Watch the following three videos to learn what Sujato, Nelufer, and Haisam say about wearing,
or not wearing clothes that are connected to their religion.
Each person is answering the question: Why do you dress like that?
Watch this video to hear Sujato answer the question.
Well I dress the way that I do because this is the traditional robes of a Buddhist monk or a Buddhist nun.
Actually in the time of the Buddha, these robes were designed to look like the rice fields
of the area in India where the Buddha lived.
And so these robes, I believe, are the oldest continuous fashion design in human history.
Two and a half thousand years and they still haven't been updated and they work perfectly well!
How do you think Sujato feels about the robes that he wears?
Nelufer is a Muslim who does not wear a hijab (or veil).
Listen to her answer the question.
I dress like this because I'm very comfortable in what I'm wearing.
I dress very moderately and never too open.
I do intend to wear the hijab when the time is right for me.
In the Koran it says there is no compulsion in religion so I feel like I have that choice.
And I also believe that the contract is between God and an individual.
But when I do wear the hijab, I feel very self-conscious.
I feel that people are not looking at me but looking at what I'm wearing.
Why does Nelufer choose to dress the way she does?
Now listen to Haisam tell you why he dresses the way he does.
I dress the way that I do because it's a uniform;
similar to maybe a police officer or a fire person or an ambulance person
or even a student at a particular school.
When a person dresses in a particular way then they are identifiable from different people.
So just like the police officer, if someone needs help,
they can recognise the police officer and approach them.
As an Imam, which is a minister of the Islamic faith,
people can approach me because I dress in a particular way.
It also reminds me of God when I dress this way, it gives me a sense of who I am and how I should act.
In other words a way that makes God happy as I believe.
And also I think it's a very comfortable way to dress particularly in Australia in the summer when it's hot;
they're nice flowing clothes so they keep me nice and cool.
Why does Haisam wear dress related to his religion?
In recent times, some people have suggested that there should be
a ban on religious dress or some types of religious dress.
This debate has been very big in France, where the government has banned the wearing of the
burqa.
Could this ever happen in Australia?
Before any decision could be made to restrict what people can wear in Australia,
the idea would need to be put to the Australian Parliament where the politicians
would debate the issue and vote on whether it should become a law.
During this process many groups and individuals would contact members of parliament
to try to persuade them to vote one way or another.
Imagine that a proposal for a law to ban the wearing of all items of religious clothing
in public places was being considered by the Australian Parliament.
What would be the reasons for and against this law?
It's time for you to explore some arguments for and against this idea and then express your opinion.
