Oh Jocular Muslims, the time for weeping has come

Atlas over at Atlas Shrugs has revealed to the West the new fatwa on joking.

She isn't kidding. There is now a religious order, a fatwa, against kidding around.

Apparently any joking at all is something to be regretted, to ask forgiveness for, and of course joking ABOUT Islam can and should cost you your head in some cases.

I'm reminded of an obscure but wonderful Sean Connery movie, after the novel of the Italian philosopher Umberto Eco, called "The Name of the Rose". Connery was a medieval monk/detective who was engaged to solve the mystery of murders in a monastery. The chief bad guy turned out to be the old blind librarian, a man who was so against joy and laughter that he poisoned those monks who happened upon the ancient books in their monastic library that dealt with humor. In the end the old man burned down the library; better this than that people should discover the power of humor to distract from God and to mock what should be kept serious.

This was, of course, treated by the producers as the ultimate evil of religion (Catholicism). It pressed joylessness upon us, prevented us from knowing the lighter matters of the human heart and revelling in them.

Now, of course, this has left the fictional screen of 1984 and become true. Only the religion is different.

And that, my friends, makes all the difference in the world. Hollywood will NOT make movies that decry the joylessness of Islam and the oppression of the human spirit under which Muslims labor.

Because it's not Christians doing the oppressing--

Because opposition to Islam might make Bush look good--

Because Hollywood is quite afraid of Islam, of what they will do if they don't like the movies.

Be aware, my muslim friend... if you would laugh, hide it in your robes, as coughing perhaps, or a sneeze attack. Women of Islam, be glad your faces are covered, so that the mullahs cannot see the smile on your face or the glint of joy in your eye.

JOKING IS FORBIDDEN!