Re: Rape; Everything happens for a reason?
« on: 2011-02-18 12:17:59 »
Religious platitudes to the rescue!! Er, no thank you. Sometimes it really is better to live in a cold, uncaring and senseless universe rather than try to make sense of horrible things. Although it happens, rape is not part of any "intelligent design".
Justin Bieber on rape: "Everything happens for a reason" In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Justin Bieber was interviewed about his career, his relationships, and his personal beliefs. When asked about his views on abortion, specifically in the case of rape, he was quoted as saying, "Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason." To his credit, he went on to say that, quote, "I don't know how that would be a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that."
Well, I don't really know how that would be a reason either. Frankly, I don't know why anyone would even say something like that. It might just be that he's young and he doesn't always have coherent thought processes - not that that's an excuse. But he's hardly the first to come up with this mysterious answer. Last January, Republican candidate Sharron Angle took the same position on abortion in the case of rape, saying, "I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for each one of our lives". I'm sure we've all heard some version of this platitude at some point in our life. Everything happens for a reason, right?
The most obvious issue with this half-baked explanation is how utterly vacuous it is. No matter what happens, there's always a reason - whether it happens or not! By explaining everything, it explains nothing, because anything that happens - including abortion - "must" have happened for a reason. There's never going to be an alternative circumstance where we could say, "That wasn't supposed to happen!" And if there is a reason, what exactly is it? Well, who knows - but I guess we're supposed to believe there is one!
It's plain to see that this is just something people say when there's really nothing else to be said. There's no explanation because, for some things, there can be no explanation. The real problem is that people think this is somehow reassuring or comforting, when it's really anything but.
The implications of something like rape happening as part of a greater plan are terrifying. Yes, there is a reason why this happens: it's because someone decided they would forever mark themselves as a total waste of life by doing something unspeakable to another human being. To suggest that they were part of an overarching cosmic plot where some people are meant to be raped just makes it even worse. Not only are people being assaulted, it was meant to happen!
If there's supposed to be a reason behind this, does that mean it's better for it to have happened than if it hadn't? That's not much of a consolation to someone who's going through hell because of this. Do you expect us to feel better about living in a world guided by some ineffable grand design that may or may not be plotting our eventual rape?
Sometimes it's not worth looking for a silver lining in things. Sometimes it's not a good idea to try and turn this into lemonade. Because there are some things that should just never happen, and there's no point to pretending there's some important reason behind it. You might find this comforting, if you haven't thought about it too much, but I'd rather live in a cold and uncaring universe than one that's actively orchestrating this kind of thing. Maybe it would be better if everything didn't happen for a reason - at least not that reason. So just stop before you say something like this, because if that's what you would tell someone who's been through the unthinkable, Justin Bieber isn't the only one who has some growing up to do.
Re: Rape; Everything happens for a reason?
« Reply #1 on: 2011-02-19 03:53:02 »
[Blunderov] I think the point may have been made here before but it is perhaps worth reiterating: it's easy to see why Xtians are rather laissez faire about rape - the whole religion is based upon the rape of the virgin Mary by god. Did the angel come down and say to Mary "Hey there foxy. God wants you to have his baby and is wondering whether you're up for it? Have some choccies and this bunch of roses and think about it. He's a nice guy when you get to know him. Maybe dinner with god on Friday night - somewhere romantic - and take it from there? But nooo...the chick wakes up on Monday morning with a fuzzy head, no memory of the occasion and a bun in the oven. Sounds more a GHB 'seduction' than an immaculate conception to me. Sucks to be her.
Re: Rape; Everything happens for a reason?
« Reply #2 on: 2011-02-19 12:21:37 »
Of course Justin Bieber is just a silly 16 year old, so we don't need to be holding him accountable for all of these kinds of things, but he IS saying things which other supposedly more mature adults say all the time. So he's reflecting something in any case even though he probably hasn't thought through the greater implication. Here are even more problems about trying to live in an intelligently designed universe where "everything happens for a reason".
Rape Myths Persist: Reactions to the Assault on Lara Logan If we work together, we can help Lara Logan and countless others heal from the wounds of assault. It's high time we change the way we treat victims of sexual crimes. By Sheela Raja. February 17, 2011
Quote:
By now, most of us have heard about the brutal sexual assault of CBS news correspondent Lara Logan. And by now, most of us have read the inevitable blogs and comment threads reacting to the assault. As a clinical psychologist who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder, I’ve been horrified by some of the comments I’ve read -- declarations about Lara Logan’s looks, her previous sexual history, her choice of profession. The irrelevant information seems to have no bounds.
More than 30 years ago, Psychologist Martha Burt coined the term “rape myths” to describe “prejudicial, stereotyped, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims, and rapists.” Rape myths are widely believed and can help justify aggression and sexual violence. On a psychological level rape myths also help us distance ourselves from the victim. For example, This could never happen to me because: 1) I would never have worn a short skirt, 2) I never walk alone at night, 3) I would not have been a journalist in Egypt! Clearly the list of justifications goes on and on.
[Blunderov] I think the point may have been made here before but it is perhaps worth reiterating: it's easy to see why Xtians are rather laissez faire about rape - the whole religion is based upon the rape of the virgin Mary by god. Did the angel come down and say to Mary "Hey there foxy. God wants you to have his baby and is wondering whether you're up for it? Have some choccies and this bunch of roses and think about it. He's a nice guy when you get to know him. Maybe dinner with god on Friday night - somewhere romantic - and take it from there? But nooo...the chick wakes up on Monday morning with a fuzzy head, no memory of the occasion and a bun in the oven. Sounds more a GHB 'seduction' than an immaculate conception to me. Sucks to be her.
Point well made, Blunderov. Rape myths often permeate religious stories. That was really f***ing rude of that holy spirit asshole. Perhaps we shouldn't hold that against Jesus, but that didn't mean they had to make a religion out of it. Some things are best left to senselessness that way.
More on some of the egregious crap that has been polluting our memeosphere re: Lara Logan's assault:
Quote:
Media Matters for America has done the most comprehensive job of culling the most egregious posts, which can be read here. The rhetoric is truly disgusting: LA Weekly writer Simone Wilson referred to Logan’s “shockingly good looks” and determined that the assaulting mob “apparently consummated their newfound independence by sexually assaulting the blonde reporter.” What was her point--that only attractive and blonde women are sexually attacked? (Read the Washington Post’s excellent, and disturbing, story about a rapist who targets elderly women).
Then there’s Nir Rosen, a (now former) fellow at NYU’s Center for Law and Security, who tweeted that “It's always wrong, that's obvious, but I'm rolling my eyes at all the attention she'll get … She's so bad that I ran out of sympathy for her.” Rosen--who, given his apparent stature, should have known better--has resigned. That was tame compared to right wing blogger Debbie Schlossel, who wrote: “No one told her to go there. She knew the risks. And she should have known what Islam is all about. Now she knows.” Quote:
Re: Rape; Everything happens for a reason?
« Reply #4 on: 2011-03-03 03:29:30 »
[Blunderov] God allows his followers to rape women.
"When thou guest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her . . . thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will." Deut. xxi. 10-14 (See also Numbers xxxi. 18, 35; Deut. xxiv. 1-3.)
[Bl.]The God of Mercy. You have to let her go afterwards.
[Blunderov] God allows his followers to rape women.
"When thou guest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her . . . thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will." Deut. xxi. 10-14 (See also Numbers xxxi. 18, 35; Deut. xxiv. 1-3.)
[Bl.]The God of Mercy. You have to let her go afterwards.
Yeah once she's fulfilled her duties as a sperm receptacle, the rapist would surely not want to stick around to actually invest any more resources towards supporting his offspring. This all before the development of medically safe abortions. I guess she was asking for it by being on the wrong side of the war. Everything happens for a reason
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