72 Virgins or 72 Mahler Symphonies?

[Josquin des Prez]

Define virgin, please.

vir·gin  (vûrjn)
n.
1. A person who has not experienced sexual intercourse.

[greg]

Not at all, Greg. I think most people here got your drift right from the start . I was just being pernickety 'cause it allowed me to vent one of my pet opinions .

Ah, gotcha. 

[Lilas Pastia]

vir·gin  (vûrjn)
n.
1. A person who has not experienced sexual intercourse.

Exactly. So, what happens to the virgins when Greg someone has been there 72 days ? Is there a recycling facility ? A virgin dump? Maybe they're sent to Purgatorium. The poor souls there must gladly settle for second-hand virgins. Once they're done with that second tour of duty, what's the next step ? I think the status of virginity is vastly overrated. As the poll shows, the lasses are steadily losing ground.

[Josquin des Prez]

Exactly. So, what happens to the virgins when Greg someone has been there 72 days ? Is there a recycling facility ? A virgin dump? Maybe they're sent to Purgatorium. The poor souls there must gladly settle for second-hand virgins. Once they're done with that second tour of duty, what's the next step ? I think the status of virginity is vastly overrated. As the poll shows, the lasses are steadily losing ground.

Well, the whole 72 virgin story is based on a fallacy anyway. First of all, it is not 72 virgins, but 72 houri, an houri being a mystical creature which is supposed to be perfect in every way, unusually described as being pure, with lovely eyes and a chaste or modest gaze. The other misconception is that the 72 houri represent the primary reward for those who enter paradise. Here's an translation of the relevant passage:

"It was mentioned by Daraj Ibn Abi Hatim, that Abu al-Haytham 'Adullah Ibn Wahb narrated from Abu Sa'id al-Khudhri, who heard the Prophet Muhammad saying, 'The smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode where there are eighty thousand servants and seventy-two houri, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine and ruby, as wide as the distance from al-Jabiyyah to San'a."

The point here is that the worldly splendors of Heaven are among the most insignificant of its rewards, as opposed to the spiritual fulfillment of being close to God, or what have you.

[Sergeant Rock]

I think the status of virginity is vastly overrated.

Of course it's overrated. But, as you say, they soon aren't virgins and these experienced women are now yours for eternity. You'll have a harem, in other words. The only reasons I can think of for a man to prefer 72 symphonies rather than the company of women is: 1) he's asocial 2) he's asexual or 3) he's gay. Based on what we know about Greg's interaction with women so far, any one or even all three could apply  

Sarge

[greg]

Of course it's overrated. But, as you say, they soon aren't virgins and these experienced women are now yours for eternity. You'll have a harem, in other words. The only reasons I can think of for a man to prefer 72 symphonies rather than the company of women is: 1) he's asocial 2) he's asexual or 3) he's gay. Based on what we know about Greg's interaction with women so far, any one or even all three could apply to Greg 

Sarge

What are talking about? 
The point is, the 72 Mahler Symphonies would be the only thing I'd choose over 72 Virgins.
And I'm none of the 3, though 2 would possibly be great- at least, that's my impression.

[DavidW]

Well, the whole 72 virgin story is based on a fallacy anyway. First of all, it is not 72 virgins, but 72 houri, an houri being a mystical creature which is supposed to be perfect in every way, unusually described as being pure, with lovely eyes and a chaste or modest gaze. The other misconception is that the 72 houri represent the primary reward for those who enter paradise. Here's an translation of the relevant passage:

"It was mentioned by Daraj Ibn Abi Hatim, that Abu al-Haytham 'Adullah Ibn Wahb narrated from Abu Sa'id al-Khudhri, who heard the Prophet Muhammad saying, 'The smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode where there are eighty thousand servants and seventy-two houri, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine and ruby, as wide as the distance from al-Jabiyyah to San'a."

The point here is that the worldly splendors of Heaven are among the most insignificant of its rewards, as opposed to the spiritual fulfillment of being close to God, or what have you.

I didn't know that, but feel shamed now to be so ignorant.  I am glad that I know better now.  Good post JdP.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

"It was mentioned by Daraj Ibn Abi Hatim, that Abu al-Haytham 'Adullah Ibn Wahb narrated from Abu Sa'id al-Khudhri, who heard the Prophet Muhammad saying, [yadda yadda]

It took four people to relay that story - an extravagant case of "he said, she said." I wonder what Muhammad actually said?

On the other hand:

'The smallest reward for the people of Heaven is an abode where there are eighty thousand servants

This I could really get into. Think of the parties I could throw with 80,000 (count 'em) servants. And that's only "the smallest reward"!

[zamyrabyrd]

How would you like it if the 72 promised virgins turned out to be 72 raisins?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/jan/12/books.guardianreview5

"In Syriac, the word hur is a feminine plural adjective meaning white, with the word "raisin" understood implicitly. Similarly, the immortal, pearl-like ephebes or youths of suras such as LXXVI.19 are really a misreading of a Syriac expression meaning chilled raisins (or drinks) that the just will have the pleasure of tasting in contrast to the boiling drinks promised the unfaithful and damned. "

ZB