Apparently typing the name “Jesus Christ” in a text message may become illegal in Pakistan very soon. The Lord’s name is part of a list of over 1,000 words that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has deemed “obscene” and/or “explicit”.
Along with “Jesus”, texters in Pakistan will also be banned from using such wonderful words as: flatulence, fingerfood, fairy, and Wuutang (apparently that is the Pakistani spelling).
Seriously. Here’s more of the list.
I think we need an Occupy Pakistan movement to rise up and defend the people’s right to text about the Wu-Tang Clan farting after eating fingerfoods given to them by their fairy godmother.
Tragic. Simply Tragic.
(Technically the picture below is unrelated to the story from The Washington Post. But technically speaking it’s hilariously awesome and therefore technically related.)
Don’t text Jesus in Pakistan?
By Melissa Bell, The Washington Post
“Do not forget to strap on your helmet before getting on your motorcycle.” “I got the tickets for Twilight. Hurry up or you’ll miss showtime!” “This teacher is so boring. She’s killing me.”
Next week, these text messages could be banned in Pakistan.
Do the above sentences seem innocuous? Harmless perhaps? If a proposed ban passes in Pakistan, none of the above sentences could be sent as text messages.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) compiled a list of over 1,000 words, the majority in English, that they deem “pornographic or offensive to Islam,” Newsweek Pakistan reported.
A document online that purports to be the banned word list reads like a primer on junior-high-level sex slang with some surprising additions, including the terms “Juggalo” and “Jesus Christ” (who knew the Insane Clown Posse had a following in Pakistan?).
On Monday, Newsweek reports mobile operators postponed implementing the ban, saying they needed further clarification, but that the ban could take place within a week’s time.