Excerpt:
Women have more rights in Islam than in Catholicism, a Spanish Muslim convert told a group of visiting Turkish journalists last week.
Born a Catholic and educated in Catholic schools, Laura Rodriguez converted to Islam and now represents Spanish Muslim women. She believes that Catholicism restricts women's rights.
"Islam gave me the rights not given by Catholicism, like individual liberty, legal rights, the right to education, the right to employment and the right to sexuality," said Rodriguez, the president of the Muslim Women's Union in Spain.
"Women cannot communicate directly with God in the Catholic religion. They have no rights to sexuality. Their mission is to give birth to children," she added. "[Catholic] women have no right to divorce. Birth control is forbidden by Catholicism."