The Christian Science Monitor (which is a first-rate newspaper, in case you didn't already know) had a story today that Saudi Arabia's religion police are trying to ban people from walking their dogs.
It seems that young Saudi men have been taking their dogs out for walks and while doing so were seen flirting with young Saudi women! I know, you're as shocked as I am about it.
But no need to panic.
The Commission to Promote Virtue and Prevent Vice, which is commonly called the religion police, said this is a sin against Islam, so they want to ban everyone from walking their dogs.
Here's the article. It's definitely worth reading.
Thankfully, a lot of Saudis interviewed by the CSM reporter said they believe such a ban would be ridiculous and predicted that it will be a failure if they attempt to enforce it.
It's not a sin against God to walk a dog, they assert, and the Prophet Mohammed never forbade such a thing. The only verse that the virtue cops could find to make their case actually involved a recommendation by the Prophet against buying and selling dogs and cats, not owning or walking them.

"Now don't come and tell me that dogs are a yucky creature," says Saudi-born veterinarian Maged Elhayek. "They're a beautiful creature and the more I know people, the more I love my dog."

It is unfortunately too common for people in religious authority to intentionally twist their interpretations of holy scripture or give partial truths for their own ulterior motives, and this is a perfect example. But not everyone is blindly accepting the idea.

I'm prettier than the dog, if I want to flirt with women, I'd just use myself!" says young Mohammed Al Anezi. "I wouldn't need the dog."

I applaud the Saudis who will stand up to this kind of misue of authority. It seems like a little thing in this case, but if the religion police are not questioned or challenged you could end up living under tyranny like the Talibans when they ruled Afghanistan and executed people for trivial "abuses," all in the name of religion.

Sylvania, Ohio
August 12, 2008

P.S. Here's my daughter's cute little pup Roxie, who has me wrapped around her little paw... I take her and Scotty for walks every day and not once did I feel it was grieving God's heart.