Diana West's article, "Reviewing the National Review," got me going on what is otherwise a very slow week for news. She documents a couple cases of anti-christian activism, one of which I recall hearing about but overlooked, and one of which is new to me. Apparently, it is vilification, and thus illegal, for a non-Muslim to read the Koran aloud, or at least certain sections of it that deal with women. Who would have guessed? This rather outrageous idea was used to prosecute 2 pastors who decided to give a sermon on Islam, hardly surprising in these days where it is dominating the news. Secondly, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is up in arms about two books that the National Review is selling. The Life and Religion of Mohammed by J.L. Menezes, and ">The Sword of the Prophet by Serge Trifkovic. These books, I am told, talk about the dark underside of Islam and Mohammed, including his taking a very young girl as one of his multiple wives, and other war time activities. It really says something when a faith has to use legal action and the threat thereof to suppress criticism of it. It says even more of our culture, and of Australia's culture, that it worked.
