Now that's just plain stupid!

[elfs]

As we must all be aware, there was an earthquake in Pakistan a few days ago, and rescue efforts are underway. At one refugee camp a food shipment had just arrived and the rescue workers had started unpacking and preparing the food. It takes time to cook for 1,200 people. But the local mullah threatened to burn down the camp kitchen if they didn't stop immediately. His reason? "Don't you know it is Ramadan? You cannot cook during the day! It is just not permitted!"

Comments

[wyrdone.livejournal.com]

You know....I don't think I will ever grok the religious hysterics. I've read the Quran and find myself wondering why any sane person would follow the writings of an obviously angry psychotic madman.

[mouser.livejournal.com]

...that describes a LOT of religious writings (not all)...

I mostly follow the "God(s) save me from your followers" line of reasoning.

[edichka2.livejournal.com]

As I've said elsewhere, I just don't "get" deism of any sort, and sometimes wonder why it isn't considered a mental illness. Somewhere in the DSM's schizophreniform section, perhaps.

- Eddie

[rapier.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm ready to sympathize with Muslims who decide to not eat during the day, even if it would keep them fueled for the relief efforts. I can buy into the idea that it's an unthinkable transgression to the most devout, and I understand that rationality doesn't play into it.

I can almost buy into the mullah's likely reasoning behind it -- the smell of cooking food might tempt the locals to breaking their fast, or at the very least can distract them from their work. But threatening violence goes beyond the pale. It seems to make more sense (to me, granted that I am non-religious) to exhort your flock to stay the course and not be distracted by the cooking smells. What better way to strengthen your resolve to keep your fast than to do it in the presence of cooking food?

[fallenpegasus]

That line of argument is very interesting, and it can be (validly) argued that the current assendent flavors of Islam are, in fact, "anti-virtuous", instead of "virtuous", for that reason.

Let's get a bit more straightforward. The folks who wrap women up in a burka do so because they claim that the sight of a woman's body will inflame men into the crime of rape. Who is more virtuous? Someone who can walk around the beaches of Rio without committing a sex crime? Or someone who claims that they cannot...

[rapier.livejournal.com]

Good call. I would definitely favor a religion that teaches its adherents to be responsible for their actions. You know, as opposed to eliminating those things that might cause them to sin or fall away. Sounds like a number of religions do the latter these days.

[tamsinj.livejournal.com]

of course, at the bottom of the article (now at least) is the end of the story.. where the mullah compromised and allowed that cooking could take place during daytime.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

. . . under the condition that if someone ate something, that he would burn the kitchen down.

The intolerance of radical Islam will result in the religion's destruction. It'd be nice if the likely body count were lower.