While they are at it, those two MP should try banning the modern Western calendar and modernity itself--they would be no less ridiculous if they were consistent. (The Muslim calendar only concerns itself with the phases of their Moon divinity, not in harmonizing with the Sun's motions.)

Posted by: John C at February 11, 2008 7:47 AM

"KUWAIT CITY: Two Islamist MPs on Sunday called on the Kuwaiti government to ban Valentine's Day celebrations, saying they flout Islamic values and promote immorality. 'We call on the commerce minister to perform his duties by banning celebrations of Valentine's Day which is alien to our society ... and contradicts our religion's values and teachings.'"
-- from the article above

There is something to be said against Valentine's Day. For many years now, a decade or more, a particular phrase comes into constant use just before and during Valentine's Day. It is heard most often from the lips of those who, as part of their incessant fund-raising (see NPR, for example) offer a dozen red roses as a return gift to those offering contributions above a certain minimum.

And that terrible phrase is "That Special Someone." You are urged to buy roses "for that Special Someone."

The Kuwaiti objection to Valentine's Day -- that it "promotes immorality" -- is absurd. There is nothing "immoral" about it. The other objection --that Valentine's Day "is alien to our [Muslim] society ... and contradicts our religion's values and teachings" may well be true. For everything that is outside of Islam, in the view of Islam, is not to be tolerated, no matter how innocent. And besides, what does "love" (even sentimental hallmark-card expressions of it) have to do with the relations of men and women in Islam, or with Islam? How often is "love" mentioned in Qur'an and Hadith, or in the khutbas at Friday Prayers?
Those protesting Kuwaitis are simply attempting to prevent Muslims from participating in any of the holidays -- whatever their origins -- that are outside of Islam, that are linked to Infidel practices and attitudes.

But there is an objection to be made, nowadays, to Valentine's Day. It is that this holiday promotes the use of, gives currency to (even as currency is so often asked for) that treacly phrase "that Special Someone." The use of that phrase, for any reason save mockery, is unacceptable, is intolerable. And its overuse, in the week preceding February 14, constitutes a Crime Against English-Speaking Humanity.

Posted by: Hugh at February 11, 2008 8:03 AM

There is no love in Islam.................and no Valentines, either.

Posted by: tanstaafl at February 11, 2008 8:16 AM

Didn't we liberate these guys from Saddam? Why?

Posted by: tanstaafl at February 11, 2008 8:18 AM

Well spoken, Noblest Arbiter of The English Language in America. (By the way, just how DO you remember "That Special Someone," that center of your existence, Hugh?

HAPPY CHRISTIANIZED PAGAN INFIDEL VALENTINES DAY to All!!

Posted by: John C at February 11, 2008 8:25 AM

Islam: ... spreads immorality.

Posted by: Sounder at February 11, 2008 8:58 AM

I call on St. Valentine to outlaw islam, the cult of hate and murder. The world will be a nicer place once islam is gone!

Posted by: CelticCoyote at February 11, 2008 9:09 AM

"........contradicts our religion's values...."

What 'values'???

Posted by: Sencit at February 11, 2008 10:13 AM

Electricity spreads immorality too, according to this theory.

And autos, airplanes, computers, tv and radio.

Plus: oil rigs and pumps and storage tanks.

Evil infidel devices luring the unwary!

Ban them all in the Muslim world!

Posted by: profitsbeard at February 11, 2008 10:33 AM

But what about all those chocolates? Who is going to eat them? I can take up some of the slack, but I can't eat them all. If they don't get eaten they melt, poor things, now thats immoral. A melted chocolate splotch is a shadow of its former self. This is chocolate abuse and should be illegal.
Chocolates are born to be eaten, so go ahead and ban Valentines if you wish, but keep those candy bars coming, my skin blemishes need nutrition...

Posted by: duh_swami at February 11, 2008 12:34 PM

"...ban Valentine's Day celebrations, saying they flout Islamic values and promote immorality"...from headline.

Promote immorality? As in sex? I don't get it, why is it a sin to engage in wild sex here on earth, but it's OK to have wild ENDLESS sex with 72+ virgins in Sex Heaven?

More backwards doctrine from Islamaland, where the fairy tales never cease, and the fun never starts. Not until you're in Sex Heaven, of course. Boy, will they be surprised.

Posted by: champ at February 11, 2008 12:34 PM

Ban the Kuwaiti MP's - they spread too much joy.

Posted by: champ at February 11, 2008 12:54 PM

I am shocked, though not surprised, about how much has Kuwait has changed since I left the country in 2001. I recall the international stores decorated with Christmas lights, we were able to shop some Christmas specialties, a hotel allowed the sale of special Christmas gifts. Of course, there were also special Christmas sales after the holiday.

Valentine's Day was also a special time with big sales. Chocolates were sold en masse before the big heat arrived in Kuwait and everything melted. This "pagan" feasts were no big deal, no Islamist ever complained.

However, I do remember a meeting with MP Tabtabai. I interviewed him for my master's thesis on women's rights in Islam (I know, what a joke!) and being an Islamist, he would not shake my hand or even look at me. But I still got what I wanted: his ridiculous views on women's rights in Islam.

And in view of the last eight years' events I am not surprised at the MP's demands. In Islam it's all about demands, isn't it? It was just a matter of time. It is just a matter of time until it's our turn... right here in Europe.

Posted by: Eurodhimmi at February 11, 2008 1:49 PM

" Valentine's Day which is alien to our society ... and contradicts our religion's values and teachings"

While I must assume the the MP is correct when he says that Valentine's Day is alien to his society, I wonder why he said it contradicts Islams values? Would it be wrong to send a Valentine card to one's spouse? Would it be wrong for a Muslim to send cards to his or her grandchildren? Would it be wrong for a married couple to go out to a good restaurant?

Of course there seems to be a ban on Muslims celebrating holidays of non-Muslims but except for that there is nothing obviously wrong in and of itself.

Like many in the West I do decry much of the commercialization of our holidays but that is really a very different subject than the morality of the holiday itself.

Posted by: Jerry M at February 11, 2008 2:15 PM

Yes, it would be wrong. Muslims must observe only Muslim holidays, unless there is a very good reason -- protecting the position and image of Islam, for example -- for putting on a show of participating in, the holidays of the Infidels. I do not mean the religious holidays of the Infidels, but merely such things as Thanksgiving Day, or the Fourth of July, or the Quatorze Juillet, or similar national holidays celebrated in this or that Infidel land. And that includes the commerce-prompted holidays: Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day.

All, all wrong.

Posted by: Hugh at February 11, 2008 3:03 PM

"We call on the commerce minister to perform his duties by banning celebrations of Valentine's Day which is alien to our society ... and contradicts our religion's values and teachings,"
............................

Yes, the idea of love, affection, esteem and mutual desire between men and women is alien to Muslim society.

It is easy to focus on the cheesy aspects of Valentine's Day--the commercialism, the pressure to go into debt to buy jewelery, the banal romantic "chick flicks" and pop songs, the obligatory boxes of often bad chocolates or lingerie.

But the actual meaning of the day, is, I believe, a lot deeper than that. It is a celebration of genuine and freely chosen romantic love. There has always been true love, but it was a pretty rare thing anywhere in history until quite recently.

You found the first tentative expression in the Chansons de Romance in Burgundy in the 11century. For most of this history, romantic love was almost always regarded as tragic. It was only with the enlightenment that men and women began to marry out of love. The works of Jane Austen show how tentative this process was as recently as the early 19th century.

Many parts of the world have *never* widely known freely chosen love. This is certainly true of the "Muslim world". I hold that freely choosing whom to love, to marry, and have children with is one of the most basic and fundamental rights of man.
....

Eurodhimmi, thanks for your first-hand observations of Kuwait. It seems to be yet another socity which is becoming much more fundamentally Islamic.

Posted by: gravenimage at February 11, 2008 4:03 PM

Ban Valentine's Day HERE; it's obnoxious! (not the original concept but what it's become...sort of a late Xmas, minus the tree.
http://www.myjewelrybox.com/?section=lp&lpID=414&gclid=CNjCiMKGvZECFRk0awodEDaCCw

Posted by: DaninVan at February 11, 2008 4:14 PM

Yep, Muslim countries, where the blood of innocents flows freely and victims are criminals, truly know about "morality!"

The LOVE-hating savages strike again!

http://islamwatchers.blogspot.com

Posted by: Suziq at February 11, 2008 7:26 PM

Valentine's Day is obnoxious? You sound like my husband! :-) LOL!

Do most guys feel that way?

Posted by: champ at February 11, 2008 8:27 PM

Champ; Yes! :0

;)

Posted by: DaninVan at February 12, 2008 9:09 PM

The thought occurs to me that if the Kuwaiti MPs were correct in their assumption that Valentine's day spreads immorality, guys would be promoting V.Day year round! :)

Posted by: DaninVan at February 12, 2008 9:13 PM