beowulf 1 #1 February 20, 2007 QuoteKUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian state plans to recruit "spies" from the public to snoop on unmarried lovers and report them to Islamic religious authorities, a newspaper said Tuesday. The Terengganu state government plans to enlist the part-time spies to look out for un-Islamic behavior, such as unmarried couples kissing or holding hands, the Star daily said. "Some of these 'spies' could be waitresses or even janitors at hotels acting as auxiliary undercover agents for our religious department," the head of the state government's Islamic and welfare committee, Rosol Wahid, was quoted as saying. "Accurate details are required for the enforcement officers to act, otherwise they could be pouncing on married couples." Last October, religious police in another part of this mainly Muslim country caused an outcry when they mistakenly raided the rented holiday apartment of a Christian American couple on suspicion that they were unmarried Muslims in "close proximity." http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSKLR34405320070220 Glad I don't live there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #2 February 20, 2007 Odd that it took this long for it to become a story. It's been that way for years, this is nothing new. Spend a little time in a mall there (there are hundreds of them) and you'll see the "spies" all over the place. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #3 February 20, 2007 I dislike intolerance as much as anyone. But having said that, I admit I make that judgment from a decidedly Western, non-Muslim point of view. I find nothing wrong with my family's American middle-class lifestyle, despite the fact that a person from a conservative Muslim country might deride it as decadent, even indecent. My wife works. She and I "did it" before we were married. Our daughters wear bikinis to the beach. From a conservative Muslim point of view, that may be considered shameful. If a Malaysian or an Egyptian or a Saudi were to tell me that to my face, I'd tell him to mind his own business; who is he to judge us, Americans living in America? So by the same token, it's their country; their culture. Who are we to judge them by our standards? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #4 February 20, 2007 I wonder if US Cops would get a call about a French chick sunbathing topless while on holiday in the US Bible Belt. Sure, you and I might not call... but I bet many would do. Frankly there's a thin line between the two sets of circumstances. Canoodling in public is illegal there but legal here, (in the West). In Europe topless sunbathing is no big deal... but you guys have laws against it. It's horses for courses. I don't mind much what your laws are - they're your laws. I damn well ought to obey them though when I visit next month. Active recruiting of spies takes things rather far... but then it's already every good citizen’s duty to report illegal behavior anyway. This all leads to lines that get kinda grey and hazy... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeterB 0 #5 February 21, 2007 I really can't see any reason why I should withhold judgment. To perhaps prevent others from judging me - won't happen. From a philosophical perspective - arguments can be made that it's my moral duty not to. And so forth. As humans we do our part to advance whatever our causes are. The fundamentalists have different ones than I have and will work against my values. That's OK. I'll reciprocate. The means by which such a battle of ideals play out are very important. For me I'll stop short of forcing my values down someone elses throat by threat of force. Let others have their own way but don't expect me to be indifferent about it. National borders are as artificial and arbitrary as religious laws and it's just sad to see basic human freedoms repressed. Misognic, archaic and unnecessarily abusive Sharia law - ain't me and I object to it. States telling people what they can and can't do with their own bodies is not my cup of tea either. States hiring their citizens to spy on other citizens to preserve the purity of [communism] [Islam] [Christianity] [human rights] is way up on my moral/ethical fucked-up scale and I'm gonna pass judgement on it. That's my take on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #6 February 21, 2007 QuoteSo by the same token, it's their country; their culture. Who are we to judge them by our standards? Most of the 'usual suspects' on SC do not hesitate to judge the Muslims of Iraq, Kosovo & Afghanistan. As someone pointed out earlier - the line gets fuzzy very quickly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyrad 0 #7 February 22, 2007 QuoteMisognic, archaic and unnecessarily abusive Sharia law - ain't me and I object to it. States telling people what they can and can't do with their own bodies is not my cup of tea either. Are you allowed to take cocaine in your country? Love it or leave it dudeWhen an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy. Lucius Annaeus Seneca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
