A Slice of Heaven

Elissa Lerner: They were more than 70, and they may not have all been virgins, but 200 young women arrived at a mysterious soiree in Rome on Sunday night, and were certainly confused and disappointed by the evening’s end. Responding to an agency call for “500 attractive girls between 18 and 35 years old, at least 1.70 meters (5 foot, 7 inches) tall, well-dressed but not in mini-skirts or low cut dresses,” and to promises of 60 euros and “some Libyan gifts,” the women discovered the party was in fact a two-hour lesson, on Libya and the role of women in Islam, from none other than Colonel Qaddafi. They left the gathering with copies of the Quran, a collection of Qaddafi’s sayings, and some bitter aftertaste of anti-Christian messages and conversion attempts. Sounds like a slice of heaven.