We’ve really got to hook up a device to grab the energy off of the spinning that Noah Webster is surely doing in his grave. I’m thinking we could power a small city.

I’ve noted before how weirdly people have defined words such as illegal, courageous, and ethical. Here’s a new one: tolerance.

Now in America, as well all know, if you do not fully condone every activity/belief/lifestyle and do everything in your power to help promote it, you’re branded as intolerant. It would seem that recently, Afghanistan is defining the word on the other end of the spectrum, but with just as much stupidity.

As noted here and here, Abdul Rahman is facing the death penalty in Afghanistan for being a Christian (and therefore rejecting Islam). Trial judge Ansarullah Mawlazezadah has stated that Rahman can recant, thereby avoiding execution (emphasis mine):

We will invite him again because the religion of Islam is one of tolerance. We will ask him if he has changed his mind. If so we will forgive him

But prosecutor, Abdul Wasi, states that if Rahman does not recant:

He must get the death penalty.

So, in Afghanistan, tolerance means “my way or the highway (but I’ll give you a few minutes to think about it before I kill you)”.

Meanwhile, in America, I’m sure I’d be labeled as intolerant for not backing Mawlazezadah and Wasi.