Court to rule on legality of Israeli ultra-Orthodox 'Taliban sect'

[omer]

Decision follows what appears to be the conclusion of an international family drama involving two sisters from Beit Shemesh who belong to the Taliban sect.
By Oz RosenbergIn a precedent-setting move, an Israeli court is expected to decide next week whether it is legal to belong to the extreme ultra-Orthodox group Lev Tahor, known as "the Taliban

Comments

[freeze_i_say]

"Rituals of the Lev Tahor community reportedly involve lashing anyone considered a "sinner," and sending 14-year-old girls to the wedding canopy."

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kinda OT, but I read Miriam Libicki's Jobnik ... a graphic novel about an american-israeli woman who joins the IDF just as the second intifada is about to start. Certain parts of it made me feel very uncomfortable / angry with its bias but it does give a valuable insight into the whole situation and she draws women so well and the female characterization is great. Anyone here read it?

[carolpent]

I'm looking for a way to respond to this...on the one hand I can see where social services would want to take steps to get the girls somewhere safe, on the other...outlawing a group of people? I know they do some shitty stuff. Prosecute members on the basis of said shitty stuff, but let them believe what they want to believe.

[sesmo]

Given that the age of majority in Israel is 18, and these folks are pushing 14-year old girls into marrying adult men, I would consider these folks like the Warren Jeffs.

That said, I was having a really difficult time with the "Taliban" references. These folks might be cultists, but it doesn't look like they were abusive, or forcing their views on others, or terrorists, like the Taliban.

[carolpent]

That was what I was talking about. You can completely prosecute Elbarnes as an accomplice to rape, but frankly it's neither feasible nor right to outlaw Lev Tahor as a group.

[archon_mentha]

It's a tough thing when two values conflict. I'm generally all for people expressing their religion, but when that leads to an overwhelming probability that a 14 year old girl's going to end up married - raped - because grown-up fanatics have convinced her it's the right thing to do?

I'm glad they were removed from that situation.

[carolpent]

There was a good comment over at the source: "The parents' "right" to raise their children must give way at every time when it impairs the children's right to be protected from harm." Which I think basically sums up how these kinds of situations should be handled. Of course, I guess you could argue for whether or not indoctrinating children a certain way would be considered abuse. And then you get have to decide what kinds of indoctrination count as abuse, and to what degree.

[archon_mentha]

Much better said for certain!

Agree. But when it comes to figuring out where to draw the line, that probably should never be a simple question. Excessive certainty that one's absolutely right leads to abuses.

[hinoema]

What is it with these cults that the yardstick of their 'piety' is always how badly they can dehumanize women? As a woman, I say fuck 'em all.

[azetburcaptain]

What is with these cult leaders and their obsession with 14 year olds? Disgusting.