State-Funded Iranian Videogame Continues Rushdie Fatwa

[Karloff]

State-Funded Iranian Videogame Continues Rushdie Fatwa

Iran's latest blood feud videogame : The Stressful Life of Salman Rushdie.

Once upon a time there was an author named Salman Rushdie who wrote magical realism novels, won literary prizes, and upset many Muslims with his 1988 book The Satantic Verses. The Ayatollah Khomeini promptly issued a fatwā against the author, ordering all good Muslims to do their best to kill Rushdie. This was easier said than done and, although there have been riots and killings as a result of the fatwā, Rushdie was never harmed. Now Iran's Islamic Association of Students are making a video game about the fatwā, The Stressful Life of Salman Rushdie and Implementation of his Verdict. The Association is supported and funded by the Iranian government.

This is in slight contrast to the government's public statement in 1998 that it no longer supported the killing of Rushdie, though the fatwā itself remains active and apparently will continue until the day Rushdie dies. The game was announced in Tehran at the second annual Computer Games Expo. According to a statement given by a member of the Association, the game is intended to "introduce our third and fourth generation to the fatwā against Salman Rushdie and its importance."

"We usually don't have any problems with initial thoughts and ideas," said director of the Association Ahmad Khalili when talking about the development process in general, "but when it comes to the actual point of production we experience delays," a sentiment which many Western developers may find familiar.

The bigger issue for Iran is cultural domination. In recent decades the Iranian government and religious leaders have struggled to deal with the ongoing westernization of their followers through games, movies and books. A state-backed student organization coming up with what amounts to Fatwā: The Videogame is their version of Sam von Schamm's eternal wisdom: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Source & Image: The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jun/26/salman-rushdie-fatwa-iranian-video-game]


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[itsthesheppy]

Not exactly a catchy title, is it? It probably has a lot more zing in Farsi.

 

[Danzavare]

Well, I hate him after reading his book Midnight's Children (Forced on me by my university) but I don't think I hate him quite enough to look into the game.

.............

.......

...

Okay, I'm a little curious.

 

[Wicky_42]

the game is intended to "introduce our third and fourth generation to the fatwā against Salman Rushdie and its importance."

Soooo... is this game supporting the murder contract placed on this author's head, or drawing attention to the absurdity of religious law, or just to the stupidity of mankind in general? Or is it just like a reminder to all the aspiring fanatic kids of these generations that this guy needs to be killed some time soon? Colour me confused...

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

The arrogance of Iran is astounding.

How dare they call, nay command not only Iranians but all Muslims, most of which live outside of the Middle East as a whole, to carry out their hate fueled inquisition,

 

[tmande2nd]

Meh.

I bet someone is going to mod it and turn it around on them.
Then they will ***** about it.

While I eat my pop corn.

 

[Corporal Yakob]

Filthy athiest heathen that I am, I'd play that: "Press X to behead the infidel!"

Related: I wish there were more games about the Iran-Iraq war of the 80s, that'd be (and was) an interesting blend of trench warfare, religious fanaticism and modern military technology.

 

[Yureina]

Wow.... they STILL hate this guy? Good god do these people hold long grudges. Over a work of fiction of all things too. x_x

But do you know what really needs to happen? Rushdie needs to play this game and take a picture of himself doing it, then put it online or something so the Iranians can see it. That would be funny. XD

 

[zidine100]

You know, sometimes i say video games don't cause violence, but now im going to have to retract that. There making a game to actively get people to commit murder, i really dont need to say anything else here. It just kind of makes me die a little inside, knowing that some people would think that this is a good thing, the game and the fatwa.

I havent even read the book but i can say, a man shouldn't have this over a book.

 

[Quiet Stranger]

Is it just me or is there something wrong with the text of the headline? Like the letters look to be of a different style.

Someone wrote a book that put Islam in a negative light and a contract was put on their head? Sheesh!

I really hope they get their shit together (Iran I mean not Rushdie)

 

[ScruffyMcBalls]

You know what? I'm not even mad. I'm over it, leave them to it. If a country is run by a group of circle-jerking morons who can't look past Religious doctrine long enough to serve their own people then they don't deserve my time and ange- oh wait, America and England... Shit...

 

[Benny Blanco]

But does it depict attempted rape?

More importantly, would the Iranian audience see it that way if it did? Iran's peculiar Shi'ite Sharia tends to be pretty unkind to women who survive rape, just like the Sunni version.

In fact, within the prisons, female prisoners who are due to be executed are frequently given a "temporary marriage" to a jailer, who rapes them before they are executed due to the belief that if they die as virgins they'll go straight to heaven.

Takes a particularly fucked up and misogynistic mindset to come up with a practice like that.

Captcha: Trick or Treat. In the circumstances, that's appalling.