War Nerd - Iran, Iran so far awaaay

I haven't been so entranced by masculinism since discovering the online version of Cracked, but Gary Brecher's War Nerd column is seriously addictive. This Super War Preview from 2005 (but, frighteningly, not seeming at all dated) explains why strikes against Iran would blow many chunks:

Of course all the NeoCon crazies are peddling the old story that "once we invade, the people will rally to the cause of freedom."

Yeah. Just like they did in Iraq. If we couldn't get people on our side after deposing a monster like Saddam, what chance do you think we have of winning hearts and minds in Iran? The kids in Iran are pissed off at the way the old Mullahs won't let 'em rock and roll, but the idea that they'll support an American invasion because they're bored is totally insane. It's like imagining that the kids in Footloose would've backed a Soviet invasion of Nebraska because John Lithgow wouldn't let them hold school dances.

Sharia - it's not all about getting stoned

This Guardian article about divorce and British Muslims is a good introduction to the breadth of sharia law. It is mostly focused on the tensions between civil and religious marriage, but also gives a glimpse into other issues such as halal food and financial interest.

One slightly upsetting aspect is not with sharia at all, but with British civil law -

...the British courts do not recognise Islamic ceremonies carried out in this country unless they are registered separately with the civil authorities. The result is that some Muslims think they are protected by family law when they are not, and others think they are properly divorced when, in fact, they are still married. In one case, Luton police contacted WLUML [Women Living Under Muslim Laws] after pursuing a man for bigamy who had married in Luton, then flown to Pakistan and married again. After looking into the case, they found that the first marriage was invalid as it had been conducted by an imam in an unregistered mosque. His first wife was left with no legal protection by the family courts, and the husband was free to bring his second wife back to Britain as his legal spouse.

In Australia, the first wife would be protected by the fact that she had been living in a "marriage-like relationship". She would be able to leave the marriage and claim her property and child maintenance. I can't believe that in the early 21st century, Britain doesn't recognise common-law marriage!

Atheist Tabernacle Choir, Redux

Excellent post at 3 Quarks Daily discussing why the new Militant Atheists are a pack of nimrods.

Hitchens Weighs in, Now On The Religion Debate

I am particularly taken with this comment:

...they are committing what might be called Marx's Fallacy: criticizing a system without a viable altenative. Hitchens: don't expect the rest of us to listen to your angry, destructive ranting just because you're still angry at mommy and daddy for making you hate your genitalia.

I guess I'm gonna have to write the great Atheist Manifesto my fucking self.

The Atheist Tabernacle Choir

I have declared Monday to be the atheist Sabbath. Here are a big stack of songs about god or religion.

The Pogues
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
I'm going to leave it to the audience to discuss amongst themselves to what extent Mr. McGowan may have fallen from grace with God.

The Doug Anthony Allstars
Go To Church
Commies For Christ
Little Gospel Song
KRSNA

Johnny Cash
Oh, Bury Me Not
Why Me Lord?
Most religious converts' stories go something like "I was a child-molesting alcoholic ice-abusing Democrat-voting sex-addicted Hyundai-Excel-driving twunt UNTIL I FOUND LOVE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS/ALLAH/XENU". This makes no sense. The most vulnerable moments to my atheism are when the sun is shining, I've just lost 5kg, "Miss Free Love '69" has just come on the radio, I got 84% on my end of semester mark, my customer loyalty bonus has just come in from the gas & electric company, some big-ass college somewhere is offering me large quantities of cash to write my Ph.D on the feasibility and advisability of democracy promotion, and some unbelievably hot guy with ten-inch eyelashes and cheekbones like ginsu knives is boosting his supply of yin energy from my Grotto of the White Tiger.* Alhamdulillah! Why Me Lord? displays an appropriate level of wonder and gratitude.

*This never happens.

This Is Serious Mum
I Ain't No Christian But I Believe in Jesus
Perhaps, Ron, you would enjoy non-realist Christianity.

XTC
Dear God
We're totally all over the irony of addressing a deity you claim not to believe in, right?

God
My Pal
It's only fair to let him have his say.

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