You're right, Musket, (and I'm touched by your respectful post) Sharia is based on arbitration by elders, and is usually biased in favour of the status quo, and can be dismissive of women's needs and rights. But my husband is a Sunni Muslim from Ivory Coast and has never had recourse to Sharia there. However, in, say, Saudi Arabia, Muslim tenets are I believe very strictly enforced. Women aren't even allowed to drive. Even non-Muslims must tow the line. A female friend accompanied her husband on a business trip to Riyadh and wore what she thought was a full-length dress, only to have the religious police whip her legs with a huge cane as she walked along the street. She caught the next flight home, and her hubby had to go it alone! I can see Steve's point of view regarding indoctrination. It can amount to brainwashing and makes it very difficult for an individual to break away and follow their private conscience (as with, say, strictly-controlled Amish people) I believe many Catholics in the West (to get back to the thread) practise contraception, have single-sex relationships etc and try to come to terms with their consciences as best they can. It isn't good to treat ones religion as a pick-and-mix menu, but all life is a compromise and that goes for religion too. I personally feel that God is much greater than all this and has compassion for our doubts and needs. I also feel the present Pope is a man of humility and understanding, ao maybe he will be able to change some things to bring them in line with modern times.