About the history and origins behind the famous saying when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Stories behind Famous Sayings
The Saying: WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO.
Who Said It: St. Ambrose
When: 387 A.D.
The Story behind It: When St. Augustine arrived in Milan, he observed that the Church did not fast on Saturday as did the Church at Rome. He consulted St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, who replied: “When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do not. Follow the custom of the Church where you are.” The comment was changed to “When they are at Rome, they do there as they see done” by Robert Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy. Eventually it became “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
© 1975 – 1981 by David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace
Reproduced with permission from “The People’s Almanac” series of books.
All rights reserved.
This is the explaination given by alot of people online for the Niqab Issue in the UK. Well lets consider some past examples,
- Did someone tell the same to Crusaders who took over Jerusalem
- Did some utter the same example to the Israelis when they took over Palestine
- Did the autralians tell the same to themselves that they should act like the Aboriginals when they are in Australia
- Did someone tell the Immigrants to the new land the same when they were slaughtering the Native Indians
- or they were saying the same statement to Africans or the Incas when they were being traded or enslaved
Ofcourse not, then why the hypoccracy. Ofcourse anyone reading this blog might say “My friend, those are old issues, we are in the New Century and things have changed”, i dont think so, The times have changed but not the issues.
If a woman wearing a Niqab in UK is such a threat that it has to be dealt with then i say we need to deal with all kind of problems. Lets make jails for women who do that or men who wear the long Dresses(thobes) or Jewish men wearing the kippah, ofcourse these are non Western Values. Lets force the churches and mosques out of the country as they portray religion in public and we cannot let people profess their faith in open. Lets drive these people underground.
We cry about muslims isolating themselves or they have a state within a state (this statement is very much IN thesedays after it was used constantly about Hizbollah in the Israel-Hizbollah Conflict). The actions contradicting the practices of muslims will isolate them more rather than integrate them into the society. It is a matter of discussion but not a discussion to force muslims to change their practice but a discussion to educate the masses about why they do it. we have to realise that the practices based out of Faith are not easy to get rid of or even affect them at all. If UK decided to Ban this practice then it is a different scenario but on the other hand who cares right.
It is easy to make a conversation with a person on the phone or radio and you do not need a face with it then why niqab is such a problem. Niqab is not a new occurance or a practice that started in the last 5-10 years, infact it is amazing that the british after ruling over muslim lands for hundereds of year will have a problem or a sudden shock with this practice. The british have known this practice of muslim qomen of wearing niqab or veil for ages. It is nothing new.
Let the muslim Bashing finish.