why indeed. Because she refused to.
F : But why did she refuse to dear Mephisto?
M : Because she said that Sikh's were allowed to wear turbans and certain Muslim ladies were allowed to wear either Sari's or 'punjabi trouser suits' (salwar kameez's) and so therefore she felt that she should be allowed to wear her cross as visibly as they wore their turban's and punjabi's.
F : Yes, I do see that dear Mephisto, but the turban and the salwar kameez cannot be hidden, a Christian cross necklace can . Surely that is the difference?
M : You would think so, wouldn't you dear colleague, you would really think so. But no, apparently this is a religious debate. Both ladies are taking their employers to court over this.
F : Are they? Golly, someone will have to find an answer then, won't they dear Mephisto?
M : Ah, dear sweet Faust, I see you are still bound by the chains of your mortal soul, no, they won't find an answer, they will turn it into a 'clash of civilisations' debate. The two ladies will be forgotten about and another discussion will then ensue. The human race is so very predictable.
F : Oh dear, oh very dear, I fear you are right dear friend, what on earth could I do to assist my fellow human's being?
M : I would advise you to do nothing dear colleague. They will argue, they will fight, they will sabre rattle but, in the end, nothing will change. They like living in such situations, it's part of their human condition. There is nothing, I fear, that even a dear soul such as yourself can do about it.
F : Well, in that case, shall we eat the sticky buns now?
M : Yes, let us do that, dear colleague.
Faust : And you too, my dear colleague. I have brought sticky buns for us both to enjoy.
M : How thoughtful of you. Before we enjoy them, perhaps we could spend a little time having a discourse about life?
F : Why, of course, if you wish it to be so.
M : I do, I really do. I find myself more than a little confused dear colleague, and that is not a comfortable place to be.
F : Indeed it is not dear Mephisto, perhaps I might help you with your considerations?
M : Why, thank you dear Faust, I am most appreciative. Could I, perhaps, start by asking whether you believe in religious freedom or not?
F : Why, of course I do dear Mephisto, why would I not?
M : Ah, yes, why would you not? Indeed, perhaps that is the crux of the matter, not to mention the crucifix of the matter.
F : I would like to beg your pardon dear Mephisto, perhaps you could explain a little further?
M : I shall try dear colleague, I shall try. Here are two recent problems which have been troubling me. One is about a Muslim lady, called Aishah Azmi , she has been banned from wearing the niqab while teaching in a British junior school. The other is about a Christian lady, called Nadia Eweida , who has been banned by British Airways from wearing her Christian cross necklace at work.
F : I see, and might I ask why they have been sacked or banned?
M : Yes, indeed you might for this, I fear, is the crux of the problem. Ms. Azmi did not wear her Niqab when she attended for interview for the job of teaching assistant at the school in question, she only began wearing it once she had been given the job. The school in question decided that she was allowed to wear it in the corridors of the school or in the staff room, where she might come into contact with adult males, but that she should remove it in the classroom. Ms Azmi says that she was very happy with this arrangement and agreed to do just this, but male colleagues regularly entered her classroom, thus making it impossible for her to leave her veil off.
F : Ah, yes, this would be a problem, I really do see that. Could the school have ensured that no adult male colleagues entered any room in which she was teaching whilst not wearing the niqab?
M : Indeed of course they could dear Faust, but they didn't. But then we come to Ms. Eweida who was asked to make sure her Christian cross necklace was not visible. She refused. British Airways therefore asked her to go home and not return.
F : Why couldn't she wear it under her blouse?
M : This is an excellent question dear Faust, why indeed. Because she refused to.
F : But why did she refuse to dear Mephisto?
M : Because she said that Sikh's were allowed to wear turbans and certain Muslim ladies were allowed to wear either Sari's or 'punjabi trouser suits' (salwar kameez's) and so therefore she felt that she should be allowed to wear her cross as visibly as they wore their turban's and punjabi's.
F : Yes, I do see that dear Mephisto, but the turban and the salwar kameez cannot be hidden, a Christian cross necklace can . Surely that is the difference?
M : You would think so, wouldn't you dear colleague, you would really think so. But no, apparently this is a religious debate. Both ladies are taking their employers to court over this.
F : Are they? Golly, someone will have to find an answer then, won't they dear Mephisto?
M : Ah, dear sweet Faust, I see you are still bound by the chains of your mortal soul, no, they won't find an answer, they will turn it into a 'clash of civilisations' debate. The two ladies will be forgotten about and another discussion will then ensue. The human race is so very predictable.
F : Oh dear, oh very dear, I fear you are right dear friend, what on earth could I do to assist my fellow human's being?
M : I would advise you to do nothing dear colleague. They will argue, they will fight, they will sabre rattle but, in the end, nothing will change. They like living in such situations, it's part of their human condition. There is nothing, I fear, that even a dear soul such as yourself can do about it.
F : Well, in that case, shall we eat the sticky buns now?
M : Yes, let us do that, dear colleague.
posted by Mephisto at 4:34 AM
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