| American women forbidden divorce by religious law? May 29th 2012, 19:14 http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012...+News+Daily%29 I must admit, I was wrong when I guessed which one.... Quote:
Under the laws of a certain religion, a woman cannot divorce her husband unless he agrees–no matter if there is adultery on his part, domestic violence, or any other problem with the marriage. The man has sole discretion.
If she chooses to remarry, she will be considered an adulteress, and become an outcast from her religious community.
Over 450 American women are "chained" under this law, forced to choose between their freedom from their husbands or their religion.
Surprise! It's not Islam.
Quote:
A woman has spoken out about how her Orthodox Jewish husband refuses to divorce her despite being separated for four years.
In keeping with strict religious beliefs, Rachel Balassiano, a 35-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, is fighting to convince her husband to give her a Jewish divorce which is known as a 'get'.
The mother of three, who has been separated from Maurice Balassiano, 50, for four years, is considered to be an 'agunot' women, a name given to those who are 'chained wives'.
According to traditional Judaism, husbands can withhold a 'get' from their wives for as long as they like as only men have the ability to end a religious marriage.
Mrs Belassiano is just one of hundreds of North American women who are considered 'agunot'.
| Some of the men simply do not want a divorce. Others use it as a bargaining chip–to change the legally-binding divorce court's financial settlement, to avoid the placement of restraining orders, and more.
I wonder if this is among the "Judeo-Christian family values" that the Christian Right keeps fighting for in the U.S.
Is religion harmless? Does religion oppress women? What do you think?
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