JERUSALEM - In Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, where the rule of law sometimes takes a back seat to the rule of God, zealots are on a campaign to stamp out behavior they consider unchaste. They hurl stones at women for such "sins" as wearing a red blouse and attack stores selling devices that can access the Internet.
In recent weeks, self-styled "modesty patrols" have been accused of breaking into the apartment of a Jerusalem woman and beating her for allegedly consorting with men. They have torched a store that sells MP4 players, fearing devout Jews would use them to download pornography.
"These breaches of purity and modesty endanger our community," said 38-year-old Elchanan Blau, defending the bearded, black-robed zealots. "If it takes fire to get them to stop, then so be it."
61 comments
These breaches of purity and modesty endanger our community
And throwing stones at people, breaking into people's houses to beat them and torching stores is in no way endangering the community.
These breaches of purity and modesty endanger our community...
And throwing stones at people, breaking into people's houses to beat them and torching stores is in no way endangering the community.
Heh!
Of course not, because the people they target aren't real Othodox Jews.
"...endanger our community"????
Did you seriously say that? You don't consider vandalism, destruction of public and private property, assault and battery, and vigilantism to be a danger to your community? I think you fucks should reread your damn holy book and see where you're going when you die.
The world should unite to build a 500 ft. tall wall around a very large parcel of land somewhere in the world, subdivided for use by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish fundamentalists.
Then fill it with water.
"They can burn in hell," said the girl, who would identify herself only as Rivka."
Rivka pretty much sums up my feelings.
If you really want to get technical re: Jewish fundie vs Islamic fundie vs Christian fundie, consider they all sprout from the same patriarch (Abraham) and all use the same foundation of rules (10 Commandments and Mosaic Law although Christians are exempt due to "grace" and Muslims claim the Jewish version was corrupted over time).
Ha'lal and Kosher are pretty damn similar. The Quaran borrowed pretty heavily from Mosaic Law (Leviticus and Deut.) and the tiers of religious and social standing is almost identical but with different names.
Sexist twats.
They have torched a store that sells MP4 players, fearing devout Jews would use them to download pornography.
By that line of reasoning, your tongues could be used to speak against god - I propose you cut them out.
Can you see the stupid yet?
"In Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community" THAT IS EXCEPT FROM THEN DRAFT...
Setting stores on fire, attacking women... now who does this remind me of?
Oh yes, the Taliban. I guess fundamentalists are the same no matter what religion they belong to.
The worst mistake by the winning side of WWII was the creation of Israel. 60 years and counting with war and terror because of what? Some damn rocks and old stone buildings that are so called "holy", gimme a fucking break.
If someone nuked Israel, I wouldn't be too upset as it would have solved a 60 year old problem and a problem what will continue on for centuries.
The world should unite to build a 500 ft. tall wall around a very large parcel of land somewhere in the world, subdivided for use by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish fundamentalists.
Then fill it with water. -- Dio Fa
Fill it with water from a sewer outlet.
When religious zealots want to erase "immodesty" they always attack women because it's easier to stamp your jackboot on the neck of people who are already oppressed.
The existence of the concepts of modesty and purity are what is harmful, not the actions of women.
I admit that all religions have some (and a very limited some) texts that are really worth considering and are good moral references (Thou Shalt Not Kill is a good one), but the problem with these morons is they forget that the rules change over time. This isn't 4000+ years ago, asshats, people think its unbecoming of you to torture and assault women for menial things like wearing red blouses, and the advent of technology is inevitable and the writers of the scriptures could never have foreseen internet porn. I wish the rapture, Armageddon or whatever fundamentalist belief that will take the "pious" away comes soon, life will more peaceful without them.
"These breaches of purity and modesty endanger our community"
Says someone who supports people who are, surprise, endangering the community !
Green-Eyed Lilo, Smartz: I think what's going on here is a common desire for societal stasis. To such ones, only the Golden Age was acceptable to the heavens (if it weren't, then how did it get the Golden title in the first place?). A true Golden Age would never change, so things like freedom of movement must be lanced, regardless of whether the texts actually denounce them or not. The lack of such freedoms is a necessary corollary of the goal of a living stillness.
(Preparing for lancing in five, four, three...)
Damnit, people, we just got over the whole anti-Semitism thing, and now you're giving people <b>reasons</b> not to like you?
"fearing devout Jews would use them to download pornography."
1. God doesn't save them from temptation?
Shit like this marks out Jews to be as big an enemy to themselves as the Nazis. With attitudes like this, they get themselves more and more of the blame for the persecution they receive.
True, it's only a very vocal minority of Jews, and anyone who blames the Jews for all anti-Semitism is an ignorant at best, but it shows that the global Jewish community are largely silent on the whole issue -- I mean, that tiny minority might be extremists, but they're still God's Chosen People; they can't do any wrong!
No disrespect to Jews, BTW.
Sadly, this kind of thing goes against many Jewish principals. But it's true - once you get past which flavor of monotheism they follow, Semitic Jews and Muslims are genetically the same people; they are 'Arabs'. The Muslims branched off from the same cultural background not that long ago, so it's really not surprising to me.
Blau and company, meet the lovely Fundie Muslims. I'm sure you all will get along marvelously.
*leaves to the sounds of shouting followed by shots being fired*
@Osiris
"I have a theory that there is something in the Middle East's water that turns people in fucking lunatics."
I have also wondered this (in my view it's the heat) but if you can identify what that is you will have won a nobel prize as well as an internet!
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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