(938) Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody

There had been many accounts of American women and their children being brought to their husbands' Middle Eastern countries and kept there against their will. Not Without My Daughter is just a detail documentation of Mahmoody's ordeal of confinement in Iran and her subsequent perilous escape over the snowy mountains in winter to Turkey and then her return to America. Even after her safe return, she had to live under assumed names with her daughter in a secret spot, until the day she dies she will be fearful of retaliation as well as her daughter being kidnapped by the father.

At this point, I think of the petite woman who is my husband's client: she converted to Islam and almost married an Iranian. In her case, she was fortunate that the planned marriage did not take place due to whatever hiccup. I am well aware that there must be many handsome and eligible young men from Iran. The real problem is not them but the system in Iran that considers women and children as chattels of the husbands and fathers. Once a woman married an Iranian, she is an Iranian citizen and not allowed to leave unless her husband permits her to. And I suppose it would take a very smart and determined woman not to allow her husband to take her and her children back to his home country to introduce them to his family.

There are many religious beliefs in my country: Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Bahai faith. Since I was dandled on my grandma's knees I have been indoctrinated against making the mistake of converting into Islam and marrying a Muslim man who is allowed by law to have four wives. I of course went on to train my daughters as best as I can to wisely avoid the pitfall of converting into Islam. You see, one can convert from one to another religion freely except it is impossible to get out of Islam. I do respect the fact that each group is trying to keep their believers on their turf. But I would rather have all my children ultimately professing the Christian faith on their death beds. Should a young girl chooses to marry a Thai man and practice Buddhism for many years, there is no law in this nation that would prevent her from embracing the Christian faith  before she dies.

Each person is free to make a choice in religion and marriage partner, in certain cases the choice could lead to far reaching consequences.