Mideast Dispatches

Hello
Oh yes, I remember from history at school this time when a evil such as this arose in western culture they called it rock&roll. The end was near, all would be lost, really it's all there to read about.

Now if the religious all seeing and knowing pushed a little more romance and candle light, we'd have a lot less frustration to take out in war and firebombs.

Maybe if men who dominate these institutions religious or otherwise worked a little more on the strength to control themselves, they would not show all their weaknesses in trying to control others.
Pent123

...Why does it seem most soap opera watchers are women?

Perhaps it is a carry over from when women were expected to more or less stay in the home, much like (I am assuming) women in Saudi Arabia today. They don't watch because they need drama, but because who the heck wants to iron all day. Even I would take a time out for 'Days of Our Lives' if I were them.

I don't know what other programs are run on networks in this part of the country, but perhaps the high rating is merely a reflection of its entertainment value relative to other aired programs. I wonder if there would be an issue if a violent Turkish murder mystery series were aired instead. With a culture where some could construe Saleh al-Luhaidan's mistaken threat of a fatwa to be true, I doubted. Killing better than a glass of wine? Go figure.

"Also, it may just be me, but why does it seem that soap opera watchers world wide are primarily women? "

Because women are addicted to drama, and that's secretly what many desire in their llife - emotional stimulation, ups and downs, despite what they may say. They want to get away from their boring everyday lives and soaps give them that fantasy.

There seems to be a common thread in religious fundamentalism, whether Islamic, Christian or other, that demands that any deviation from the rigid pronouncements of the invariably male clerics requires a violent and repressive response. Doesn't seem to matter whether it's the Grand Mufti or Pat Robertson. Thought and behavior outside their rigidly defined views equals sin and sin equals death.

It sure seems like the Islamic world is headed for very turbulent times. Communists in the USSR tried to block out the West in much the same way, and all it did was render communism obsolete. Those that want to erect walls to stem the tide of foreign ideas are bound to fail spectacularly.

I don't get the sense that Islam really knows where it is going. It seems to be stuck in time, and unable to move with it. That's a recipe for disaster.

dear helen olson,
human drama isn't truly human until it properly reflects the times in which we live. sin? sinners? no. just some homo sapiens searching for hapiness, whether in the rights places or not.

I'm glad to see that this sort of thing is catching on in the Arabic and muslim world. Even though soap operas are pretty much mindless entertainment, I think that any popular, secularizing influence is to be welcomed in a society that is otherwise so religiously oppressed.

The popularity of this show can only help dispel two common fallacies;

1. The fallacy held amongst radical muslims that they need to crush the USA to stop secularizing cultural influences (it's going to keep coming no matter what guys, get used to it).

2. The fallacy held amongst some westerners that all muslims are total religious nuts (obviously, most of them aren't if this show is that popular).

I think that if a religion and society are strong enough then shows like this will not change anything...It is a show..hence it is for enjoyment...and it is up to the people who watch it to decide if it is the life for them or not...Does the media influence society...yes it does..and always will....but for societies and contries that put restrictions on everything, it gets harder and harder to keep those restrictions in place because people want to be able to choose...and by making this show " Not allowed or evil " You are actually encouraging people to watch it because people have this inherent need to " Do something bad, " Especially young girls...I really believe that if a religion and values are right and proper and true then if you relax your restrictions, then people will still maintain those values...if they don't...then they weren't that good to begin with...

Turkey is not that civilized actually, they don't even have basic human rights of people practising their religion and wearing their religious gear where ever and whenever they want.

You have to see this news in terms of the society in the middle east. Its not quite as perverted in terms of what is shown on tv there compared to what we see here.

Its not about being "informed" ... if you really want to be informed you'd rather watch Al Jazeera or CNN or CBC ;) but not a stupid soap opera!!

In a more "innocent" society, such shows could possibly go a long way toward the ills of the western culture of deception in relationships and people trying to enact having extra marital affairs which seems to be happening quite frequently in the west from married men like the recent governors in the news to CEOs to the politicians to the ordinary man/woman having committed some form of adultery. If one part of the world is untouched by these perversions... is it really that bad?

Men watch soap operas too! It's called WWE!!

OMG, why is everything a big deal. They shouldn't blame Turkey for being civilized and creating shows. People that are not approving should not be broadcasting it over to their countries. This is all politics of men and them trying to control their women. They are losing their war because women are getting informed. Shouldn't these women decide for themselves what is good and what is not. Just because there is things in there such as alcohol that is a personal choice. No one is making anyone do anything they don't want to do. Go on women, watch your shows its your right.

Women love romantic fantasies. But most would find soap operas just as enjoyable without bringing into them promiscuity and alcohol, etc. What is wrong with a simple romantic story with attractive leading ladies and men, without bringing sin into it. Once they start they keep pushing the envelope, becoming more and more depraved - almost as if there was an evil plan behind it all to bring down family values in a society. Take a good look at the U.S. and Britain.

Interesting article. It was not that long ago that various Christian groups were following the leading of their pastors and smashing their TV sets. - People the world over are both fascinated and repulsed by sin, the result of our own sinful nature at war with the innate desire for justice and righteousness we all have. We will not create a better world by violence, but rather by recognizing that the problem starts internally, with me - not with the sinfulness of others.

I wonder if those who went home and smashed their satellite dishes after a moving sermon by their iman were the women who watch the show, or their angry male family members?

Also, it may just be me, but why does it seem that soap opera watchers world wide are primarily women?