Intolerant Faith

A Child's Conversion Compels Father to Torture and Sequester Her

2012-01-24T21:10:00.000-08:00

BWERA, Uganda, January 16 (Compass Direct News) – A 15-year-old Christian girl in western Uganda who lost the use of her legs after her father locked her in a room for six months for leaving Islam has begun to take tentative steps. Susan Ithungu of Isango village, Kasese district, had been hospitalized since September 2010 after neighbors along with police rescued her from her father, Beya

Homophobia Leads 5 Muslim Men to Advocate Murder

2012-01-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

LONDON -- Five men are on trial in Britain for allegedly distributing leaflets calling for gay people to be killed, charged under a new law that makes such actions a hate crime. The men allegedly gave out flyers titled "The Death Penalty" that showed a noose and said gay people would be punished. Two other leaflets were used to publicize a protest against a gay pride march in the central English

The Woes of Religion

2012-01-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

via Reddit

2011-12-02T07:27:00.001-08:00

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A tiny all-white Appalachian church in rural Kentucky has voted to ban interracial couples from joining its flock, pitting members against each other in an argument over race. Members at the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church voted Sunday on the resolution, which says the church "does not condone interracial marriage." The church member who crafted the resolution, Melvin

2011-11-11T12:11:00.001-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Two Malaysian states are set to change their Islamic laws to punish Muslims who engage in homosexuality, raising the prospect of gay Muslims being punished twice and stoking concerns about rising intolerance toward same-gender relationships. Homosexuality is punishable by law in Malaysia by caning and up to 20 years in jail, but the legal amendments planned by Pahang and

Widow and Daughter Stoned and Shot in Response to Fatwas

2011-11-11T10:37:00.001-08:00

A group of armed men have stoned and shot dead a woman and her daughter in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, security officials have told the BBC. The officials blamed the Taliban, who they said had accused the women of "moral deviation and adultery". The police said two men had been arrested in connection with the murder. The attack was only 300m from the governor's office in Ghazni city, which is

Pedophelia Rampant in Afghanastan

2011-11-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means "boy player." The men like to boast about it. "Having a boy has become a custom for us," Enayatullah, a 42-year-old in Baghlan province,

This Pope is Out of His Fucking Mind.

2011-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XV has arrived in Britain promoting an outspoken anti-secular message sure to further anger his opponents. In a speech outside Holyrood House, the Pope warned against "aggressive forms of secularism" and "atheist extremism". The comments had strong overtones of those which came from his advisor, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who stepped out of the trip yesterday after a German

Christian Mother of Four Killed By Islamic Militants.

2011-11-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 17 (Compass Direct News) – A mother of four was killed for her Christian faith on Jan. 7 on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia by Islamic extremists from al Shabaab militia, a relative said. The relative, who requested anonymity, said Asha Mberwa, 36, was killed at 5:15 p.m. in Warbhigly village; the Islamic extremists from the insurgent group had arrested her outside her

At Least 12 killed by Afghan Mob over Florida Koran Burning

2011-04-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan — Stirred up by a trio of angry mullahs who urged them to avenge the burning of a Koran at a Florida church, thousands of protesters overran the compound of the United Nations in this northern Afghan city, killing at least 12 people, Afghan and United Nations officials said. The dead included at least seven United Nations workers — five Nepalese guards and two

Correlation or Causation: Religiosity in America

2011-01-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

Via Reddit

13 Year Old Girl Killed For Reluctance to Pray

2010-10-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

MONTREAL - A 13-year-old Longueuil girl died Saturday night as a result of injuries she sustained Wednesday when police say her 71-year-old father slapped her and she went into a coma. Police said Mousaa Sidime, who was arrested for aggravated assault and has been detained since the incident, could now face a more serious charge when he appears in court Tuesday. The girl, whom neighbours

Bombing of Mosque Un-Reported on FOX, CNN, MSNBC, and CBS

2010-08-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

On May 10th, a middle-aged man carried a can of gasoline and a pipe bomb into the Jacksonville Islamic Center of Northeast Florida during evening prayers and detonated it. Fortunately, there were no injuries to people, though the bomb did damage property. The surveillance video above gives a fairly decent picture of this man, who is clearly white, middle-aged, and on a mission. The local news

Lynching of Witches in India Claims 200 Lives Each Year

2010-07-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

AS many as 200 women are lynched every year in India after being accused of practising witchcraft, a study by a charity has found. The deaths are most prevalent in poverty-stricken villages populated by tribal groups in the northern

Preachers in the UK Branding Children as Witches

2010-07-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Campaigners say children are increasingly being branded witches by preachers in the UK, and can face beatings, brandings or being physically restrained. The Independent carries a report that quotes police as saying the horrific cases that come to light are just the tip of the iceberg. “The very accusation of being a witch can result in children being starved, tortured, beaten, stabbed or

Interesting thoughts from Bill Hicks

2010-07-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

via Reddit

UPDATE: Religious Violence Continues in Jos

2010-05-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Nigeria: 6 dead in religion-fueled violence in Jos (AP) – 9 hours ago JOS, Nigeria — Witnesses say at least six people have died in renewed religious violence in central Nigeria between Christians and Muslims. Witnesses told The Associated Press that three people died Sunday when an angry mob filled with young people started violence in the troubled city of Jos. The identities of the victims were

An Explanation from Those Who Removed A Memorial Cross From Public Lands

2010-05-13T10:17:00.001-07:00

"1. The cross in question was not vandalized. It was simply moved. This was done lovingly and with great care. 2. The cross has been carefully preserved. It has not been destroyed as many have assumed. 3. I am a Veteran. 4. A small non-sectarian monument was brought to place at the site but technical difficulties prevented this from happening at the time the cross was moved to its new location

Thunderf00t Threatened by "Moderate Muslim"

2010-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Link to Thunderf00t's Youtube Channel Thunderf00t is a pretty popular author of some videos about religion, evolution, and belief on the video sharing site Youtube. It seems like anyone who makes these criticisms will eventually be the target of death threats from extremists. Every once in a while I check my youtube videos to see if there are any interesting comments, and inevitably I'll find

UPDATE: Free Speech In South Park? No.

2010-04-23T00:08:00.000-07:00

Posted on: 04.22.10 A Statement from Matt and Trey In the 14 years we've been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn't stand behind. We delivered our version of the show to Comedy Central and they made a determination to alter the episode. It wasn't some meta-joke on our part. Comedy Central added the bleeps. In fact, Kyle's customary final speech was about intimidation and

Free Speech in South Park?

2010-04-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

South Park is a show worth watching. It remains one of the few shows that will take on any contentious issue in society and give the opinions of both sides. The continually push the envelope regarding free speech and their most recent episode is a great example of how they've been able to re-frame the public discourse about something innate to freedom. What is most interesting to me is the

Political Scapegoating of Environmental Disaster

2010-04-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

Volcanoes have elicited religious veneration for thousands of years, but talk show host Rush Limbaugh may be among the first to ascribe a political agenda to one, Think Progress reported.After an Icelandic volcano continued to spew ash into the sky Saturday, halting President Obama's planned flight to Poland, conservative icon Limbaugh said the surprising strength and timing of the eruption

What Do You Do When You've Run Out Of Excuses? It Was The Devil...

2010-04-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A Chicago bishop who once blamed the devil for sexual abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Church and proposed shielding the church from legal damages has been named to lead an Illinois diocese.Thomas Paprocki, an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago, was announced Tuesday as the church's ninth bishop of Springfield.The Survivors Network of those Abused by

Mormon Church and the Boy Scouts

2010-04-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

A $1.4-million damages award this week to an Oregon man has severely dented the reputation of the Boy Scout movement in America, and the Church of Latter Day Saints.A Portland jury awarded damages to Kerry Lewis, 38, after the court heard of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Timur Dykes, an assistant scout master, an authorised Mormon representative – and serial molester of young boys.Kerry

Pope Ratzinger Stalled De-frocking of Child Molesting Priest

2010-04-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – Four years after a California priest and convicted child molester asked to be defrocked, his bishop pleaded with the future Pope Benedict XVI to remove the man from the priesthood. Then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger replied, urging caution."Consider the good of the Universal Church," Ratzinger wrote in a 1985 letter to Oakland Bishop John Cummins. "It is necessary for this Congregation

Nigeria: Religious Assassinations Exaccerbate Tensions in Central Region

2010-04-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

JOS, Nigeria — Police in central Nigeria are warning that stealthy, religiously motivated killings taking place around the restive city of Jos will not be tolerated.Plateau State Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba said Tuesday that more than 30 people have been killed after recent violence left more than 500 people dead. Aduba says the killings come one or two at a time and are of Muslims or

Sharia Court Bans Online Discussions of Punative Amputation

2010-03-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

A NIGERIAN court has banned Twitter and Facebook debates on the country's first wrist amputation for theft. The Magajin Gari Sharia court in the northern city of Kaduna on Monday ordered the Civil Rights Congress (CRC), one of the country's leading rights groups, to suspend its Twitter and Facebook online debates on the amputation, which was carried out in 2000.The court granted an interim

Pakistan: Christian Couple Raped Burned Alive and Killed For Refusal to Convert to Islam

2010-03-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Islamabad - Arshed Masih died last night in hospital from the serious injuries - burns covering 80% of his body – which the 38 year old Pakistani Christian suffered when he was set on fire because he refused to convert to Islam. The funeral of man, who died after three days of agony, should take place in the late afternoon, but the family has asked that "before an autopsy is performed." The

Tantrik Exorcism Ends in Death of 21-year-old Bride

2010-03-23T00:42:00.000-07:00

A 21-year-old Andheri woman’s brother accused her husband and a tantrik of inflicting fatal injuries on her under the pretext of exorcism. The deceased’s husband Salim Khan, 26, allegedly sought the help of the tantrik when she failed to bear him a child. The tantrik, Chand Khan, is reported to have subjected the woman to extreme forms of physical torture. According to the complaint, he forbade

Constant Religious Violence Plagues Indian State of Karnataka

2010-03-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI (BP)--Minority Christians in India's southern state of Karnataka are under an unprecedented wave of persecution, having faced more than 1,000 attacks in 500 days, according to an independent investigation by a former senior judge on the Karnataka High Court. The spate began on Sept. 14, 2008, when at least 12 churches were attacked in one day in the city of Mangalore, said Justice

Yemen: A Ban on Child Marriage Oppossed As Against Sharia Law

2010-03-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Yemeni women, their faces covered in religious veils, have demonstrated outside the parliament to oppose proposed legislation banning the marriage of girls under 17.The protesters held up banners proclaiming "don't ban what Allah made permissible," or "stop violating Islamic sharia law in the name of rights and freedoms," an AFP correspondent said.AFP articleSharia law is held by

More Catholic Child Molestation Cases and Cover-Ups

2010-03-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

DUBLIN-Ireland's senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal Sean Brady, said Monday he would not resign despite admitting he helped the church collect evidence against a child-molesting priest, and never told police about the crimes.Brady, as a priest and Vatican-trained canon lawyer in 1975, said he interviewed two children about the abuse they suffered at the hands of the Rev. Brendan Smyth. He said both

Pope Directly Implicated In Harboring Paedophile

2010-03-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Pope was drawn directly into the Roman Catholic sex abuse scandal last night as news emerged of his part in a decision to send a paedophile priest for therapy. The cleric went on to reoffend and was convicted of child abuse but continues to work as a priest in Upper Bavaria.The priest was sent from Essen to Munich for therapy in 1980 when he was accused of forcing an 11-year-old boy to

Religious Violence Erupts Against Christians in Central Nigeria

2010-03-08T12:44:00.001-08:00

The attacks came in the night, as the villagers slept. Hundreds of Muslim herdsmen armed with guns and machetes swooped down on three Christian villages outside Jos in central Nigeria, killing more than 120 people early Sunday, according to witnesses.There were contradictory reports on the casualties. Some said more than 120 were killed, while others put the number at about 200.The massacre in

Pakistan: Blasphemy Charges Lead to Torture and Imprisonment of Christian

2010-02-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

A court in Faisalabad, Pakistan, sentenced to life imprisonment Imran Masih, a young Christian, for having insulted and desecrated the Koran, according to the Minorities Concern newsletter.On July 1, 2009 Masih, a shopkeeper by profession, was brutally tortured by a group of Muslims, then arrested by police on charges – allegedly fabricated- that he had burned pages of the Koran.On January 11,

Hate Mongers Descend Upon San Francisco, Funny Signs Ensue

2010-01-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

Via LaughingSquid A general joy to the internet.

The "God Hates Fags" People Are Coming to the Bay Area

2010-01-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

The Westboro Baptist Church(aka the owners of http://www.godhatesfags.com/) will be coming to San Francisco and Palo Alto to spread some hate on January 28th and 29th. They will be targeting Jewish organizations, the Anti-Defamation League, High Schools, Twitter, a production of Fiddler on the Roof for protest. I hate to give them any exposure, but I think giving some warning, they might be

This Tantamount to Child Abuse In My Book

2010-01-21T15:17:00.000-08:00

Via

Ugandan Witch Doctor Describes Dozens of Child Sacrifices

2010-01-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

I heard a really powerful radio program on BBC about the experience of one witch doctor in Uganda. He describes his experiences from the ritual child sacrifice that began his career to the lynching of a colleague which ended it. Fascinating story.People in Uganda have been horrified by an apparent increase in cases of human sacrifice in the country - not a throw-back to the past, but rather a

Israeli Cult Leader Arrested in Tel Aviv

2010-01-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

Israeli police have arrested the leader of an alleged polygamist cult and accused him of enslavement and sexual offences including rape. The suspect, Goel Ratzon, has been living in Tel Aviv with 17 women with whom he had up to 40 children. Police launched an undercover investigation in June 2009 after complaints from some of the women. Mr Ratzon says the women were with him voluntarily and

Witch Doctor Advises Child Sacrifice For Riches

2010-01-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistani police have arrested a couple on charges of stabbing their 3-month-old baby to death in a black magic ritual they believed would get them rich.Police officer Hazoor Bukhsh says officers recovered a 3-year-old girl who they feared was also going to be killed.The couple was arrested Monday in a house in the city of Karachi.The body of their baby girl was exhumed from

Just to get your Blood boiling, Pat Robertson

2010-01-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

What a distorted view of history this lunatic has on the world. To see a natural disaster in terms of divine retribution produces a perverted sort of blame for the victims which is completely undeserved. Pat Robertson continually acts as a poster child for everything wrong with the influence of religion on modern society. I'm surprised he still is as popular as he remains. One would think

Ritualistic Human Sacrifice in Uganda

2010-01-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

A BBC investigation into human sacrifice in Uganda has heard first-hand accounts which suggest ritual killings of children may be more common than authorities have acknowledged. One witch-doctor led us to his secret shrine and said he had clients who regularly captured children and brought their blood and body parts to be consumed by spirits. Meanwhile, a former witch-doctor who now campaigns

EGYPT: Religious Violence Erupts Between Muslims and Christians

2010-01-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Thousands of enraged Christians clashed with the police in Egypt on Thursday in response to a drive-by shooting the night before that left six Christians dead and nine wounded.The attackers, who are still at large, had opened fire on several groups of Christians who had gathered to celebrate Coptic Christmas in the southern Egyptian city of Nag Hammadi, the Interior

Danish Cartoonist Avoids Axe Attack By Somali Islamist

2010-01-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

Cartoons....I can't believe that we're still hearing stories about violence in response to a few cartoons originally posted in 2005. The author of one of the cartoons was recently the target of an attack by a Somali Islamist seeking revenge.COPENHAGEN (AP) — The police foiled an attempt to kill an artist who drew a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad that sparked outrage in the Muslim world,

Islamic Sectarian Violence Inspires Murders on Shiite Holiday

2009-12-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

BAGHDAD — As Shiite pilgrims waving black mourning flags poured through the sunny streets of the Iraqi capital on Saturday, a roadside bomb exploded in the eastern part of the city, adding to the drumbeat of sectarian violence that has been on the rise during the 10-day religious observance of Ashura.Hundreds of thousands of marchers reached the holy city of Karbala on Saturday, with more

Prominent Evangelical Rick Warren Advocates Absolute Devotion to Church

2009-12-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

YouTubeThis is a video of Rick Warren in which advocates for a particularly vehement form of religious allegiance to his church worth looking at. He compares the need for members of the congregation to serve the church in the same way that Nazi soldiers committed themselves to Hitler(his words not mine). It's chilling to hear someone pleading for such complete devotion to a particular faith.

Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

2009-12-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

President Obama remarks about the current global situation of efforts towards world peace. I thought my readers might want to examine this particular passage in his speech, with particular note taken towards his understanding of the influence of faith and religion upon Peace efforts. Pretty interesting stuff...And yet somehow, given the dizzying pace of globalization, the cultural leveling of

Vigilante Sharia Court Issues Death Sentance to Woman for Adultery

2009-12-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Men sought 'to kill woman for adultery'Spanish police have arrested nine men suspected of seeking to have a woman killed after they accused her of adultery, claiming they were following Islamic law, authorities said on Sunday.The men were arrested on November 14 and seven have been held in jail, a police spokesman said.According to police, the woman had been taken in March and held in an isolated

Threats of Eternal Damnation Against Homosexuals from the Vatican

2009-12-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

VATICAN CITY — Homosexuals and transsexuals "will never enter the kingdom of heaven", a leading Roman Catholic cardinal said on Wednesday.Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan said that while the Church regarded homosexuality as an "insult to God", this did not justify discrimination against gay and transsexual people."Transsexuals and homosexuals will never enter the kingdom of heaven and it is not me

Change Player Size Watch this video in a new window Bill O'Reilly: We Should Win Hearts and Minds Because "We Can't Kill All The Muslims"

2009-11-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

Church of Scientology Convicted of Fraud in France

2009-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

A three-judge panel at the Correctional Court in Paris convicted the church and six of its members of organized fraud, but stopped short of banning the church, as prosecutors had asked.The court also fined the members as much as 400,000 euros ($595,000) each and sentenced them to as much as two years in prison, though the sentences were suspended.The decision follows a three-week trial in May and

Conservapedia Get Huge Boost in Traffic Following Bible Project

2009-10-08T11:53:00.001-07:00

AlexaConservapediaThe Conservative Bible Project is currently down 'for maintenance', most likely in response to the massive traffic generated by mention of the Bible Project on the Colbert Report. The main page at http://conservapedia.com/ is still up, however.The Conservative Bible Project offers us a great way to see the mechanisms through which modern conservatives view scripture. Watching

Mother Testifies Against Father in Honor Killing Trial After 10 Years of Silence

2009-10-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

The mother of a schoolgirl who vanished 10 years ago has broken her silence to give evidence against her husband at his trial for the alleged murder of their daughter in an honour killing.Tulay Goren vanished aged 15 from her London home after losing her virginity with a man who was twice her age, the Old Bailey was told today.Her body was buried in the garden of the family’s suburban home in

Islamophobia Incites Outrage by Archbishop of the Anglican Church

2009-09-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

One of the most powerful figures in the Anglican Church believes that Africa is under attack from Islam and that Muslims are “mass-producing” children to take over communities on the continent.Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, 56, was elected Primate of Nigeria last week and his elevation could exacerbate tensions at a time when Anglicans are working to build bridges with Muslims. Dr Michael Nazir-Ali

Accused Irish Pedophile Church Workers Sent to America

2009-08-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

Please take a look at this list, and find out if your community houses one of these sexual predators. The list if frightening, and indicated a willful complicity by the Catholic church in relocating and supporting these pedophiles in escaping prosecution for their crimes.A List of Catholic Institutions where Irish Church Officials were sent to work in America.Bishop-AccountabilityThis webpage

Pastor Steven L. Anderson Advocates Killing Homosexuals

2009-08-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

As offensive as it may be, I think it's valuable to listen to this recording of Pastor Steven L. Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church, in Tempe, Arizona describing his biblical interpretation of Christian scripture. Invoking the authority of the Bible, he chooses to target homosexuals for eradication, making comparisons to them as pests with 'no natural predator'. He accuses all homosexuals

Female Sudanese Journalist to be Lashed for Wearing Pants

2009-08-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein will face trial Sept. 7 for wearing trousers in violation of government decency statutes derived from Sharia law. If convicted, she faces 40 lashes and a fine.But it's the Sudanese government, not Hussein, who wants the trial to go away."This is a turning point. We have a woman who has put the government on the spot," said Abdullahi An-Na'im, an Islamic law

Adoption Thwarted Because Foster Parents are Atheists

2009-08-24T17:17:00.001-07:00

Inestimable Privilege. In an extraordinary decision, Judge Camarata denied the Burkes' right to the child because of their lack of belief in a Supreme Being. Despite the Burkes' "high moral and ethical standards," he said, the New Jersey state constitution declares that "no person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of

Hitchens on Yale's Decision to Remove Depictions of Muhammad from Book on Free Speech

2009-08-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

The capitulation of Yale University Press to threats that hadn't even been made yet is the latest and perhaps the worst episode in the steady surrender to religious extremism—particularly Muslim religious extremism—that is spreading across our culture. A book called The Cartoons That Shook the World, by Danish-born Jytte Klausen, who is a professor of politics at Brandeis University, tells the

Rape Law Being Challenged by Biblical Fundamentalists

2009-08-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

The bill, which is designed to outlaw marital rape, was tabled in the House of Assembly last month.However, many Bahamian men, like taxi driver Pemmie Sutherland, say the bill is "simply unnecessary.""It is ridiculous for them to try to make that a law, because I don’t think a man can rape his own wife. After two people get married, the Bible says that they become one – one flesh. How is it

Malasia: Woman to be Caned for Drinking Beeralaysia:

2009-08-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A Muslim part-time model will be caned next week, becoming the first woman in Malaysia to be given the punishment under Islamic law, after she pleaded guilty to drinking beer, a prosecutor said Wednesday.An Islamic court in July ordered that Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, be lashed six times with a rattan cane after she was caught drinking alcohol in a raid on a hotel

Afghanistan Laws Enforce Unequal treatment of Women

2009-08-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Mr Karzai, the West’s indecisive placeman in Afghanistan, eager to please everyone, has quietly signed an amended version of what has become known as the “marital rape law”, to retain popularity with clerics and his male followers. While the clause insisting that a man has the right to sex with his wife a certain number of times a week may have been removed, the Shia Personal Status Law,

Something light for a change

2009-08-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

via xkcd (one of my favorite places on the interwebs)

Church Bombings Continue in Kathmandu

2009-08-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

KATHMANDU, Nepal, June 2 (Compass Direct News) – Vikash and Deepa Patrick had been married for nearly four months before the young couple living in Patna in eastern India managed to go on their honeymoon here. The decision to come to Nepal for four days of fun and sight-seeing would be a choice the groom will rue the rest of his life.Vikash Patrick’s 19-year-old bride died while praying at the

The Nigerian 'Taliban'

2009-07-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

They have launched co-ordinated attacks across northern Nigeria, threatening to overthrow the government and impose strict Islamic law - but who exactly are the Nigerian Taliban?Since the group emerged in 2004 they have become known as "Taliban", although they appear to have no links to the Taliban in Afghanistan.Some analysts believe they took inspiration from the radical Afghans, others say the

Update: Parents of Ava Worthington Acquitted

2009-07-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

I think they should be held responsible for the death of their child. Engaging in superstitious ritual while your child suffers to the point of death is the penultimate expression of choosing faith over reason. How could one risk their own child's life in favor of their religion? OREGON CITY, Ore. — An Oregon couple who relied on prayer instead of medical care were acquitted of manslaughter

How could we be sure demon possession wasn't involved?

2009-07-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

SAN ANTONIO — The scene was so gruesome investigators could barely speak: A 3 1/2-week-old boy lay dismembered in the bedroom of a single-story house, three of his tiny toes chewed off, his face torn away, his head severed and his brains ripped out."At this particular scene you could have heard a pin drop," San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Monday. "No one was speaking. It was about

Catholic Bishop Knew of 25 Prists Molesting Children and Did NOT Report Them to Police

2009-07-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

The former No. 2 official of the Catholic church in Chicago admitted that he knew 25 priests broke the law by sexually abusing children but did not report them, according to depositions made public Tuesday.Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond E. Goedert's statements show "the lengths they went to to protect their reputation and the priest at the peril of the child," said attorney Jeff Anderson, who

Danish Man Burned with Acid and Beaten with Bricks in Honor Crime

2009-07-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Two men appeared in court today charged with attempted murder after a man was stabbed, beaten with bricks and had sulphuric acid forced down his throat during an apparent "honour" attack.The 24-year-old victim, believed to be a Danish man of Asian origin, is in a critical but stable condition in Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex. He is thought to have been blinded, to have suffered up to 50%

More Sally Kern Shenanigans

2009-07-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

Baptists apologize to Henry for attaching his name to "morality" proclamationBy Associated Press3:34 PM CDT, July 20, 2009OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A spokesman for Gov. Brad Henry says the Baptist Messenger newspaper has apologized for attaching the governor's name to a contentious morality proclamation.Rep. Sally Kern, an Oklahoma City Republican, led a rally this month in support of her

Adding Insult to Injury: On the Execution of Virgins in Iran

2009-07-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

One ex-member of the Iranian regime, describes the terrible misery on virgin women who are to be executed.In the Islamic Republic it is illegal to execute a young woman, regardless of her crime, if she is a virgin, he explained. Therefore a "wedding" ceremony is conducted the night before the execution: The young girl is forced to have sexual intercourse with a prison guard - essentially raped by

Children Need Freedom of Religion Too

2009-07-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Judge Geoff Rea said on February 22 this year Muliipu had become involved in an argument with his daughter who refused to attend church.He chased her down the street and back into the house picking up a lump of concrete along the way.He then whacked her over the head in a bedroom with the concrete causing skin on her head to split and start bleeding.They were both "covered in blood" and he kicked

Jerusalem: Fears run rampant in Orthodox community.

2009-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

The violence escalated this week, with 50 arrests and 18 police injuries on Thursday night as protesters threw bottles and rocks at police, who responded with water-cannons.Extreme sections of Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community were angered by police intervention in the case of a Haredi woman suspected of starving her son over a period of two years. The toddler was hospitalised last week,

Pastor Encourages Congregation to Pray for Death of President Obama

2009-07-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

If the majority of the country believes prayer can have an impact on the real world, why is this sort of things tolerated? Colmes: ...you then said, I asked for whom else are you praying in that fashion and you said President Obama. Are you praying for his death? Drake: Yes. Colmes: So you're praying for the death of the president of the United States? Drake: Yes. Are you concerned

Starved Child for refusing to say Amen

2009-07-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

While the infamous One Mind Ministries is largely defunct, fallout from their perverted cult continues to be sorted out to this day. Their inflammatory story regarding the starvation and withholding of medical attention of their child made large headways on the Internet, but had little impact in the wider media. A disgusting act of child abuse perpetrated by individuals forcing their beliefs

Hamas Detains and Beats Couple for Walking TogetherB

2009-07-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

APAn attempt by Hamas police to detain a young woman walking with a man along the Gaza beach has raised alarms that the Islamic militant group is seeking to match its political control of the coastal territory with a strict enforcement of Islamic law.The man she walked with and two of his peers were detained, beaten and ordered to sign statements promising not to engage in immoral activities,

Exorcism is More Common than you think

2009-07-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

'Exorcism on teenager'A South Australian police officer has been charged with trying to perform an exorcism on a teenager at a church youth camp. The 28-year-old off-duty senior constable and two other adults have been charged following a camp run by the Lutheran church in the Barossa Valley in April, Adelaide's The Advertiser reports on Tuesday. It's alleged the three restrained the boy after

Kenyan Witch Burnings

2009-06-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Superstition rears its ugly head.Villagers, many straight from their farms, and armed with machetes, sticks and axes, are shouting and crowding round in a big group in Kenya's fertile Kisii district.I can't see clearly what is going on, but heavy smoke is rising from the ground and a horrible stench fills the air.More people are streaming up the hill, some of them with firewood and maize

Jordanian Sentenced to 1 year in Prison for Blasphemous poem

2009-06-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Theocratic societies have to keep a pretty firm grasp on the artists in their community, and even the most minor of an aspersion against the state is cause for a incarceration. CAIRO, June 25, 2009 (ANHRI) — The Jordanian court issued a ruling sentencing poet Islam Samhan, 27-years-old, to one year in prison and fining him 10,000 Jordanian Dinars (14,000 US). He was accused of ridiculing Islam

Manifested Glory Ministries Talks About Gay Exorcism and Spirits

2009-06-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

Listen to this self-proclaimed "End Times" prophet rant. She lives in a demon haunted world. The most offensive part of her non-nonsensical rant was equating alcoholism, and drug addiction with homosexuality, claiming that they were caused by evil spirits.

Clergy Sentenced in Exorcism Death of 15-Year-Old

2009-06-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Beating and Crucifying an epileptic is not how to best treat a mental disorder.If you are member of the Celestial Church of Christ, leave before you get taken in by this insidious cult.A French Guyana court has sentenced four members of the Celestial Church of Christ on Wednesday for performing an exorcism on an epileptic teen in 2005 that ended in his death. The members were handed down terms of

Germany: Man Kills Daughter for 'Not Following Islamic Customs'

2009-06-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

Berlin - A 45-year-old Turkish man has admitted stabbing his 15-year-old daughter to death because she did not follow Islamic customs, German police said on Thursday.The man, a kebab shop owner in Schweinfurt, southern Germany, stabbed the teen several times with a kitchen knife as she lay sleeping on her grandmother's couch in what police said was a premeditated act."As a motive for the terrible

Homosexual Exorcism

2009-06-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

The application of the label of sin to homosexual acts has a profoundly negative impact on both heterosexual and homosexual groups. For homosexuals, it imparts an unnecessary sense of guilt and terror of the possibility of eternal damnation for their innate sexual proclivity. For heterosexual groups it drives a wedge between them and gay communities which need not be there. Homosexuality

Christian Man Stoned to Death for Drinking Tea

2009-06-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

What a ridiculous pile of bullshit. Religious intolerance is commonplace enough that people allow this sort of discrimination to not only go along with it, but to actually participate.A disgusting story of religiously inspired hate.A Christian man was stoned to death in Pakistan for drinking tea from a roadside stall designated for Muslims.According to International Christian Concern (ICC) the

Update on Janet Moses' Case, 5 Convicted of Manslaughter

2009-06-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Five found guilty in NZ exorcism caseJune 13, 2009 - 11:09AMCries rang out in an emotion-filled courtroom after a New Zealand High Court jury found five members of the family of a young woman guilty of her manslaughter during a curse lifting ceremony.Those found guilty of 22-year-old Janet Moses' manslaughter were: John Tahana Rawiri, 49; Tanginoa Apanui, 42; Angela Orupe, 36; Aroha Gwendoline

5th Child abuse Prosecution for Roman Catholic ex-Priest

2009-06-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

How many paedophilic priests had to be caught, and publicly be ousted for sexual crimes against children such that the very concept has become an almost hackneyed term? The prevalence is utterly staggering in that their incidence of conviction must be placed in the context of thegreat lenghts to which the Church will defend, relocate and quietly settle legal matters using their vast wealth and

Hateful Tweets Regarding the Murder of Dr. Tiller

2009-06-01T12:31:00.001-07:00

With the recent shooting death of pro-choice activist, Dr George Tiller, the internet erupted with responses from the blogosphere, and of course, twitter. The comments from some of these Twats(is this an acceptable nomenclature for banal twitter commenters?) are absolutely appalling to read.Tweets of Hate: The Crazy Right Twitters About the Assassination of Dr Tiller.One side effect of twitter

Pat Robertson is a True Christian?

2009-05-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

"One day, I took a broom to hit him and he started crying. Then I knew he was possessed by demons. … Nigerian witches are terrified of brooms"

2009-05-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

(CNN) — Christian Eshiett was a rambunctious pre-teen who spent a lot of time cavorting with his friends in southern Nigeria. He would skip school and run away from home for days, frustrating his grandfather, who oversaw the boy’s care.“I beat him severely with canes until they broke, yet he never shed a tear,” said Eshiett Nelson Eshiett, 76. “One day, I took a broom to hit him and he started

Update: Jehovah's Witness' Neglect Lead to the Death of Kara Neumann

2009-05-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here is an update to the previous article about the tragic death of Kara Neumann(reported on earlier here), which occurred due to the stringent regulations against certain forms of medical intervention by Jehovah's Witnesses. Prayer mom falls ill at trialBy Jeff Starck • Wausau Daily Herald • May 17, 2009A woman who refused to seek medical attention for her dying daughter needed medical help

Saudi Judge: Physical Violence Against Wives is Justified

2009-05-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday.It is OK to slap Saudi women who spend too much, a judge has told an audience.Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife

From The People Who Brought You Chicken Nuggets, Attacks on Civil Rights

2009-05-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

In the same way that religion pollutes political systems through it's divisive factioning, so too, religion impacts the workplace. We must ensure that religion plays as small a role as possible in the economy for the benefit of both employers and employees.UA business college gets $4M endowment for 'faith and spirituality in the workplace'By Associated Press11:17 AM CDT, May 7, 2009FAYETTEVILLE,

Papal Hypocrisy

2009-05-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

This is so hypocritical. The bible is completely anti-thetical to human rights. It vaults the importance of salvation above all concerns and commitments to one another in this life(the only one we are sure to ever have). Take a look at Abraham, or Jephthah if you want clear depictions of faith being valued above the lives of one's own child. The Catholic church has been responsible for

Church Members Accost Students Outside Schools, Perform Baptisms without Parental Consent

2009-05-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

These guys are creepy.Yeesh.COLORADO SPRINGS — Representatives of a local Christian church tried to lure a seventh-grader at Russell Middle School into a church van last week, school district officials said.As a result, the principal sent students home with a letter to parents asking that they instruct their children not to talk to strangers, and the district has beefed up security around the

Obama fails to appear at National Prayer Day, hilarity ensues.

2009-05-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

The comment thread on the Washington Post article about this is laden with racists anti-christ conspiracy theories against the president, and offers us the perspectives of many individuals across the country.Washington Times CommentsC47MSMAQpChange you can believe in...it's horrifyingly amazing what Obama is doing to this once great late America.jtsgrandmomHe bows to a Saudi prince. Not God. What

Pakistan:Islamist Lawyer Threatens Judge in Blasphemy Case

2009-05-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

PAKISTAN: LAWYER THREATENS TO KILL CHRISTIAN CHARGED WITH ‘BLASPHEMY’Bail denied to Christian activist for his own safety; judge also under fire.ISTANBUL, May 6 (Compass Direct News) – A Pakistani Christian charged with abetting blasphemy against Islam was denied bail for his own safety last week after an Islamist lawyer allegedly threatened his life in a court hearing. Hector Aleem, 51, remains

How manipulative.

2009-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

In an unprecedented courtroom drama, a self-styled "divine healer" has touched the concrete lion statue said to be behind the evil spirit that possessed a young mother, and relayed a spirit's apology to the people accused of her manslaughter."He is very emotional and he is apologising to the people over there, to the accused," David McMillan said yesterday after touching the statue and holding

Internal Islamic Sectarian Divides

2009-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Sheikh Kalbani: All Shiite clerics are hereticsImam of Grand Mosque slams Shiite clerics, says they are not entitled to join Supreme Council of Ulema.By Habib Trabelsi - PARISSheikh Adil Al-Kalbani, the first black imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca lashed out at Shiite clerics, saying they are not entitled to join the Supreme Council of Ulema, the highest religious body in Saudi Arabia.All Shiite

Details of a Maori Exorcism

2009-05-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Demonic Possession is an incredibly prevalent occurrence in modern society. Whatever the cause of the observed "demonic" behaviors, I'm certain it wasn't supernatural. The real cause of the 'possession' was not addressed. Mental health issues are commonly interpreted as influenced by evil spirits, and the mechanisms to address these possessions often cause great harm to those it was meant to