Women to blame for earthquakes, says Iran cleric

international | gender and sexuality | other press

Tuesday April 20, 2010 13:23

by TalliBean

Just when you thought thinks couldn't get any worse: now women are blamed for earthquakes!

A senior Iranian cleric says women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes.

Iran is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and the cleric's unusual explanation for why the earth shakes follows a prediction by the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that a quake is certain to hit Tehran and that many of its 12 million inhabitants should relocate.

"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. Women in the Islamic Republic are required by law to cover from head to toe, but many, especially the young, ignore some of the more strict codes and wear tight coats and scarves pulled back that show much of the hair. "What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble?" Sedighi asked during a prayer sermon last week. "There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam's moral codes."

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Comments (2 of 2)

Story well substantiated

by Minstrel Boy

Thu Apr 29, 2010 18:09

You will also find this story covewred in todays Metro Herald, www.iranian.com, www.ibtimes.com/, www.huffingtonpost.com , www.nypost.com , www.salon.com/ ,opinion.latimes.com/ , www.aolnews.com and many more sites.

Suntanned women to be arrested under Islamic dress code

by Talibean

Wed Apr 28, 2010 23:41

JUst when you thought it could not get any weirder, now Iranian women dare not have a suntan! Full story at url.

Iran has warned suntanned women and girls who looked like "walking mannequins" will be arrested as part of a new drive to enforce the Islamic dress code.

Brig Hossien Sajedinia, Tehran's police chief, said a national crackdown on opposition sympathisers would be extended to women who have been deemed to be violating the spirit of Islamic laws. He said: "The public expects us to act firmly and swiftly if we see any social misbehaviour by women, and men, who defy our Islamic values. In some areas of north Tehran we can see many suntanned women and young girls who look like walking mannequins.

"We are not going to tolerate this situation and will first warn those found in this manner and then arrest and imprison them."

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Women to blame for earthquakes, says Iran cleric

Comments (2 of 2)