The United States has no shortage of religious crackpots on the right side of the political spectrum: Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and in the not too distant past, Christine "The Bible says that lust in your heart is committing adultery. You can't masturbate without lust!" O'Donnell. So, should anyone be surprised to hear one of them propose what this unnamed Islamic cleric has allegedly suggested?
Bikyamasr.com, which has not been able to verify the veracity of this el-Senousa news, reports that the sheikh warns women to avoid approaching bananas or cucumbers lest they have "sexual thoughts." Further, if women wish to eat these food items, including carrots and zucchini, "a third party, preferably a male related to them such as their a (sic) father or husband, should cut the items into small pieces and serve."
The cleric believes these delectably sensuous fruits and veggies "resemble the male penis" and hence could arouse women or "make them think of sex."
Apparently, the story has created a firestorm of irony and denouncement among Muslims online. "One reader said that these religious 'leaders' give Islam 'a bad name' and another commented said that he is a 'retarded' person and he must quite (sic) his post immediately."
Personally, if I were this cleric, I'd avoid being anywhere near a knife wielding woman. She might find more than cute cukes to slice.
