Discovering Evil

This made my skin crawl:

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Madinah began this week a series of summer activities aimed at reaching out to the youth and teaching them Islamic principles.

This Commission -- more accurately, the Religious Police -- was responsible for the death of many Saudi girls in March of 2002:

Saudi Arabia's religious police stopped schoolgirls from leaving a blazing building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress, according to Saudi newspapers.

Now, they're poisoning the minds of young kids:

Talking about the aim of the programs, Al-Tuwaijri said, “The main aim is to increase awareness among the youth regarding Islamic principles and to highlight what is wrong. We aim at solving the social, religious and psychological problems faced by youngsters. The activities aim to show the youth the path of future success.”

Another reason for this youth indoctrination:

“We have selected the location of the activities close to areas where youths gather in order to attract them. It is much better for youth to attend these events than go around in malls, which may put them in trouble with the authorities,” said Al-Zahrani.

"Go around in malls" is code for inter-sex mingling (gasp!). It seems the religious clowns are having trouble enforcing the gender apartheid. So, they've started this program where they can easily monitor the youth and prepare the thugs of tomorrow.

Link via Saul Wall in the comments.

Comments

[Saul Wall]

It must be terrifying to be a virtue/vice cop and realize that every day there are kids coming of age in a modern world that risks accidentally turning them into sane, rational human beings with a healthy attitude to human nature, sex and equality. Fortunately for them they have the power of the state, education system and society at large to help fight to keep that from happening.

[Classical Liberal]

I wonder how many of these "vice cops" really feel strongly about such things (as the mixing of sexes), and how many just sign up and get enthusiastic about their job because they are losers and being a "vice cop" gives them status and power.

[Isaac Schrödinger]

There is truth in that.

In my Pakistani school, the kids who were the most religious were jackasses. They used their piousness as a license for atrocious behavior. You see, to be overtly religious was to be deemed "good". It didn't matter that they had the manners of a swine.

Also, the most hideous and cruel teachers I had were also the most religious -- they taught Islamiyat (the study of Islam) and Arabic.