Melliferax: That’s not true at all. Swede here and in my family we all tell each other “Jag älskar dig” quite often. I know we’re probably a warmer family than most people, but I also know many of my friends who still say it every now and then.
I’ve brought the subject up several times since I can see my family behave a bit different than others, and it interests me to know why.

Your misconception might have come about from the fact that we wouldn’t do it in public, and it isn’t a subject people normally talk about. I could agree many families probably stop saying it when the children grow up, but I think it is safe to assume that a considerable amount tell their kids very often.

In fact, many of the friends I’ve asked told me it was part of their daily goodnight ritual.

Sorry to rant off-topic, it just bugs me how someone thinks they speak for everyone.

Talk about religion with your boyfriend. Then he’ll probably become an atheist.

Fundamentalist parents don’t like atheists very much, but at least they don’t FREAK OUT as they do about muslims. And it will be better for him too: right now he has to get on his knees and pray five times a day and all kind of goofy, religious stuff, ain’t he?

but we need to ensure that over time we can help to lessen its hold on the people already living under it.

This statement, in particular, is applicable to the current topic. I feel sorry for Muslim girls like Hatun Surucu who are forced into a restrictive culture through no choice of their own and are destroyed by it when they finally break free. Sadly, her story is not unique. So, my question is why would any woman choose to move backward in time when she doesn’t even have to?!
Dahlia’s choice to assume risks associated with a religion that is heavily misogynistic sometimes to the point of lethality can only be explained by a desire to rebel by seeking the “exotic.” As I mentioned earlier she could have chosen a romantic interest without the complicated background.
As Jeff Purser’s anecdotes demonstrate, the odds are on the side of the culture – operating through family or mosque – winning out and not the good graces of the acculturated European Muslim man. Islamism is on the rise in Europe, moreso than in the past. There are plenty of articles from the BBC and elsewhere, so I won’t bother posting a link.

There are constructive ways to assert one’s independence. If Dahlia doubts god, then she can research it and discuss the evidence with her family. But, I guess that would be boring. At 16, or 18, or even 20, “love” is usually nothing more than hormones and escapism.

No, but that’s a REASONABLE risk someone in her position should be aware of.

How do you assess that without knowing the number of Muslims in Sweden and the number of honor killings? How do you even attempt to calculate the risk?

One major thing I thought of is that if you live in Sweden, I think there are some avenues for you to become financially independent from your parents and move out.

I live in Finland, and doesn’t Sweden have a similar system? Are you a student? If you’d have to take out some student loans for living expenses, it might be worth it for your freedom.

You don’t have to tell your parents that it is because of them, you could tell them you are an adult and it’s time to move on, etc.

Just a thought.

Also, with the boyfriend in question, I am glad you don’t seem to plan on marrying him, because I think there is a big possibility of having the same kinds of problems with him one day because he is a Muslim.

Are you disagreeing with Islam being a pernicious force against the West? Am I wrong about that?

Technically, no, you are not wrong. I would suggest that it is much, much more than that. The way you have it phrased makes it solely an East v West scenario. Being a minimalist, I am often inclined to put things in those terms, so I understand where you are coming from. It is that, but it is so much more. It is a pernicious force against mankind, against people in general. Not only do we need to protect ourselves from its influence, but we need to ensure that over time we can help to lessen its hold on the people already living under it. Education via the internet is a good way to do that.
If we make it less of a confrontation between peoples and more of a clash of ideas we’ll be on the right track.