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Friday, 22 Sep 2006
Ahmeddinjad, who under his rule gays get hanged for, you know, being gay, hugging and kissing his ally and friend, the known to be really gay President of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud.
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September 22nd, 2006 at 6:36 pm
not related to this post but i figure you’re online now cuz you just posted…
how could you not commemorate Fouad el mohandes? You commemorated Steve Irwin - legend that he was. 3ammo fouad is a legend to all those who know him
RIP 3ammo fouad
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:38 pm
Oh, god, that picture makes me wanna puke. What is wrong with you, Sam? You won’t give us a pic of Carmen yet here you are posting this gay duo who look like they’re about to make out?
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:43 pm
I think the picture is kinda sexy, actually.
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:56 pm
egypeter, what you on man…me thinks you just got mesmerised by his kindersurprise yellow ring.
how do we say this nicely, ahmed is not actually a looker now is he
September 22nd, 2006 at 7:39 pm
Disgusting!!!
But on the subject of that traitor Lahoud, a Lebanese joke:
One day a fourth-grade teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living. All the typical answers came up — mechanic, businessman, salesman, doctor, lawyer, and so forth.
But little Elie was being uncharacteristically quiet, so when the teacher prodded him about his father, he replied, “My father’s an exotic dancer in cabarets and takes off all his clothes in front of other men and they put money in his underwear. Sometimes, if the offer is really good, he will go home with some guy and make love with him for money.”
The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some exercises and then took little Elie aside to ask him, “Is that really true about your father?”
“No,” the boy said, “He works at the presidential palace in Baabda and helped re-elect Emile Lahoud , but I was too embarrassed to say that in front of the other kids.”
September 22nd, 2006 at 7:46 pm
since we’re all posting off the topic: why can’t middle eastern dictators look more like the finnish prime minister. It would make reading the news a bit easier:
http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/ajankohtaista/kuvapankki/kuvalistaus.jsp?language=en&oid=4658&locale=en
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:04 pm
Lahoud thought Ahmad’s name was “I’madonkeydong”. He liked the sound of that.
Explains everything.
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:05 pm
On a post like this one, how could I not encourage everyone to take a peak at another manly Arab Hero, acting all manly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v90dngVoBs0
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Is Lahoud really gay???? With a name like Emile though I would not be surprised…mind you, a stallion like Ahmad would be enough to turn anyone
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:46 pm
think it’s time for an enterprising designer to bring out an Ahmadinejad range of suits (no ties obviously) and jackets!
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:27 pm
As a matter of fact, I’ve always had this sneaking suspician that Ahmadinejad was, well, you know.
clear - that was a lovely tribute to Fouad on Twosret’s blog. A nice introduction for those of us who didn’t have the pleasure of knowing him before.
dOOd - that was unbelievable :0
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:34 pm
If there were a lethal virus transmissible only by authoritarian politico inter-male kissing, one would be able to wipe out all the members of the “little dictators’ club” with a single strategic smooch!
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:22 pm
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=cluster&itemNo=761781
IDF commander: We fired more than a million cluster bombs in Lebanon
By Meron Rappaport Last Update: 12/09/2006 14:20
“What we did was insane and monstrous, we covered entire towns in cluster bombs,” the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon said regarding the use of cluster bombs and phosphorous shells during the war.
Quoting his battalion commander, the rocket unit head stated that the IDF fired around 1,800 cluster bombs, containing over 1.2 million cluster bomblets.
In addition, soldiers in IDF artillery units testified that the army used phosphorous shells during the war, widely forbidden by international law. According to their claims, the vast majority of said explosive ordinance was fired in the final 10 days of the war.
The rocket unit commander stated that Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) platforms were heavily used in spite of the fact that they were known to be highly inaccurate.
MLRS is a track or tire carried mobile rocket launching platform, capable of firing a very high volume of mostly unguided munitions. The basic rocket fired by the platform is unguided and imprecise, with a range of about 32 kilometers. The rockets are designed to burst into sub-munitions at a planned altitude in order to blanket enemy army and personnel on the ground with smaller explosive rounds.
The use of such weaponry is controversial mainly due to its inaccuracy and ability to wreak great havoc against indeterminate targets over large areas of territory, with a margin of error of as much as 1,200 meters from the intended target to the area hit.
The cluster rounds which don’t detonate on impact, believed by the United Nations to be around 40% of those fired by the IDF in Lebanon, remain on the ground as unexploded munitions, effectively littering the landscape with thousands of land mines which will continue to claim victims long after the war has ended.
Because of their high level of failure to detonate, it is believed that there are around 500,000 unexploded munitions on the ground in Lebanon. To date 12 Lebanese civilians have been killed by these mines since the end of the war.
According to the commander, in order to compensate for the inaccuracy of the rockets and the inability to strike individual targets precisely, units would “flood” the battlefield with munitions, accounting for the littered and explosive landscape of post-war Lebanon.
When his reserve duty came to a close, the commander in question sent a letter to Defense Minister Amir Peretz outlining the use of cluster munitions, a letter which has remained unanswered.
‘Excessive injury and unnecessary suffering’
It has come to light that IDF soldiers fired phosphorous rounds in order to cause fires in Lebanon. An artillery commander has admitted to seeing trucks loaded with phosphorous rounds on their way to artillery crews in the north of Israel.
A direct hit from a phosphorous shell typically causes severe burns and a slow, painful death.
International law forbids the use of weapons that cause “excessive injury and unnecessary suffering”, and many experts are of the opinion that phosphorous rounds fall directly in that category.
The International Red Cross has determined that international law forbids the use of phosphorous and other types of flammable rounds against personnel, both civilian and military.
IDF: No violation of international law
In response, the IDF Spokesman’s Office stated that “International law does not include a sweeping prohibition of the use of cluster bombs. The convention on conventional weaponry does not declare a prohibition on [phosphorous weapons], rather, on principles regulating the use of such weapons.
“For understandable operational reasons, the IDF does not respond to [accounts of] details of weaponry in its possession.
“The IDF makes use only of methods and weaponry which are permissible under international law. Artillery fire in general, including MLRS fire, were used in response solely to firing on the state of Israel.”
The Defense Minister’s office said it had not received messages regarding cluster bomb fire.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:36 pm
Yes Pepper the Israelis staged a military offense into Lebanon, by its nature a violent act. The Lebanese fired thousands of rockets into Israel. The Israeli cluster bombs did the job, the Iranian supplied, Lebanese Katyushas did not. Maybe the next time Iran should give hezballah cluster bombs instead. As for using cluster bombs, dead is dead no matter what kind of weapon is used. You are just as dead if someone saws your head off as you are if hit by a cluster bomb or tramples on you at Mecca. besides you are not all bent out of shape over the Muslims blowing innocent people to bits in Iraq. The Israelis lost a few soldiers and some Israeli Arabs and the Lebanese lost a horrific number of civilians and children. Can we all move on now and not keep up the “You killed 500 of my people so I will hate you forever and kill your people now, crap. It only gets more Arabs than anyone else killed.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:37 pm
Yes Pepper the Israelis staged a military offense into Lebanon, by its nature a violent act. The Lebanese fired thousands of rockets into Israel. The Israeli cluster bombs did the job, the Iranian supplied, Lebanese Katyushas did not. Maybe the next time Iran should give hezballah cluster bombs instead. As for using cluster bombs, dead is dead no matter what kind of weapon is used. You are just as dead if someone saws your head off as you are if hit by a cluster bomb or trampled on at Mecca. besides you are not all bent out of shape over the Muslims blowing innocent people to bits in Iraq. The Israelis lost a few soldiers and some Israeli Arabs and the Lebanese lost a horrific number of civilians and children. Can we all move on now and not keep up the “You killed 500 of my people so I will hate you forever and kill your people now, crap. It only gets more Arabs than anyone else killed.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Clear, you like how he looks? When does he turn into superman? Major geeky.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:49 pm
A direct hit from a phosphorous shell typically causes severe burns and a slow, painful death.
Yes. You have any idea how rare a direct hit on a man sized target with a mortar or artillery shell is? I’ve only seen it once after witnessing tens of thousands of rounds hit the ground. And that wasn’t evena direct hit on a person, it was a direct hit on a bison. But it was a gruseome and hideous sight, I’ll admit.
International law forbids the use of weapons that cause “excessive injury and unnecessary suffering”
Very true. Weapons of cruelty include such things as flame throwers, glass shrapnel, etc. Napalm is also banned for use against human targets due to this clause in the Hague Conventions.
and many experts are of the opinion that phosphorous rounds fall directly in that category.
That’s a completely false statement. White Phosphorous has been used by every military in the world in just about every battle ever fought in the last 100 years. It’s widely known as “smoke”
I really wish this tired old false charge of war crimes would be put to bed once and for all. It’s a lie. Those so-called experts, are liars. Lets start charging the people who make false allegations of war crimes with some sort of crime themselves? There has got to be a law against making a baseless accusation of such a magnitude.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:54 pm
“the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon” is being quoted here.
It’s not Mohamed, Ahmed, or Omar speaking. What MORE do you want?
I mean seriously give me a freaking break… Do you even have a conscience?
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:58 pm
It’s cute that the Israelis are being charged with the same so-called war crimes that the US was at Falluja, though. I expect we’ll be seeing fake war crimes charges every time there is a battle, from now on. It’s the new normal.
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:01 am
“the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon” is being quoted here.
So? That means I have to give him credit for being an expert in international law, or what?
It’s not Mohamed, Ahmed, or Omar speaking. What MORE do you want?
And it wasn’t an Arab who made those charges against American troops either! It was an Italian documentary maker! And the charges were repeated in the BBC long before Al Jazeera got ahold of the story! Are you saying that somebody must be telling theb truth if they aren’t arab? Liars come in all colors.
I mean seriously give me a freaking break… Do you even have a conscience?
Do you? The penalty for war crimes is death. The charges you are repeating so carelessly are false charges that carry a potential death penalty. Why are you questioning MY morality?
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:15 am
No, just your humanity.
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:20 am
Yeah. Whatever. You’re a real humanitarian, trying to get people executed on false charges. Good thing the innocent have a champion like you on their side.
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 am
And Qana was what Craig?
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:22 am
Your version of compassionate humanitarianism? Good thing the slain innocent Lebanese children don’t have you as their spokesperson.
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:28 am
Pepper, you made quite specific charges, that are false. I challenged them. I’m not interested in arguing the big picture with you, or any other events, other than the charges you made.
Actaully, I’m not really interested in discussing anything at all with you, since you basically called me an evil human being for having the audacity to point out the allegations you wrer making were baseless.
This is tiresome. It’s a re-peat of all the baseless charges against the US a year ago, or two years ago. Stick with the truth. You’ll serve everyone better. I’m sure the Israelis have done some wrong things in Lebanon, just as the US has done in Iraq. Stay with the things they have REALLY done wrong, and back it off on the bullshit.
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:57 am
And Qana was what Craig?
A well-exploited tragedy, Pepperhead.
September 23rd, 2006 at 1:27 am
Is it just me or does it look like Ahmeddinjad is going to go the tongue?
Viewing this picture I can’t get the music from the Blue Oyster Bar in Police Academy out of my head. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tTJMerul33E
Actually Ahmeddinjad looks a bit like he could be one of those gay bikies.
September 23rd, 2006 at 8:43 am
yeah, nice to make fun on gays, It just shows that you are frustated boys !
and the “kiss ” here quoted, reminds rather Juda’s kiss to Jesus
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:32 am
Good thing the slain innocent Lebanese children don’t have you as their spokesperson.
No, Pepper Greg, instead they have a political movement in Lebanon which thrives and makes capital out of those innocent children you talk about.
What’s a bit of loss of life when it’s all in aid of the long term goal of defeating the Zionist entity, eh?
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:35 am
yeah, nice to make fun on gays, It just shows that you are frustated boys !
I don’t think anyone is making fun of gays, rather it’s the open display of male affection from the leader of a country where homosexuality is punishable by death
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:18 pm
it’s the open display of male affection from the leader of a country where homosexuality is punishable by death
how about these two :
http://www.hermes-press.com/bush_kiss.jpg
http://freethemarket.com/images/apr05/bushandprince2.jpg
September 23rd, 2006 at 12:24 pm
“yeah, nice to make fun on gays, It just shows that you are frustated boys !”
What we’re making fun of is closet gay homophobes.
September 23rd, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Well, Whats with this Remark on Hanging gays in Iran? yeah bad and everything but what about “Kill a Gay for Christ” signs in the US?
September 23rd, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Your first example is of violence conducted by the state of Iran. Your second is of violence that will be prosecuted by the state in the US. I hope you see the difference?
Agreed that there are religious nuts in the US, but they don’t run the country. The majority of US population is moderate concerning gays (as I’m sure it is in Iran!)
September 23rd, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Abdullah,
It’s not exactly official policy. And to do so in many states would get the gay-killer the death penalty.
September 23rd, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Abdullah, WTH are you on about? Unless you are by chance talking about the Westboro Baptist Church - a bunch of homophobic loons with absolutely no affiliation to any government body that no one with any sense pays any attention to who go around desecrating soldiers graves because there are ‘gays in the military’ and telling anyone who doesn’t agree with them ‘God hates you’ - in which case you would be essentially judging a country’s policy on something comparable the statements of a madman raving in the street…
Yep - definately just as bad as the Iranian government…
September 23rd, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Pepper Greg: Your concerns are reasonable, and these are concerns that were raised by IDF soldiers who share your concerns. I hope that this will be carefully investigated. The truth is that war is just violence, and I don’t have answers for how to deal with these issues. Rockets, bombs, guns—these are all painful and deadly and these are used in all armed, military conflicts.
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Actually, there are persistent rumours in Lebanon that Lahoud is gay - not that there is anything wrong with that. Lahoud is a military (=gay), wears speedo at the pool (I saw him myself) and my ex-girlfriend has a gay friend who says that he had sex with Lahoud. Tolerance to homexuality in Lebanon has been greater under Lahoud than under any president.
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Wow, the irony is coming from Christians, who practive one of the most tollerant religions in the world when it comes to Homosexuality!
George Bush’s flavor of Christianity as per Leviticus 18:22 clearly states that homosexuality is an abomination punishable by death!
Still think Muslims are the only barbarians? Consider this:
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that one may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations.
2. You can sell you daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7.
3. A man is not allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15:19-24.
4. Christianity permits you to burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, as it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9.
5. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he who works on the Sabath should be put to death.
6. Eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev.11:10.
7. Lev.21:20 states that one may not approach the altar of God if one have a defect in their sight.
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. Violating Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, and wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend), cursing and blaspheming are all punishable by getting the whole town together to the offenders according to Lev.24:10-16.
11. As for people who sleep with their in-laws, the should be burned to death at a private family affair (Lev.20:14).
Now shall I cite some highlights from Judaism, or have you heard them all before?
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Point 10 abovbe the punishment is group stoning, sorry for they typo.
But to continue:
Judaism is based on a history of tradition and revelation. The revelation of God is recorded in the Torah, or the Old Testament of the Bible as it is known by Christians. The traditions are based on a history of interpretation of this revelation, and on customs that were never written down into the Bible.
The Bible is turned to, to find God’s commandments on matters of living your daily life, including laws governing people’s sexuality. There are several passages of the Hebrew scriptures (which will be quoted from Today’s English Version of the Bible) that have been used against homosexuality, these are:
* Leviticus 18:22-No man is to have sexual relations with another man, God hates that.
* Leviticus 20:13-If a man has sexual relations with another man, they have done a disgusting thing, and both shall be put to death. They are responsible for their own death.
* Deuteronomy 23:17-No Israelite, man or woman, is to become a temple prostitute.
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:51 pm
The conclusion: If you live in a glass house don’t throw stones. And also, if you are gay, Christianity proper and Judaism effectively sanction your death. Islam does not do that, believe it or not.
Read Sand Monkey’s informative posting on the topic.
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:52 pm
Lynne:
I agree with you entirely. War is terrible on all counts. Why can’t we all become like Costa Rica? A country that unilaterlally abolished its own army in the 1940s and has been prospering since!
September 23rd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
And here you go, the score is settled!
http://www.randomperspective.com/images/blairbushsnog.jpg
September 23rd, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Pepper Greg,
Why can’t we all become like Costa Rica?
The United States is vilified for having a huge military. But how many nations basically piggyback their national defense on the United States? Canada, Mexico, even Costa Rica knows we’ll be there - good or bad - to intervene if anyone trys to attack them. Europe has lived under the umbrella for 60 years, and hated us for it the entire time. Of course “protection” sometimes includes attacking when they choose, or are taken over by hostile governments. It’s a mixed bag, for sure. Even Castro’s Cuba can be sure we’ll intervene if, say, Spain reasserts their claim. America has, by default as much as anything, certainly not a desire to, become “the world’s policeman.”
But thanks, Canada, for all the hard fighting in Afghanistan.
September 23rd, 2006 at 5:25 pm
gotta love that photoshop!
September 23rd, 2006 at 5:35 pm
PG wow your list of commandments are amazing I hadn’t read that much from Leviticus in years! It made me really think and your right… … well you would be if people is the US or another similar country actually punished people for what the leviticus commands. You see the Bible is allowed to be discussed and interprited in a manor that would allow for it not to be taken literally and thus allow change and progression of culture. Additionally the state and religion are separate so a commandment does not have to be a law. But thanks for your interest.
September 23rd, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Peter Australia–
The music from the Blue Oyster Bar! That’s EXACTLY what that photo needed. Thanks for providing the right mental soundtrack!
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Pepper Greg # 37–
“Now shall I cite some highlights from Judaism, or have you heard them all before?”
In point of fact everything you cited in post #37 were highlights from Judaism. Christianity is not bound by Levitical law, although some of the more conservative ministers love to quote the wrath of the Old Testament God against a variety of abominations. While Christianity does look to the Old Testament for moral guidance, the whole point of Christianity is a New Covenant, a new realtionship with God. It is my BELIEF (please note, belief, I can’t prove it, I don’t demand that you accept it as fact, and you are welcome to deride me as a deranged and superstitious peasant) that Christ’s purpose was to give fuller meaning to the spirit of the Law, not blind adherence to the letter of the Law.
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Well, Whats with this Remark on Hanging gays in Iran? yeah bad and everything but what about “Kill a Gay for Christ” signs in the US?
Displaying a “kill a gay for christ” sign is certainly deplorable. But actually killing gays for Allah is even more deplorable. I recommend watching this film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHqnSe3EqpA
As you can see, they not only execute gays in Iran, but girls who have been subjected to rape or statutory rape. Praise Allah!
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Pepper Greg:
George Bush’s flavor of Christianity as per Leviticus 18:22 clearly states that homosexuality is an abomination punishable by death!
Wow. That’s some serious misunderstanding of Christianity. There is one guy, a Democrat, who actually believes that crap. He gets loads of PR to make Christians look terrible: Fred Phelps.
I’m not a Christian, btw. Well, I grew up in the Christian tradition, but if I am one I’m a heretic. Even secular non-joiners know your take on GWB is bunk.
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Pepper Greg,
Wow, the irony is coming from Christians, who practive one of the most tollerant religions in the world when it comes to Homosexuality!
We do, actually. Show me a non-Christian country that has anywhere near the tolerance for homosexuality that virtually EVERY Christian country does. I await your list eagerly.
It’s interesting you launched such a scathing indictment of Christians without providing a single quote from the New Testament. Quite a feat.
Nomad, is this style of “tolerance” acceptable to you? I consider Pepper Greg’s tirade to be an example of religious bigotry. What do you think?
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Yes, look at how terrible things are in Iran.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5367892.stm
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:42 pm
As you can see, they not only execute gays in Iran, but girls who have been subjected to rape or statutory rape. Praise Allah!
If it is true its deplorable. But this is a film on You Tube, and I just love the obligatory “Some scenere were constructed using actors”, which basically means this is potentially bull shit propaganda.
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Italics off.
Pepperhead,
The film on YouTube is a BBC production. Of course there are actors involved, there were no cameras around to film the life of Atifeh prior to her execution. Scenes must be recreated.
As for your article on Iranian Jews: anyone who knows their situation knows that they cannot speak out forcefully against the regime. They are not allowed to emigrate and they must attend “Jewish” schools who’s principals are Muslims. These schools are even kept open on the Jewish Sabbath - so much for respecting their religious beliefs. The situation of Iranian Jews is tenuous. Iran’s Jewish population was much greater before the Iranian Revolution than it is today. Most Iranian Jews have fled the country. There are good reasons for this.
September 23rd, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Italics off.
September 23rd, 2006 at 7:02 pm
#48
Nomad, is this style of “tolerance” acceptable to you? I consider Pepper Greg’s tirade to be an example of religious bigotry. What do you think?
#31, my post
it’s the open display of male affection from the leader of a country where homosexuality is punishable by death
how about these two :
http://freethemarket.com/images/apr05/bushandprince2.jpg
apparently, my post are invisible till god’s foot give a kick !
well, Craig, as I said , it is easy to fool homosexuals,
religion has nothing to do, it is in culture !
and could be western or oriental civilisations, men want to show off,
really, as a feminine, I find this behaviour so silly
my male dogs are fighting the same way,
who is going to rule, the weacker must be homo, nah ?
hey, ask God, to undo my moderation plan !
shit !
September 23rd, 2006 at 7:04 pm
“Now shall I cite some highlights from Judaism, or have you heard them all before?”
Actually, that is what you did.
The Old Testament IS Judaism. Christians don’t follow the laws of Moses. The New Testament is Christianity.
September 23rd, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Pepper, you pointed out recently that most religions have many contradictions, and they do. Dr. Laura Schlesinger is a US radio personality who give advice to people who call in to her radio show. A few years ago, she said that according to Leviticus 18:22, homosexuality is an abomination and cannot be condoned under any circumstances. Here are some excepts from an open letter written to her in response (an 82 year old relative gave it to me; he found it online):
“Dear Dr. Laura, thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend homosexuality, for example, I simply remind them that Lev. 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them.
1. When I burn a bull on the alter as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim that the order is not pleasing to them. Should I smile them?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exoduc 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a good price for her?
. . . (4)Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?
(5) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. (Exodus 35:3) clearly states that she should be put to death. I am orally obligated to kill him myself?. . .
(9) I know from Lev. ll:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? . . .
I thought the response letter was humorous. Literal interpretations of the Bible or any other religious material that comes down to us from so long ago seems risky to me. However, there is much inspiration in all religions when kindness, tolerance, and love are the values which are emphasized. No passage in any religious text can convince me to harm or mistreat others. Would I kill someone in self-defense? I hope so, though I have had many dreams where I would just freeze, unable to even move. I hope that I could defend myself.
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Pepper Greg,
You can never get those people to think no matter what you tell them, these are basically fundamentalists at hart. We know fundamentalists don’t think. They are indoctrinated. That man puts up a worthless YouTube video and tells me Iran executes homosexuals and little girls who have been raped etc. He would totally ignore the bbc link you provided while he would believe anything that suits his propaganda indoctrinated mind set! On the other hand that Craig goes on with pointless defense that uses 2% of my brain power to simply refute. They talk talk talk and just talk! They hardly think. Few days ago I was speaking with this German guy who lived for 2 years in Maine US. He suddenly put up a very strange comment. He said He doesn’t want to live in the US because most americans are very “Superficial” people. I just laughed! and he continued to give examples….
The world is so full of blubbering vaginas…u know
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Abdullah,
I read the BBC article from Pepper Greg. I thought it was more than a little dishonest. For instance, they fail to point out in the article that while Iranian Jews in the past few years have been able to travel to Israel, they usually are prevented from bringing their entire families, lest they seek to remain in Israel.
I read the article. Stop the scurrilous attacks.
The simple fact is that wherever you go in the world. If Islam is there, religious fanaticism is there. It doesn’t matter whether it is Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, or Europe. Where Islam goes, trouble follows. That doesn’t mean that all Muslims are bad, but wherever Muslims are you are also bound to find fanatics.
Take a look at the lists of terrorist attacks associated with Islam since 9/11:
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
No other religion comes remotely close to this level of violence.
September 23rd, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Abdullah, we are all indoctrinated to a degree, socialized and educated within our own societies. It is difficult to accept what is unfamiliar and uncomfortable to us. . . that is our challenge. In some cases, it seems like mission impossible. How to break out of the “us and them” mentality? How to actually accept others who are different from us? I believe that we should all reject any actions or ideas which may harm others. Is it possible to promote those values that we —all diverse groups—have in common? The guy in Maine—hmmmm, I think that I can understand his point of view. He may be frustrated with the people around him who are intolerant and small-minded. I think he may be given some credit for being dissatisfied with that and for hoping for something better. The US is a huge country though, with many different points of view and a variety of people from all over the world. It is hard for me to say that they are all “superficial” though undoubtedly some are. All Americans superficial? I can’t agree there.
I love SM’s blog because there are opinions from all over, and even when we do not agree, we at least can share our ideas. For me, this leads to greater understanding.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:12 pm
hey, ask God, to undo my moderation plan !
shit !
That’s why I love you Nomad, no matter what you say
Abdullah and Pepper Greg, you guys are both just plain wrong. And you’re bigots to boot. When you make unfounded attacks on somebody’s religious beliefs, that’s bigotry. You can either educate yourselves on Christianity enough that you can make well reasoned criticisms, or you can continue to be bigots. Up to you.
Lynne, are you aware that “Doctor Laura” is Jewish? I’m not clear in what way her statements have a bearing on Christianity, am I missing something? Did she convert?
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Greg and Abdullah,
Gays are hanged in Iran. That’s a fact. It doesn’t take much effort to look for such stories. They’re all over the internet. Here are 2 examples:
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/187568.htm
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/21/1879/65145
Second link even has pictures. Just google for the phrase “iran gays hanging.”
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:55 pm
Also, more pictures here:
http://direland.typepad.com/direland/images/iran_hanging_outrage_2.jpg
http://vwt.d2g.com:8081/gay_hanging_iran.jpg
http://images.google.com/images?q=Iran%20gays%20hanging&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wi
Don’t click the first link if you have weak stomachs.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:55 pm
Craig, oh, yes, you are right; she is Jewish. My post was in reference to Pepper’s
post #39. But, I am from the deep South in the US, and many Christians refer to both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Being from the South, I have seen both great tolerance and respect for homosexuals as well as hatred and violence toward them. There are all kinds of people who call themselves Christians–the KKK calls themselves Christians. Personally, the people that I know who are Christian are among the kindest, most tolerant people I know. I certainly do not mean to attack anyone’s religious beliefs.
September 24th, 2006 at 12:30 am
sandmonkey, u are arab right? kissing and hugging is a formal greeting, however, no one does it in the west because of the fear of gays that have not come out of their closet.
September 24th, 2006 at 12:37 am
Pepper Greg -
About Israel’s war with Hizballah (are you one or just a fellow traveler?):
This is war. Hizballah has used every civilian installation for military purposes (a war crime, BTW), and it fights without uniforms so that it can use real civilians as shields (two seperate war crimes). Israel has warned civilians in South Lebanon to leave, repeatedly and constantly. War is not meant to be proportional - it’s meant to be won.
Accordingly, after Lebanese civilians have been sufficiently warned, South Lebanon should have been glassed. And guess what - it would have been just fucking dandy according to international law. We should have systematically scorched ALL of South Lebanon, every millimeter of it, sent in the land-drones (they are in final experimental stages just now, should have been good for future wars) and then mined the whole area to make it uninhabitable for the next century or so.
And guess what? That would also have been harmonious with the godsdamn international law.
The commander of MLRS unit is a moron who’s trying to gain some publicity - MLRS in IDF is a minor unit with no importance or funding… and he’s just a fuck that had to be stuffed somewhere where his superiors thought he’d be harmless.
I sure hope that in the next, inevitable, war, IDF will use 100% and not 3% as they in this one. This will make the war after the inevitable one that much less likely.
PS
Bleeding-heart psychotic leftie fellow-travelers are killing people by encouraging the enemy. You, PG, are a murderer.
September 24th, 2006 at 12:56 am
Pepper Greg’s comments about the Jewish perspective on homosexuality are factually incorrect. You clearly are not real familiar with the situation. No Jewish person refers to the old testament.
September 24th, 2006 at 1:27 am
Raccoon, I agree that Israel did just about every possible thing to warn civilians out of the areas that were to be hit. And, Hezbollah did start this aggression. He gave no warnings to civilians; he deliberately targeted them. That is indefensible. Hezbollah hid among the civilian population and fired rockets and missles, which drew fire onto the civilians. That is indefensible. Now Nasrallah is again saying that he will destroy Israel, which does not bode well for the future. When I read about those phosphorous bombs on YNET, it seemed that these were things that should not be used. I looked them up a moment ago, and though the explanation was technical, it seems that these are used to provide cover? Is that correct?
I think that we all agree that we do not like war, but sometimes this is not our decision. It is forced on us, whether we like it or not. If Nasrallah says that he is going to destroy Israel, if he tries again, then Israel will have to respond with a military action. I believe in diplomacy, but both sides must want the same thing: to compromise and find a way to peace. I cannot imagine why Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran would not choose peace. I cannot understand it at all.
I am alarmed, very frightened by the increase in violent rhetoric and increase in violent actions. No one in his or her right mind can defend terrorism. It is simply wrong. It cannot be justified.
September 24th, 2006 at 1:29 am
Raccoon, I agree that Israel did just about every possible thing to warn civilians out of the areas that were to be hit. And, Hezbollah did start this aggression. Hezbollah gave no warnings to civilians;they deliberately targeted them. That is indefensible. Hezbollah hid among the civilian population and fired rockets and missles, which drew fire onto the civilians. That is indefensible. Now Nasrallah is again saying that he will destroy Israel, which does not bode well for the future.
What are those bombs? When I read about those phosphorous bombs on YNET, it seemed that these were things that should not be used. I looked them up a moment ago, and though the explanation was technical, it seems that these are used to provide cover? Is that correct?
I think that we all agree that we do not like war, but sometimes this is not our decision. It is forced on us, whether we like it or not. If Nasrallah says that he is going to destroy Israel, if he tries again, then Israel will have to respond with a military action. I believe in diplomacy, but both sides must want the same thing: to compromise and find a way to peace. I cannot imagine why Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran would not choose peace. I cannot understand it at all.
I am alarmed, very frightened by the increase in violent rhetoric and increase in violent actions. No one in his or her right mind can defend terrorism. It is simply wrong. It cannot be justified. It is not only making things terrible in the Middle East, it is ruining the entire world.
September 24th, 2006 at 1:31 am
Oops, went back to edit and accidently sent off the same post twice! Damn!
September 24th, 2006 at 2:09 am
White phosphorus is used mainly for cover, yes. Its also good for setting things on fire (we would remove the parachutes from mortar shells to turn them into incindiaries. The high command didn’t like it, but it did the trick better than magensium shells).
The smoke is fairly unpleasant to run through (and it stinks, too). Not as bad as tear gas, though, IIRC
It can also cause nasty burns if you’re right on it. Anyway, as a weapon it’s pretty useless.
And about why these people don’t want peace… I think it’s fairly simple. If you’re a dictator, you need to keep the people distracted. Nothing distracts a nation from its sorry state of affairs like a good war. And the terrorist organizations? It’s an easy and fun way to get respect, power and sex. So when you have a terrorist dictator, peace is pretty ruinous for you.
ME has started to change a while ago - a middle class appeared, with all that comes with it… the middle class is the dictator’s worst nightmare.
September 24th, 2006 at 2:56 am
Raccoon, thanks! I hope that there is some possibility for peace in the Middle East though it looks very discouraging right now. There are two Austin companies (high tech) that were adding engineering/high tech units in the Middle East. This would have provided many jobs for both technically educated and support personnel. One company was to have located in India. My friend and co-teacher from India, told me last week that she thought that the change had occurred due to that “Hitler Cafe” in India and the political instability there. She said that her husband, who works for one of the companies here, said that the company felt that the political climate was not right for this investment and that the unit would be located in the US, in Tennessee. I imagine that the other company had second thoughts about the stability of the entire region and those engineering jobs will be located in the US as well. The unrest and radical behaviors are taking jobs and opportunities from the people in the region, which is unfortunate.
September 24th, 2006 at 3:03 am
Raccoon, I wanted to say that I think that Pepper just hates war period. Many people read about the phosphorous bombs and were greatly alarmed. I was upset to think that people might step on them or pick them up and be harmed. I hope that this is not the case. Actually, there is no way around it: war is deadly. What I really wish is that people from within the Middle East and outside of the Middle East would demand that peaceful means be found to resolve any differences and that violence would not be acceptable. No more terrorism and no hate rhetoric!
September 24th, 2006 at 4:19 am
Lynne,
Interesting comments.
Personally, I hate war, and come from a long line of pacifists. However, I am alarmed at what I see war becoming. In the past, war was a hell that people wanted to avoid. Lately, we seem to think we can legislate war to reduce its horror, which inevitably has the effect of making it more possible.
This most recent fighting between HA and Israel settled nothing, and ensured nothing other than continued fighting. Wars that end in surrender - unpleasant as they may be - are much more likely to result in peace than wars that end in a cease-fire or an armistice. History is littered with examples, and I won’t bore everyone with a recitation of them. But getting one’s clock cleaned seems to motivate a people to do what’s necessary to keep it from happening again. A war that has a termination imposed on it from outside, and that has both sides declaring victory, is not likely to result in a lasting peace.
This is why, though I dislike war, I prefer wars to be allowed to run to their conclusion.
September 24th, 2006 at 4:25 am
And Peppy, your recitation of bible quotes totally misses the point. And while Dr. Laura may be intolerant and bigotted, one merely has to turn her show off, and she can no longer harm you at all.
September 24th, 2006 at 4:52 am
[...] [...]
September 24th, 2006 at 5:08 am
An ex-girlfriend of mine was the daughter of a contractor who worked in Saudi. One time she went to Egypt with her family and rode on a bus. She said she could see the bus driver getting a hand job from another guy while driving the bus(!) and when they both noticed she was looking, she said they just smiled at her.
September 24th, 2006 at 5:18 am
Brooklyn Jon: Thank you for your generosity regarding my comments. You are right about the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The fact that both sides were forced from the outside to end the conflict has created a bigger problem than before. Hezbollah was certainly not ready or willing to talk about resolustion by peaceful means. It is better when both sides are ready to put down their weapons and start talking. There is no doubt that there will not be a peaceful outcome. Nasrallah just yesterday (or the day before) stated in a fiery speech that he will attack Israel again “and destroy Israel”, and he called for a change in the government of Lebanon—and none of this is good news. He also claims that he has more weapons than before and more supporters. I always hope for diplomatic means to resolve conflicts, but it seems that Nasrallah has no interest in talking about peace with Israel. His only stated goal is the destruction of Israel, so there is no hope for a diplomatic solution until that changes. It seems that the voices are louder for hatred and violence, while the voices of reason are not heard much at all. I believe that the media sources are making things worse, polarizing and fueling hatred. Just when I think things cannot get much worse, they do! I am discouraged.
September 24th, 2006 at 5:19 am
BrooklynJon
But getting one’s clock cleaned seems to motivate a people to do what’s necessary to keep it from happening again.
Here’s a good example. The United States started the War of 1812. Things went from bad to worse for the United States. Eventually the British burned Washington DC to the ground. Well, after that Americans quit talking about invading Canada.
Most of us anyway.
OPERATION GREAT WHITE NORTH / H-HOUR 0530 / GOLF OSCAR
September 24th, 2006 at 6:10 am
…”What Would War Look Like?
A flurry of military maneuvers in the Middle East increases speculation that conflict with Iran is no longer quite so unthinkable. Here’s how the U.S. would fight such a war–and the huge price it would have to pay to win it
By MICHAEL DUFFY
Posted Sunday, Sep. 17, 2006
The first message was routine enough: a “Prepare to Deploy” order sent through naval communications channels to a submarine, an Aegis-class cruiser, two minesweepers and two mine hunters. The orders didn’t actually command the ships out of port; they just said to be ready to move by Oct. 1. But inside the Navy those messages generated more buzz than usual last week when a second request, from the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), asked for fresh eyes on long-standing U.S. plans to blockade two Iranian oil ports on the Persian Gulf. The CNO had asked for a rundown on how a blockade of those strategic targets might work. When he didn’t like the analysis he received, he ordered his troops to work the lash up once again.
What’s going on? The two orders offered tantalizing clues. There are only a few places in the world where minesweepers top the list of U.S. naval requirements. And every sailor, petroleum engineer and hedge-fund manager knows the name of the most important: the Strait of Hormuz, the 20-mile-wide bottleneck in the Persian Gulf through which roughly 40% of the world’s oil needs to pass each day. Coupled with the CNO’s request for a blockade review, a deployment of minesweepers to the west coast of Iran would seem to suggest that a much discussed–but until now largely theoretical–prospect has become real: that the U.S. may be preparing for war with Iran.
No one knows whether–let alone when–a military confrontation with Tehran will come to pass. The fact that admirals are reviewing plans for blockades is hardly proof of their intentions. The U.S. military routinely makes plans for scores of scenarios, the vast majority of which will never be put into practice. “Planners always plan,” says a Pentagon official. Asked about the orders, a second official said only that the Navy is stepping up its “listening and learning” in the Persian Gulf but nothing more–a prudent step, he added, after Iran tested surface-to-ship missiles there in August during a two-week military exercise. And yet from the State Department to the White House to the highest reaches of the military command, there is a growing sense that a showdown with Iran–over its suspected quest for nuclear weapons, its threats against Israel and its bid for dominance of the world’s richest oil region–may be impossible to avoid. The chief of the U.S. Central Command (Centcom), General John Abizaid, has called a commanders conference for later this month in the Persian Gulf–sessions he holds at least quarterly–and Iran is on the agenda…”
http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1535817,00%20.html
be happy, you’ll have your total war, prepare to die !
September 24th, 2006 at 8:03 am
That’s why I love you Nomad, no matter what you say
euh, be careful, you are not ment to !
September 24th, 2006 at 8:08 am
Lynne,
It would not be very likley that a White Phosphorous round would be unexploded and on the ground to cause a future hazard. Dud artillery and mortar rounds are exceedingly rare in the US military, and I assume in the Israeli military as well. I think you may be confusing the WP shells with the cluster bombs. Those blow apart above the ground and scatter hundreds of boblets over a wide area. They are supposed to explode on impact (the bomblets) but there are always some that do not. The unexploded ones are not much different than a small mine at that point. The US military has been trying to limit use of Cluster Bombs until the problems with unexploded bomblets are resolved, but we still use them. Cluster Bombs were developed in the early 80s to replace Napalm, because the use of Napalm was so controversial (actaully it was illegal but used anyway due to a commonly used loophole in law).
It’s an unfortunate fact that conventional bombs are not very effective against widely dispersed troops in the open. Cluster Bombs (and Napalm) are. I was in the Marines when we used both. I’ve been in close proximity when both Napalm and Cluster Bombs were dropped, a