Saudi report: Women driving spurs premarital sex

Today is yet another reminder to never underestimate the ability of truly Islamic countries to do and say something really stupid. This time it came in the form of a report given to a high-level advisory group in Saudi Arabia, suggesting that "Women driving spurs premarital sex" (http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-report-women-driving-spurs-premarital-sex-162028628.html)

The topics of sex in religion in general never ceases to surprise me. God appears to be much pre-occupied with his subjects' sex life, more so than with anything else (second only to his jealousy towards people worshipping  other deities, which is always a bigger "no-no" than sex). God wants to control who people have sex with, sometimes how and when. In the sex department, God typically show little interest prohibiting acts that are unimportant to him, like rapes or child molestation or women coerced into sexual relationship. However, God vigilantly watches you to make sure you whispered that magical sentence that somehow makes the act of intercourse legal to you. In case you had sex without or even before uttering the magical spell that legitimises the act, all-loving God will punish you with Hell fire for forgetfulness.

Fortunately, the West has long shaken off the idiocy of this notion. We moved away from laws written by stone-age misogynistic simpletons that are somehow undergone a metamorphosis into the Word of God over the years with all consequent terrors that it brought down to its countless victims. Unless we elect a God-fearing imbecile like Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann or some other worthy follower of Pat "Gays Cause Hurricanes" Robertson to occupy the White  House, we shouldn't fear sliding back to the stone-age absurdity. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has never left it and therefore should not fear going back.

Let's review the "Dos" and "Don'ts" of Islamic views on sex:

It is OK:

• To be a prostitute and use services of a prostitute
• To engage in spousal rape
• To rape 
• To molest children
• To participate in orgies

However, please remember that the following is strictly prohibited and punishable by stoning to death:

• Consensual sex between two adults

Judgement Day: The Great Plan of Allah

Islam, just like any other religion, makes God's intent for humankind very obscure at times. However, with some effort it is possible to dissect scriptures and understand the underlying notion, no matter how wishy-washy were the narrations made up by each 'prophet'. Today, I'd like to focus on the origin of sin and specifically the origin of sin in Islam.

It is helpful to refer to Quran - the book that makes the things clear (because it was revealed by Allah himself, of course) - to see what Allah has to say about people's sinful nature. Surah #15 known as 'Al-Hijr' certainly makes things clear (starting verse is 15:28):


28 Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape;
29 "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
30 So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together:
31 Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.
32 ((Allah)) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"
33 (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."
34 ((Allah)) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed.
35 "And the curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgment."
36 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."
37 ((Allah)) said: "Respite is granted thee
38 "Till the Day of the Time appointed."
39 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,
40 "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)."
41 ((Allah)) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me.
42 "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."
43 And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all!

This entire squabble between Allah and Iblis (a.k.a. Devil) takes place before the first man is created. Allah joyfully announces his decision to create a man to the angels and tells them to prostrate themselves. Iblis resents and tells Allah to shove it. Then goes the exchange of harsh words between Allah and Iblis that even your average 7-year-old will frown upon as something much too juvenile.

"Prostrate yourselves" says Allah to angels, "I am about to create a man". "Screw you" responds Iblis, "I am not doing that crap." "Then pack your stuff and get out from here" retorts Allah. "Come on" says Iblis "I don't want to." "Well, then stay" goes Allah, "But do something useful, like screwing around with my creation."

First, this entire conversation occurs before the man is created. Yet, Allah already knows that his creations will sin aplenty and for their sins will be judged on the pre-scheduled Day of Judgement (Quran 15:35). Allah is designing an upfront sinful mankind and plans to judge it afterwards.

Second, Iblis doesn't ask for any explanation about the Day of Judgement of which he presumably is hearing about for the first time, as Allah just made his first announcement about his decision to create a man. Moreover, Iblis seem to know quite a bit about the Day of Judgement - he knows that the dead will be raised (15:36) - something that Allah hasn't mentioned yet. It may indicate that Allah and his angels have gone through at least one cycle of creation-observing-extermination of mankind-judgement-punishment before Adam was raised. Or, it may signal angels' confidence in Allah's ability to create something well - they know upfront that Allah will screw up and his creation will not meet his own expectations of righteousness.

Third, Iblis and Allah sign a pact - Allah lets Iblis stick around, but Iblis will have to repay the favour by corrupting people that will soon to be created on Earth (with the exception for undefined servants). Allah in the meantime, will prepare Hell for those who Iblis will put in the wrong on the assignment from Allah.

This answer the question of why we sin. Allah himself through his holy Quran explains that it was him who created you sinful and it was him who task Iblis with putting you in the wrong in case you wouldn't sin enough by yourself because Allah need to get more bodies to increase utilization of his invention - Hell.