...For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means "boy player." The men like to boast about it.
"Having a boy has become a custom for us," Enayatullah, a 42-year-old in Baghlan province, told a Reuters reporter. "Whoever wants to show off should have a boy."
Baghlan province is in the northeast, but Afghans say pedophilia is most prevalent among Pashtun men in the south. The Pashtun are Afghanistan's most important tribe. For centuries, the nation's leaders have been Pashtun.
...Sociologists and anthropologists say the problem results from perverse interpretation of Islamic law. Women are simply unapproachable. Afghan men cannot talk to an unrelated woman until after proposing marriage. Before then, they can't even look at a woman, except perhaps her feet. Otherwise she is covered, head to ankle.
"How can you fall in love if you can't see her face," 29-year-old Mohammed Daud told reporters. "We can see the boys, so we can tell which are beautiful."
Even after marriage, many men keep their boys, suggesting a loveless life at home. A favored Afghan expression goes: "Women are for children, boys are for pleasure." Fundamentalist imams, exaggerating a biblical passage on menstruation, teach that women are "unclean" and therefore distasteful. One married man even asked Cardinalli's team "how his wife could become pregnant," her report said. When that was explained, he "reacted with disgust" and asked, "How could one feel desire to be with a woman, who God has made unclean?"
That helps explain why women are hidden away - and stoned to death if they are perceived to have misbehaved. Islamic law also forbids homosexuality. But the pedophiles explain that away. It's not homosexuality, they aver, because they aren't in love with their boys.
It is a fairly common cultural tradition that spreads from Greece all the way to Persia. In addition to cultural roots, you get similar motivations with Catholic priests or in prison. If you have severe restrictions that prevent men from sleeping with women, they will take what they can get. Ideally it would be possible to convince the Afghans to pickmensheep instead of boys, but there is little anyone could do about it.
Sure there is!It is a fairly common cultural tradition that spreads from Greece all the way to Persia. In addition to cultural roots, you get similar motivations with Catholic priests or in prison. If you have severe restrictions that prevent men from sleeping with women, they will take what they can get. Ideally it would be possible to convince the Afghans to pick men instead of boys, but there is little anyone could do about it.
Either way, its pretty messed up.
Dont hate! Who are we to judge their lifestyle choices? :roll:
I suggest you go and reread the quote I had in my post.
Already read it...and reread it...still would have made the same joking comment...
Already read it...and reread it...still would have made the same joking comment...
I am sooooo glad you posted this. I thought you'd lost your mind.
Shh, its more fun to act like we are taking him seriously. Dang I blew my cover :mrgreen:
Dang Mega...that there is some good acting...apparently not noticing the rolling eyes thingy and jumping in there with the two follow up comments...I really DID think for a second there you were serious...had me COMPLETELY fooled...
and the Bloggie for best faux outrage goes to...
Afghanistan's dirty little secret
I didn't even know where to post this...it is both cultural and religious.
NAMBLA's thrilled!
NAMBLA's thrilled!
It is a fairly common cultural tradition that spreads from Greece all the way to Persia. In addition to cultural roots, you get similar motivations with Catholic priests or in prison.
I had to google that. It's disturbing to say the least.
Meh, I joke, you attack me
I am serious, you attack me,
I joke about joking, you attack me.
No point in paying attention any more. Call me when you can be respectful.
In this instance, it is perfectly OK to judge that culture since what they are doing is causing harm.
It occurs to me that before reoving the mote from another's eye...
Child Brides - Mormon - Polygamy
Of course these fundamentalist Mormons' practices are not state-sanctioned, but then neither are the Pashtun pactices. How could you expect to stamp out a practice in another country, in full-out war mode, when you can't stamp out widespred paedophilia in peaceful Utah and Arizona?
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