Religious Police break hearts in Saudi Arabia

[katty]

more: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96A628G1&show_article=1

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Just days before Valentine's Day, a young Saudi woman desperately searched for a red teddy bear to buy for her boyfriend. But all Nof Faisal could find were blue and white ones, minus the "I love you" she wanted hers to declare.
It's not because the store couldn't keep up with demand. It is because fear of the religious police forced the store's owner to strip the shelves of all red items, including the hottest-selling item: heart-festooned red plastic handcuffs inscribed, "Take me, I'm yours."

As Feb. 14 approaches, the police begin inspecting gift shops for items that are red or are intended as gifts to mark the holiday—a celebration of St. Valentine, a 3rd century Christian martyr—which is banned in Saudi Arabia. Such items are legal at other times of the year, but as Valentine's Day nears they become contraband.

[ck4829]

1. Saudi Arabia - Keeping Saudis safe... from Teddy Bears

K&R for stupidity value.

[Spinzonner]

2. That's an obvious misrepresentation

Since they're OK at other times it's clear that they are concerned about the celebration of a holiday associated with a Christian Saint, not the Teddy Bears.

Whether you are willing to accept the sectarian aspect of the government banning such non-islamic activities is a different matter.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. As if Valentine's Day has ANYTHING to do with Christianity.

I would wager that if we look at its genesis, that it was pasted onto a Celtic pagan fertility celebration.

[acmavm]

3. The pee-pee police here are probably mighty jealous they don't have

that kind of power.