Category Archives: Esoterica

Spiritualism, Perrenialism, Syncretism

The History of Alcohol in Islam

By Guest | Published: July 8, 2010
This is a cross-post by Lord Curzon from Coming Anarchy Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol. But why? In objectively reviewing for the ban in the Koran, one can only leave bewildered. Occasional passages that do not refer to alcohol as it is known today is interpreted as being a complete prohibition on alcohol consumption, [...]
Posted in Esoterica | 17 Comments

Dodgy Politics for a Progressive Generation

By Effendi | Published: June 30, 2010
Sunny Hundal filmed here at the last Pickled Politics meet-up, demonstrating the meaning of “Progressive Politics” to his adoring fans and Guardian readers: Update: The rope-cutting scene from Blog Wars:
Posted in Esoterica | 16 Comments

Heeeeeere’s Mahdi!

By Faisal | Published: June 30, 2010
From a televised Peace TV extravaganza: A man steps up to the mike and reveals himself on live TV as Imam Mahdi, herald to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah . Hilarity and confusion ensues as the smug beardy presenter gleefully explains why the man can’t be the Mahdi – he can’t speak Arabic. But is [...]
Posted in Esoterica | 7 Comments

Coming Out as an atheist

By Faisal | Published: June 5, 2010
This is a brave and thoughtful article in CiF by Alom Shaha. It is 2010, yet this is an account by a man born into a muslim family who is careful not to offend or disappoint family and friends by “coming out” as an atheist. This article will be very helpful to those muslims who cannot [...]
Posted in Esoterica | 1 Comment

religious idiots round up: vengeful volcanoes

By bananabrain | Published: May 12, 2010
of course, nobody should be surprised that when a natural disaster occurs, the usual suspects jump on the bandwagon to explain why it proves their wacky theologies and that G!D Is Having a good old Smite at people of whom they disapprove or, alternatively, that it’s all part of the dastardly plans of the illuminati [...]
Also posted in Anti Muslim bigotry, Antisemitism, Blogosphere, Environmental, Farce, International Affairs, Israel/Palestine, Media, Misc, Obscurantism | Leave a comment

G!D the “misogynist” and other cyclical lepidopterisms

By bananabrain | Published: May 6, 2010
thanks to the delightful sonia from pickled politics, i ended up in a jolly discussion over at butterflies and wheels on feminism and religion. they seem to have closed the comments for some reason, but i still thought it was an interesting subject and thought i’d continue it here if anyone (like ophelia benson or [...]
Also posted in Blogosphere, Ethics, Exegesis, Feminism, Hermeneutics, Human Rights, Interfaith, Jewish Extremism, Moral relativism, Obscurantism, Secularism | 8 Comments

religious idiots round-up

By bananabrain | Published: April 21, 2010
  a woman causing an earthquake yesterday by blatantly showing her elbows and knees well, i expect most of us have probably heard by now that, according to the not-at-all-bonkers iranian regime, that immodestly dressed women cause earthquakes. i expect the haitians are buying their chadors as we speak. in the interests of balance, i thought it [...]
Also posted in Farce, Interfaith, Jewish Extremism, Obscurantism | 18 Comments

Give a man a fish…

By Effendi | Published: March 26, 2010
…and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish with a Russian RPG-7 Antitank Grenade Launcher and you have the human rights of “defensive jihad” and a lake full of dead trout. hat/tip: habibi
Posted in Esoterica | 3 Comments

Man Bites Dogs

By Faisal | Published: March 10, 2010
Mehdi Hasan hates animals, particularly dogs: In fact, you may have guessed by now, and it might upset some of you to hear me say this, but I’m not, by any standards, an animal-lover. Unless the said animal is dead and on my plate. For me, animals, as they say, have two functions: to taste good [...]
Posted in Esoterica | 21 Comments

Baba Guru Nanak – A Mercy For All

By Guest | Published: January 7, 2010
This is a guest post by Raziq **** In today’s times there is much debate about extremism and religious intolerance. Terrorist acts committed in the name of religion and religious intolerance seems to be on the rise. In these uncertain times we can all learn lessons from the teachings of Baba Guru Nanak. Baba Guru Nanak [...]
Also posted in Interfaith | 29 Comments