Turkmenbashi: Read my book, go to heaven
The President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, has told his people that reading his book on morality would make them smarter and could help them go to heaven. Turkmenistan's President for life, often known by his official title - Turkmenbashi the Great - was addressing a gala concert to celebrate the traditional central Asian new year, Nu Ruz, on the first day of spring. He told his audience that when he was writing the two volumes of the Rukhnama - his book of Turkmen history and homespun philosophy - that he prayed to God to bless those who read the book three times aloud. He said he had asked God to send such people straight to heaven.
I'm sorry. I just have a hard time taking somebody who adopts the epithet "the Great" seriously. Maybe naming one of the months after his Mom has something to do with it. I mean, what was the matter with "Thermidor"? |
Posted by: Fred 2006-03-21 |