Modern Technology Meets Bronze-Age Morality

PZ reports about the modesty police, the ultra-orthodox Jews who are justifiably fed up with lust and temptation, and are doing something about it! That's right, they are stoning women who dress provocatively and lead good men to evil thoughts.

PZ's suggestion?

Hey, I have a suggestion for all those fearful people who want to punish women for being so darn tempting. Instead of targeting women, let's have all orthodox, fundamentalist men fitted with devices that measure penis enlargement, and that set off blinking lights and whistles mounted on the gentleman's hats when significant arousal is detected. Then the clerics and rabbis and orthodox mobs can patrol the streets and stone anyone with a flashing hat — one way or another, the visible responses to perfectly ordinary human forms will disappear, the clerics will be able to claim victory over temptation, and they can stop abusing innocent women.

What an incurable optimist.

Of course, what really would happen if someone were to use such a device?

You have to promise not to laugh
Although my logic's iffy;
I hooked up a plethysmograph
To show I've got a stiffy.

So if some woman's leg I see
And "beep-beep!" goes my cock,
I do what scripture asks of me
And hit her with a rock.

If just a bit of ankle shows
But I still get a boner,
I'm justified, my Rabbi knows,
To go ahead and stone her

The scriptures say it's not my fault
Some temptress shows some skin
It's simple justice, not assault,
To stone her for her sin.

We'll stone the sluts, on God's behalf
Till all temptation's gone...
But... wearing this plethysmograph?
It kinda turns me on...