Sexual abuse, lesbianism and suffering in the convent

Sister Jesme, a former nun who spent 30 years in a convent has released an autobiography named 'Amen' which is selling like hot cakes in Kerala, India. In the book released earlier this year she has detailed sexual harassment, bullying and lesbianism within the convent walls that remain hidden from the public. However, the spokesperson for the Syro-Malabar order of the Catholic Church, Dr. Paul Thelakkat denies all such allegations saying the book exaggerates trivial matters.  

Roman Catholic nuns in India

“It is not my intention to make this book controversial. I just want to express my feelings and explain what happened to me”, says Sister Jesme, “…I want people to know how I have suffered. People say that everything is fine, but I was in the convent and I think people have the right to know what goes on. I have concerns for others.” 

Sister Jesme says when she became a nun she was astonished to discover that priests were forcing novices to have sex with them. There had been secret homosexual relationships among nuns. At one point she was forced into such a relationship by another nun who told her she preferred this kind of sexual gratification as it ruled out the possibility of pregnancy. 

She says in the book that once she travelled to Bangalore on a mission and was made to stay with a purportedly pious priest who took her to a garden. “He showed me several pairs cuddling behind trees and gave me a sermon on the necessity of physical love. He also described several illicit affairs that certain bishops and priests have had. After that he took me to his home, stripped off his clothes and ordered me to do the same.” 

She also alleges that the novices were severely punished for even minor transgressions, and the senior staff turned a blind eye to the actions of more ‘experienced’ nuns. She was not even allowed to go home after she was informed that her father had died. She was given a moment to see the body of her father barely 15 minutes before the funeral. She was told by her superiors that the then senior sisters were not even lucky enough to see the bodies of their parents.

Sister Jesme who resigned from the post of principal at a Catholic college in Thrissur last year says the senior nuns tried to commit her to a mental institution after she spoke against them. She claimed convents had become houses of ‘torture’ saying the mental pressure was unbearable. Sister Jesme says, “When I questioned the Church’s stand on self-financing colleges and certain other issues, they accused me of having mental problems. Once they sent me to a psychiatrist. Still there are many nuns undergoing ill-treatment from the order, but they are afraid to speak out. The church is a formidable fortress.” 

These allegations are not the only controversy to rock the Catholic Church in Kerala. Reports suggest there have been a number of suicides by young nuns. Last summer, a 23 year old novice committed suicide and left a note saying she had been harassed by her Mother Superior. In November 2008, the police in Kerala arrested two priests in connection with the rape and killing of Sister Abhaya. In 1992, the 16 year old Abhaya was found dead in a well within the convent walls.  

Reference:    1. The Independent 

                      2. www.islamonline.net

                      3. www.BCNN1.com 

                      4. www.wikipedia.com                    

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

1 December 2009, Tuesday

14 Thw al-Hijjah 1430

Rape and sexual abuse by Anglican priests

The following piece of writing describes how the rampant moral degeneration in western societies ruin innocent girls’ lives and reveals the dark secrets of sexual abuse by Anglican clergymen.

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clergy abuse has plagued most churches

Here goes the story of Sonya Brown from England who as a child was sexually abused by her father. Some three years ago she started getting flashbacks and became mentally ill. She was so severely depressed that she had to be referred to a psychiatric day hospital. She believed the chaplain (priest) would offer her a spiritual refuge from her ordeals. But later she found out that his support soon turned into a fresh bout of sexual exploitation. The clergyman raped her on three occasions: in his office, at home and in the toilet.       

The dog collar supposed to be a symbol of trust and moral rectitude, but for Sonya Brown it now has an opposite impression. When Sonya first began visiting the hospital chaplain for counselling she felt secure. ‘The collar gave me a feeling of protection and safety’, she said. Nevertheless, according to her distressing account, at one session, ‘I was extremely upset and very depressed. He got off his chair and knelt down before me. He offered me his handkerchief while trying to comfort me. He put his arms around me, cuddled me, kissed me, then squeezed my breasts and put his hands between my legs. I felt confused, disorientated, upset and ran out of the room in tears.’  

Despite that, Sonya says she continued to see the chaplain, as she desperately depended on his support. However, one afternoon when no one was around, he visited her at home and forced her to have sex with him. A week later, the constant feeling of guilt made her realise that she had made a terrible mistake. But, in a state of severe depression, she felt powerless.   

Sonya claims that the chaplain brutally raped her in a toilet at a cemetery where she had gone to visit her sister’s grave. ‘I became very grieved and went to the toilet in a very distressed state. The chaplain followed me into the toilet. All of a sudden the door was closed and locked. 

‘My trousers were pulled down and he started touching me. I said, ‘No, please leave me alone and get out.’ He just laughed, turned me round and pushed me against the door. He put his arm across my neck as if trying to suffocate me. I couldn’t scream or shout. Then he raped me. I felt sick, confused and terrified. I prayed somebody would come into the toilets – somebody, anybody but nobody did.   

Sonya accuses the chaplain of repeatedly raping her while she slept at home. However, she dared not tell anyone about it for fear of tarnishing the image of “a man ordained by God to cure her.” No matter she remained badly traumatised in the days that came she must not displease the ‘man of God.’ Sonya says, ‘He repeatedly told me it was a moving-on process. He told me constantly not to tell anyone, or he could lose his priesthood. He threatened to tell my family, and most of all that no body would believe me. He kept telling me it was our secret. I was terrified and kept my mouth shut until the day I felt like committing suicide and reported the incident to another counsellor.’

The hospital held an internal investigation and the chaplain’s ministry was informed. But it was the chaplain’s word against Sonya’s, and the hospital authority took his. He still works there and is allowed on home visits to other vulnerable girls.

The above mentioned incident is just one out of hundreds of sexual abuse scandals engulfing the Anglican Church today. Many young girls said they believed they had been ‘groomed’ by Anglican clerics just as a paedophile prepares his victims before preying on.          

In 2003, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams faced questions over his role in helping a priest who sexually assaulted a female vicar to find another job and get way with his crime. Still there are hundreds of child molestation and other forms of sexual abuse cases pending over churchmen of all denominations. This involves the Church of England, the Catholic Church with the rest spread across Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians.  

The Church of England remains in turmoil over the sexuality of its bishops. Homosexual Anglican bishop, the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in USA, Gene Robinson is the central figure in the gay clergy controversy that has rocked the worldwide Anglican community. As a consequence, many previously devout Anglicans have lost confidence in the Anglican Church in general. The prime example is the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair who converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism. This action of Blair after he left Office created such uproar that many hardcore Anglicans accused him of treachery and treason. Some Anglicans have gone further to label him to be the Anti-Christ who would appear nearing the End Times.                 

The Ordination of women both as bishops and priests have started in many Anglican provinces around the world. The Church of England authorised the ordination of women priests in 1992 and began ordaining them in 1994. Many adherents of Anglicanism believe that the measure was taken to rid the Anglican Church of the problem of sexual abuse by the male clergy which are plaguing the Church in recent years.         

Reference:  1.TheObserver

                    2. The Guardian

                    3. www.wikipedia.com

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

2 December 2009, Wednesday

15 Thw al-Hijjah 1430

Rape and sexual abuse by priests

What you are about to read will probably be upsetting to most of you. You have to keep in mind that these people who sexually abuse minors are not vague Satanists, Mafia kingpins, heroine addicts or members of Gay and Lesbian Associations. They are the same moral leaders who scream from their pulpits about the evils of promiscuity, homosexuality and fornication. One of the worst artifacts of modern Christendom to face humanity in contemporary times is the increase in clergy sexual abuse.

The problem of Christian clergy child sexual abuse is so epidemic in westernised societies that priesthood has been stereotyped as paedophilia. It is not limited to one particular brand name of Christianity. The amazing thing is the Christian clergy does provide a safe heaven for paedophiles. Apart from being privately rebuked and quietly moved to another location, the clerics are allowed to continue their preaching.

As a child Patricia Stevens dreamt of being ordained as a minister. Fifteen years later, as a postgraduate student of theology at Cambridge, she was close to fulfilling that ambition. She was sent on work experience to preach at a large church in London where she was sexually abused and raped by the senior priest supervising her.

As a student minister, Patricia Stevens firmly believed in not having sex outside marriage. She recalls how the priest told her that she would never understand the love of God unless she had sex with a man. Patricia says that on one occasion when no one was around, she was forced to have sex with him. 'He told me it was God's will to have sex with me, and when I turned him down, I wasn't obedient to God. He told me to stop struggling and overpowered me. I cried when he wouldn't stop and the more I begged him to leave me alone the more aggressive he became.'

The priest told Patricia that she should not tell anything to anyone. It was the thing that God wanted and He would be pleased with her. Though the abuse happened a number of years ago, Patricia recently attempted to commit suicide several times because she still cannot come to terms with what happened. Her hope of getting justice from the church authorities got dashed when the priest denied rape. He was asked to move parishes but allowed to go on preaching.

Dr. Tanya Jenkins, a woman priest remains devastated three years after she was sexually assaulted by Canon Geoffrey Hewitt of Bangor Cathedral. The incident happened when Jenkins invited him for a coffee at her home after a funeral. It emerged when officials received another complaint from a worker saying that Hewitt had patted her bottom and emailed lewd poems to her.

Hewitt admitted both counts of sexual harassment at a Church tribunal, but was allowed to keep his job. However his parishioners refused to have him back and he was forced to seek another parish.

In 2003, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams faced questions over his role in helping Hewitt to get away with his crime of sexual assault. Britain's leading investigator of sexual abuse in the Church is Margaret Kennedy who is a pioneer in raising the issue of child abuse. She has worked very hard in raising the issue of child abuse in the Roman Catholic and other Christian Churches. Margaret described the scandal involving Rowan Williams as shocking and deplorable. Margaret Kennedy believes that this is just the tip of iceberg. She says there are hundreds of frightened women who are too ashamed to deal with the situation they find themselves in. Many girls have been left in a poor mental state, while the clergymen are rebuked privately and moved on. Most often their victims are left isolated in communities unable to face the idea how a man of God could do something so wrong. As the row over homosexual bishops continues to rock the Church of England, the revelations of sexual abuse threaten to plunge the Church further into crisis.

In a shocking documentary screened by the BBC named 'Sex Crimes and the Vatican' the Pope Benedict XVI played a key role in a systematic cover-up of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests. The Pontiff then was Cardinal Thomas Ratzinger when he issued a secret Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world, instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety. The document urged that victims and witnesses must be silenced by threatening them of being excommunicated if they continued to repeat the allegations.

In July 2008, the Pope Benedict XVI, before a huge congregation assembled in Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral made a historic full apology for child sex abuse by the Catholic priests and clergymen. The Pope also called for compensation and demanded punishment for those guilty of the evil.

Many cases of abuse show how the clerics use religion and their position of authority to coerce young women into sex, saying things like, 'God wants you to love me,' and 'concubines were biblical'. In one instance, it is claimed that a clergyman told a girl: 'God has made you beautiful so you can fulfill the desires of Christian men.'

In the last few years, there are over 200,000 cases of clergy abuse in the United States every year. No Christian church is exempt from physical and sexual abuse of children by churchmen. The claims that 'my church has no such problems' are always proven false in time.

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

8 January 2010, Friday

22 MuHarram 1431

Mujahid: Saud ibn Abi Waqqas

Saud ibn Abi Waqqas was one of the first to accept Islam. He was among the most important Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When Saud’s mother heard the news that he had accepted Islam, she came up to him and said, "O Saud! What is this religion that you have embraced which has taken you away from the religion of your mother and father…?" 

Muslims in battle

Saud’s mother threatened to die of hunger unless he reverted back to polytheism. It was then the Qur’anic verses in Sura 31:14-15 were revealed to the Prophet (PBUH).      

Saud went and said to her, “O mother! In spite of my strong love for you, my love for Allah and His Messenger is indeed stronger. By Allah, if you had a thousand souls and each one departs one after another, I would not abandon this religion for anything.” When she saw Saud’s determination not to abandon Islam, she relented unwillingly and began to eat and drink.

In the early days of Islam, the Muslims were on their way to the hills of Mecca to meet the Messenger in secret. A group of idolaters observed them and began to fight them. Saud beat one of them on the head with an animal bone and so the first blood was shed in the defense of Islam.    

Saud migrated to Medina along with other first converts to Islam. He fought at the Battle of Badr, the first battle of Muslims against the polytheists.

At the Battle of Uhud, Saud was chosen as an archer together with Zayd. Saud was among those who fought in defense of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) after some Muslims had deserted their positions. Saud was one of the ten who received the glad tidings of Paradise.

During Umar’s Caliphate, Saud was the commander of the Muslim forces that waged war with the Persian Empire. The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah was regarded as the decisive battle in the Islamic Conquest of Persia.  

Saud was appointed as governor of Kufa and Nejd by the Caliph Omar and later by Othman (May Allah be pleased with them).

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

22 December 2009, Tuesday

5 MuHarram 1431

Death of Gaddafi marks the end of an era

Muammar-al Gaddafi, Libya's controversial self-styled authoritarian ruler has been killed in his hometown Sirte, after he was captured by the rebels fighting to take control of the country.

Muammar-al Gaddafi

Gaddafi whose pomp, lavish life-style and female bodyguards have been viewed with much contempt in the Muslim world is believed to have died at the hands of rebels.

Gaddafi, the man who ruled Libya with an iron fist for 42 years is dead, it remains for the National Transitional Council (NTC) to bring Libyans together towards national unity and reconciliation. Gaddafi's death signals a new era for Libya, and what might come next to the war torn country remains a controversial topic. 

It seems very likely that NATO, the western military alliance which helped the rebels to depose the Libyan leader will play a distabalising role to spread more chaos among Libyan people. A stable and prosperous Libya with its vast oil reserves might become an envy of the western governments whose countries are on the verge of financial ruin. 

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To read about Gaddafi's final moments, click here.
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Written by: Maryam Nashwa
20 October 2011
22 Thw al-Qi`dah 1432

Student files case against College of Islamic Studies

A female student studying at the Faculty of Sharia and Law who wears the face veil (niqab) has filed a case against College of Islamic Studies at Civil Court over her right to wear it inside college premises.   

College of Islamic Studies in Maldives

The student whose name is Mehenaz Hussein wants the Civil Court to issue a ruling that women opting to wear face veil could not be banned from educational institutions in Maldives. She particularly insists that her religious and constitutional rights as a woman could not be infringed by a new regulation that is about to be introduced concerning students’ dress code at the college.       

Mehenaz says she has been studying in the college for the past four months and attending the classes while her body covered from head to toe and there has not been any problem so far. Not a single teacher or a student has passed any remark or complained about it. Before applying to join the Faculty of Sharia and Law, she enquired about the chances of getting an enrolment if a female student wears a face veil and she was told it was not a problem at all. After getting selected to the course, she attended the interview wearing an abaya while her face covered with niqab (face veil). While at the interview she again asked her interviewers if there was going to be any obstacle or objection concerning the way she was dressed and was told that she would be fine in college with her face veil.          

On September 20, Mehenaz was summoned to meet Dr Ibrahim Zakariya Musa, the college rector and was told that she was no longer welcome wearing face veil in the college. She must remove her niqab before entering the college premises or be faced with expulsion.     

In the same meeting Mehenaz requested Dr Zakariya to grant permission to cover her face until she reaches the classroom, saying she was willing to uncover her face during the study sessions. The rector refused saying if she was not happy with his decision she has the choice to take the matter through legal proceedings.      

Mehenaz’s husband, Zunnawaar Saleem who is also her lawyer told news media that the case has been filed on 16 October and they were prepared to fight a legal battle against this clumsy decision of college rector Dr Zakariya.   

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

17 October 2011, Monday

19 Thw al-Qi`dah 1432

Hamas and Israel reach a deal over Shalit

The Islamic resistance group, Hamas has finally agreed to free Gilad Shalit, the captured Israeli soldier in exchange for 1027 Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails.

Gilad Shalit

Gilat Shalit, a tank gunner was captured by Hamas fighters during a cross-border raid by Israeli military on Gaza in June 2006. Numerous Israeli military operations to free Shalit, including the war on Gaza in December 2008 which killed 1400 Palestinians, failed to achieve the intended Israeli military objectives.

Since the capture of Shalit, pressure has mounted up on successive Israeli governments to reach a deal with Hamas in order to secure his release.  

See timeline on Gilad Shalit saga.

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim

14 October 2011, Friday

16 Thw al-Qi`dah 1432

What happens in the end?

The incident of an 18 year-old girl gang raped by five men made a news headline yesterday. Various newspapers and TV channels jockeyed with one another in trying to bring details of the incident occurred in Laamu Atoll Maabaidhoo.   

Whenever a heinous crime is committed in the country, the news media seems eager to cover the story and it makes hot news in the headlines. They appear to be interested in narrating the details of how the particular crime is committed; informing the youngsters on ways to plan and carryout such horrible acts. Also, at the end of the news, the report faintly mentions that some arrests have been made or that the matter is under investigation.       

However, the news agencies are not interested in covering any details of the aftermath of those arrests and the outcome of the investigations or the court procedure concerning the crime. The news men rarely or perhaps do not follow up the case unless it carries some political weight with an opportunity to point fingers at somebody.    

Take for example the reported incidents of drug trafficking, gang rape, theft, robbery, incest and child molestation etc. in the news in Maldives. Most people in the public are uninformed about any legal outcome concerning these criminal acts reported in the news.

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Written by: Ibrahim Nazim
26 May 2011, Thursday
23 Jumaada al-THaany 1432