Category: Religion

Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Religion, Society

Don’t Feed The Local Citylife: Man Arrested for Feeding Homeless in Orlando

jesus_feeds_5000Eric Montanez faces a curious criminal charge in Orlando, Florida: feeding hungry people. The good people of Orlando, Florida have decided to join other cities in making it a crime to feed poor and hungry people caught up in this recession. Even at Yellowstone you are simply asked not to feed the bears, but in Orlando feeding the hungry will get you arrested. There was a guy in the New Testament that did such things and look where that got us.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi Clerics Call For Women To Be Banned From Television and Newspapers

150px-muslim_woman_in_yemenLike many ministers and politicians in the United States, Saudi Arabian clerics are up in arms over the immorality of television. They’re objections go beyond the usual smut described by Sen. Joe Lieberman and others. They want the new information minister to take all women and music banned from the television. They also want pictures banned of women in magazines.
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Academia, Bizarre, Religion, Society

Oklahoma Legislature Investigates University’s Hosting of Speech by Evolution Advocate

225px-dawkins_at_ut_austin_2Oklahoma flagIt appears that Oklahoma legislators are continuing their attempted crackdown on University of Oklahoma for the outrage of allowing evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins of Oxford University speak to its students. After proposing two resolutions denouncing the scheduled appearance, legislators are now demanding answers about the funding and communications with Dawkins. It appears that the legislators would like the school to pull speakers from the renown Institute of Creation Science than that glorified correspondence school, Oxford University.
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Academia, Bizarre, Religion

Drop A Drachma And Be Saved: Smith College Constructs Ancient Coin-Operated Holy Water Dispenser

hsc18a1Long before the blessed holy clothes and apocalyptic tapes, it appears that religious organizations found a way to fleece the faithful. Smith College has reconstructed a coin-operated holy water dispenser designed by the Greek inventor Heron.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

Malaysian Bar Charged With Misuse of the Word “Allah”

125px-flag_of_malaysiasvgRecently, we followed the crackdown on a Catholic newspaper by the Malaysian Islamic religious council and government over its use of “Allah.” Now, the council is pursuing the Malaysian Bar for using the word on its website in two online polls on whether any particular race has exclusive rights to the word.
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Bizarre, International, Religion, Society

Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch Leads to Evacuation in London

172521_knighA street in East London was evacuated after workers from the Water company found what they believed was a grenade after moving a fire hydrant cover. It turned out to be a replica of the “Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch” from the the 1975 film Monty Python And The Holy Grail. Unfortunately, the street has been free of killer rabbits for years, but with the removal of the golden device, residents may soon be looking for a replacement.
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Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Israel Opens Investigation Into Religious Extremism in Its Ranks During Gaza Invasion

660px-flag_of_israelsvg1The Israeli Military Advocate General Avichai Mandleblit is investigating accounts of religious extremists pushing soldiers to view the Gaza invasion as a “religious war” against gentiles. In the meantime, human rights groups are calling for the removal of military’s head chaplain, Rabbi (and Brigadier General) Avichai Rontzki, who told soldiers that it was “immoral” to show mercy to the enemy in the operation.

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Religion, Society, Torts

Scientology Sued Over Suicide: Antidepressants Allegedly Locked Away in Favor of Scientology Program

kyle_prom488px-scientology_symbolsvgA mother has sued the Church of Scientology after her son, Kyle Brennan, 20, committed suicide. He was on antidrepressants, but his father Thomas Brennan allegedly took away the prescription drugs as part of his Scientology beliefs. After only one week with his father in Clearwater, Florida, Kyle committed suicide. His mother, Victoria Britton, has sued the sister of Scientology’s worldwide leader, David Miscavige.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Gambian President’s Guard Allegedly Sent to Force Villagers To Be Treated By Witch Doctors — Resulting in Deaths and Sicknesses

225px-gambia_president_yahya_jammeh180px-lassa_witch_doctorsRecently, the aunt of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh died and he reportedly blamed witchcraft. Now, Amnesty International reports the President’s personal guard and both police and army forces have abducted up to 1000 villagers to force them to drink a vile liquid from witch doctors brought in by the government. They were forced to drink potions that reportedly killed two and sickened many others.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Vatican Defends Pope’s Attack on the Use of Condoms As Increasing the Dangers of AIDS

popeThe Vatican has refused to moderate or withdraw the controversial statement of Pope Benedict in a trip to Africa that condoms only “increase the problem” of AIDS. The anti-condom stance outraged Kevin De Cock, director of the World Health Organisation’s HIV/AIDS department, who noted that there is no evidence that condoms increase the rate of AIDs and that many studies show that it is an effective protection against the disease. People like De Cock have been struggling against a disinclination in Africa to wear condoms.

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Bizarre, Congress, Politics, Religion, Society

The Ultimate Legislative Finding of Fact: Congress Considering Resolution That Declares Holy Bible To Be God’s Word

randy-forbes2Courts routinely defer to legislative findings of fact, but this one may be a bit too ambitious. Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA), has introduced a resolution seeking to place the Lincoln-Obama bible on permanent display in the Capitol Visitor Center, a very good idea. However, the resolution includes the following line: “Whereas the Holy Bible is God’s Word.”
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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Lose the Cross: Rabbi Asks Pope to Take Off His Cross When Visiting the Western Wall

120px-bentoxvi-30-10052007 A controversy has erupted over the request by the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitch, that Pope Benedict XVI take off his cross before a visit to the wall in May. Rabinovitch stated “My position is that it is not fitting to enter the Western Wall area with religious symbols, including a cross. I feel the same way about a Jew putting on a tallit and phylacteries and going into a church.”
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Academia, Politics, Religion, Society

Texas Chair of the Texas Board of Education Puts Atheist-Conspiracy Book on Recommended Reading List

516zz5rmiel_bo2204203200_pisitb-sticker-arrow-clicktopright35-76_aa240_sh20_ou01_Don McLeroy, controversial Chair of the Texas State Board of Education, has recommended released his top choice of his recommended reading list: “Sowing Atheism” by Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. — a book billed by creationists as disproving evolution and exposing the worldwide atheist conspiracy. When combined with the effort to create an advanced degree in “Creation Science” in Texas, the state will soon rival Iran and Saudi Arabia as a bastion of medieval thought.
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