The Islamists get a lot of bad press these days, invariably rightly so. One argument often put forth is that it is an uncivilised religion several hundred years behind christianity – hence it is somewhat barbaric in its attitudes.
However, that may suggest that judaism should be very civilised as it is a few thousand years older than even christianity. It appears not. This article shows how mad mullahs are everywhere, no matter the label.
Linky thing to BBC article here
Three points – surely Judaism doesn’t believe in reincarnation? I thought that was the Buddhists, and I don’t recall it mentioned in the old testament.
Secondly – get local children to carry out the sentence of stoning the said guilty dog? How can a religion support the killing of a dumb animal unless for food or sustenance?
Thirdly – dogs are impure animals? What makes one pure? I’d rather have dogs around me than these rabbis!
Boadicea's Chariot 
I couldn’t agree more – all religious fundamentalists need to be de-programmed. I’m inclined to think that all ‘extremists’ – religious, anti-religious, political, monarchist, republican, whatever – need a bit of deprogramming! I expect there are those who reckon I could benefit from it too!
The age of a religious belief has nothing to do with whether its followers are ‘civilised’ or ‘barbaric ‘ it’s all to do with whether the followers are civilised or barbaric… Man creates God in his own image – and determines God’s Laws to reflect how he wants to behave…
Buddhism, Hinduism and a fair few other religions believe in re-incarnation so did some early Christians – it was only in the 6th C that the Church officially declared that the belief in reincarnation was heresy.
Second point – there are lots of animals that I think should be killed – we have a plague of rats in Queensland – dumb or not, they are no use for food or sustenance – but they need to Go!
Third – Islam also declares dogs to be ‘impure’.
I strongly suspect that it was a case of ‘who will rid me of this turbulent beast’ – with the dog playing the part of Becket. The children took the word of the irate rabbi and assumed the roles of the four rough knights.
Henry Plantagenet, wherefore do you frown?
There’s a priest called Thomas Becket in Canterbury Town
And the thought of Thomas Becket is worse than a sting
From a wasp in the bosom of Henry the King.
Thomas Becket was a farmer, of yeoman stock he came.
King Henry gave him power, King Henry gave him fame,
Till Becket’s power grew so mighty that Henry’s heart misgave,
Shall Becket play the master and Henry the slave?
Ah Thomas Becket. Who, Henry cried
Will rid me of this turbulent priest that is a thorn in my side?
Then four rough nights rode to Canterbury Town
And slew Thomas Becket as the sun went down
(Actually, it was as the sun went up)
(I am pretty sure that there are a few more verses, but I have forgotten them.)
Anything in extreme is, almost by definition, irrational. It does not just apply to religious practitioners, but to whole host of human practices.
Sipu
The history of your ‘poem’ is more than a little suspect… but I totally agree with your last paragraph!
When I was having my head examined in Israel, I was in town one day, going up in a lift with my second daughter, who was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. There were a couple of other young ladies in the lift, too, similarly dressed. Two orthodox gentlemen got in, and immediately turned and faced the wall so that they wouldn’t have to see all the bare flesh on display. So, I thought to myself, ‘What do these guys do when they’re walking down the street? Sidle along facing the wall?
Whackos, all of them. Shamans mumbling spells.
Personally I far prefer the dogs. I’ve often wondered if Hitler didn’t have it right in the first place.
‘Reprogramme’ the lot of them right out of existence!
So it didn’t occur to the Orthodox gentlemen that it was their creator who had also created the young ladies?
Likewise for the dogs, Sheona – which raises an interesting theological point; why woould a perfect being create imperfection?
I didn’t know that about reincarnation being acceptable until the 6th Century. Blimey, I wonder what caused the church to change its mind?
I agree with Sipu’s last paragraph – I wonder what attracts people to fundamentalism.
The similarities between strict judaism, christianity and islam is quite striking.
I still prefer dogs.
Oh, no. What bit was wrong? Well, I know Beckett was not a farmer, but his father was a landowner. But I thought 4 knights interpreted Henry’s curses as an order to kill the Archbishop. Is that not the case?
Beckett’s grandfather was a landowner, his father was a London merchant – until he’d made enough money to become a landowner …. he also served as sheriff of London – a little more exalted than yeoman stock!
I’m just being picky for the sake of it! 🙂
Bravo, it would indeed be an interesting point to put to the various fundamentalists. What’s wrong with pigs? If Allah created them them, why shun them? I suspect the creator likes nothing more than a quiet evening in front of the fire, dog at his feet, cat on his lap, pipe in mouth, single malt in his glass and a nice bacon buttie. How many people have I managed to offend?
Not me!