Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I was browsing around this morning, waiting for the sun to come up, and found this great blog, thanks to a link by Big_Bird. (There are a bunch of links to other good blog sites as well. I heartily recommend people to take a look.)

One example:

Given to how many people issue fatwas these days and how contradictory those fatwas usually are, this was the inevitable conclusion:

How much does a fatwa cost? The question should be spiritual, but last
week an Indian TV channel aired footage of several Indian Muslim
clerics allegedly taking bribes from undercover reporters for issuing
the edicts. Among the fatwas bought (for as little as $22) were decrees
saying Muslims may not use credit cards or double beds. One cleric
issued a fatwa in support of watching TV; another wrote one against.

Hmm.. I have to say that the indians were slow on this one. When the current sheikh of Al Azhar Sayed Tantawi was the Egypt national Mufti, he too issued fatwas for money. This is why his nickname is "Sayed Ok", cause as far as he was concerned, anything you wanted was OK as long as you paid the right price. And it was usually more than 22 dollars. Cheap Indian clerics!

The Sandmonkey @ 9:13 am Filed under: Islam and just plain wrong

http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/09/28/the-natural-evolution-of-fatwas/

[Ya-ta Boy]

I don't know about you, but I was only vaguely aware of fatwas until the Salman Rushdie one. That episode gave me the impression fatwas were rare things issued for the most extreme situations. Nothing in the media, up to now has disabused me of that impression.

This 'find' this morning puts fatwas in a whole new light.

The existence of Sayyid OK reminds me of Jim and Tammy Faye, Pat Robertson and that whole crowd and of the Korean joke about why the Buddha's fingers are making the 'OK' sign--it means 'give me money'. IOW, religious charlatans are everywhere.

What's special today is that some political types have an agenda to prey on fear and heighten tensions by publicizing the acts of these charlatans.

I'll never be able to hear about a new fatwa without wondering if someone paid $22 to have it issued.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I also really enjoyed this response to the fatwa post:

Outsorcing is killing the economy. First it was cheap consumer goods, then the call centers� All those easy to burn, non-toxic Israeli and American flags come from China already. Now the rent-a-mullah services can bel provided for a pittance directly from Bangalore. Soon even the chanting crowds will be outsorced. Do you know how cheap it is to whip up a mob in Delhi?

The economy in the Arab world is already on the ropes. Now the Indians and Chinese will take away one of its the few succesful non-oil exports: islamic radicalism! Where will this savage globalization stop?

Personaly, I blame George W. Bush.