Saudi religious police ban Barbie dolls

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy -- already banned in the kingdom -- are offensive to Islam.

The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, as the religious police are officially known, lists the dolls on a section of its Web site devoted to items deemed offensive to the conservative Saudi interpretation of Islam.

"Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site.

www.cnn.com...

And of course they have to blame Jews for Barbie. Jews are also responsible for acne.

It was bout the time, Barbies are sluts..

Noticed the part about not allowing things with the cross on them, seems more and more like being a Christian in that part of the world could result in imprisonment and even worst.

Any thoughts?

Muslim countries have always been very intolerant to anything having to do with Christianity. It is illegal to preach the Gospel in most Muslim countries - for foreigners, it is normally a one way ticket home. For natives, it can be the death penalty. Tell you what - walk down the streets of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia chanting "Hare Krishna, Rama, Rama, ..." and see what happens.

Quite obvious everyone missed just "why" these dolls are being outlawed....diffently isn't because they are "Christian"........

Try this on:
Quote from the article....
"-- Saudi Arabia's religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy -- already banned in the kingdom -- are offensive to Islam. "

And.....

"Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site."

Key word here: "Jewish."

The Middle East is a one-dimensional binary debate. Let's see: Jew/Not Jew. Barbie is not a Not Jew, therefore she must be a Jew.
If Saudi Arabia/Islam must protect it's society from Barbie, perhaps Barbie is not the issue?!


regards
seekerof


[Edited on 11-9-2003 by Seekerof]

Well Seekerof would you be willing to walk down the streets of Riyadh chanting "Hare Krishna, Rama, Rama, ...."?

Originally posted by FULCRUM
It was bout the time, Barbies are sluts..

LMAO!!! Just told my sister to read what you said and she almost fell to the ground laughing. I guess they are sluts!

Originally posted by Toltec
Noticed the part about not allowing things with the cross on them, seems more and more like being a Christian in that part of the world could result in imprisonment and even worst.

Any thoughts?

My sister used to live in Saudi Arabia. She said that even though she lived in an American compound, they still were not allowed to have anything Christian, not even a tree for Christmas. Some did anyway, though. They just kept them small and made sure they couldn't be seen from the outside.

Seekerof note my comment with respect to what the article mentioned about.....

Other items listed as violations on the site included Valentine's Day gifts, perfume bottles in the shape of women's bodies, clothing with logos that include a cross, and decorative copies of religious items -- offensive because they could be damaged and thus insult Islam.

hence the discussion.

Originally posted by jagdflieger
Muslim countries have always been very intolerant to anything having to do with Christianity. It is illegal to preach the Gospel in most Muslim countries - for foreigners, it is normally a one way ticket home. For natives, it can be the death penalty. Tell you what - walk down the streets of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia chanting "Hare Krishna, Rama, Rama, ..." and see what happens.

That is a blatant generalisation and NOT true. SAUDI ARABIA is the problem not ALL muslim countries. You can be christian in Iran, Malasia, Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt,Bosnia, no problem, they also allow Jews to exist, surprise, surprise.

Saudis have always been a problem, but them being such a good a$$-kissers... ummm alies and business partners, nobody is actually doing something about it.

Islam is not the enemy of Christianty and Judaism, in fact Islam is the only religion which recognizes OFFICIALY in Quran, other religions as true religions which came from the same God and GOSPEL as a word of God ( read the Quran, you'll see). Jews do not recognise Islam like that, neither do Christians..... well except the Pope, who kissed Quran saying its the word of God.

Saudi version of Islam, including many tribal traditions which existed even before Islam, is the actual problem, not Islam itself.

Originally posted by Toltec
Seekerof note my comment with respect to what the article mentioned about.....

Other items listed as violations on the site included Valentine's Day gifts, perfume bottles in the shape of women's bodies, clothing with logos that include a cross, and decorative copies of religious items -- offensive because they could be damaged and thus insult Islam.

hence the discussion.

Understood Toltec and point taken Jagd.

The thing with Saudi Arabia that I see presented in this article is the their hatred of Israel and that the continued suppression of women in this country and in the Muslim world continues, according to their religious doctrines and beliefs.

The Saudi's are doing the "banning" because they feel it will influence the young and the women. You have a male dominated society and structure which supress's the rights of the females of that society. Anything seen as "threatening" to such a structure must and will be addressed and "banned."

regards
seekerof

[Edited on 11-9-2003 by Seekerof]

My sister used to live in Saudi Arabia. She said that even though she lived in an American compound, they still were not allowed to have anything Christian, not even a tree for Christmas. Some did anyway, though. They just kept them small and made sure they couldn't be seen from the outside

I myself lived in such a compound. You just couldn't decorate the outside, but inside was fine. We had a Christmas tree (oddly enough, the guy who sold it just thought he was selling a fake tree)!!! Barbies were never allowed in luggage or in regular stores that I remember...but the generic knock-offs often appeared in the marketplaces (called Suuks).

As a side note, you had to be careful with cameras, as you weren't allowed to photograph mosques....


What compound did she live in? I myself lived in L-160 (for Lockheed, 160 villas)... It'd be funny if it was the same one, hehe....I might have known her!

[Edited on 11-9-2003 by Gazrok]

What? do they need to come out with burqa barbie?

"don't you dare undress her! infidel!"

bah...they dont need Barbie over there...they have Razaane

hilarious. couldnt have more apropriate pictures for this topic then the ones above.

Originally posted by paperclip
That is a blatant generalisation and NOT true. SAUDI ARABIA is the problem not ALL muslim countries. You can be christian in Iran, Malasia, Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt,Bosnia, no problem, they also allow Jews to exist, surprise, surprise.

I am surprised. What's the Jewish population of Jordan? Egypt?

I see nothing wrong with banning barbies.

If I had it my way I would ban them here in Canada.

Barbie is not fit to be a suitable role model for children.

I would never allow my children to look up to such a woman ( well when I have kids, being 20 and all).

The Saudis have a different way of life, and we have accept that.
Christians cant accept that fact that Gays are being married.

And I also disagree that all moslem countrys are Anti-Cristian or Anti-any other religion.

My grandfather was from pakistan and he was a Sikh.
Pakistan is a Moslem country and thier are problems with the different religions but not that its impossible to live in a moslem country as anything other than muslem.

As a Western born individual with eastern born parents, I seem to be in a struggle between the to different cultures. My parents strongly look down and things such as, porn, Britney spears flashing her boobs all over the television.
The western world demeans women in their eyes.
We were taught that women are our, sisters, wives, grandmothers, mothers, freinds, and soul mates.
That we should worship a women and she has equal rights just as many man has.
A barbie is nothing but a Busty Bimbo driving a corvette teaching children that only someone as beatifull as her can achieve so much.

Deep

I wish the British police had done that about 12 years ago: I'd have saved a fortune as far as Mini-estragon was concerned.
It is true that Saudi is not a good posting- especially for women. On the other hand, the cops of all flavours are corrupt and obliging and the first thing one saw in most stores was a mountain of grape-juice and handy supplies of yeast next to them. Every Aramco apartment I ever visited had some sort of still in it.
In education,at least, one goes to Saudi for one reason: money -it's quite good pay (well, it was: the Saudis are rather less rich now) and there's little to spend it on -well-salaried prison would be a fair approximation.

The "Jewish" bit baffles me somewhat: the "inventor" was the well-known Ruth Handler who was, I believe, a Jewess of Polish extraction, who passed away last year to a reasonably large amount of public notice; but the doll certainly doesn't look very Jewish to me -more like an ideal Aryan, wouldn't one think? Of course, Ken is not sufficiently life-like for one to tell if he's circumcised or not (and that's very common anyway in the US); but he doesn't look very Jewish either.
I think their heads aren't right in Saudi.

Originally posted by ZeroDeep
A barbie is nothing but a Busty Bimbo driving a corvette teaching children that only someone as beatifull as her can achieve so much.

Reading this read reminds me of a T-shirt I saw a gal wearing once...It had a picture of Barbie on it & the caption read, "I wish I were Barbie. That bitch has everything."