Polygamy and Polyandry is it ever right

Keyser Trad, the former spokesman for the former Wacky Grand Mufti of Australia is pushing for polygamy to be recognised in Australia. I think that this is even less likely to fly than our friends above or of Brendan Nelsons chances of being the next Australian prime minister.

I am no philosopher, but I think that this will never fly in Australia. Although there are steps currently in place to redress some of the civil penalties relating to civil unions, both sides of politics have ruled out gay marriages in Australia. I doubt that polygamy would be higher on the political agenda than that.

What is clear is that there is an underground acceptance of polygamy by sections of the muslim community with religious ceremonies being conducted on the sly. This will likely continue, but is unlikely to be legitimised.

Conscious Earth, currently posting about a trip to Ladakh, where an acceptance of Polyandry is gradually diminishing. Call me naive, but I was not aware of that option. Why would a woman want to burden herself with two guys. Isn't one bad enough? Last week I couldn't figure out why the clothes were coming out of the washing machine all sopping wet. My wife matter of factly told me that it would be good if I pushed in the no spin button. I am pretty good at most domestic chores, but it is no good for my ego to have mechanical button pressing and interpretation humiliation. In a Polyandry situation I might be banished to the shed for a month.

Beautiful photographs in his article, regardless of the moral issues, which is reason enough to take a look.

Osama Urged to Seek Salvation in Jesus

A Yanqeevangelist has recorded a video message to Osame Bin Laden urging him to repent his sins and convert to Christianity.

Look at you, look at your life," Keller says. "You live like a hunted goat in caves, totally dependent on a small group of people for your survival. At any moment, one of those you trust could betray you like Judas betrayed Jesus and your life would be over. The false prophet you follow, Mohammad, was poisoned to death by one of his wives.

Makes sense to me. Seems Al Jazeera didn't get the scoop on that one.

Thanks Dogfight at Bankstown

Muslim Dolls

Following up on my earlier post on Burquad Barbie, here is the real thing. The Fulla Doll has brown eyes, modest dress and a portable pink prayer map. Invented in Syria, the Fulla Doll has filled a nitch in the market throughout the Middle East. I wonder if there is an equivalent Ken?

Many Muslim-Americans prefer Razanne doll with her long-sleeved dresses and head scarf which was created by Ammar Saadah, the founder of the NoorArt Inc. with his wife. Razanne has the body of a pre-teen and comes in three types: fair-skinned blond, olive-skinned with black hair, or black skin with black hair.

In the United States, Barbie maker, Mattel markets a Moroccan Barbie and sells a collectors doll named Leila (and a pregnant Barbie). Leila's elaborate costume and tale of being taken as a slave in the court of a Turkish sultan are intended to convey the tribulations of one Muslim girl in 1720s. "It is no surprise that they'd [Mattel] tried to portray a Middle Eastern Barbie either as a belly dancer or a concubine" said Saadeh adding that countering such stereotypes was one of his goals. Razanne's doll sells around 30,000 yearly. Some Islamic Middle Eastern countries are likely to be attracted to "Praying Razanne" who comes with a long hijab and modest prayer gown. Iran's version of Barbie and her husband Ken was launched 2 years ago with the names Sara and Dara.

And finally meet Dara and Sara, Iran's answer to Ken and Barbie.

The Muslim dolls have been developed by a government agency to promote traditional values, with their modest clothing and pro-family backgrounds.

They are widely seen as an effort to counter the American dolls and accessories that have flooded the Iranian market

Toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi welcomed the dolls, saying Barbie was "foreign to Iran's culture" because some of the buxom, blonde dolls have revealing clothing.

She said young girls who play with Barbie, a doll she sees as wanton, could grow into women who reject Iranian values.

"I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile," Ms Rahimi said.

Dara and Sara were born as characters in school books and their lives have also grown in stories that are being sold on cassette along with the dolls.

They have been developed and are being marketed by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, a government agency affiliated with the Ministry of Education.