IRAN has launched a series of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The ceremonies, according to this report, kicked off across the country on February 1 at 9:33 a.m. local time. That’s precisely when Iran’s Islamic revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned three decades ago to Tehran from a 14-year exile in Paris, and immediately proceeded to lead the country back to medieval times.
President Ahmadinejad congratulates Iranian scientists on their development of a revolutionary new can opener
That, of course, is not how Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sees things.
In a speech marking the Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad described it as:
The most powerful and most influential element in world’s current developments.
The revolution, he said, heralded a new chapter in the history of humankind:
Despite the elapse of only thirty years from its victory, the Revolution has managed to collect a unique record of very brilliant achievements.
It’s appropriate at this juncture to remind ourselves of some of Khomeini’s words of “wisdom”:
• A man can marry a girl younger than nine years of age, even if the girl is still a baby being breastfed. A man, however is prohibited from having intercourse with a girl younger than nine, other sexual act such as foreplay, rubbing, kissing and sodomy is allowed. A man having intercourse with a girl younger than nine years of age has not committed a crime, but only an infraction, if the girl is not permanently damaged. If the girl, however, is permanently damaged, the man must provide for her all her life. But this girl will not count as one of the man’s four permanent wives. He also is not permitted to marry the girl’s sister.
• A man can have sex with animals such as sheeps, cows, camels and so on. However, he should kill the animal after he has his orgasm. He should not sell the meat to the people in his own village; however, selling the meat to the next door village should be fine.
• America is the great Satan, the wounded snake.
• If one commits the act of sodomy with a cow, an ewe, or a camel, their urine and their excrements become impure, and even their milk may no longer be consumed. The animal must then be killed and as quickly as possible and burned.
• If one permits an infidel to continue in his role as a corrupter of the earth, his moral suffering will be all the worse. If one kills the infidel, and this stops him from perpetrating his misdeeds, his death will be a blessing to him.
• The author of the Satanic Verses book, which is against Islam, the Prophet and the Koran, and all those involved in its publication who were aware of its content, are sentenced to death. I ask all Moslems to execute them wherever they find them.
And, perhaps, the most telling of all:
• An Islamic regime must be serious in every field. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humour in Islam. There is no fun in Islam.
You can find more Khomeini quotes here, and an interesting piece on Islam and paedophilia here.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 am
Iran – sounds like a great place for a holiday then. I’m thinking of starting a travel agency for all masochists…. Iran would be presumably be the first – and last stop.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:57 am
And yet the Iranian people are routinely described as friendly and sensible to Western visitors. Clearly they are saddled with a bloody awful regime. The problem is they have no obvious way of getting rid of it, short of a total social collapse and bloodbath. No ‘velvet revolution’ seems likely.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Francis Wheen’s brilliant How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered The World opens with Khomeini’s return to Iran. He was accompanied by a coterie of journalists on the plane. One of them asked him what he felt now that he was finally returning to Iran after his exile. Khomeini’s reply:
“Nothing”.
One of the scariest things I’ve ever heard anyone say.
Bugger. Still can’t get the hang of the href tag…
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Are the Iranians aware that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was personally responsible for the deaths of over 3,000,000 of their countrymen? I’madinnerjacket seems as determined to re-write history as Putin’s whitewashing of the 56,000,000 Russian deaths caused by Jo Stalin.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
The New Testament says that God appoints the government but that doesn’t mean he appoints the evil things that some leaders do.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
But if god appoints the government why does he not appoint a government which is NOT evil?
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
So, according to Khomeini, if a muslim sodomises a cow then that cow must be slaughtered and the carcass quickly burned. Perhaps we weren’t told the whole truth about the so-called ‘Foot and Mouth’ outbreak in 2001.
I wonder if there was a surge in the sale of halal wellies at around that time!
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Oh dear, looks like Bob’s shat again. Hope you’re gonna clean that up Barry!
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
*Rolls eyes in despair* Honestly, cleaning up after Bob is becoming a full time job, Remigius. It’s like being a zoo-keeper in the rhino enclosure. They spread their dung everywhere!
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Oh Barry, you are funny. Why not just give up trying to zap my posts and leave them be? That way people can judge for themselves how “deluded” I am!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Unfortunately for you Bob, it was evident weeks ago just how deluded you are. All your subsequent posts have just served to demonstrate even further what barmy fruitcakes you and your lot really are. As if we needed reminding. It would be funny if it wasn’t for the fact that pricks like you are preying on the even weaker minded to believe all your made up hogwash. How about we have a vote? If the majority decide you are deluded, then you’ll fuck off. I’ll start- you’re a deluded muppet.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
You say that we prey on the weak minded to believe our “hogwash”. If people believe that is because God has opened their eyes and given them the faith to do so. All I do, as an evangelist, is to share the Gospel with them by verbal or written means – it is God who does the work of conversion.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Glowjob!. I agree that we should decide whether Bob is deluded or not. That is why I believe Bob’s own opinions should remain on this blog and only those where he cites scripture should be deleted.
Most of us are already familiar with the homophobic, misogynistic ramblings of Saul of Tarsus, or whatever he is calling himself these days. I just want to hear Bob’s inane stance on current affairs so I can judge for myself.
And Bob. I believe that Paul was a ‘tentmaker’. Was this a euphemism for what he and his ‘young friend’ Timothy got up to under the blanket on those chilly nights in Ephesus!
Bloody hypocrite.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
“It is God who does the work of conversion”. Well, Bob, all I can say is that he’s making a piss-poor fist of it here. Time, methinks, for the ga-ga old bastard to pick up his p45 and go back to the drawing-board.
He can reapply for the job when he comes up with a better design for humans. The next time round he might consider not putting a man’s g-spot up his arse!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
You seem to misunderstand the sovereignty of God. Every single person whom God the Father has given to His son will be saved, not one will be lost. His purposes are being worked out day by day as one elect sinner after another repents and believes in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Only when the full extent of the elect are gathered in (and none of us knows when that will be) will Christ return.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Gobbledegook, plain and simple, Bob. Not a single word of what you have just said makes a jot of sense. Try engaging your brain, and stop parroting stuff from “Evangelism for Dummies”.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
The next time round he might consider not putting a man’s g-spot up his arse!
Nice one Barry
Now i have even more reason to hate the idea of a God–
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Of course it doesn’t make sense to you Barry, this is because the devil has blinded you; the truth I outlined above will not make sense unless God opens your eyes.
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
So let’s get this right, Bob. I deep-six all my critical faculties , stop demanding verifiable facts, and accept your god purely on faith, huh?
I’d rather stick my head up a dead bear’s bum, chum.
And talking of bums, you’ve avoided the question of the male G-spot. You DO know what that is, don’t you? Or do I have to draw you a picture?
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Barry. I think Bob has an entire raft of unanswered questions he needs to address before he approaches your wizened walnut.
So to speak!
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Mmmm … shame one can’t roll up a copy of the Bible and use it on fundies as a prostrate massager, Remigius.
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Barry. Are you using ‘prostrate’ as a verb, or was it merely a typo?
Either one works
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Gee, they can do all that in Iran but being gay is still cause for the death penalty? What does it say that Khomeini considered screwing animals OK but being gay is still a death penalty offense?
Bob,
If you would just let yourself be touched by His Noodly Appendage you wouldn’t be such a complete twat.
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
In an age when clicking “send” makes corrections impossible, I have no doubt published material that, in retrospect, I might consider ill-advised. But at least I used my real name, not in the conceit that everyone reading my comments would recognize me as an expert with academic qualifications in the area in which I was writing, but simply because I am not a dirty little yellow coward who needs to hide his ignorance behind a pseudonym in order to prevent persons who recognize “Billy-Joe-Jim-BOB” as an uneducated brain amputee from learning who the brain amputee really is.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Dr Harwood. It is true that I use a pseudonym, but it is only because my given name, and that of my family, is the same as someone who’s writings are somewhat anathema to my own and have lead some people to ask me whether I am ‘that prat who writes for the…’ (insert the name of a daily national newspaper who’s title means the same as autonomous) as a religious correspondent. Or who writes for the Grauniad belief blog.
Whilst I concede that I maybe a dirty yellow coward, I must vehemently deny that I am that particular prat. Such is the alias.
R.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Remmy: What unanswered questions do I need to address?
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Blimey they let people get up to all that but still hang gays for having consensual sex with other adults.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I was referring only to persons who use a pseudonym to hide their ignorance and unteachability. That description applies to only one person posting inanities to this site, and that is not “remigius.”
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Bob. Why do you still adhere to a primitive belief system that equates natural disasters with a Bronze Age explanation of planetary retribution for what can only be described as natural tendencies?
Surely no omniscient, omnipotent creator being can fail to acknowledge the obvious fact that certain of his created species like to play ‘tickle the walnut’ (thumbs up to Barry for that one!), but why is that such a big deal.
Why is it such a problem what other people do in their own bedrooms?
There are legal terms such as ‘consenting adults’, ‘age of majority’, ‘age of consent’, etc. They all refer to a consenting adults acknowledgement that whatever they do is none of ‘Bob’s Fucking Business’.
I accept that other peoples fun-time activities are no concern of mine.
Why can’t you?
February 4th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Bob, you should become better acquainted with your big, black, bronze age book of bullshit before you write.
The devil hasn’t blinded Barry as you accuse. Your loving father takes full responsibility for confusing humans and causing them not to believe, as he sees fit. Read it, it’s in there.
You’re to be pitied, really.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Thumbs up, Remigius? If I rightly recall it was the doctor’s middle right finger that brought tears to my eyes the last time I went for a full MOT.
February 4th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Remmy: you ask why it is a problem what others do in their bedrooms; I go by what the Bible teaches, particularly the New Testament. This makes it clear that certain activities are sinful eg fornication and homosexuality. However, the good news is that those who have done these things can be forgiven by God if they truly repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Steve: The Devil has blinded unbelievers; it says so in the New Testament. I would quote the reference but Barry will zap any post that does so (perhaps he is frightened of the Bible).
February 4th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Barry, why were you up so late? Could you not sleep? Perhaps your conscience is troubling you and you need peace; if so I would suggest that you make your peace with God.
February 4th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Barry
When you had your “MOT” can you remember if he had one or both hands on your shoulders at the time. It’s important to know.
February 4th, 2009 at 11:26 am
What are you on about Bob? The fact that I was up at 2am has nothing to do with my conscience or absence of peace of mind. I happen to require very little sleep, and am rarely in bed before 2 am. And when I do turn in I sleep very well indeed, knowing that another good day’s work had been done in exposing the sheer insanity of religion.
@ chrsbol – LOL!
February 4th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Barry, you are blessed in not needing much sleep as this gives more time in the evening for reading the Bible!!
February 4th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Thanks for that suggestion, Bob, but I’ll stick to Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I prefer more readable and intelligent horror fiction!
February 4th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Barry,
It seems that Bob has got you sussed. Poor you, up till all hours wrestling with your conscience and resisting the temptation to start reading the bible. All I can say is that the devil must reside in your house, diverting you from the true path and keeping your eyes firmly shut. How else could you resist Bob’s suggestions for your salvation.
I wish god would open mine soon, as Bob keeps promising, because I keep bumping into things! Like the truth for instance.
Steve,
Bob has explained it to you:
“The Devil has blinded unbelievers; it says so in the New Testament. I would quote the reference but Barry will zap any post that does so (perhaps he is frightened of the Bible).”
You can’t argue with that. If it says so in the bible, it must be true. Bob is a genius. Where would we be without him.
February 4th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Bob,
You said:
“you ask why it is a problem what others do in their bedrooms; I go by what the Bible teaches, particularly the New Testament. This makes it clear that certain activities are sinful eg fornication and homosexuality. However, the good news is that those who have done these things can be forgiven by God if they truly repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.”
I’m sure that fornicators and homosexuals will be very relieved to hear this `good news` but you might need to spread this word amongst your fellow retards in order that they might understand this too and refrain from the desire to slay a gay a day and even just to allow them to understand their own chosen myths. If they were to understand that this judgement business was to be left to the great non-entity in the sky, and only to him, maybe then everyone else could just get on with their lives unimpeded.
While you’re at it, you might just want to explain to all the clergy that molesting young children is not a perk of the job. When it comes to sexual deviancy, you just can’t get any worse than religious folks so you might want to try applying your moral code to your own kind first. I wonder what your lord and saviour would make of them, though I guess that judging by the content of the bible he’d actually be proud of them. Consenting adults taking part in mutually agreed sexual activity are to be put to death (even though it seemed to be accepted practice in biblical times) but those abusing innocent young children are to be protected. Is this really what he meant when he said “suffer the little children to come unto me”?
You are constantly at us guys reminding us of the need to repent and get onto the righteous path. I think it was your own `saviour` who said “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.
By this reckoning, the religious communities and leaders should remain silent regarding the `immoral` conduct of others. Get your own house in order before you start judging the rest of us who as it happens, appear to be way ahead of all you fundies as far as morals are concerned.
February 4th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I am not casting any stones, simply pointing out what the Bible (the infallible Word of God) says.
There are hypocrites in churches and they must repent. However, true believers are known by the way they lead their lives. True Christians don’t just say that Jesus is their Lord and Saviour – they also live the life.
February 4th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
bob
you have it all wrong. why do you refer to the bible as the infallible word of god. everyone knows it is corrupted. jesus was a great prophet, but for god’s final word you must turn to the holy koran and follow the example of the prophet (pbuh).
ahmed
February 4th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
This has to be a f***ing wind-up jesus AND mo are here now WTF?
February 4th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Jesus could not merely be a prophet as He accepted worship. If He was wrong to accept worship then He was a bad man, if He was right to accept worship then He was/is divine.
February 5th, 2009 at 12:29 am
I don’t understand why these people seem to *want* to be so miserable with these self-imposed restrictions. It would be a good science fiction story if it weren’t true…
There’s a lot that I can’t explain: Valdemar said that Westerners find Iranians very friendly and warm, and I bet that if you asked them if they were happy, they’d probably say “yes.” So is the regime hurting them? How can it not?
I routinely hear that Muslim women choose to wear the veil (I have even heard of them rioting for the *right* to wear it). On the other hand, in countries like Iran, it is the law to wear the veil and women can be severely punished for failing to do so.
How do you reconcile all this?
Oh, and any religion (or in this case, religious leader) who doesn’t like “fun” is not something I can cozy up to.
Not My God
http://www.sarahtrachtenberg.com
February 5th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Chrsbol: Just checked the address, no we haven’t slipped onto a theologians site, we are still on FreeThinker. Does this mean we are getting to a wider public? Are people discovering the correct spelling of atheist on Google? If the islamofacists start quoting chapter and verse, will they get zapped too? Life gets richer and richer.
Talking about ‘richer and richer’ I DO hope they are going to make a donation.
February 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
This is BAD!!!
I thought Bob was a wind up for a while, now I’m hoping ahmed is! I know these muslims get in and try to take over everywhere they can, but on an atheist site! That’s just too much!
Two tickets to coventry please!
February 5th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I enjoy talking with Muslims; if one has come on this site it might liven things up a bit!
February 5th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Never mind Coventry, lets get Bob a ticket to Afghanistan. And Ahmed to Alabama.
(In B4 some Yank comes on and spouts a mile-long self-righeous rant going over all the typical redneck stereotypes, therefore making a gigantic mountain of wailing out of my molehill of a throwaway joke)
February 5th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Bob,
If you enjoy talking with muslims, why not just go onto islamic sites and give us all peace!
“if one has come on this site it might liven things up a bit!”
Yep, things will go with a bang now!
Mike,
It’s a pity we couldn’t just get all those religious types a one way ticket to the moon. They could rejoice in imagining being closer to their imaginary friends, we could get on with our lives in peace and before long they’d have killed each other off anyway. I hear Whacko Jacko converted to islam so he could teach them all to moon walk.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I’m late to the party, but, but you should know the Khomeini quotes are bogus. They are supposed to come from the 4th volume of his book Tahrirolvasyleh, but it doesn’t have any fourth volume.