US Judge Refuses to Bow Down to Shariah Law, Slaps Down Muslim Woman's Insane Demand

US Judge Refuses to Bow Down to Shariah Law, Slaps Down Muslim Woman's Insane Demand: Under Pennsylvania law, oaths must be sworn on the Bible or be non-religious in nature, but still considered binding.

The woman is now challenging that law, arguing that it discriminates against her religious beliefs. 

The husband, meanwhile, swore his oath on the Bible without incident— perhaps because under Islam, oaths sworn on books other than the Quran are not considered binding.

Well, we have: a religious fanatic, self righteous and not getting what culture they're in. We also have the crazy contradiction of supposed religious freedom in this country, yet, state law mandates one choose an either or set-up. You're either a Christian -- swear on the Bible -- or you're basically an atheist, because state law also mandates you swear on the Bible or swear on something "non-religious in nature." Which implies that if you're not a Christian, your religion doesn't count.  Screwed up on all accounts.



So what is the agenda of the unnamed Muslim woman? Obviously political as well as shoving her religious beliefs upon others. Still, the state is wrong as well. It's not a Christian versus everyone else world, as much as many would like it to be so. The good that can come of this is that the state if found to be wrong.

Muslims Object to Easter Eggs | Todd Starnes

Yep, these Muslims were offended that Easter Eggs, and the Easter Bunny, are afoot in American culture. Apparently not quite understanding the concept of the U.S. Constitution and "freedom of religion" they find it offensive a Christian church would be promoting Easter with eggs and bunnies and such. Sigh. Muslims Object to Easter Eggs | Todd Starnes Although, the point is taken that the church and public school relationship should not have been made. On that, I agree.

'Saudi religious police hunt down Twitter witchcraft accounts'

​Saudi religious police hunt down Twitter ‘witchcraft’ accounts — RT News: Saudi Arabia, which has the largest number of Twitter users relative to internet users in the world, has formed a special task force to track users of the popular social media who are accused of spreading vice and witchcraft.
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which serves as the religious police of the conservative Gulf kingdom, is conducting surveillance of Twitter accounts in an effort to reign in heightened interest in subjects related to sorcery. 
The religious public watchdog is keeping a lookout for those accounts which “are spreading vice and witchcraft” through the community, said Ahmed Al Jardan, the Commission’s spokesman, as quoted by the Saudi news network Al Arabiya.

NY Times:"California first-grader barred from distributing candy canes with religious message" and a Rant

   

     In California, a first grade teacher throws a religious message in the trash. Family is considering a lawsuit, the expected debate rages on. In this case however I have mixed feelings. While the teacher's actions seem harsh and the whole thing could have been handled differently, and better, it could be the teacher was concerned with the class as a whole -- all the students, and was trying to adhere to state and federal rules concerning the promoting of religion. "Jesus is not allowed in the school" the teacher is alleged to have said, and, the teacher is correct.It's fine if this child and his family believe what they believe, but giving a non-Christian this kind of message, well, for myself, it would annoy me. Let's turn this around; just how do you think the majority of parents would react if a child handed out a Pagan themed item? Oh the shit would fly! The parents knew the public school's policy and did their thing anyway.  So in this case, it isn't close to what the Buddhist student in the south (see post below) experienced. Teachers (as an educator, I have sympathy!) are expected to do so much that goes beyond teaching academics, and are always walking that blurry, ever changing line of what's politically and legally correct at the moment. On the other hand, it could be the teacher was a smug atheist asserting their brand of critical thinking and educational correctness.

California first-grader barred from distributing candy canes with religious message- NY Daily News: California first-grader barred from distributing candy canes with religious messages. Robert Tyler, of the Advocates for Faith & Freedom, is threatening legal action against the West Covina Unified School District on behalf of Isaiah Martinez, a 6-year-old who said his teacher threw his gifts to classmates because they contained religious messages. Tyler alleges the boy's teacher said 'Jesus is not allowed at school,' and the district says it tries to maintain 'religious neutrality in the classroom.'

     Somewhat related, many years ago, when I was lead teacher for a pre-K program at a public institution, one of the assistants wanted to do an art project involving the peace symbol. This was during the Gulf War and the emotions and political climate was intense at the time. I liked the project very much but had to say no to it. I told the assistants that it could be misconstrued -- we had some very gung ho families with spouses and family members, parents of students, overseas -- and so to avoid any outrage and hassles with parents and the institution I worked for, I didn't allow it. A couple of days later, I was out of the classroom for meetings, when I returned, I saw that another assistant had given each student a postcard with the American flag splashed over it and pro-war slogans. I was pretty furious; she shrugged and said "We all have our opinions." That was a nasty thing she pulled and wrong, and yep, it pissed off some parents who were anti-war. And, of course, I was the one who got the shit storm. So teachers are often in a no-win situation, trying to please everyone, and follow the rules mandated by the feds, the state, their district or institution, and their principals. And your own beliefs and values often get swallowed up in the dance of trying to do the right thing. Let alone the original thing, which is to teach, not play games.
     And on another tangent, here in Oregon, it was recently voted into law that all schools must have their classes stand up and say the Pledge of Allegiance one day a week. Ridiculous and I'm surprised it is legal, hopefully the ACLU will get around to that one. There is the limp disclaimer that those students who find saying the pledge, or at least the "under God" part, may refrain as long as they are respectful. But what about the teachers? They have no choice. One might argue that teachers are at work and being paid and as such, need to follow the rules. Sure. But at what point does the infringement of personal beliefs, (let alone dignity) interfere with the right of the government to tell an individual what to believe, and, regardless of that belief, disseminate political and religious opinion?

New Jersey Churches Attacked, Religious Statues Destroyed, Virgin Mary beheaded, Joseph chopped in half | Atlas Shrugs

image source: Atlas Shrugs

     No proof it's fanatical Muslims, and equally scary as the thought of Islamic fundies destroying religious icons in the U.S. is, is the idea it is crazy Muslims responsible for such symbolic gruesomeness.  The fact of this news item is not in dispute, but the source where this links to is a little rabid as well. Either way, whoever is responsible for this vandalism; it's creepy. New Jersey Churches Attacked, Religious Statues Destroyed, Virgin Mary beheaded, Joseph chopped in half | Atlas Shrugs

Student Expelled for Casting a Spell - ABC News

This showed up in my Facebook page. It does not seem to be a spoof. It's dated 2000, over ten years ago. Time marches on, but we're talking a decade, not centuries. The Inquisition has been over for awhile; wonder if Oklahoma knows that? Yes, Oklahoma. This didn't happen in an African country, or a Middle Eastern country, or some Eastern European village amidst mist and ruins, but here in the United States: Student Expelled for Casting a Spell - ABC News. Nicely juxtaposed with my previous post on the would be Satan statue, also in Oklahoma. Whatever is in their drinking water? Here's another article.


I keep thinking this has to be a satire piece from The Onion or The Daily Current. Has to be. If it weren't so goddamn frightening for its surreal and supreme ignorance, it's be funny.

But it isn't.

In the article, it is admitted that school authorities (dear sweet fucking goddess, these people are educators!) have nothing to go on, except, you know, the purest form of idiocy.

Why Season 3 of ‘The Borgias’ could be the show’s swan song - Yahoo! TV

I love The Borgias, but after last night's episode, realized not for the first time, there can't be much left in way of episodes. The Borigias is based on history -- so, unlike Game of Thrones (at the top of my list) which is fiction, Borgias can only last as long as the historical story lasted. Here's a list of reasons from Yahoo! TV about why this season might be the last for Showtime's Borgias, with a mention of a new Showtime program, The Vatican. Why Season 3 of ‘The Borgias’ could be the show’s swan song - Yahoo! TV

David Bowie's New Video

Well, I'm not offended. Banned from YouTube then reinstated. But I'm a Bowie fan from decades past. And it's too funny and even silly; campy to be sure. "Sexually explicit?" --- nope. But it's the hint, the references to religious self-flagellation, etc. that offends some who put it into a sexual context. (Hey, bit of synchro here; watching Jeopardy and just when I wrote " self-flagellation in a sexual context" the category was: "Hit me.") Which, of course, is sexual. And so it goes.  And is that Marie Cotillard and Gary Oldman I see in the video? Of course it is!

Pastor announces plans to run for Oregon governor | Statesman Journal | statesmanjournal.com

From Pastor announces plans to run for Oregon governor | Statesman Journal | statesmanjournal.com, Aaron Auer's disingenuous statement:

An Oregon City pastor announced Friday he plans to run for governor next year.

Aaron Auer, the founder of Reviving Oregon’s Amazing Roots Ministries in Umpqua, said he’s in the early stages of his campaign and kept tight-lipped about what political party he was seeking a nomination from.

“I am campaigning as a modern day circuit riding preacher,” said Auer, a son of dairy farmers in Douglas County.

If there's any doubt, here you go:

“I had a dream. I saw governor and the Lord spoke to me and told me you would be the governor of Oregon,” she later told her husband.

"The Cleansing" :Iran confiscates Buddha statues from shops - Yahoo! News

Iran confiscates Buddha statues from shops - Yahoo! News: TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Buddha statues have joined Barbie dolls and characters from "The Simpsons" TV cartoon as banned items in the conservative Muslim nation.

Authorities are confiscating Buddha statues from shops in the Iranian capital, Tehran, to stop the promotion of Buddhism in the country, according to a report Sunday in the independent Arman daily.

Iran has long fought against items, such as Barbie toys, to defuse Western influence, but this appears to be the first time that Iranian authorities are showing an opposition to symbols from the East.

The newspaper quoted Saeed Jaberi Ansari, an official for the protection of Iran's cultural heritage, as calling the Buddha statues symbols of "cultural invasion." He said authorities will not permit a specific belief to be promoted through such items. Ansari did not say how many Buddhas had been seized, but that the "cleansing" would continue.

Earthquakes and the Pope: Trickster Theater

The world shared a global shudder of anxiety at the news that North Korea's earthquake yesterday was no "earthquake" but an earthquake due to a "nuclear test."

Checking the U.S. government's earthquake site, which I do several times a day, I see that Tonopah Nevada and surrounding area has had four earthquakes today. The largest being 5.1. That seemed very odd to me, so I Googled Tonopah, Nevada, to find that the area is a test range:

Tonopah, Nevada carries a legacy of being the home to the nation’s development and testing of smart bombs extending back to World War II where it was noted for its bomber bases. Follow the links to learn more about Tonopah’s role in our nation’s wars.

Not a coincidence.

And to really go down the rabbit hole, while I don't seriously think there is a connection between the above and the Pope's resignation, that last news item is a biggie. The Trickster Theater has been very busy these past few days!

Terry Colafrancesco: Medjugorje Cult Leader

In October of 2012, "JustinT" left the following comment on my post

Please do not link to Medjugorje com of "Friend of Medjugorje" / Caritas of Birmingham. The organisation is considered to be a cult, the priests of Medjugorje parish warned against them as well as Mother Angelica and EWTN.

Please read information about them at:

http://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/caritas-of-birmingham/

http://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/gravely-disturbing-testimonies-caritas-of-birmingham/

http://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/caritas-of-birmingham-a-friend-of-medjugorje-terry-colafrancesco-fleecing-money-deceptions/

http://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/a-friend-of-medjugorje-terry-colafrancesco-cult-leader-caritas-of-birmingham/

I responded that it's my blog and I'll post what links I want to post. But, curious, I followed the links JustinT left for me to explore. I've long known that there is a school of thought that believes Medjugorje is a cult, or of the devil, or that, any Marian apparitions/beliefs are "wrong" since Catholicism itself is "wrong" and not even Christian, according to some Christians. Since I'm not any of those -- Christian, Catholic (oy, the quibbling!) or of the devil -- I'm not concerned with the belief factor here. My approach to Marian apparitions, including Medjugorje, is purely Fortean. Which encompasses a lot of terrain.

However, if the information in the links JustinT provided is true, it is very disturbing information.  From the www.medjugorje.ws site: Caritas of Birmingham is not a Roman Catholic organization and the organization's leader Terry Colafranesco:

Terry Colafrancesco teaches to his group that black people are "niggers," which were created by God for servitude and were much better off when they were slaves.
Terry also teaches contempt for women as the carriers of the "spirit of Eve".

There's much more regarding interpretations and what amounts to downright mangling of Catholic doctrine.

The other links reveal more of the same, and worse.  Colafrancesco (who is based in Alabama)  does appear to be another psychotic religious cult leader. There are references to Colafrancesco being involved with the KKK.

The Medjurgorje website is full of unnerving information about Colafrancesco. Are the allegations true? Or is the site that JustinT recommended one with its own agenda regarding apparitions, Medjurgorje in particular?

"Andrew" has a Blogger blog: Exposing Terry Colafrancesco. 

Kresta in the Afternoon has a comprehensive site that deals with the history of the Medjurgorje sightings. Caritas of Birmingham is certainly mentioned but what is interesting, as is noted, is that one of the original women to see the apparition is involved in Colafrancesco's organization:

The Caritas group, however, is considered schismatic by the visionaries and priests at the pilgrimage center, in a part of what used to be Yugoslavia. On the “official” Medjugorje website we are warned that Caritas of Birmingham is a cult, something like a religious business, not approved.

But one of the visionaries, Marija, still comes regularly to Caritas in Birmingham, contributing to a local, in-house schism of an international cult that bespeaks a larger and ongoing schism with orthodox Catholicism.

This history of the Medjugorje apparitions is complicated and fascinating. Many reasons given by some Catholics to reject the Medjugorje events, including the seemingly non-Blessed Virgin tone of the apparitions:

Compared to approved apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, for example, at Lourdes and at Fatima, the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje contain numerous anomalous aspects:

In the initial appearances, the Gospa appears out of a cloud of light which gradually takes on the image of a young woman in her late teens. She has blue eyes and is wearing a gray dress. She looks like she is holding “something like a baby” in her arms, but none of the features of the baby can be seen. Her hands are shaking. She laughs. The visionaries are able to touch and kiss her, but her vestments are “steel to the touch.” When a lady doctor asked if she could touch her also, the Gospa agreed, but complained about “unbelieving Judases.”

There is definitely a Trickster aspect to the apparitions at Medjugorje. I wrote about some of these in 2008 here at UFO Mary in my post Trickster-Mary-Devil in the Mysterious Valley?. The event described does seem bizarre and not what we usually hear of in Marian apparitions:

The following is from the Angelus site, from Medjugorje Exposed: Today, we waited for the Virgin at Marija's; with me were Marija, Ivanka, and Jakov. We began praying at 6:20 p.m. The Virgin appeared right away. We asked her about the Franciscan Friars and sisters of our parish...We asked her about the man who saw Jesus in the street as he was driving people in his car. He met a man covered in blood—this man was Jesus—he gave him a blood-stained handkerchief telling him to throw it in the river. Going on his way, he met a lady—it was the Blessed Virgin Mary; she asked the driver for the bloodstained handkerchief. The man offered her a handkerchief belonging to him, but the Virgin asked for the bloodstained one: 'If he had not given it to me it would have been the last judgment for all!' The Virgin said this was true.) (from Vicka's diary dated September 4, 1981) The Trickster does seem to be strong in the Medjugore sightings in a crazy, conflicting, and bizarre yet very Fortean way.

There is a 2002 Associated Press item by Jay Reeves at the pathological skeptoid site Skeptic Tank.com (after all, the site calls the faithful "Virgin Mary Kooks") about a lawsuit brought against Colafrancesco. In 2006, Phillip Kronzer, a "cult fighter" was jailed for making "derogatory statements" about Colafrancesco:

Circuit Judge J. Michael Joiner sentenced Phillip J. Krozner to spend 15 hours in jail for contempt of court. Joiner found that statements Kronzer made about Caritas of Birmingham in a widely distributed letter violated terms of a confidnential settlement in a lawsuit involving Kronzer and Caritas. Kronzer is a San Jose, Calif., businessman who declared war on cults when his wife left him to join what he claimed was a cult. He repeatedly has claimed that Caritas is a cult.

As I searched for articles and information on Colafrancesco, I quickly realized there is a huge amount of material out there on him. It's clear that if you are interested in discovering more, there is more to be discovered. And, it will take you as deep as you want to go. Is Terry Colafrancesco a cult leader, and are the allegations against him true? I don't know. I do know that the Medjugorje phenomena is truly a Trickster phenomena, including the debate and actions surrounding Colafranesco.

 My related posts:

• Speculation on Mary as a Trickster, UFO Digest
• Trickster-Mary-Devil in the Mysterious Valley?

14 yr. old Taliban Victim Malala Yousufzai Expected to recover

The Taliban, in its religious and political insanity, shot 14 yr. old Malala Yousufzai in the head for promoting education for girls. She is now in the UK, and is expected to recover. Shot Pakistani schoolgirl can make 'good recovery' - One News | TVNZ

Catholic church to lose historic property tax exemption in Italy — RT

This is very big news. Signs of shifts in the paradigm? The butler spoke, now this:

Catholic church to lose historic property tax exemption in Italy — RT: Italy’s Catholic Church will be forced to pay taxes starting in 2013 after the EU pressured the country’s government to pass a controversial law stripping the Church of its historic property tax exemption.

The Catholic Church in Italy is excluded from paying taxes on its land if at least a part of a Church property is used non-commercially – for instance, a chapel in a bed-and-breakfast.

"The regulatory framework will be definite by January 1, 2013 – the start of the fiscal year – and will fully respect the [European] Community law," Italian premier Mario Monti's government said in a statement on Tuesday.

Taliban attack wounds teen activist blogger - CNN.com

Taliban attack wounds teen activist blogger - CNN.com

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Malala Yousufzai's courageous blogging against the Taliban set her apart from other 14-year-old Pakistani girls.

Growing up in a region once dominated by the Islamic extremists, she knew the fear associated with the word Taliban.

One of her fears came to pass Tuesday, when gunmen sought her out and opened fire on her school van, leaving her seriously wounded along with two other classmates.

'Nazi-Acquired Buddha Statue Came From Space'

The title and story is rich with imagery: Nazis, ancient astronauts, religions, comic books, superheroes,war, political and religious symbols:Nazi-Acquired Buddha Statue Came From Space.

It sounds like a mash-up of Indiana Jones' plots, but German researchers say a heavy Buddha statue brought to Europe by the Nazis was carved from a meteorite that likely fell 10,000 years ago along the Siberia-Mongolia border.

This space Buddha, also known as "iron man" to the researchers, is of unknown age, though the best estimates date the statue to sometime between the eighth and 10th centuries. The carving depicts a man, probably a Buddhist god, perched with his legs tucked in, holding something in his left hand. On his chest is a Buddhist swastika, a symbol of luck that was later co-opted by the Nazi party of Germany.

Of course, as is pointed out in the above paragraph, the Buddha statue (if it was meant to be a Buddha) didn't really "come from outer space" but was made from material that came from space: the meteorite.

Women Of Esoterica: BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism

BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism: Disturbing and disappointing news. Three members of Pussy Riot --- Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich, --- have been sentenced to two years in prison for their performance.BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism

The headline reads "...jailed for ... hooliganism" but the judge added that their "hooliganism" "crudely undermined social order."

Scary that anyone can be jailed for political protest that conflicts with the rule of the land. Equally frightening is the fact that one can be jailed for "offending" religions. In Pussy Riot's case, their protest was seen as "hooliganism" but not just; as the judge said, "...the act had been one of blasphemy, not politics."

The women have international supporters, including musicians like Madonna and Paul McCartney. But there are plenty of religious fanatics who think justice has been served:

One, Igor Kim, told the BBC News website from Moscow: "Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics."


Hardly need to point out the obvious that sending people to prison for three years for expressing their opinions is not "Christian ethics."

Debunker Faces Arrest for Debunking Watery Jesus

(This story dates back to March of this year.) Debunker and member of the Indian Rationalist Association Sanal Edamaruku faces arrest for his participation in doing what skeptibunkies do. He says he explained/exposed the watery seeping Jesus in Our Lady of Velankanni Church, in Mumbai.

India has laws against insulting religions and  "...deliberately hurting religious feelings and attempting malicious acts intended to outrage the religious sentiments of any class or community,” according to the Slate article.  On the surface Edamaruku is doing what's expected of debunkers, but I suspect there is a cultural and historical context at the root of his actions. (Italics mine):

What do you fear might happen to you?
If it comes to a trial, I have nothing to fear. I would welcome the opportunity to throw some light on the role that the Catholic Church played and is still playing today here in India. The possibility of arrest is threatening, however.

The religious zealotry, dogmatism and fanaticism Edamaruku fights is ironically mirrored by his own version of same:

Do you have any regrets about intervening? Why would one not intervene when somebody gives gullible people sewage to drink? But my reason is broader. The promotion of superstition and belief in paranormal phenomena dulls people's minds and establishes dangerous misconceptions about reality in our society. Such efforts have to be countered.

Edamaruku refused to back off and in fact, got quite contentious with critics. While India has the anti-insult to religions law, it also has this, according to Stephen Law.

Clause (h) of Article 51-A of Constitution of India states that : ‘It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to develop the scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform.’

Just For Fun...

Philip Coppens: The Lies of Fatima

The following from Philip Coppens:The Lies of Fatima;The apparition of the Virgin Mary at Fatima in origin had nothing to do with prophecies or, indeed, the Virgin Mary. But through a series of manipulations, the Church created one of the most elaborate lies, which formed the backdrop of major political events.

The story of the BVM at Fatima contains numerous fascinating elements. One aspect of the story is the following concerning Lucia, who kept the "secrets" and lived the rest of her life in a convent. But this, Coppens suggests (and the facts support) wasn't due entirely to Lucia's devotion as a Catholic.

...shortly after the Fatima apparitions, she was forced into a convent (she was not a devout Catholic when the visions happened; her father was actually an atheist), sent to a nunnery where she could not communicate with anyone because language barriers, and was later placed in solitary confinement, to make sure she didn’t speak to anyone; access to Lucia required the consent of the highest Vatican circles and it was rarely granted. What Lucia desired, was therefore totally at the Pope’s discretion.

It's been suggested before, and Coppens discusses this in his article, that the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul ll in 1981 had something to do with the Fatima secrets. So much so that "the bullet was later set in the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima."

But was the secret a true prediction of an assassination attempt, or manipulated revelations by the Vatican -- manipulated to the extent of holding prisoner a woman for just about her entire life? Coppens shows us how the latter seems to be the case.

Note: be sure to read Lon Strickler's piece about Philip's article at his blog Phantom and Monsters!