Ali Hussain Sibat wasn't Beheaded, Allegedly: That's Nice

Sometimes news from the desert kingdom ruled by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and a bunch of religious crazies is funny.

Recently, it's been anything but.

Ali Hussain Sibat was sentenced to have his head cut off last Friday. He had a fortune-telling show in Lebanon. You know: the sort of thing that American law has people label 'for entertainment purposes only.' I'm no fan to dial-a-psychic services and mediums. But executing someone? Because he's got a fortune-telling gig?? That's nuts.

Apparently, Ali Hussain Sibat wasn't beheaded Friday. I hope it's because someone with sense - and knowledge of how the rest of the world has been acting for the last thousand years or so - sat on the head of whoever was running that particular circus, and is trying to keep Saudi Arabia for making a fool of itself.

Again.

I'm a bit upset about this particular bit of cruelty. Not all that many people get hurt if religious sociopaths outlaw the color red. (I'm not making this up.) But grabbing a citizen of another country, and deciding that he should have his head cut off, is not acceptable in today's world. Unless someone's doing a remake of something like "Malice in the Palace" (1949).

I just hope that whoever's got his nose out of joint in Saudi Arabia over this Lebanese television personality can be reasoned with - or overpowered.

Related posts:

• "Lebanese Man Due for Beheading in Saudi Arabia"
  (March 31, 2010)
• "Ali Hussain Sibat, Islamic Law, and Getting a Grip"
  (March 19, 2010)
• "Saudi Arabia Bans Valentine's Day - and the Color Red"
  (February 10, 2009)

In the news:

• "Reprieve for 'sorcerer' sentenced to death by Saudi court"
  CNN (April 5, 2010)