VITTO BANEZ WRITES – Western Afghan religious leaders claim the media is displaying material that is un-Islamic. The mullahs assert that said material is inflicting more harm than a suicide bomb.
Farouq Hussaini, the spokesman for the council of Muslim scholars, articulated this belief in his statement that “suicide attackers take people’s lives, but the [programs] of some media outlets destroy the faith of the Afghan people.” This is seen as being more devastating than a physical attack as it takes away from national pride, ethics, and morality. The mullah takes great offense to media stories that contradict Muslim beliefs and traditions. For example, material in which women are clothed in “immodest” fashion is viewed as a deviation from traditional values. In addition, the mullah are enraged that there are more soap operas than religious broadcasts.
But can these simple concerns about media coverage really be compared to the effects of a suicide bomb?
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