Religious police

This from the London Telegraph, picked up today by the Sydney Morning Herald:

A religious commune in Malaysia's Muslim heartland that worshiped a collection of structures including a giant teapot, vase and umbrella has been torn down.
About 40 workers with bulldozers and lorries destroyed the "subversive" teapot and other symbols of the pan-religious Sky Kingdom, in Terengannu state.
An assembly hall, a concrete boat and a temple-like structure that was under construction were also demolished. About 30 members of the commune watched but did not intervene.
Adherents believed that water from the teapot, which poured into the giant vase, held purifying powers.
They follow the teaching of Ariffin Mohammed, 65, better known as Ayah (Master) Pin, who holds that every religion is equally valid and that anyone can find his or her own path to God.
His settlement has been a popular destination for Muslim, Chinese and Indian Malaysians, as well as foreign tourists.
The problem for authorities was that, as a Muslim, Ayah Pin committed the heresy of claiming to have a direct link to the Almighty, bypassing the Prophet Muhammad. Religious police raided the compound twice last month and nearly 50 of its members are due in an Islamic court this week, charged with deviation.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/08/02/1122748638939.html# Seems they have separate but equal civil and religious courts in Malaysia, and they act first then send you to court -- sort of like the Taliban. We visited that Terengannu State a few years ago; Jerilyn and I had to check out in separate male and female register lines at the grocery store. And i felt we were being watched...

And this:

Bible course becomes a test for public schools in Texas: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/education/01bible.html Seems they may be moving towards separate but equal civil and religious courts in Texas. I grew up (well, older) in Texas. And I felt I was being watched...