Wearing a 'purity ring' in Britain

[Marshal Murat]

Chastity Ring Story

Is this news worthy?
Is it Christian, or a fad?
Should she be allowed to wear the ring?
Anyone know anything else about this subject?

[AntiochusIII]

Meh, it's more like a uniform/dress code vs stuff-that-aren't-allowed conflict.

I say she go for it. She says it's Christian then it's Christian. If you give religious freedom over the uniform thing then give it equally -- however, if the school's uniform policy is...uniformly enforced, then she's standing on a less firm ground.

Of course, opinions like "forces of secularism attack Christianity" isn't my way of thinking, but who am I to put that bias above equality(tm)?

[Lemur]

Does anybody else find the whole purity ritual, what with daddy taking daughter to a special prom where she pledges herself to him ... I dunno, a little ... uh ... creepy? It has the slightest bit of a NAMBLA vibe to it ...

[CountArach]

"At my school Muslims are allowed to wear headscarves and other faiths can wear bangles and other types of jewellery and it feels like Christians are being discriminated against," Playfoot told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.

Payback...

Seriously though, I don't see why she should't be allowed to wear it. It is a religious statement, no different to wearing a necklace with a cross.

[Navaros]

I applaud her for standing up for morality, that is rare in this day and age.

The father was absolutely 100% correct to state ": "I think what is happening in our culture more generally is that what I would describe as secular fundamentalism is coming to the fore, which really wants to silence certain beliefs and Christian views in particular"

I hope the girl wins a lot of money from the school trying to force fornication and promiscuity down their youths' throats. Of course the article doesn't say whether she is going after money in the case that has been filed. If not, she should file a second lawsuit also and sue for every penny the disgusting school has.

[Ice]

I hope the girl wins a lot of money from the school trying to force fornication and promiscuity down their youths' throats.

I don't know where you want to school, but I distinctly remember the teacher in health class telling us the own sure way not to get STDS and get a girl pregnant was not to have any sexual contact at all. That doesn't really sound like fornication and promiscuity is forced down anyone's throat.

Oh, it's so very hard not to call you by some other names my friend. You are always full of, (using a friendly word), hot air.

Of course the article doesn't say whether she is going after money in the case that has been filed. If not, she should file a second lawsuit also and sue for every penny the disgusting school has.

Yes, disgusting, she can't wear a ring. She can still not have sex before she is married. It's a school dress code, not discrimination.

At least it's comforting to know that other industrialized countries have religious nuts too.

[Adrian II]

Louis' view is merely the classic Liberal position that no form of expression should be privileged because it is (deemed to be) religious. It makes perfect sense, but sense is no argument in this religion-infested world of ours.

Ayatollahs to the left me / Reborns to the right, here I am / stuck in the middle with Louis.

Not that I mind.

[Husar]

It's good to live in a country where schools don't force any dresscode on people.

I fear I can't really comment on Louis' logic.

[Spino]

Does anybody else find the whole purity ritual, what with daddy taking daughter to a special prom where she pledges herself to him ... I dunno, a little ... uh ... creepy? It has the slightest bit of a NAMBLA vibe to it ...

Creepy in that it's very NAMBLA like? No.

Creepy in that it's very WASP like? Yes.

[Fragony]

Good for her, no problem with this. Bit weird that hijaabs are allowed in the same school.

[doc_bean]

About the ring: I don't see the issue, unless all rings are banned from school. The headscarf issue is difficult here since wearing something on your head is considered impolite (usually refers to caps and such), no such excuse with a ring.

About the purity thing: life is uncertain, eat desert first. I'd hate to tell my kids (if I'd ever have any) to 'stay pure' when they're teenagers only to have them killed in a car accident before they ever do it. Okay, losing a child is probably far worse than dying a virgin, but I'm a big fan of living in the moment (not necessarily just for the moment) so if it feels right and you can take enough precautions, go for it.

[Rodion Romanovich]

As long as they don't wear this, I think it's fine:
http://emmagarcia.no.sapo.pt/lord%20of%20the%20ring.gif

[Spino]

Oops, terribly rude of me. I didn't mean to hit and run like that.... no wait, yes I did.

I agree that this seems to be a hypocritical move on the part of the school. It's especially odd considering how inconspicuous a purity ring is when compared to a head scarf or even a small crucifix worn around the neck.

[Strike For The South]

Im going to start wearing an anti purity ring not becuase I want to look like a ba (albeit a good side effect) but becuase I want to run through the halls of my school challinging other students with purity rings to epic battles.

[Divinus Arma]

This is actually a more valuable story than you might have thought SFTS.

Without arguing the ethics of pre-marital sex, I would comment that an indiviual's right to express worship is paramount. I find it especially interesting that because her form of worship is not mainstream, it may be sidelined (as a matter of argument). This is the very definition of free speech: allowing the fringe minority with whom you disagree the right to speak and express themselves.

The real gray line is whether someone is allowed to, say, set themselves on fire in public. But this one seems pretty simple to me.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Without arguing the ethics of pre-marital sex, I would comment that an indiviual's right to express worship is paramount. I find it especially interesting that because her form of worship is not mainstream, it may be sidelined (as a matter of argument). This is the very definition of free speech: allowing the fringe minority with whom you disagree the right to speak and express themselves.

I agree. I'm not quite sure that I would go so far as to say the right is paramount - religions can often be exclusive or confrontational to other belief systems, so there has to be some checks and balances that preserve the rights of other people from assault through religious iconography.

Nonetheless freedom to worship and express one's belief is a fundamental human right, and sensible rules to allow diversity should be easy enough to implement. A ring is a subtle and non-confrontational choice.

I do think she would have to take it off when playing rugger though.

[rory_20_uk]

Can any religious group wear whatever they want then, as long as its religious?

I see this as a reason why Britain should not sign up to that facile law on Human Rights. Freedom to express one's religious beliefs is IMO NOT a right. Druids were keen on human skulls. Is that OK then? It must be as we are bieng equal to all.

If the school has dress codes, then get the school to alter them. Don't force changes on them.

[HoreTore]

Well, I support her fight against dress codes, as I see that as a ridiculous thing. However, I don't support her "morality" claim at all...

[Tribesman]

Ah the purity ring , thats the ones who are six times more likely to take a back door delivery to preserve their virginity than those who don't take the plege isn't it .

Banquo do you remember thegroup who came to Ireland last year promoting the pledge ?
In cannot remember if it was SRT or TLW but their leader was a strange thing called a born again virgin

[Louis VI the Fat]

I've got two thoughts. The first is, that if they allow Turbans and bangles, then they can not forbid this ring. Nor in fact any religious symbol.
Serves the schoolboard right for their PC, and I love how their disciminatory policy has backfired.

But my overriding thought is that the policy of this school discriminates in favour of expression of religious beliefs over all others. Why, as soon as somebody cries religion, should all normal regulation be suspended?
I really don't see why religious beliefs should be considered more important than secular opinions. Steven Seagals music meant a lot to me when I was fifteen, it got me trough a rough period. He was my hero. My saviour. But I bet they wouldn't have allowed me to wear the pony tail and Aikido black belt I wore daily to worship him.

Therefore the rule of this school should in my opinion be to either allow every expression of personal conviction, or none at all. Not this allowance of religious expression, because that should somehow be more important than other expressions.


One more thing. 'The school denies her claims, arguing that the purity ring is not an integral part of the Christian faith'.
If a school makes itself the judge of what's an integral part of which religion, they'll be in trouble indefinately.