A nun in present-day America who wore the antique habit would be signalling that she disapproves of Vatican II and wants to restore the 1950's Catholic church: or perhaps she would have some other motivation for dressing so, but she would have no right to be surprised if people took her to be intending such a message.
But should you not ask her what message, if any, she is trying to convey? Look at cloistered nuns, they wear the habit but intend no message, as they are cloistered. It is a womans choice to become a cloistered nun, to dress as a nun and give her life to G-d.
but your choice of icon, which gives the impression of intending to send a strong message, one which I warned you I am strongly prejudiced against.
What I am trying to find out is why you are strongly against it. I will be honest your reaction has taken me completely by surprise, as it has never been mentioned before. So if a woman chooses to wear a veil, because she believes it makes her more pious, why should you be strongly against it?
Once you accept the premise (as you apparently do) that girls should not be permitted to exercise choice about sex (you say nothing about boys),
I certainly do hold the same views about boys but we have only discussed Islamic dress for girls.
then the issue is how far you will go to prevent female choice:
I will not go one inch to prevent anyone's choice. If a girl chooses to have sex before marriage then it is up to her. I would advise against it and if she was Muslim, explain why she should reconsider but would not try to stop her. If a Muslim girl came to me and admitted she had done this and was ashamed, I would try to help her to repent and amend her ways. I would not judge her for her actions, we all sin.
But this is my point, it would be her choice and if her choice is to wear the veil, why should you or I try to stop her or judge her for her choice?
and the face-mask represents the most extreme solution, of treating all females in effect as presumptively "criminal", as the Saudis, Iranians, and (as you point out) many Muslims from several other countries do.
We just do not seem to be communicating well on this issue. Wearing the face veil is not ordained by our religion, it is a choice for the vast majority of Muslim women. If a girl chooses to wear the veil, how is that a form of treating her? Where does being a criminal come into it? She has chosen to wear it.
There is only Saudi that forces women to wear the veil, refuses to allow women to drive, etc. This is not our faith, it is cultural oppression but you should not judge our religion by this one country. Iranian women do not have to wear the veil. They had to in Afghanistan for a time, becuase the Saudi's funded the Taliban but that is no longer the case.
I know families where none of the women wear the face veil but their 18 year old daughter chooses to. I have asked their families why and they just shrug, they do not know but it is her choice. Some young women even see it as a fashion accessory now. But the message they are trying to send is, I am modest, I do not want you to look at me with lust, I am pious so don't try to chat me up.
You yourself disparage the Saudis and Iranians: my question to you, way back at the start, was why you choose to present yourself here as someone who looks to agree with the Saudi position, if in fact you do not.
I am sorry but that was purely an assumption on your part because you see the face veil as something evil. When I travel in the Middle East, with my husband, I do choose to wear a face veil. It is for my protection, no other reason, no political statement, I just don't want strange men oggling me and I have very European features so get looked at a lot over there.
I disagree. It has everything to do with political and social attitudes.
We will have to agree to disagree because I feel that is purely an assumption on your part.