Ex Muslim AMA

Well, even 300 years ago it was acceptable to marry girls that young. As soon as a girl reached puberty (meaning she is ready to have children) she was thought of as being ready for marriage. By today's standards, yes, that is too young, but these things change and it was considered the norm in the olden days. So just because you find this "simply unacceptable" it means Islam is not the right religion? It's not a good enough reason for abandoning your religion.

No. Didn't say that.

I understand what you mean, but firstly it was only part of why I left, and secondly, I'm sorry but Islam is supposed to be timeless and apply to all times. By this logic, it would be okay for me to marry a girl at six, as long as I don't consumate this marriage until she first has a period. After that, it is acceptable to have sex, regardless of her emotional maturity. Aisha was not emotionally prepared, she was still playing with dolls after she was married off to Muhammad.

That is what you implied. If something was the norm in the olden days and not now then it isn't acceptable in modern times. You can't have it both ways.

Hello,
I'm an 18 year old ex-muslim atheist studying a2's in London, AMA

Genuine question... Do you think it's acceptable for a 10 year old girl (who's gone through puberty) to marry a grown man?

"but these things change and it was considered the norm in the olden days"

Yes, it is timeless and still applies to today. Just because we have laws today against this sort of thing doesn't necessarily make it 'wrong' - we have simply been raised to believe it's wrong. In some cultures this is still practiced, but by Western standards it is instantly labeled as 'pedophilia'. What I'm saying is social norms are always changing.

The Prophet consummated the marriage with Aisha once she hit puberty, and the Qur'an actually prohibits sex with prepubescent children. Playing with dolls doesn't make her emotionally unprepared. Judging by hadith she was very happy with the Prophet (saw) and he treated her very well.

Ben and Jerrys or Vodka?

You ever heard of Romeo and Juliet...?

You know Romeo married a 10-11 year old Juliet and everyone loves that plot? But when put into context with Islam it's unacceptable? I know it's a play but it was written inn times when marriage like this was normal for everyone where men who were much older married much younger woman...

Like I've said to the others, social norms are always changing, and not all societies will view this the same way. That doesn't make it 'wrong', therefore the Qur'an is still applicable today. What may be considered wrong in the EU may be perfectly acceptable in another region.

See this is where we disagree, you feel as though it is society that has raised us to believe that it is wrong, and don't see an issue with it yourself whereas I personally do not agree that it is okay that a child so young married supposedly the most perfect man to have ever walked on this earth. I mean how can she consent to a marriage at the age of six, or even nine for that matter? At those ages, children are still children, no matter how long ago they lived.

How have you 'left' Islam?

Why did your knowledge of geology dissuade you from Islam? Do you not think that others who have studied the Quran and its meaning may have come to these doubts before you, but understand what it actually means?

If you're an 'ex-Muslim' why have you not told your parents? When do you plan to do this? You just pretend to be a Muslim now?

If you had doubts in Islam, maybe you should speak to an Imam who understands the Quran far better than you I assume...?

Was your faith that weak that some doubts caused you to leave Islam? So you must be really easily persuaded and 'indoctrinated'?

So then, there is no "objective unchanging morality"... just a world full of "bidah"?
How can you say Qur'an is applicable and timeless when you've just said certain aspects of the prophets life is not applicable?
So is morality changing with time or not changing?

You disagree with it now, but had you been born earlier and in a different society perhaps you wouldn't look at it the same way. Society is what shapes our views, and it's the reason why today most people will believe this is pedophilia, as opposed to say 100 or more years ago when this was widely practiced and accepted.

Also, no one knows for sure how old she was when they consummated the marriage. Scholars have had a lot of debates over this. However what's certain is that Aisha had gone through puberty before the marriage was consummated, meaning she was physically ready. If a girl is physically mature enough to bear children, why is it wrong for her to be married? You seem to appreciate science a lot more, and scientifically puberty is an indicator that the girl is now ready to have children.

Social norms change all the time. No country has the same legal age for marriage, for example, because what's considered acceptable in one country might not be acceptable in another country. The fact that this would be considered 'pedophilia' today, in most countries, doesn't make it wrong.

You ever heard of Romeo and Juliet...?

You know Romeo married a 10-11 year old Juliet and everyone loves that plot? But when put into context with Islam it's unacceptable? I know it's a play but it was written inn times when marriage like this was normal for everyone where men who were much older married much younger woman...