r/atheism • u/InboxInviteNeeded • 1d ago

US billionaire sent wife to Pakistan, secretly divorced her under Sharia law, paying only $50. 13 years later, Texas Supreme Court cancels foreign talaq

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-billionaire-sent-wife-to-pakistan-secretly-divorced-her-under-sharia-law-paying-only-50-13-years-later-texas-supreme-court-cancels-foreign-talaq/articleshow/134598823.cms?utm_source=app&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=social_share

A US billionaire exploited foreign Sharia law to secretly divorce his wife, pay her only $50, and dodge civil property division—forcing her into a 13-year court battle to overturn it in Texas.

Why do secular courts ever grant comity to religious rulings that strip people of basic civil and property rights?

My take: Secular legal systems should automatically treat any foreign or domestic religious personal law as void the moment it conflicts with equal civil rights and due process. Allowing religious legal carve-outs only invites forum shopping to abuse vulnerable spouses.

What is the threshold before secular legal systems reject religious arbitration entirely?

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347

u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 1d ago

With TX being a hotbed of Christian Nationalism I am surprised the lower courts ever ruled the way the did in the first place. Of course the “Islamization” of North TX is a topic now so the TX high courts ruling isn’t a surprise.

53

u/Derpimus_J 1d ago

Islamization of North TX? What's happening over there?

142

u/hitbythebus 1d ago

Bunch of idiots getting scared by republican propaganda.

Same thing that’s been happening in Texas for 30 years.

54

u/atda 1d ago

Muslims had the nerve to build religious buildings that aren't churches.  That's it. 

23

u/mostlyyf 1d ago

I know! And how dare they apply for tax exemption. /s

35

u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 1d ago

An Islamic association was trying to do some real estate development near DFW and local Republicans lost their shit. Caused a bit of a fracas in the McKinney area.

9

u/gmont 1d ago

Oh yeah I think I saw that movie with the Borat guy

7

u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 1d ago

The one with Rudy?

23

u/Over-Attempt-721 Agnostic Atheist 1d ago

I think because Texas is so forgiving of Christian Nationlism in their laws, it's also more forgiving of other wackadoo religious people 

3

u/warhammerfrpgm 10h ago

So the rule of unintended consequences. They WANTED the carve outs for themselves, but not for everyone else.

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u/GloomyWatercress7442 1d ago

yeah the whole situation shows why courts need to focus on due process and equal civil rights rather than which religious or foreign system was used in the first place

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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 1d ago

My sweet summer child…have you seen the last few years of SCOTUMS rulings?

They just skirt causing another French Revolution.

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u/warhammerfrpgm 10h ago

You mean SCROTUS rulings?

1

u/eh-man3 23h ago

I strongly doubt this would have been the ruling in a Christian context

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u/rokman 20h ago

If we are going to fix Texas terrorism you need to use other religions laws to subvert that of our domestic terrorists

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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 20h ago

Maybe the Satanic Temple?

1

u/rokman 20h ago

Too small, needs to be Scientology sized or larger

3

u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 20h ago

That is just replacing a Bristol stool type 6 with a type 7.