Category: Religion

Bizarre, Politics, Religion

Finding Meaning In Madness: Clinton Blames NRA While Robertson Cites Disrespect For Trump

Hillary_Clinton_Testimony_to_House_Select_Committee_on_BenghaziAs is often the case, politicians and commentators were fast to draw political meaning from the latest massacre.  Of course, the most obvious explanation is that this was an attack by a demented and hateful individual.  At the base of this massacre seems utter madness — untractable and unfanthomable madness.  However, after saying that this was no time for politics, Hillary Clinton immediately denounced the National Rifle Association.  At the same time, televangelist Pat Robertson cited the disrespect for Trump and our flag.

 

Continue reading “Finding Meaning In Madness: Clinton Blames NRA While Robertson Cites Disrespect For Trump” →

Constitutional Law, International, Religion, Society

Saudi Arabia To Allow Women To Drive

125px-Coat_of_arms_of_Saudi_Arabia.svgWe have long discussed the crushing sexism faced by women in Saudi Arabia under its medieval Sharia legal system. One of the most glaring inequalities was the ban on women driving — a rule that courageous women defied at the risk of their own freedom and well-being.  Now, while about 100 years too late, the Kingdom has announced that women will be issued driver’s licenses. Despite the fierce objections that many of us have to the Saudi system, it is important to give credit to the government in rejecting religious and cultural prejudices, including extremist views expressed recently by Saudi clerics.

 

Continue reading “Saudi Arabia To Allow Women To Drive” →

Academia, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Religion, Society

Study: Three-Fourths Of Americans Are Unable To Name All Three Branches Of Government

cropped-500px-scene_at_the_signing_of_the_constitution_of_the_united_states.jpgI just returned from a terrific event at Christopher Newport University on Constitution Day — a debate with Professor John Yoo.  While we were delighted by the large number of students who appeared to listen to the debate, we discussed the recent poll on the lack of knowledge of citizens.  A recent poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) found that, in a survey of over 1,000 citizens, only a quarter were able to name all three branches of the federal government.  We just discussed the poll showing that four out of ten Americans cannot name a single right under the first amendment.  Once again, these polls leave us with the troubling prospect of a woefully uneducated public on their own government.

Continue reading “Study: Three-Fourths Of Americans Are Unable To Name All Three Branches Of Government” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi Cleric Declares That Women Lack the Intelligence To Drive

screen-shot-2017-09-24-at-1-41-40-pm.pngSaudi Sheikh Saad al-Hajari has reportedly come out strongly against the movement to allow women in the Kingdom to drive.  Sheikh Saad al-Hajari said that the ban should remain because women possess a “lack of intellect” compared to men.  He explained that they have only half the brainpower of males.

Continue reading “Saudi Cleric Declares That Women Lack the Intelligence To Drive” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Lawyering, Religion, Society

“Quite Literally Impossible”: White Supremacist Dylann Roof Demands New Counsel After Being Given Jewish And Indian Lawyers

charleston-liveblog2-jumboWhite supremacist Dylann Roof says that he has something of a problem on his hands: he has court-appointed counsel who happen to be Jewish and Indian.  He has asked the court to replace Alexandra Yates and Sapna Mirchandani in his appeal of his death sentence for the massacre of nine people in the Emmanuel AME Church during a Bible study in 2015.  Roof appears to believe that the right of counsel includes the right to white counsel.  It doesn’t.  The court should not be a vehicle for racial or religious discrimination to cater to the wishes of a homicidal fanatic.  More importantly, that is the view of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Continue reading ““Quite Literally Impossible”: White Supremacist Dylann Roof Demands New Counsel After Being Given Jewish And Indian Lawyers” →

Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Religion

Egyptian Professor Facing Discipline After Saying That Necrophilia Is Permissible Under Islam

bd64e1b3-19b3-438f-b3cf-53db3791d08aSometimes being a supporter of free speech can be really really really hard.  A leading expert of “comparative jurisprudence” and Sunni cleric at al-Azhar University, Dr. Sabri Abdel Raouf, has been placed under review by his university (and ordered by the state media regulator to stay off the air) after dispensing some rather chilling advice on Sharia law and Islamic values.  Abdel Raouf had told viewers that it is is permissible under Islamic law for a husband to have sex with his dead wife in what is called “goodbye intercourse.” The action taken by the university and the government highlights the curious line drawn over the discussion of Islam in Egypt.   Moreover, it is a rather bizarre example of the debate that we are having in this country over the right of academics to engage in free (and controversial) speech outside of their schools.  In this case, both the university and the government have moved to prevent anyone from airing these views as an insult to Islam.

Continue reading “Egyptian Professor Facing Discipline After Saying That Necrophilia Is Permissible Under Islam” →

Politics, Religion, Society

The United Methodist Church And My Loss Of Faith In Its Mission

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

It comes with much personal reflection that after the United Methodist Church’s Annual Conference for the Pacific Northwest Conference area, encompassing where I live in Washington State, I decided to leave the church after seeing what I believe to be the church leadership moving away from spirituality and Christian teachings to a place where members of the hierarchy in our conference use the Church as a platform to pontificate a particular flavor of politics, aligning itself with an American political party, promoting organizations that provide legal advice to those who evade the law, and worst of all having members that promote an organization that advocates the killing of law enforcement officers. This is a sad outcome, but it represents an evolution of thinking becoming endemic to particular districts. I do not believe that most of the districts approve generally of these changes but unfortunately for me they encompass the area I reside. The best choice for me was to end my relationship.

Continue reading “The United Methodist Church And My Loss Of Faith In Its Mission” →

International, Media, Religion

Australian Lamb Industry Under Fire For Deity Commercial

Screen Shot 2017-09-12 at 2.18.46 PM.pngThe Meat & Livestock Australia organization is under fire for its advertising campaign, which includes a humorous dinner scene of deities, prophets, and religious figures enjoying a lamb dinner.  The gods including Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard , Jesus, God, Aphrodite, Zeus, Buddha, Ganesh and Moses as well as other Gods and one atheist.   at a long dining table to enjoy a spring barbecue of lamb.  A formal complaint has been lodged by the High Commission of India for the depiction of the Hindu god Ganesha.  The effort to have fun with the notion of the lamb of gods clearly did not resonate with some who declared the commercial as distasteful.

Continue reading “Australian Lamb Industry Under Fire For Deity Commercial” →

Bizarre, Free Speech, International, Media, Religion

Edinburgh Law Student Put Under Investigation For Hate Speech After Taunting ISIS Fighters

43EABBC300000578-4852548-image-m-62_1504573380859download-3There is a new free speech controversy on a university campus this week.  Robbie Travers, a 21-year-old third-year law student at the  University of Edinburgh, is under investigation for a “hate crime” after mocking ISIS fighters targeted in a massive air strike by the United States.  Esme Allman, a second-year history student, accused Travers of “blatant Islamophobia” and creating an unsafe environment for students through his mocking of the terrorists being helped to paradise.

Continue reading “Edinburgh Law Student Put Under Investigation For Hate Speech After Taunting ISIS Fighters” →

Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

Myanmar Allows Another Reported Massacre of Muslim Minority Rohingya

250px-Flag_of_Myanmar.svgWe previously discussed the crushing abuse and discrimination faced by Muslims in Myanmar.  The Rohingya are denied basic rights and face continued violence in the country.   While it was hard to imagine the abuse of these Muslims becoming any more extreme in the Buddhist nation, it just did.  The government has allowed a new spasm of violence against this community which has been denied the most basic rights and the support.  Rohingya children have been reportedly beheaded and civilians burned alive.

Continue reading “Myanmar Allows Another Reported Massacre of Muslim Minority Rohingya” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Religion

Malaysian Minister Calls For Atheists To Be “Hunted Down”

400px-1922_hunting_license85px-Coat_of_arms_of_Malaysia.svgMalaysian Minister Shahidan Kassim has made international news by proclaiming that atheists should be “hunted down” and that constitutional rights do not apply to them. He is not alone in the heavily Islamic nation in this hateful view and many support such a crackdown.

Continue reading “Malaysian Minister Calls For Atheists To Be “Hunted Down”” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

The Demonic Dab: Saudi Arabia Arrests Artist For Dabbing In Public

screen-shot-2017-08-09-at-4-03-58-pm-700xSaudi Arabia is once again in the news with another example of the extremist religious dogma that characterizes its Wahhabi traditions.  The latest lunacy came with the arrest of TV host, actor, and aspiring artist, Abdallah Al Shaharani, who committed an unIslamic and shocking act.  He dabbed. That’s right.  He did a dab during a musical contest. WARNING: THE VIDEOTAPE BELOW SHOW A DISTURBING DAB.

Continue reading “The Demonic Dab: Saudi Arabia Arrests Artist For Dabbing In Public” →

Bizarre, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Uncategorized

Iranian Presenter and Advocate Of Islamic Dress Laws Allegedly Caught Without Hijab and Drinking Beer In Switzerland

IAzadeh Namdari promoting Islamic dress in an Iranian newspaper - she is pictured walking down the street in a headscarfranian state television presenter Azadeh Namdari is known as an advocate of the strict Iranian dress codes for women that many women have bravely resisted in the authoritarian country.  For that reason, a photo of Namdari sitting outside without a hijab and allegedly drinking a beer has caused a firestorm of criticism from both secularists and Islamists.

Continue reading “Iranian Presenter and Advocate Of Islamic Dress Laws Allegedly Caught Without Hijab and Drinking Beer In Switzerland” →

Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Religion

Saudi Police Hunt Down Dangerous Woman Who Launched An Attack On Historic Fort In Miniskirt [UPDATED]

_96977823_mediaitem96971517The Saudi Kingdom is still leading the boycott of Qatar over its support for extremist Islamic groups.  However, the Kingdom has not stopped pursuing threats at home with an attack launched against a historic fort.  Saudi police are searching for this woman who has shocked the Kingdom by posting images of herself wearing a miniskirt in public. That’s right, the police are pursuing the case brought to them by the infamous Saudi morality police to bring the woman to justice. UPDATE: The Saudis have now arrested the woman in the miniskirt in the latest madness of Saudi extremist values.  

 

Continue reading “Saudi Police Hunt Down Dangerous Woman Who Launched An Attack On Historic Fort In Miniskirt [UPDATED]” →

Bizarre, International, Religion

Top Saudi Cleric: Driving Will Expose Women To Evil

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin-Abdullah al-Sheikh has again made a mockery of his own religion.  We previously discussed how the Sunni religious leader banned Muslims from playing chess.  Now he is warning that driving is a road to perdition for women and is a “dangerous matter that exposed women to evil.”  

 

Continue reading “Top Saudi Cleric: Driving Will Expose Women To Evil” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks