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Sharia Halakha
October 5th, 2008Irony should be classified as a life style. It may be the missing element — the fundamental substance that unites humanity.
That and religious stupidity.
With all Western eyes turned to Islam and the radical extremes therein, we stare gape-mouthed at some of the odder interpretations of that faith. Indeed, aggressive practitioners in the Taliban and the Saudi Commission for the Protection of Virtue and Prevention of Vice would provide us non-stop belly laughs were humans not being maimed and killed. These packs of Gawd’s self-appointed spokesmen make American Shiite Christians look positively saintly by comparison.
The Middle East is where extremism meets blood and comedy. It appears that some Israelis have adopted the norms of their Islamic neighbors. Haredim hostility to secular sensibilities has whelped “modesty patrols” who engage in hot home invasion, public stoning and torching storefronts where MP4 players might tempt the downloading or porn.
What’s next, Kristallnacht in Karmiel?
Though not a ministry within the Keneset, the Israeli government provides wink-and-nod approval of modesty patrols in order achieve what all politicians crave — a secure voting block. As long as religious violence is only wrought upon people in Orthodox neighborhoods (including those passing through) the government sees advantage in allowing Abrahamic assaults.
Especially assaults against women and doubly so against those who dare to wear red. One poor gal in a crimson top was cursed, spat upon and stoned for the offense of being colorful. Heaven help a gay man wearing a rainbow tunic in Tel Aviv.
Ironic then is the contrast between these Jewish fundamentalist who are under perpetual assault by Islamic fundamentalist because both groups despise the color red, unless of course it is from the spilled blood of their enemies.
The Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is particularly persnickety about ruby hues and rectitude. They recognize red as the color of passion and routinely remove red merchandise from stores as Saint Valentine’s Day approaches. Like their Jewish counterparts, Saudi’s Virtue and Vice Squad enforces dress codes, segregates sexes, and beats women guilty of being seen in public with unrelated men.
Some claim the Palestinians are the Lost Tribe of Israel, but Islam was born in the desert through which the Jews may have wandered, undoubtedly leaving behind a few Hebrew stragglers. If their descendant’s demeanors are any indication, Moses and Mohamed may be related.
