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[bucheon bum]

SAUDI ARABIA: GOING TO THE DOGS (AND CATS)
In a bizarre attempt to expel Western influence from the kingdom, Saudi Arabia�s religious police, known as the �Muttawa,� have passed a law banning the sale of cats and dogs as pets. While the decree currently applies only to the Red Sea port city of Jiddah and the holy city of Mecca, the new law is clearly designed to curb the growing trend among Saudi citizens of having dogs and/or cats as pets � a habit which conservatives in the Kingdom see as the product of Western influence. The ban on dogs comes as no surprise, given the traditional perception among Muslims that dogs are unclean. The prohibition against cats, however, is more surprising, since according to Islamic tradition the Prophet Muhammad loved cats and encouraged Muslims to treat them well. (Associated Press, September 8, 2006; Fox News, September 8, 2006)

Good ol Saudi.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Bizarre indeed.

[Hyalucent]

So he was a cat person, not a dog person?

That has got to be the most profound means of explaining of Islam that I have ever heard. Somebody could do a Comparative Religions MA thesis on that.

[Big_Bird]

I remember au pairing for a family of blonde haired blued eyed muslims in Switzerland. When the husband (who was the only one who could speak English) showed me my new room he said with great concern "you can have a cat but please don't bring any pigs (I assume he meant pigmeat!), alcohol, men or dogs to this room, or the angels wont come to our house." The family doted on their pet cat. Their 4 year old would constantly comment to me about how dogs were very dirty and nasty but cats were clean and lovely. More recently an Arab told me that the Prophet liked cats so much that he let one give birth to kittens on his lap.

So I'm a little surprised at the Saudi ruling against cats.

[Boodleheimer]

my grandparents and and their children (mom included) lived in Jeddah for a year. mom brought her cat. the cat was well-liked by the community. and i'm sure the cat loved the sand.

[red dog]

I read the full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14738358/, but I'm not sure what to make of it. Does it apply only to the sale of dogs and cats for profit, or would rescuers be prohibited from adopting out homeless dogs and cats? This is a message I got from a mailing list recently -- I think the author is Malaysian and I'm not going to edit anything.

[dogbert]

I assume goats and sheep are still allowed. Probably make better sexual outlets for them than comparatively smaller dogs and cats.

[Big_Bird]

[dogbert]

[Big_Bird]

Red Dog - thanks for your post. It was quite interesting, and does more throw more perspective on the issue.

It does seem that when pet keeping becomes fashionable in a culture where there has been little tradition of it (like Korea for example) animals do seem to suffer on a large scale. That's not to say that there isn't terrible neglect and cruelty in the West of course, but at least it's frowned upon by the majority and we have animal rescue groups.

[thepeel]

BB, you just made a distinction between Western nations and others regarding cruelty to animals. Extremely sensible. You accepted cultural differences that can lead to moral issues, from the eyes of a Westerner.

My question is this,

Why do you not afford the same logic and concern for women in non-Western nations?

If we were posting about women in Saudi you would have made some cynical dumba$s remark about the poster and ignored the topic.

Do you care more about animals then you do non-white/Western women?

[Big_Bird]

[thepeel]

1) Why say "when the US was backing"... Makes me think you only protest when Americans can be blamed? Or maybe Joooos too?

FYI, I had family members working for aid groups in Afganiland around that time. Well aware, I was.

2) I don't see how bombing them does them any good either. I'm antiwar in every way. I never said that helps women's rights. You are using a straw man. Because we disagree, I must be pro-war, and think that bombs = women's lib. Haha. This is the easiest reply I've ever done.

3) Yeah, now it is those who criticize mussies who are responsible for the 900 year-old oppression of mussie girls? So, we should stay quiet? If we "tolerate" their violence it will go away?

4) The West hasn't properly faced up to the problem. Tis true. The muslim world doesn't think it is a problem. Tis also true.

5) They wear the hijab because 1) the muslim boys assault them if they don't and 2) they feel (rightly) that they don't belong in the West.

6) Nope, you didn't say that they treat them better. You said that we had organizations that try to help while others don't. That is a distinction you won't apply anywhere else.

You are fast becoming a joke.

[Big_Bird]

[thepeel]