The Most Absurd Laws from Around the World

By: Neha Grey (View Profile)

Finland

Donald Duck was once banned because he doesn’t wear any pants.

The United States

Impotence is grounds for divorce in twenty-four states.

In Illinois, it is illegal to speak English. The officially recognized language is “American.”

In Oxford, Ohio, it is still illegal for a woman to undress in front of a picture of a man.

In Indiana, during the 1950s, anything to do with Robin Hood was prohibited. Robbing from the rich to give to the poor was considered communist ideology.

Thailand

If you drop gum on the pavement, you can be fined up to $600.

You are not permitted to leave your house without wearing underwear.

All those who attend a cinema show must stand up during the national anthem before a film begins.

Let's hope this list will motivate people to get out and vote.

First published May 2008

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Comments

@Benjamin Found this for Illinois http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=13...

If I remember right, it's still a hanging offense in Texas to be caught with wire cutters in your saddle bags. That an old law for range roving saddle bums up to no good, riding along a Rancher's barbed wire fence, planning a little cattle rustling, I do believe.

You might want to fix up the Australian laws... It is illegal for anyone under 18 to consume alcohol on licensed premises (e.g. pubs, nightclubs) or possess or bring alcohol on to licensed premises. It is an offence for anyone under the age of 18 years to enter or remain on licensed premises except under specific circumstances outlined in the Liquor Control Act 1988. The is no legal age for buying condoms, they are sold to any age group. Correct, it is illegal for minors to buy cigarettes and legal for them to smoke them. You are free to wear what you please on your face at any time, apart from a bank where you are required to remove your motorcycle helmet, and considering we don't call them "cat burglars" here I would assume it was made up by a Foreigner or from another country. It is NOT illegal to dress up as batman, i am able to go into any a number of stores and buy or hire a batman outfit Where did you source all your information from? Sounds to me you just made this all u

Like there is anyone to vote for that isn't a moron.

and another one, the french law about 70% of music to be played during the day is to be french is to protect the french music industry from being diluted down by english language music. why is that absurd???

@Benjamin Found this for Illinois http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=13...

Like there is anyone to vote for that isn't a moron.

the one about shooting a scotsman in york was taken off the books over 50 years ago. and before it was you would still have been prosecuted as it was superceeded by the fact that murder is illegal. that law was created when scotland and england were at war. as for absurd laws, i wish people in this country were fined and photos printed in newspapers for litering and dropping gum, then mayby it wouldn't be such a problem. as for not being allowed to buy alcohol but being allowed to use it, is because parents have a right to decide whether their kids drink. what a terrible article. you are far from divine, caroline.

In China it's definitely legal to walk around in your underwear - you see this all the time in the downtown areas of major cities. Someone once told me that it's so that residents can 'show off' about how close they live to the downtown area...and someone else told me that it's because people are very proud of their city and feel just as 'at home' on the streets as they do if they are sitting around at home in their underwear. Both sound plausible to me!

FYI....in Thailand, it's the KING'S anthem that you are required to stand up for in the cinema...and that's a cultural show of respect.

Um...I don't see why the majority of these are absurd. I mean, where are you getting your sources? Because some of them actually sound pretty outdated, and the rest of them seem pretty legitimate. Just because laws are not similar to the ones of the U.S. doesn't mean that they're "laughable" or even questionable in implementation. Let's go out and vote? Are you claiming that you could possibly make more effective or "better" laws? Different places have different laws for various reasons. If you actually knew what you were talking about, then maybe you wouldn't talk out of ignorance.

At least one of the laws above is wrong or at least disingenuous. It is not illegal to carry a Bible or proselytize in Singapore. At least not the Christian or Catholic Bibles. The Government has banned all written materials published by the International Bible Students Association and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, both publishing arms of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

[Citation Needed] Can you give a source on any of these laws? (Especially interested in the Illinois one as I live there and have never heard of this.)

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