Interesting article in The New York Times:

A British network of more than 40 part-time Islamic schools and clubs with 5,000 students has been teaching from a Saudi Arabian government curriculum that contains anti-Semitic and homophobic views, including a textbook that asks children to list the “reprehensible” qualities of Jews, according to a BBC documentary broadcast on Monday.

One of the textbooks, according to the BBC program, prescribed execution as the penalty for gay sex, and outlined differing viewpoints as to whether death should be by stoning, immolation by fire or throwing offenders off a cliff. Another set out the punishments prescribed by Shariah law for theft, including amputation of hands and feet. A BBC video accompanying an article on the program’s Web site showed a textbook illustration of a hand and a foot marked to show where amputations should be made.

What a lovely little curriculum. The Saudi’s say the teachings have been “taken out of their historical context.” And exactly what context would such bile be acceptable?

As long as Saudi Arabia — ostensibly an American ally — continues to promote intolerance and export hate in the name of religion, the country will be a well-spring of worldwide terrorism.

UPDATED:

1) There was an excellent article by Nicolai Ouroussoff in the New York Times about the forces of moderation vs. extremism in the Middle East, which are playing out in the spectacular new art museums scheduled to open in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

2) The Association of British Muslims slammed the United Nation’s General Assembly for nixing a provision that protected LGBT people from torture and extrajudicial killings. This is a wonderful development and highlights that the problem is not with Islam, but toxic strains within the faith that pervert the religion and twist the Koran to justify evil. Here is what their excellent statement said:

On 16th November 2010, the United Nations’ General Assembly’s Third Committee voted to amend a previous resolution of the General Assembly that had outlawed extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

This resolution is reviewed every two years, and in 2008 it had been amended to mention specifically those killings that take place because of the sexual orientation of the victims. The 16th November vote removed that special mention.

The Association of British Muslims views this decision with considerable concern. It is the duty of the UN’s Human Rights Committee to uphold the rule of law, so it should vigorously oppose any extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions by whatever party and for whatever reasons.

It should also act to preserve the human rights of all vulnerable communities. Removing this clause at this time will send quite the wrong signal to those regimes that indulge in these barbaric practices, implying as it does that United Nations is no longer concerned at the maltreatment of people because of their sexual orientation or considers it to be a lesser matter.

Referring to the Nazis, Paster Martin Niemoller once wrote, ‘First they came…’. Have we not learned anything since the tragedies of World War 2? Niemoller started out by saying, ‘First they came for the communist’s, and I did not speak out, because I was not a communist’ Then, the socialists, trade unionists, Jews and other groups until finally he writes, ‘Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me’.
The Committee vote is to be ratified in December. The Association of British Muslims calls on member states of the General Assembly not to endorse the decision of its Third Committee, and to reinstate the deleted clause.”

3) A new film, “The Anatomy of Hate”, looks quite interesting.

Gay actor John Barrowman submitted himself to brain scans to gauge his brain activity for signs of arousal, when shown pictures of nude men and nude women.  He began by claiming that he was 100% gay.

What did his brain say?

I agree with Rob Tisinai here:  I’d like to see Alan Chambers, Randy Thomas, Richard Cohen, Greg Quinlan and all the rest of the supposedly “ex-gay” leaders take just such a test.  I would also expand it to all anti-gay Religious Right leaders, such as Peter LaBarbera, Bryan Fischer, Matt Barber, Robert Knight, and all the rest.

The brain doesn’t lie, folks.

According to the BBC, a senior rabbi from a party within Israel’s coalition government has called for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to “vanish from our world”.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef expressed the wish that “all the nasty people who hate Israel, like Abu Mazen (Abbas), vanish from our world”. He went on to say: “May God strike them down with the plague along with all the nasty Palestinians who persecute Israel.”

Of course, what everyone really wants to know, is why the Rabbi is dressed like the late pop singer Michael Jackson in the picture used by the BBC today?

To no ones surprise, this guy has issues with all kinds of people.

The 89-year-old former chief rabbi of Israel has been at the centre of controversy before, with comments about Arabs, secular Jews, liberals, women and gays. In 2001, during a Palestinian uprising, he called for the annihilation of Arabs and said it was forbidden to be merciful to them. He later said he was referring only to “terrorists” who attacked Israelis.

Rabbi Yosef does a pretty good impression of a nutty imam offering up fatwas, doesn’t he? How about this gem:

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a former chief rabbi and the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas movement, once said that Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for U.S. President George W. Bush’s support for Israel’s Gaza pullout.

“It was God’s retribution. God does not shortchange anyone,” Yosef said during his weekly sermon.

And how about the rabbi’s thoughts on Gay Pride?

A leaflet published by the ultra-Orthodox community titled “Jerusalem is on fire” included statements by leading rabbis against the parade. The leaflet said plans are being made for a mass rally in protest of the “abomination parade in Jerusalem.”The leaflet quoted Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian community, as saying “This (parade) will not take place. We must do everything to banish this disgrace from the Holy city.”

The ultra-Orthodox community fears that holding the Gay Pride Parade in the capital would expose religious youth and children to homosexuality. Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, head of the ultra-Orthodox community’s religious court, said “this parade poses a real threat to the citizens of Israel,” while leading haredi Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky suggested holding the parade in Sodom. His metaphoric suggestion was backed by Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

As for this week’s comments, the lovely rabbi spoke out as Middle East talks are poised to begin in Washington. The United States condemned the remarks as “deeply offensive”. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from the comments with a statement saying that his government wanted peace with the Palestinians.

What bothers me more than the offensive remarks is the fact that mainstream Israeli political parties have given this nut and his religious right party a platform. By selfishly doing so, for the sake of political power, they are responsible for the damage caused by Yosef’s comments. This reminds me of the way the Republican Party in the United States has elevated extremists, such as the late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Rick Warren and Doug Coe (The Family) to positions of influence and power — at a great cost to America.

It is time that mainstream political parties across the world stop giving the veneer of credibility and respectability to violent and irrational religious leaders or parties. When they make common cause with such dangerous groups or individuals, they bring down the level of dialogue, serve as barriers to peace, and divide societies.

For the world to progress in the 21st Century, responsible politics must prevail, and this means avoiding coalitions with people and parties that dogmatically adhere to inflammatory and divisive ideologies.

Should Uganda debate gay execution?

Should homosexuals face execution? Yes, we accept it is a stark and disturbing question. But this is the reality behind an Anti-Homosexuality Bill being debated on Friday by the Ugandan parliament which would see some homosexual offences punishable by death.

What next? A question that asks: “Is human sacrifice okay as long as it is done for religious reasons?” Someone should be fired for such an offensive and foolish question.

Update:

The BBC has apologized (although a weak one) after complaints about an online debate which asked: “Should homosexuals face execution?” in response to proposed anti-gay legislation in Uganda.