I said I’d be gone until after Jan 1, but I have to post these updates, because I hate when sensational headlines in the paper are on page 1 and updates are buried on page D-37. So here are some pleasant updates to a couple of my recent posts:
1) The Saudi rape victim’s sentence has been lifted.
2) The teacher who named a bear Mohammad and was subsequently jailed in Sudan has been released.
I sure hope that the ridicule of secular nations helped work toward both of these women receiving pardons. I hope that in the future continued ridicule will work toward getting the barbaric religious laws in these coutnries overturned and replaced with secular rules.
I still don't understand why anyone should have respect for a religion with laws that would allow this or the rape-victim-as-criminal thing happen. Or a religion in which you are supposed to KILL people who don't feel like praying five times a day is worthwhile.
Yeah, this is really fucked up.
I don't see how this represents a softening approach at all. It's still a barbaric and backwards system.
From http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20071…
Besides, after all this time, I'm sure she's already had her lashes. I wonder how his majesty can lift that part of the verdict?
I was thinking that maybe encouraging every Saudi woman to withold "wifely duties" from their husbands would be interesting, but they'd probably be given 40 lashes for not obeying their male dominators.
As one podcaster of my acquaintance often says, dogma makes you crazy. Can't say I disagree with him in this case.
"Beware: Mad Dogma"?
To paraphrase the fundies:
Disrespect the religion, not the person who's caught up in its crazyness.