This sounds all too familiar

An AP story tells us about Pakistan's reaction to Malala Yousafzai. It ain't good. In fact, it sounds just like the American wingnut reaction to Obama. He does something peaceful and kind, and they call him a Nazi. Here's the Pakistani version of that move:

Pakistani education officials said Sunday that they have banned teenage activist Malala Yousafzai's book from private schools across the country, claiming it doesn't show enough respect for Islam and calling her a tool of the West. 

They'd say she's a Nazi pushing socialism but that tack doesn't work in their country. But that's okay; they have their own game: she is insulting the prophet. These are exactly the same kind of people as the American Christian lunatics that control our military and government. Here's a bit more:

Adeeb Javedani, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, said his group banned Malala's book from the libraries of its 40,000 affiliated schools and called on the government to bar it from school curriculums.  

He said the book did not show enough respect for Islam because it mentioned Prophet Muhammad's name without using the abbreviation PUH — "peace be upon him" — as is customary in many parts of the Muslim world. He also said it spoke favorably of author Salman Rushdie, who angered many Muslims with his book "The Satanic Verses," and Ahmadis, members of a minority sect that have been declared non-Muslims under Pakistani law.

Huge crimes, huh? And never mind that her point is about educating the country's children, especially the girls. The Pakistani Taliban-enablers seem like mirrors of the Tea Party Christians in the United States. If people aren't doing things in accordance with their wingnut view of religion, then they are doing the work of the devil -- and one must oppose them at all costs. Next stop: government default. The consequences don't matter to these people. Only the red-hot, irrational thoughts inside their brains seem real to them.

It's the same song, sung in a different key. In both countries, this type of "religious thinking" puts blinders on the population. By adhering to nonsensical religious ideals, they ignore the things that actually matter -- like providing a good education for their people. The Taliban do it there; the Christian wingnuts do it here. (Texas education standards, anyone?)

In the long run, if these sentiments blossom out of control, they will bring death to us all. Why think about climate change when you've got godly matters to sort out? Don't know where to store your used nuclear fuel? Not to worry; just go to church and forget about it. This road leads to doom.

And some people speak of the good that religion does. That's nonsense. Lies are never helpful. And they often kill.