In Tatarstan, Russia, a breakaway Muslim sect following a a man who styled himself as the new prophet has been discovered living in catacomb cells in an eight-level underground structure. Most members never left the building, and the 19 children among them had rarely seen the outside world. The leader deemed himself a prophet after seeing trolley sparks in the 1960s and interpreting them as divine light.
Russia being Russia, the sect’s elders have been criminally charged with “arbitrariness.”
Fuck “outside world.” That article said those kids had never seen a doctor.
Trying to imagine a world in which “arbitrariness” is a crime.
“Arbitrariness” is probably just an English translation of an untranslatable Russian term, like “hooliganism.” The latter is a Russian charge similar to disturbing the peace in the US, with the added meaning of “being disrespectful to the ruling authorities.” “Arbitrariness” probably has a similar legal definition that a straight translation of the word misrepresents.
I have a hard time picturing how they dug out eight floors of that underground warren. Did the original house sit atop a natural cave, like Wayne Manor?
Read the complaint threads in ATMB.
From the description, I’d say “anarchy” is a better translation; though I can see why a journalist might want to avoid such a controversial word.
Poor kids.
According to the article:
“The crime of arbitrariness is defined as “unauthorised commission of actions contrary to the order presented by a law or any other normative legal act” and is punishable by up to five years in prison.”
I wonder if there’s a better translation of the actual Russian word. In the US they’d be hit with a great number of individual zoning, regulation, and municipal ordinance violations. Especially since they had no permits. It sounds like “arbitrariness” is a catchall for “yeah, each one of these would be something small by itself, but this wasn’t a mistake and it wasn’t ignorance, these guys just said ‘Fuck the regs’ and went nuts.”
Would “passive anarchy” be a possible way of describing the crime?
ETA: Sigh. Should have previewed.
Eh, you know, it is when they feel like it.
I would add “capriciousness”. And perhaps something about an “abandoned and malignant heart”.
Out of all the religions for one to declare themself to be the new prophet, Islam has to be one the worst choices.
This is the worst crazy sect I’ve ever been in.
I gave up crazy sects when I got married.
VERY BAD THOUGHT ALERT: They got some DIY tips from Josef Fritzl.
Daaaaaaamn! :eek:
