Islam, Christianity, Scientology, Mormonism, and Hinduism certainly don't have a monopoly on religious extremism. Judaism has its nutjobs too.

I find it amusing that militant, Jewish fundamentalists have been rioting in Israel. From the BBC 7/16/09.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem have clashed with police in protest at what they see as interference by the Israeli authorities in their community.

Police said at least 28 people were arrested after protesters threw stones at officers and burned rubbish bins.

Hundreds of police have been deployed - 10 were reported to have been injured.

The incidents followed the arrest of an ultra-orthodox woman for allegedly starving her three-year-old son deliberately. The child is in hospital.

The revolt over "interference" by the Jewish religious nutjobs reminds me of how Muslim religious extremists want to have Sharia based communities, free of "interference" by secular authorities.

The similarities between Jewish and Muslim religious nuts doesn't stop there. From the BBC 12/9/08:

Lipa Schmeltzer looks and sounds every inch the popular ultra-orthodox Jewish singer that he is.

He sings in Yiddish. He dresses in the clothes of a Haredi Jew and all of his song lyrics come from the scriptures.

You would think this would be just peachy for the militant, Jewish fundamentalists. You would be mistaken.

"They are leading the public astray and are causing a great negative influence on the young generation," says Rabbi Efraim Luft, head of an ultra-orthodox organisation in Israel called the Committee for Jewish Music.

Supported by leading Haredi rabbis, Rabbi Luft has drawn up a black-list of musicians and bands - music that he says that is not kosher and cannot be played at ultra-orthodox weddings or public events because of its decadent nature.

What has made this Jewish religious music not kosher? Get ready to giggle at Rabbi Luft.

"The main part of the music should be the melody. Percussion should be secondary. They should not bend notes electronically and should not use instruments like electric guitars, bass guitars or saxophones in Jewish music," he says.

The BBC also included comments with the article, one of which was from an Islamic religious extremist.

As a Muslim, I support the Rabbi's decision, finally they are thinking like conservative Muslims; after all Muslims and Jews are very much alike. Majority of modern music is immoral and degrading the faith.
Zuber Iraqi, Louisville, KY

The attitude of the nutty rabbis reminds me of the Taliban's attitude about music. The banned all music except for the stuff they produced and distributed.

If scriptures played to a rock beat scandalize poor Rabbi Luft, just think what my blog would do to the poor guy. It would probably make his head explode.