Steal Candy, Lose A Hand

The judiciary of Iran is a barbarous entity. The strict interpretation of Sharia law for any reason should send people screaming into the night. So it should come as no surprise that a man has been sentenced to having his hand amputated. His crime? He shoplifted from a candy shop.

Why is it that when someone follows a strict interpretation of any kind of religious law, some kind of body mutilation or the death penalty is issued for a either a minor infraction or something that isn’t a crime (i.e. apostasy)? How long are we going to continue lying to ourselves, claiming that ‘true Islam is a religion of peace’?

There is no such thing as a religion of peace. Any sort of religion that would condone cutting someone’s hand off or stoning to death (for that matter, the death penalty) should never be allowed to control anything.

Hey Islam, your religion is idiotic.

Best Buy v. The Catholic Church

Another perk of being a church: you can break all kinds of trademark laws, and then when they are brought to you attention, you can act indignant. Father Luke Strand of Fond du Lac, WI has done just that. He has a black VW Beetle with the logo “God Squad” printed on the side of it.

However, this is America. Do you think a major corporation like Best Buy is going to stand idly by while some priest uses their logo without their permission? Hell no!

The priest at Holy Family Parish in Fond du Lac is the recipient of a cease-and-desist letter that came from Best Buy's corporate offices concerning his "God Squad" vehicle.

As they should. Any corporation would do the same thing if anyone was trying to violate their trademark rights.

She [Paula Baldwin] went on to say in an e-mail to the Journal Sentinel: "This was a really difficult thing for us to do because we appreciate what Father Strand is trying to accomplish with his mission. But at the end of the day, it's bad precedent to let some groups violate our trademark while pursuing others."

Well, they are doing more for this priest than they would for anyone else. I suppose now we just sit back and wait for the cries of religious oppression.