Tag Archives: abuse

Taliban To Resume Stoning Women

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Most religions have a deep distrust of the vagina. It’s almost as though the authors of their screeds were the very first incels. That’s not that surprising, really. In the history of mankind, bookish nerds tend not to get the girl, and after a few centuries of this, you can imagine their ire at not getting laid. How else can you explain such deep hatred and distrust of women in the Abrahamic faiths?

It would be difficult to find a more sexually frustrated faith than Islam. This particular group of undersexed, and repressed men have decided that the biggest threat to humanity is the vagina, and the tendency for those who have one of trying to live their own lives. The nerve.

Thanks to the Taliban, the practice of stoning is being revived in Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, announced at the weekend that the group would begin enforcing its interpretation of sharia law in Afghanistan, including reintroducing the public flogging and stoning of women for adultery.

Over the past few years, over 400 people (mostly men) have been punished by either stoning, lashing, or even Crucifixion (no, I am not making this up). The crimes ranged from drinking alcohol to murder, with the sentences being carried out for the general public to witness. Some even took place in local football fields to ensure maximum visibility, although the use of cameras or other recording equipment is forbidden. Luckily, we know of these because of a few brave souls willing to ignore this edict.

Within the Taliban’s justice system, Sharia punishments are often presented as a religious ceremony, which aligns with the Islamic notion that many of these punishments are considered to be forms of divine justice. One observed pattern, which illustrates the significance of these punishments is the frequent attendance of national and local Taliban officials, judicial staff, police commanders, intelligence staff, religious scholars, ethnic leaders, and residents. The attendance of these figures adds legitimacy to the punishments, providing implicit religious, administrative, and social approval.

All of these public displays were carefully calculated to help make these kinds of punishment seem more and more acceptable. Now, it’s practically become mundane. This has emboldened them to begin to target more women in an effort to undo all of that “western” influence they hate so much, such as the belief in human rights, the idea that torture is unacceptable, and other moral progress that contradicts their favorite little book of horrors, the Koran.

Threesome Obsessed Priest Protected by Vatican

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Those Christians sure do love their trinity. Because they believe that their deity exists in three parts, this often means that anything that comes in threes is often considered to be divine, regardless of what it is. For example, when Father Marko Rupnik was trying to satisfy his sexual urges, he pressured his female colleagues into having a threesome with him, because it would bring him closer to the trinity. If he wasn’t a creep who abused of his power, you’d almost have to admire the set of brass balls to pretend there was anything sacred to his nasty little habit.

“He said that I would not grow spiritually if I did not meet his sexual needs. We had another nun have sex with us because he said it was like the Trinity,” said Ms Branciani, referring to the Holy Trinity, a central tenet of Christianity.

This isn’t his first rodeo either. Rupnik started his “spiritual growth” sessions back in the early nineties. Over 20 former nuns have come forwards with claims of abuse, all of which would have surfaced sooner were it not for the fact that the Vatican was quick to cover things up. When he had used up all the victims in his native Slovenia, he was whisked away to Rome where he continued unabated for another 30 years. It helped that Rupnik is a talented artist, which is a rare commodity for a community that is rapidly shrinking.

Why was this guy even a priest? With his bohemian tastes, he should have been making wacky art in a hippie commune somewhere near San Francisco, not the stuffy halls of St. Peter’s Basilica. If you’re into threesomes, there are plenty of places for you to go, but none of them have a big ugly cross in the front.

Just remember kids: if you’re sexual preferences are a little outside the norm, just find like minded people instead of illegally coercing them just to get your rocks off. Why does everything sexual always get all twisted and fucked up when religion is involved?

 

Sexually Abusive Liberty University Dean Kept his Job

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If you thought that it was only churches that protect their abusers, then allow me to correct this view. The desire of religious organizations to protect sexual misconduct extends not only to priests, but to school administrators as well.

Liberty University is under fire for ignoring all of the allegations against former dean Keith Anderson. For the last decade, Anderson has been accused of a variety of offenses, ranging from inappropriate sexual behavior to full on assault.

Anderson, who was her supervisor, arrived at her home with medication described as “a single, unmarked and unwrapped tablet,” the suit said. She initially refused to take it but relented, she said, to try to get Anderson to leave. She became woozy and fell asleep. She woke up to Anderson’s hands around her neck, the suit says. She then threatened to  scream and he finally left.

“While doing so Anderson forcefully kissed her, on the lips, against her will,” the civil suit reads.

Liberty University receives millions of dollars in federal aid, which has prompted the government to get involved once the school failed to properly address the allegations. It’s believed that it will issue a multi-million dollar fine, although the exact amount is not yet known. A dozen women are also separately filed a suit against the school, with two victims settling for an undisclosed amount. It’s believed that more suits will be coming once the federal government is done conducting its investigation.

Is this not all vaguely familiar for those of us that report on churchly abuse? Protecting men in power is their default state of being, so it never surprises me when yet another Christian organization is caught doing something wrong. For them, forgiving sin is more important than protecting innocent people. Why we as a society continue to give these groups money is beyond me. How many more rapists and abusers do they need to keep protecting before we finally learn our lesson?

Police Failed to catch abuser because he belonged to their church

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Religion makes you blind and dumb. Believers always assume that people who share their faith must also share their morality, with devastating consequences. Take for example the case of Roc Anthony Byrd, recently accused of rape, and a number of other sexual battery charges. He would have been caught sooner, but when some of his victims came to the police, they were sent away because Byrd was a fellow member of their church.

One other woman said she attempted to file a report around 2004 to 2005 after being touched inappropriately but the officers involved reportedly said, “oh he would never do that he goes to our church… why would he do that?”

The 52 year old chiropractor had been inappropriately touching his female victims for years with impudence. He must have believed himself invincible, what with the police believing him an upstanding member of society simply because he showed up to their church ceremonies. So strong was the indoctrination of faith that even his victims were in denial about the whole thing”

Court records said another anonymous victim trusted Byrd because she believed he was “such a great Christian man.” When she was touched inappropriately, she thought to herself that the chiropractor surely couldn’t’ve been doing what “he was doing.”

This and other more heinous crimes are perpetuated every day, and the faithful close their eyes to it all. Even when all of their instincts tell them that something is wrong, the power of their indoctrination makes it almost impossible for them to see evil for what it truly is. It’s no wonder pastors and other men of the cloth have gotten away with the rape and mental torture of their flocks’ children; when their victims are in this level of denial about reality, it’s easy pickin’.

Catholic Priest blames women for bringing violence on themselves

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Do I even need to continue to speak out against religion? Seems like these days, these guys are doing a better job convincing Catholics to leave in droves than I ever could, and all they need to do is speak openly about their shitty beliefs. Take the words of Father Piero Corsi, who during his Christmas address to his Italian congregation thought it would be the perfect time to accuse abused women of bringing violence and abuse on themselves for dressing immodestly and not doing enough housework. Here’s a sample from his pamphlet:

“How often do we see girls and mature women going around scantily dressed and in provocative clothes?” Piero Corsi said in a Christmas message posted on the door of his church in the small town of San Terenzio in northwest Italy.
“They provoke the worst instincts, which end in violence or sexual abuse. They should search their consciences and ask: did we bring this on ourselves?” it read.

See ladies? It’s your fault if your trusted male friend drugged and raped you (most sexual assaults are by people you know, sadly enough), because you were dressed in a miniskirt and didn’t do any housework, and we all know that’s an invitation for sexual abuse, girls! Why else would you wear it if not to provoke our pulsating male urges, which apparently are uncontrollable and totally not our fault?

Luckily, the whole town is rather shocked by his views, with the bishop even condemning him. For what, though? If one takes the Bible literally, it does seem to indicate that a) women are property, b) the crime for raping a woman is marrying her and paying off her father, and c) they should shut the fuck up and not hang around when they are on the rag.

Seems to me like Corsi actually believes the shit the Bible says. Everyone who acts surprised or shocked has obviously never read the book, have they? Remember, this is the same book that demands a woman be stoned to death because she was raped and didn’t scream loud enough to alert anyone.

Judge finds Catholic Church can be held responsible for abuse

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You’re probably familiar with the Vatican claim that they are not to be blamed for abusive priests that sexually assaulted any children (which allows them to claim zero responsibility for the things people do while in their employ). What you may not be aware of, however, in that in July of this year, they attempted to use this defense legally, and it seems to have backfired. When the Church attempted to use this “We didn’t do nothing” defense in court against a woman who had been abused by Father Wilfred Baldwin in the 1970′s, the judge would have none of it.

The judge said although there had been no formal contract between the church and the priest, the late Father Baldwin, there were “crucial features” that should be recognized.

It is the first time a court has ruled that the relationship between a Catholic priest and his bishop is akin to an employment relationship. It sets a precedent for similar cases, by providing further guidance for such trials in the future, while also putting the church in uncharted territory

The landmark case has just rejected this argument, paving the way for other victims of abuse to start holding the Holy See responsible for their complicity in the abuse. In other words, it means that the rich coffers of the Vatican are up for grabs for their many victims who cannot seek any other form of justice (Father Baldwin had been dead for many years by the time the trial happened). The war isn’t over yet, folks, since they can appeal the decision. Still, I feel as though we’ve won this battle.

Life imitates Art for woman in Iran

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It’s hilarious how most Muslims are convinced that their restrictive religious repression of women is somehow intended to protect them. You hear this all the time in Islamic countries; they think we let our women “run around unprotected” while they “bravely” restrict every part of their lives in the misguided belief that it’s really all for their own good. The culture of Islam makes women seem like dangerous, seductive weapons that cloud the judgement of men. Why else would they execute victims of rape, if not to vindicate the idea that it is always the woman’s fault for seducing the rapist in the first place?

In the light of this prism, the slavery of women is viewed as an extension of man’s submission to God, but as the old adage goes: ladies first! Rebelliousness, seen in any light, is to be extinguished, as was the case with actress Marzieh Vafamehr, who found out herself living out the plot of her new movie “My Tehran for Sale“. The scenario involves a young woman struggling to live in a country of contradictions, where young people live secret lives together in a brutal religious theocracy. This important movie is currently being distributed on the sly, since the country has banned it.

According to an interview with the director of the movie, the government sought a number of bogus charges, including failure to cover her hair with a hijab, consuming alcohol on set, and being part of the production (she wasn’t). The sentence is the kind of thing you’d expect from a theocratic and misogynistic society: 90 red-hot lashes and a whole year of rotting in jail, all for the “crime” of acting in someone else’s movie. Considering the number of women that often fail to survive the aftermath of such unnecessary brutality, I hope she’s made of tougher stuff.

The contradictory nature of Iran is why there are really two pictures of this place: one filled with young women who live out their lives in a secret world that resembles our own, and the other populated by religious thugs who patrol the streets looking for these secret places. When these worlds clash, the only ones to bother talking about it tend to be Persian Christian Missionaries operating out of the Alpharetta, Georgia. Their presence there only exacerbates the situation of course; religion is precisely the problem in Iran. Another faith is hardly the solution.

We have to ask ourselves what we can do ourselves to expose the evils of this religion outside of the sphere of influence of Christianity. It’s our duty to see that the injustices of any faith are given the proper attention they deserve. Until we do, how can we continue to claim the moral high ground?

Woman left handicapped after exorcism

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In the slums of Khanewal, Pakistan, the poor and indigent who suffer from treatable illnesses are sent, often by physicians wishing to unload their patients, to the Islamic equivalent of exorcists. They are called Pirs (or Peers), meaning “old man”, and these “saints” often perform barbaric torture rituals they believe can clean people of djinns, or demons.

One victim of their archaic stupidity was a woman suffering from asthma by the name of Zakia. She was taken to a famous local Pir called Safdar Khan, who proceeded to tie her up, sticking a hot poker through her wrists and feet while she howled in agony. He then beat her mercilessly until she stopped moving. This, to Safdar, was proof that the demon had been driven out.

Zakia is now bed ridden and can no longer walk. Her brother Zain – outraged that his superstitious idiot parents would take her to such a charlatan – knows that the police will do nothing to help him. As far as everyone is concerned, Safdar is a respected holy man whose words carry much weight. Zain, on the other hand, is just another unimportant peasant whose story will be forgotten in a few days.

The police know there was no other way which is why they haven’t said anything and the doctors come to us regularly for such things,” he said. Shani said that Safdar often ‘treated’ patients who had been referred to him by hospital officials.

“They always send us the cases that they know are for us. The possessed people are treated here. That is why the doctors will never go against us. Safdar is one of the most famous healers in this city,” he said.

Of course, if you think that’s the worst thing that can happen to you when going to get “exorcised”, you’re in for a horrible surprise:

In Notak Nasheb Sainghar, Pir Javed Shah broke into Shehzadi Bibi’s house late at on Friday night and told her that her house was haunted by ‘evil’ djinns who were causing her daughters to fall sick.

Shah gave Shehzadi and her daughters glasses of water that had been drugged and the family fell unconscious. Javed Shah repeatedly raped Shehzadi the entire night. When the family woke up the next day and went to the hospital doctors refused to treat her for fear of the djinns.

What a fucking shithole of ignorance, all thanks to the power of faith.

More Wife-Beating debates

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You’ve got to be impressed with any culture that has a televised debate on the merits of wife beating according to the Koran. Hey, here’s a fucking idea: stop trying to reconcile modern values with a book written in the 7th century.

The Good Atheist Podcast: EP 146

Ryan is still in Tennessee, so until he gets back, we’re putting episode 100 on ice. This week, Jeff joins me to talk about a woman being executed for the crime of adultery, and why Christian video games are complete garbage.

The Good Atheist
The Good Atheist Podcast: EP 146
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Christian teachers use holy water on atheist colleague

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You’d figure schools would be the place where atheists would be the ‘safest’ … after all, these places are supposed to be bastions of knowledge and education. But lately it just hasn’t been that way. From Texas re-writing its textbooks to students harassing atheist teachers, there’s a full on movement a brewin’ to make schools a battlefield between belief and non-belief. Sometimes these battles are disturbing, sometimes they’re funny, and sometimes they’re stupid. This particular tale about a spat between Christian and atheist teachers in Florida probably leans more towards the funny / stupid side of the spectrum:

Two Florida teachers allegedly poured holy water on another teacher because she is an atheist, WPLG-TV in Miami reported. The station said Leslie Rainer and Djuna Robinson have been removed from their classrooms. The veteran and self-proclaimed Christian teachers work at Blanche Ely High School.

In April, they were reassigned after another teacher, Schandra Rodriguez, who is an atheist, said they poured holy water on her during an incident at the school on March 11.

“Miss Robinson obtained a little bottle with some perfume in it in jest, and the students will all confirm she never went close to Miss Rodriguez. Miss Rodriguez was on the other side of the classroom and that was basically it,” said Johnny L. McCray Jr., Rainer and Robinson’s attorney.

The accused teachers said it was a joke. Rodriguez, however, said they did it because she is an atheist.

Rodriguez is still teaching at the school, and some said it’s not fair.

“If we are going to ban talking to students about God, then the atheists should also be banned from telling kids there is no God,” said the Rev. Kirby Thurston.

The only thing these teachers were banned from doing was acting like atheists are unholy creatures on par with vampires and demons. It kinda sounds like a bunch of people getting butt-hurt over nothing, but I guess I’ve never had a job where co-workers promote the idea I’m evil because of my beliefs (or lack thereof), so who am I to play this down?

Israeli man jailed for defrauding women with “holy semen”

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Have you ever lied for sex? Perhaps in a way, we all have to some degree; after all, when you want to sleep with someone you’re usually on your best behavior, and you’re probably look, smell and dress a lot better than you normally do. And ladies, don’t get me started about all the things you do to make yourselves sexier; the push-up bra is just a subtle form of deceit I tells ya!

There are those that can stoop to historic lows, like this guy in Israel, who told women his semen had magical healing properties. So effective was his lying (well, until the ladies got wise to the scheme) he even got them to PAY him money to sleep with him. If you’re thinking of using this guy’s play-book, you might want to avoid doing it in the “holy land”; he’s been arrested and thrown in jail for 10 years for the crime of tricking dumb bitches into sex.

Aharon, who was arrested last August, “over many years presented himself as a righteous man, as a saint with healing powers, who exploited the naivity of women and teenage girls, while carrying out appalling sexual acts and obtaining large sums of money by fraud,” the Israeli Justice Ministry said in a statement.

Now I don’t want to condone his actions, but I have to wonder what exactly these women were thinking in the first place. Does religion really make you this vulnerable/stupid? If so, I think we should jail ANYONE who takes money from desperate and lonely people for their own personal gain. Catholic Church, I’m looking in your direction.

1 in 33 women pressured to have sex by clergymen

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Having never been religious in my life, I sometimes forget the degree of power and reverence preachers tend to have. These men (for they are almost always all male) are seen by many as being a direct link to God, and it’s a position of power few humans seem to be able to handle very well. It turns out roughly 1 in every 33 women attending church services are approached by priests and are pressured into having sexual relations with them.

I don’t see why anyone is really that surprised. Why do most men crave power? The more power you have, the better breeding possibilities at your disposal. I don’t even think most men in positions of influence even realize this is their true intent. They probably just think it’s a sweet perk or something. Why would it be any different simply because these guys are “men of the cloth”?

Priests shaking up their female congregants is enough of a problem that states like Texas and Minnesota have made it illegal to:

[cause] the other person to submit or participate by exploiting the other person’s emotional dependency on the clergyman in the clergyman’s professional character as spiritual adviser.

In other words, if you’re a “Holy Man”, your clout with God makes the ladies vulnerable to your advances. It’s another piece of revelation that leads me to believe I’ve chosen the wrong profession. I should just quit this atheist gig and start my own harem church!

Woman dies after botched waterboard exorcism

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You hear this kind of news all the time; an independent or strong willed woman is deemed to be possessed, and an exorcism ceremony is performed, usually resulting in tragedy. Here is such a tragic tale, this time coming out of New Zealand. Five people were arrested and found guilty of the manslaughter of Janet Moses, but not one of these people will be facing any jail time. They were given 300 hours of community service (what, so they can do more fucking waterboarding?), and are being supervised for the next 12 months.

The accused are all Maori, the indigenous natives of Polynesian descent who first settled in New Zealand. According to their religious traditions, the existence of demons and witchcraft is thought to be real. They were convinced that the victim, Ms Janet Moses, was possessed by a whanau (demon), and that she had a makutu (curse) after stealing a statue from a local hotel. The five exorcists decided to pour water down her nose and mouth in an effort to banish it. She drowned as a result.

I can’t imagine anyone else getting off with such a light sentence for such a crime. The judge must have felt that since their intent was not to harm the woman but rather to “cure” her, this extenuating circumstance merited such an anemic sentence. Personally, I wish the judge had thrown the book at them. We don’t need more uneducated and superstitious idiots running around exorcising people against their will. We also don’t need these same morons getting a slap on the wrist for killing a fellow human being.

Phil Kidd is a “gentleman”

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Have you ever awakened in a cold sweat, terrified a woman’s business suit was the tool of Satan, and society would invariably fall into chaos if we didn’t put our women in line? If you have, then you needn’t worry; you aren’t the only sexist in the world. In fact, you’re part of a special club of ‘gentleman’ that includes this man, Dr. Phil Kidd. He’s an evangelical minister with a prescription for salvation who’s had enough of rebellious women and the pussy whipped men who let them have opinions about things. Can you imagine that?

The entire rant needs to be read, but for you people in a hurry, here is the real juicy stuff from his brilliantly titled article: Hey Lady, Shut Up:

The Bible says everything that has breath has a right to praise the Lord. But there are some times when the Scripture commands women to shut up!

What a sad day, seeing women open the bible and expound the scriptures. Eve, in the Garden of Eden, in a perfect surrounding could not even quote on [sic] verse correct. I sure would not trust a woman to expound truth in this sin cursed mess we live in.

It makes me sick to watch a woman stand on a platform and lead a choir with men in it, or even worse to see a woman lead the whole congregation!

I know what you’re wondering ladies, but I’m sorry to report this stud is married! It seems like the good ones are always taken, am I right? Well, don’t worry about all this relationship trouble you might be having. Phil has some great advice to give you:

So, you good-for-nothing, hen-pecked men that have been laughing your way through this article, you need to get off your lazy back-side and do something for God. Your wife runs the home because you are too sorry to run it yourself Lady, when your sorry husband dies, please marry a man next time.

It’s pretty incredible these sexist dinosaurs are still around, and doubly surprising they are bold enough to quote scripture asking women to shut their big fat mouths. You know, ever since we started giving equal rights to women, something wonderful happened; we stopped being so fucking violent. A peaceful society necessitates women become a fully integrated part of society, enjoying the same rights and privileges men do, and properly expressing their political will. Societies which are exclusively run by men have the worst records in terms of human rights abuses, are usually far more violent, and less stable. Let’s face it guys, if we don’t have women around to talk some sense into us, we go a little crazy. It’s probably the testosterone.

Still, you always have some extreme conservative asshole who can’t stop yelling at us to ‘keep our women in line’, as though somehow their behavior is my responsibility. It isn’t, and I don’t want my mother or my two sisters to live in a world where they are only half citizens who have to be kept ignorant, uneducated, and sequestered. I personally pity any woman directly or indirectly associated with him. If I was a woman in his surroundings, I seriously would have kicked him in the balls for writing that post.

On a different note, have you ever noticed how often women get away with that shit? I bet they plan that stuff ahead of time. Maybe that’s why they always seem to wear pointy shoes around me. I should probably be more careful with what I say…