First up, the airline pilot who doesn't seem to understand where the boundaries of appropriate behavior lie in his job. Seems an American Airlines pilot asked the passengers aboard his flight from LA to New York to raise their hands if they're Christian, announced that those who didn't raise their hand were crazy, and suggested that they use the opportunity of having a heathen trapped in a seat next to them to do a little proselytizing. The behavior was so bizarre that the flight attendants on board notified ground control.
Second up, over a million people are expected to attend a Benny Hinn revival meeting in India this week. Sounds like a great idea. Can we "outsource" all of our religious whackos to India like we've done with the computer techs?
Third we have what has become pretty much an annual event, the trampling of the pilgrims in Mecca. All muslims who are able are expected to make a hajj, or pilgrimmage, once during their life, to one of the Muslim holy sites. This year, 244 were trampled to death in the crush of humanity, making it 5th largest number in the last 16 years.
The stampede occurred during the stoning of the devil, a notoriously perilous ritual of the pilgrimage known as the hajj. Pilgrims frantically throw rocks, shout insults or hurl their shoes at three stone pillars -- acts to demonstrate their deep disdain for Satan.
One would think that something should be done to prevent such tragedies, right? Perish the thought!
Safety measures were in place at the site -- one where fatal stampedes have been frequent -- but "caution isn't stronger than fate," said Saudi Hajj Minister Iyad Madani. "All precautions were taken to prevent such an incident, but this is God's will."
Well I'm sure everyone feels better now that they know it's God's will and everything. I presume the same is true of the 272 people who died of "natural causes" during this year's hajj. Mind boggling, isn't it? What kind of God lures his followers into a deathtrap? And what kind of human being finds that God worthy of worship?
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