Allahu Jackbar!

[Rogue 9]

Not sure this actually counts as news, so I'm tossing it in here. Link.

JACKSON 'CONFIRMS CONVERSION TO ISLAM'

LATEST Pop superstar MICHAEL JACKSON has confirmed his conversion to Islam, according to reports in the Middle East. The Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama claims Jackson has announced the move and revealed plans to move to Bahrain, where he has bought property. The singer's Muslim brother JERMAINE today (23FEB07) claimed the THRILLER hitmaker had taken interest in the religion since he converted in 1989 - and had been considering converting himself following his acquittal on child abuse charges in 2005. Jermaine said, "When I came back from Mecca I got him (Michael) a lot of books and he asked me lots of things about my religion and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful. "He read everything and he was proud of me that I found something that would give me inner strength and peace. "I think it is most probable that Michael will convert to Islam. "He could do so much, just like I am trying to do. Michael and I and the word of God, we could do so much."

Just saw this posted on another board, thought it was funny.

[Ace Pace]

Hahahahaha!

[fgalkin]

I wonder if he feels attracted to Islam because it's a pedophile-friendly religion?

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I wonder if he feels attracted to Islam because it's a pedophile-friendly religion?

I thought it is the Roman Catholic that has the most cases of 'sodomizing the altar boy'? (although Southern Baptists may follow).

Nonetheless, Jacko converting to Islam ain't really worth a 'news' --it is something like the news of Tom Cruise converting to Scientology. Blah, celebrities are stupid anyway (well except for Jason Cheetman, but then again, acid jazz rules. Heh.)

[frigidmagi]

Age of consent in Islam is 9 years old, in parts Afghanistan and the ME it is considered perfectly normal for men to engage in such relationships with boys.

Meanwhile a number of pedophiles end up in the Priesthood believing it will help them control or eliminate their urges. The results when it fails to is not a part of Christianity or Westren culture.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Age of consent in Islam is 9 years old,

Um, no. That's the age of consent in Yemen. I live in a country with 80% muslim population, and have mingled around with muslims of various flavors (from the worst fundie to the most moderate ones), and still never heard about such thing.

If anything, the fundie muslims here is more interested to enforce Burqa and the likes (of course it's also stupid), but Islamic clergies looking for excuses to tolerate or commit pedophilia is something that I've never heard of.

[frigidmagi]

You might want to tell that to a certain Prophet who married a certain 9 year old.

Now granted the age of constent, much like the burka and female circumstanism is really based on pre-Islam tribal costums of howling desert nomads. You know... Iron Age Savages basically, like vikings only in a drier climate.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

You might want to tell that to a certain Prophet who married a certain 9 year old.

Ah, the case of Aisha. The thing is that I never heard about Islamic scholars (well at least the ones I know) who ever use the Aisha's case as excuses to tolerate pedophillia. I don't know, probably because the age itself is still under dispute? My wiki addiction aside, I heard about such dispute happening in mosques as well (they sometimes use mosque as 'debating place' or such).

Now granted the age of constent, much like the burka and female circumstanism is really based on pre-Islam tribal costums of howling desert nomads. You know... Iron Age Savages basically, like vikings only in a drier climate.

Yup. I heard during the pre-Islam era, burrying female babies is pretty much a norm.

[frigidmagi]

Considering the practices of the era, I can believe it of the man completely. Basically it was something that was considered normal in his day and place so while I admit to being rather disgusted with the whole affair, it is unfair to him to expect a mortal man to be able to comform to morality that has had an additional 1500 years to evole. That does not make it right or acceptable in the modern day world where we have a greater understanding of good and evil, I do not buy into geographical morality.

That said the age of consent in the Arabian nations does suggest a reason as to why this conversion suggest itself to Micheal. Frankly it is my hope he never plauges any nation outside of that pennisula ever again.