Magic Statistics

Uzbekistan has long been a hazardous place for Christians.  Now the Uzbek government has launched a new campaign of vilification and persecution of religious believers in general, and Christian missionaries in particular.

A documentary recently shown on state television suggests that charismatic Protestant groups and Jehovah’s Witnesses are as dangerous as “terrorism and drug addiction”.

Jasur Najmiddinov, a theologian from Uzbekistan's Islamic University, was among the many religious experts interviewed. Najmiddinov accused Christian missionary activities, especially by Protestant groups, of becoming a "political tool" and a "part of geopolitical games."
. . .
The Uzbek theologian added: "Missionaries' activities here can lead to disruptions in our society. If a member of an Uzbek family — our family member or one of our relatives — change their faith, the family would not tolerate it."

The documentary also showed video footage of people gathering and praying. It said Uzbek Christian converts, having betrayed their Islamic faith, could easily betray their country, too.

Uzbek law prohibits all religious missionary activity, unregistered religious groups, and the unapproved publication of religious literature.

As if to provide a state religion to supplant the repressed ones, Uzbek President Islam Karimov has penned a series of volumes on morality, which are required reading for all students and professors.  His latest tome is entitled Morality Is Invincible Power.

Last week, Uzbek state television showed the presidential book-launch ceremony, where participants praised Karimov’s new work as “the best book on philosophy and morality since the times of Socrates,” the ancient Greek who was one of the founders of Western philosophy.

Mahmud Tohir, an Uzbek poet, has read Karimov’s new book. He says it could be “a spiritual guide not only for Uzbeks but also for all the other nations of the world."

Human rights activist and recently released  political prisoner Mutabar Tojiboeva describes Uzbekistan’s prisons as “islands of torture”.  I guess that's the “invincible power” part of President Karimov’s morality.

Previous related posts:

• Uzbekistan orders pastor to “prevent missionary activity”
• Pastor arrested by Uzbekistan secret police
• Uzbekistan court orders Bibles burned, Baptists fined
• Uzbekistan: We’re a free country, so butt out!

Bunk Beds Pose Dangers To Kids And Adults — Science Daily, 3 June

Live-blogging today from the BC Human Rights Tribunal show trial, Ezra Levant reports that sock puppet Khurrum Awan delivered his confident opinion that it is no longer “appropriate” to use the word “Mohammedan”.  Hmmmm.

Five minutes searching the internet turns up two independent organisations calling themselves "Mohammedan Sporting Club", one in India, the other in Bangladesh.

Thus, we find these headlines from the world of sport:

• Abahani thrash Mohammedan
• Mohammedan draw against Sonali in Premier Hockey
• Abahani lock horns with Mohammedan today

More proof that sports fans sometimes behave inappropriately.

For the third time in a year, BC Attorney General Wally Oppal (at right) has hired a special prosecutor to review the case file on the openly polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints colony at Bountiful, BC.  The first two, Richard Peck and Leonard Doust, argued against laying polygamy charges and suggested that the polygamy law itself be referred to the courts for a verdict on its constitutionality.

Mr Oppal freely admits that he disagrees with that recommendation, so he’s engaged Terrence Robertson to review the file one more time.  He’s apparently hoping that the third time will prove lucky.

In his directions to Robertson, Oppal wrote that he disagreed with Peck's analysis that a prosecution would likely not succeed and he disagreed with Doust's conclusion that prosecution would be unfair.

"It is my opinion that the Criminal Justice Branch is mistaken in its belief that s. 293 of the Criminal Code is unconstitutional," Oppal, a former Court of Appeal justice wrote. "Both Mr. Doust and Mr. Peck believe s. 293 [the section of Canada’s Criminal Code outlawing polygamy] to be constitutionally valid legislation. A valid criminal law is and should be enforced. To not do so is appropriate and is not unfair."

Bountiful leader and polygamist Winston Blackmore cries foul.

A B.C. religious leader who openly admits to having numerous wives and dozens of children is accusing the province's attorney general of religious persecution.

Winston Blackmore, one of two religious leaders of the polygamous community of Bountiful, said Wally Oppal appears determined to involve himself and his government in religious persecution against members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

"I’m being persecuted", he hollers, even though the government hasn’t actually done anything yet.  Is he laying the groundwork for a complaint to the BC Human Rights Tribunal?

Previous related posts:

• Judge issues wake-up call with Bountiful custody decision
• Attorney-General passes the buck on polygamists
• BC attorney-general says he’s “not ignoring” polygamy at Bountiful

In-depth research by a team of academics from two American universities confirms the obvious.

In a number of settings, researchers found that consumers who think about the pros and cons before making decisions reported that they were more likely to exercise and consume healthy foods. They had lower rates of alcohol abuse, procrastination, and overspending. They were also more likely to be saving money for retirement.

The good news, according to the authors, is that people who aren’t inclined to consider the consequences of their actions can be aided by simple interventions, like brochures and advertising that encourage them to think about the dangers of obesity or the benefits of saving for retirement.  Scare tactics, it seems, were the most effective. “The consideration of negative consequences has a bigger impact than the consideration of positive consequences,” the authors write.

Scare tactics are most successful in encouraging people to consider the future and act accordingly.  Doesn’t that suggest that old-fashioned hellfire-and-brimstone preaching is effective?