Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Eissa gave the world a chilling lesson on the blind faith that underlies the medieval Sharia system imposed by Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries. Al-Eissa warned that questioning the Sharia system was akin to questioning God and “Any attack on the judiciary will be considered an attack on the Kingdom’s sovereignty.” That certainly simplifies things. Most people harbor a notion that they can criticize their legal system and call for reforms but Al-Eissa pointed out that their legal system comes from God and is therefore not subject to change on its most controversial parts. “Justice” will continue to be meted out in “Chop Chop Square” (Deera Square, right) in the name of Islam.
Al-Eissa attacked “rights organizations” like they were akin to pornographers. They certainly seemed akin to blasphemers in his mind. He explained that they misunderstand Sharia law and these “rights organizations [are] making big mistakes in their reports.” The biggest mistake is that they do not recognize that Sharia law comes from the Koran (Qu’ran) and “[t]hese punishments are based on divine religious texts and we cannot change them.”
Al-Eissa has a bachelor of arts degree in sharia law at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University.
So, it is easy. Just accept that Sharia is divine law and all of these concerns melt away. Besides he adds, if you cannot trust my religion, what can you trust? — “Islam is a religion of wisdom that calls for dialogue with other religious faiths and peaceful coexistence with other communities. If it was not a good religion, it would not have lasted for more than 1,400 years and won millions of followers around the world.”
As for flogging and executions, those are just divine judgment as unchangeable as God’s word. Besides, he noted,“Islam sympathizes with the victim, not the criminal.”
It was an interesting pivot. If you do not want to view Sharia as God’s justice, than view Islam as the ultimate “law and order” faith.
So there you have it. If you hate it, you either do not understand Islam or you are a blasphemer. Of course, if you are a blasphemer in criticizing Sharia law, then Sharia law demands your death. Problem solved.
Source:Arab News
Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal talks Law and ethics. Interesting.
The state of church and state.
The book is, When Hollywood was Right, by Crichtlow.
Porkchop, Thank you. I am one of MANY examples of a libertarian who does not worship Ayn Rand. I’m currently reading a book on the politics of Hollywood from the 1920’s-60’s. Ayn Rand played a significant role in the HUAC hearings. The book is quite politics neutral. It gives the good and bad of both sides. Folks who agreed w/ Rand found her quite odd. I’m @ the point where Nixon is a Congressman and cozying up w/ Hollywood.
Saucy has a bug up his butt about libertarians. I think maybe an Ayn Rand lover dumped him in his youth!
Nick – the way to tell if your book is neutral is how they handle the Kennedys.
randyjet wrote “The REAL question is can one be a Christian and believe in Ayn Rand”
That is a good point. Perhaps someone can ask Paul Ryan, Rand Paul, and the other Randites next time they appear before the press.
Another question is how the generally wealthy Religious Right can declare that they are Christians, yet Jesus himself stated that it is more difficult for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
We certain need to ask for our money back if they are not really going to reform their legal system. At this point we know it is just lining someone;s pocket.
Justice Holmes – we are doing just fine on our roads and bridges, if you are having trouble with yours, you need to look closer to home. Why are you waiting for the feds to fix it for you?
That tears it. I’m striking their Kingdom off my travel plans.
lrobby They don’t let infidels in unless they have some legitimate business there.
The REAL question is can one be a Christian and believe in Ayn Rand. THAT is the real contradiction since her whole philosophy is based on her atheism. One has to wonder how any so called conservative could adhere to the philosophy of a Godless atheist. Marxism has no contradiction with Christianity since his philosophy of dialectical materialism has little to say about religion other than it has been historically used to prop up existing regimes. One does not have to be an atheist to know that fact.
Porkchop wrote “One can be a libertarian without worshiping at the altar of Ayn Rand”
In theory, I agree, especially given that Rand demanded fealty from her toadies and dismissed libertarians who did not slavishly subscribe to all of her views.
But look at Pamela Geller, who runs a web site titled atlasshrugs2000. She is a sycophantic supporter of Rand, yet she simultaneously is one of the more active anti-Islam people on the scene today, calling for the end of immigration for Muslims. These two beliefs are contradictory, yet no libertarian ever calls her on it.
MugWump:
One can be a libertarian without worshiping at the altar of Ayn Rand.
There are lots of comments from libertarians here regarding how bloodthirsty Islam is. Soon we’ll have comments from the left trying to equate other religions to Islam.
But just remember, libertarians, your hero, Ayn Rand, believed in unfettered immigration. Coming from the Soviet Union, she would never countenance government interference on immigration, even when it leads to the collapse of the West. Dwell on that.
According to a UK Goverment Report the US is giving Saudi Arabia $1.6 BILLION to “reform” it’s Justice system and that program is being implemented by AL-Essa. (The Report was issued on April 14, 2014.) How stupid are we? We are giving 1.6 billion dollars to a country that is virtually rolling in money to reform a Justice system that the Minister of Justice says is perfect because it comes from “god”. No wonder our country is falling apart. How much more money are we giving SA? No wonder we cannot fix our roads and bridges?
Chuck,
Lock Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Eissa in a room with ISIS. AL-Eissa is a softy and also on an ISIS “To do hit list” along with the Saudi Kingdom.
“if you cannot trust (my) religion, what can you trust?”
You really cannot trust anything, including your own mind. But you can take a risk, after weighing the evidence, that what your own mind is telling you is accurate (knowing that mental illness is often not evident to those who have it.) and, take a similar risk that what others say is accurate (knowing that people lie), if the evidence falls in their favor. Unreliable as it is, that’s the best guidance available.
Many of us recognize that much of what we learned when we were young turned out to be inaccurate. Hence healthy skepticism is the most reasonable belief.
Theocracies, such as that described here, are a moral abomination.
Chuck:
Why waste a perfectly good building. Just let them argue religion and sooner or later they’ll get to the same result. They always do.
If it can make you believe absurdities, it can make you perform atrocities. Voltaire had it right.
Just for grins, I would like to lock the Justice Minister in a room with
Cardinal Richelieu, Tomás de Torquemada, and Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. First of all, they deserve each other, and second, it would be interesting to see who is left standing.
Either that or just borrow a page from Lord Cumberland’s playbook and burn the place down with them still in there.
Chuck,
I’d put the minister in a room with Christiane “Cyborg” Justino and suggest he discuss his goal of subjugating women with her.
Religion of Peace, Justice and Women’s Rights.
More wisdom from the Religion of Peace.