The Religion Of Compassion

What is it? Stupidity? Brainwashing? Blind faith with the emphasis very much on blind?

When Western women convert to Islam, women like Yvonne Ridley, we often hear them say it is in part because Islam is so wonderful for them; as Ridley put it, the Koran is a Magna Carta for women. How do these poor lost sheep jibe that thinking with this:

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - The Saudi judiciary on Tuesday defended a court verdict that sentenced a 19-year-old victim of a gang rape to six months in jail and 200 lashes because she was with an unrelated male when they were attacked.

The Shiite Muslim woman had initially been sentenced to 90 lashes after being convicted of violating Saudi Arabia's rigid Islamic law requiring segregation of the sexes. [Is Saudi as sectist as it is sexist? Would her punishment have been as harsh if she were a Sunni?]

But in considering her appeal of the verdict, the Saudi General Court increased the punishment. ... The ministry implied the victim's sentence was increased because she spoke out to the press.

One would think that being gang-raped would be punishment enough for the woman, but the courts were comfortable with reminding her that her religious sin was worthy of three months in jail and 100 brutal lashes, and her political sin of talking to the media was worthy of another three months and another 100 lashes.

So what do the women of Islam learn from this? They have no rights, they will receive no compassion, and they'd best not complain about their conditions.

Ever mindful of our complex and necessary relationship with the corrupt and vile House of Faud, our official reaction was muted. The State Department said the decision "causes a fair degree of surprise and astonishment."

I much preferred Canada's reaction: "Barbaric."