Protestants, and Saudis, and Bears! Oh, My!

I recently picked up Stefan Zweig's book on the right to heresy but my heart isn't in it. I don't want to read any more about Luther, Calvin or fanatical Protestants. (Reading Ali's recent positive spin on how good it was to live in a "Christian Nation" -America- nearly made me fall off my chair). What did Larkin say again.."desert of bigots"..and he should know!

Talking of which: the Saudis have sentenced a young woman who was gang raped to 200 lashes for sitting in a car with an unknown man. That these crazies should be strong allies with America is really quite remarkable. But then again, perhaps not. Zealots often flock together, at least in the short run, before they turn on themselves.In any case, most of it is a pretence, a wild facade, since they're actually the most twisted and decadent people themselves. He who plays the angel ends up playing the beast. Fisk was right: the so-called "royal family" is really only concerned about whoring and gambling. The evo's and the mullahs are just the guys who never got invited to parties...

Well, the Saudis are succeeding in spreading their nonsense here as well. And Yasser was right: what's left of Lahore's beauty is being destroyed by rampant commercialism and those terrible palm trees. I don't quite trust a city that has lots of palm trees (sorry, Karachites!)

Listening to that fool Ahmed Deedat and his monkey, Zakir Naik, the other day. Speaks volumes for a country when such johnnies are held in high regard, deemed to be "scholars". The old man was harping on about the "decadence" of the west. G-strings and what not. One could see him warming to the theme. Car adverts with scantily-clad women all over the place (by then he was foaming at the mouth). And all this from a seventy-eight year old man!

Anyway, I give up.

Turab has told me of a t.v channel that has a very popular food programme. One can learn how to make an "Islamic salad". I kid thee not ! Boy, oh boy, where are those bears when you need them?!