Is there a relationship between the Borg and Muslims? If you don't answer right, you will be assimilated!
Posted on 01/20/2005 10:43:04 PM PST by ppaul
MINA, Saudi Arabia - Millions of white-robed pilgrims threw pebbles at pillars yesterday, symbolically stoning the devil in an act of purification - a ritual made safer this year because of remodeling that widened bridges and reduced congestion.The construction work was undertaken to prevent the crushes of people that have led to fatal stampedes in the past - such as the ones that killed 1,426 pilgrims in 1990 and 244 last year.
The stoning, which lasts several days, is one of the main rituals in the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Across the Muslim world, the faithful marked the first day of the Feast of Sacrifice, or Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar.
For many Muslims, the day began with dawn prayers in a mosque, where sermons often mentioned the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iraq.
At a mosque in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, Sheik Ahmed Kourani, a Shiite Muslim cleric, attacked what he called the U.S. "invasion of our lands ... seeking to humiliate us."
In the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the sermon in the Grand Mosque condemned the Islamic militants who have waged a 20-month campaign of suicide bombings and attacks, focusing on Westerners.
"Branding people as infidels is a dangerous phenomenon that is caused by deviation and extremism," Sheik Abdel-Rahman al-Soudeis told worshippers.
All able-bodied Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetimes, if they can afford it. About 2 million pilgrims do so each year.
The pilgrimage begins with the circling of the Kaaba, the large cubic stone structure in Mecca that Muslims face during their five daily prayers.
Pilgrims go to nearby Mount Arafat, where Islam's 7th-century prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon in A.D. 632, three months before his death.
After the devil-stoning ritual in Mina, which will be performed through Saturday this year, pilgrims will shave their heads or clip a lock of hair, and then return to Mecca for a final circling of the Kaaba.
Sounds like a demented form of therapy for drug addicts.
Finally, these Bob Dylan lyrics make sense...
Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re trying to be so good,
They’ll stone ya just a-like they said they would.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to go home.
Then they’ll stone ya when you’re there all alone.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ ’long the street.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to keep your seat.
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ on the floor.
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ to the door.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
They’ll stone ya when you’re at the breakfast table.
They’ll stone ya when you are young and able.
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to make a buck.
They’ll stone ya and then they’ll say, good luck.
Tell ya what, I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone you and say that it’s the end.
Then they’ll stone you and then they’ll come back again.
They’ll stone you when you’re riding in your car.
They’ll stone you when you’re playing your guitar.
Yes, but I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Well, they’ll stone you when you walk all alone.
They’ll stone you when you are walking home.
They’ll stone you and then say you are brave.
They’ll stone you when you are set down in your grave.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
Very good.
Is that a Rubik's Cube that crossed over to the dark side ?
Is it a 68 Dodge just out of the compactor?
I've got an even BETTER idea....
Hows about 1 (yep, just one) rock.
From orbit.
About 500 pounds of asteroid dead center on the Ka'ba...
Then they'd never have to worry about the smaller rocks.
Ever.
Isn't that a Monty Python routine in Life of Brian?
Don't know -- it's been years since I've seen the movie, though it may have been bumping around in my subconscious...
LOL!
This is news. Of course this may be a highly sanitised version of the good Sheik's speech.
They could use her to make an update of that classic Wendy's commercial that compared some burger joints to a Soviet fashion show:
"Is next, dayvear!" --- "Very nice."
"Is next, evening vear!" --- "Very nice."
"Is next, svimvear!" --- "Very nice."
Of course, it was the same big Russian woman in the same grey smock all three times.
He means it is dangerous for the infidels.
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