In Idaho, South Fork Industries appears to have found a way to turn Islamophobia into a windfall. The ammunition manufacturer is selling a new line of pork-laced bullets that they say will keep Muslim terrorists from entering heaven. However, the theory that these “Jihawg Ammo” bullets are “haram” and thus a barrier to heaven is contested by actual Islamic scholars. If true, could the company be sued for false advertising or does such a claim require proof of a divinely excluded terrorist who was shot by an unclean bullet? The website calls it “Peace Through Pork.”
We previously explored the uncertain line of false advertising in religious marketing in connection with ChristianMingle. However, rather than promising to find God’s choice for your mate, this company suggests killing people in a way to exclude someone from heaven. It is a difficult claim to refute in standard discovery.
The company insists that the product is a “peaceful and natural deterrent to radical Islam.” It adds “With Jihawg Ammo, you don’t just kill an Islamist terrorist, you also send him to hell. That should give would-be martyrs something to think about before they launch an attack. If it ever becomes necessary to defend yourself and those around you our ammo works on two levels.”
However, Shannon Dunn, assistant professor of religious studies at Gonzaga University, says that “There is no penalty for coming into contact with pork given by the Quran.” Thus, Professor Dunn insists that “Muslims, especially unknowingly, would not be banned from heaven for eating or getting hit by pork.”
The product actually presents an interesting twist on the Idaho false advertising statute:
IDAHO FOOD, DRUG AND COSMETIC ACT
37-131. False advertising. (a) An advertisement of a food, drug, device, or cosmetic shall be deemed to be false if it is false or misleading in any particular.
(b) For the purpose of this act the advertisement of a drug or device representing it to have any effect in albuminuria, appendicitis, arteriosclerosis, blood poison, bone disease, Bright’s disease, cancer, carbuncles, cholecytitis, diabetes, diptheria [diphtheria], dropsy, erysipelas, gallstones, heart and vascular diseases, high blood pressure, mastoiditis, measles, meningitis, mumps, nephritis, otitis media, paralysis, pneumonia, poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), prostate gland disorders, pyelitis, scarlet fever, sexual impotence, sinus infection, smallpox, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, uremia, venereal disease, shall also be deemed to be false, except that no advertisement not in violation of subsection (a) shall be deemed to be false under this subsection if it is disseminated only to members of the medical, osteopathic, chiropodial, dental, or veterinary professions, or appears only in the scientific periodicals of these professions, or is disseminated only for the purpose of public-health education by persons not commercially interested, directly or indirectly, in the sale of such drugs or devices: Provided, that whenever the board determines that an advance in medical science has made any type of self-medication safe as to any of the diseases named above, the board shall by regulation authorize the advertisement of drugs having curative or therapeutic effect for such disease, subject to such conditions and restrictions as the board may deem necessary in the interests of public health: Provided, that this subsection shall not be construed as indicating that self-medication for diseases other than those named herein is safe or efficacious.
This is a device offered on a claim of “blood poisoning” though it is not a device offered for a “curative or therapeutic effect” but quite the opposite.
Can a false claim of a religion be the basis for a false advertising claim? The company can claim that this is more of a parody or joke product and an exercise of free speech. This free speech however, is a rather lethal, hate-infused message.
Source: CBS
and then, at his next bar-bee-que, billy bob was shot in the gut while trying to put sauce on his bullets.
Well, DUH; what do you expect folks. The bullets are made in the area of Idaho that once fostered hatred in the name of White Supremacy – you know the Aryan Nations folks. I believe that says enough.
“Lrobby99
A marketing ploy aimed at the Armed While Stupid Crowd.”
LOL … no need for further comment, that says it all
AY. I heard about the Philippeans incident and that was what first came to mind. I don’t know if it is true either.
I guess if this company cannot get away with this type of advertisment than neither can any palm reader, religious charlatan, or psychic hotline.
Hornady has an odd line of ammo marketed for zombie shoots. That is more funny than anything. The ones from this Idaho company are disturbing.
I saw this over at Cabela’s so it’s real.
This may open up brand new markets for bullet manufacturers. There are so many religions, ideologues, sects, etc. you could produce bullets specific for the group you hate. There’s certainly enough hate and people w/ money, I don’t think we’ve come even close to exploiting that market. Hate sells..big time.
“A marketing ploy aimed at the Armed While Stupid Crowd.”
Lrobby,
Elegantly put.
“According to Lior, a baby born through such an insemination will have the “negative genetic traits that characterize non-Jews.” Instead, he advised sterile couples to adopt.”
WIOBI,
Just another example that the stupidity of fundamentalism knows no religious boundaries.
“So if you actually believe that someone will go to heaven for an act, and heaven is supposed to be a reward for righteousness, aren’t you thus calling terrorists righteous?”
Po,
Good point. See Lrobby’s comment above.
“This reminds me of a story awhile back that the military was experimenting on a “gay” bomb that would turn its victims gay and in theory prevent them from fighting.”
Chill1184,
Obviously whoever made up the story had never heard of the Spartans.
Let me see If I understand the main philosophical assumption behind this product : that a terrorist will go to heaven for his act unless you cause him not to.
So if you actually believe that someone will go to heaven for an act, and heaven is supposed to be a reward for righteousness, aren’t you thus calling terrorists righteous?
Or are you saying that Muslims have their own heaven, and am assuming Christians have their own, and so do Jews?
Besides the logistical issues of 3 (or more) different heavens, under 1 to 3 (or more) different gods, and the affiliated hells…etc,etc…I am lost.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4006385,00.html
Rabbi Dov Lior, a senior authority on Jewish law in the Religious Zionism movement, asserted recently that a Jewish woman should never get pregnant using sperm donated by a non-Jewish man – even if it is the last option available.
According to Lior, a baby born through such an insemination will have the “negative genetic traits that characterize non-Jews.” Instead, he advised sterile couples to adopt.
raff,
It’s like comedy legend Sid Ceasar once said, “Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.”
Just another company making money out of nonsense and anti-Muslim fanaticism.
Gene,
It is amazing how spot on a comedian can be.
Saint Peter Industries, Pearly Gates, Idaho.
“Can a false claim of a religion be the basis for a false advertising claim?”
If so, I want suit brought against Robert Tilton for his “prayer hankies” amongst many other cases and defendants that would be before the bar. All religions (but not all philosophies) are based on an unprovable assertion by an organization that wants something from you and they aren’t afraid to threaten your “soul” to get it. As George Carlin noted, “Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky, who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer and burn and scream until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you and he needs money.”
“The company can claim that this is more of a parody or joke product and an exercise of free speech. This free speech however, is a rather lethal, hate-infused message.”
I don’t know if I’d choose the word “lethal” as their claim according to the religious dogma in question is specious. Perhaps “ignorant” is a better choice, however, is ignorance in the pursuit of profit lethal? Could be it was the right word choice after all.
This reminds me of a story awhile back that the military was experimenting on a “gay” bomb that would turn its victims gay and in theory prevent them from fighting.
this is where they got the idea, I guess. It is an urban legend.
“HOW TO STOP ISLAMIC TERRORISTS…… it worked once in our History…
Once in U.S. history an episode of Islamic terrorism was very quickly stopped. It happened in the Philippines about 1911, when Gen. John J. Pershing was in command of the garrison. There had been numerous Islamic terrorist attacks, so “Black Jack” told his boys to catch the perps and teach them a lesson.
Forced to dig their own graves, the terrorists were all tied to posts, execution style. The U.S. soldiers then brought in pigs and slaughtered them, rubbing their bullets in the blood and fat. Thus, the terrorists were terrorized; they saw that they would be contaminated with hogs’ blood. This would mean that they could not enter Heaven, even if they died as terrorist martyrs.
All but one was shot, their bodies dumped into the grave, and the hog guts dumped atop the bodies. The lone survivor was allowed to escape back to the terrorist camp and tell his brethren what happened to the others. This brought a stop to terrorism in the Philippines for the next 50 years.
Pointing a gun into the face of Islamic terrorists won’t make them flinch.
They welcome the chance to die for Allah. Like Gen. Pershing, we must show them that they won’t get to Muslim heaven (which they believe has an endless supply of virgins) but instead will die with the hated pigs of the devil.”
Marketing 101… Label a product according to the market demands….
A bullet manufacturer whose advertizing is filled with hate! Shocked and amazed am I.
A marketing ploy aimed at the Armed While Stupid Crowd.
The dogpac thinks that pork is important but the dogs are going to Congress for the right to vote.
In other news:
Lyle Denniston Reporter
Posted Tue, June 25th, 2013 12:42 pm
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Opinion recap: Voting law in deep peril
Analysis
Handing Congress an assignment with profound political risks, a divided Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a key part of the historic 1965 Voting Rights Act and left it to Congress to try to salvage the law as the effective ban on racial bias at the polls that it has been for nearly five decades. It appears that the future of the Act’s core depends on members of Congress being willing to impose heavy new legal burdens on their own states.
Before the Court in Shelby County v. Holder (docket 12-96) were constitutional challenges to two of the main sections of the 1965 law; the Court nullified one and left the other formally intact but perhaps in deep peril, too. The dissenters complained that, without the invalidated part, the other will be “immobilized.”