Shoe Thrown at Bush Gets its Own Statue in Sadaam Hussein's Home Town: My Comments

I did not make this story up. A statue has been erected in Sadaam Hussein's home town of the shoe thrown at President Bush during his visit to that country towards the end of his presidency.

The Vos Iz Neias web site reports on the footnote to history as follows.

"Tikrit, Iraq - A statue of the shoe hurled at former US President George W Bush has been unveiled in Iraq.Mr Bush had to duck during a press conference in Baghdad when journalist Muntadhar al Zeidi threw his size nines in anger.

Footage of the incident spread around the world, prompting rallies in the Arab world and political satire in the US and UK.

Artist Laith al Amari said his work was in honour of the pride of the Iraqi people.

It is inscribed with a poem which pays tribute to the missile-throwing journalist.

Al Zeidi himself is still awaiting trial for "assault" against a foreign leader.

He reportedly intends to apply for political asylum in Switzerland, after claiming he was beaten up in custody."

I see in the statue by Laith al Amari the start of a new religion. Let's call it The Church of Hope and Change. Its founder Sheikh Zukhini Parma Janna explais it as follows

Its adherents pray five times a day. They pray with their backs turned to the West.Some will face Mecca, some will face Pyongyang. Others may even face Havana. What is important is that they not face West.

The holy emblem of the CHC will be an American flag with fifty seven stars in rainbow colours. It will not be flown or displayed to avoid offending adherents of other faiths.

The other sacred emblem of the CHC will be a wheel. This is symbolic of the belief that all religions are equal, that they all lead to truth. The wheel must squeak loudly. It must also be greased regularly, but never with transfats.

Marriage is sacred according to the CHC. Since it affirms a oneness with the universe, its participants must be from the animal, mineral or vegetative kingdom. Humans are not considered to be separate from the animal kingdom. If someone for instance gets married to a tree, the two partners must be considered equal. The only exception to this reverence for all life is for abortion which is a sacrament in the CHC faith.

Second hand smoke is prohibited in the CHC church. The only exceptions are for marijuana and the American flag.

The CHC believes in freedom of religion. Any faith however that prohibits any practice such as stealing or murder is infringing upon the freedom of its adherents since no morality is absolute. Since only the CHC believes in the absolute equality of all faiths, it is therefore the only true faith. Therefore all other faiths are false and are banned. The only exception to this is radical Muslims, because they get really really mad and they might cut off our heads.

The CHC practices meditation. Its mantra is Ummm....UMMM..... Hmmmm... does it lead to knowledge. Does it bring decisive enlightenment? Well yes and no...

The holy city of Tikrit, birthplace of Sadaam Hussein has a holy statue of the shoe that was thrown at warmonger President Bush by the holy mystic Muntadhar al Zeidi. All members of the Church of Hope and Change are expected to make a pilgrimage to see the holy statue and bow down to it. This is the only place where believers may face west because the shoe symbolises contempt for it.

The Church of Hope and Change may seem absurd to the majority of readers. Is it any less ridiculous than other man made faiths that enshrine the prejudice and vices of its adherents in the garb of faith ?Even a legitimate faith can be transformed into idolatry by selective application of its principles. Even tolerance and pluralism can take on a dogmatism of their own.

I feel that leftist ideology has put on religious garb Jeremiah Wright was the most recent example to acieve prominence. On the Jewish side is Michael Lerner of the Tikkun movement who though he is not hate driven is still propelled by political fashion.

The Church of Hope and Change is a caricature, but I feel that it represents a trend of western self abasement that is likely to become prominent during the Obama Presidency. The shoe in Tikrit is not yet an object of worship, but the concept behind it exerts a powerful sway over too many people. While I wish Obama success for the sake of our country, I fear that he is vulnerable to this intellectual pitfall. I hope that I am wrong.