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Doofy · Jun 18, 2011, 09:17 AM

BBC News - Jerusalem rabbis 'condemn dog to death by stoning'

A Jewish rabbinical court condemned to death by stoning a stray dog it feared was the reincarnation of a lawyer who insulted its judges, reports say.

The dog entered the Jerusalem financial court several weeks ago and would not leave, reports Israeli website Ynet.

It reminded a judge of a curse passed on a now deceased secular lawyer about 20 years ago, when judges bid his spirit to enter the body of a dog.

The animal is said to have escaped before the sentence was carried out.

One of the judges at the court in the city's ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim neighbourhood had reportedly asked local children to carry out the sentence.

An animal welfare organisation filed a complaint with the police against a court official, who denied reports that judges had ordered the dog's stoning, according to Ynet.

But a court manager told Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot the stoning had been ordered as "as an appropriate way to 'get back at' the spirit which entered the poor dog", according to Ynet.

Rule 8: Some kind of comment commenting on how sane this is.

nonhuman · Jun 18, 2011, 09:30 AM

I don't think you'll find many here who disagree that religious extremism is insane, regardless of who it comes from.

ebuddy · Jun 18, 2011, 09:55 AM

I'm guessing this isn't the first time a lawyer was mistaken for a dog.

Cold Warrior · Jun 18, 2011, 11:41 AM

Or that a lawyer deserved reincarnation as one. Probably worked his way up from cockroach.

imitchellg5 · Jun 18, 2011, 05:59 PM

I feel like this could be a Disney movie one day.

subego · Jun 18, 2011, 06:31 PM

It's ironically poignant they think they're helping the dog.

BadKosh · Jun 20, 2011, 10:13 AM

Wouldn't it be easier to just stone all the lawyers?

Chongo · Jun 20, 2011, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by BadKosh

Wouldn't it be easier to just stone all the lawyers?

Henry VI, Act 4. Scene II

Big Mac · 11:14 AM

Mea Shearim is an interesting Jerusalem community. It's very insular, enforces its own civil law and has an effective 0% crime rate. The story sounds weird, but whatever the truth is, the residents probably wouldn't have done anything with this dog if they knew it would be noticed by the outside world. It's sort of odd to even see the area come up in discussion around here.

SpaceMonkey · Jun 20, 2011, 11:12 AM

Will no one rid me of this turbulent dog?

nonhuman · Jun 20, 2011, 02:41 PM

FYI, the story wasn't true: 'No dog stoned to death in Jerusalem court' | The Jewish Chronicle

Uncle Skeleton · Jun 20, 2011, 02:52 PM

Is it just me or is this explanation just as

as the original story?

"And the children were delighted by it; there were hundreds outside the court. They are used to seeing stray cats but most have never seen a dog before."

nonhuman · Jun 20, 2011, 03:01 PM

Owning of potentially scary pets (specifically barking dogs) is forbidden in the Talmud: What Judaism Says About Owning a Dog - Jewish Pets - Orthodox Jews Aversion to Dogs

Big Mac · Jun 20, 2011, 04:37 PM

I knew the story didn't sound right.

Anyway, Orthodox Jews generally don't keep dog or cats as pets. I can see that in a community like Mea Shearim the children could be unaccustomed to dogs. The main reason isn't because dogs are scary, though.

nonhuman · Jun 20, 2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

I knew the story didn't sound right.

Anyway, Orthodox Jews generally don't keep dog or cats as pets. I can see that in a community like Mea Shearim the children could be unaccustomed to dogs. The main reason isn't because dogs are scary, though.

I'm just paraphrasing the rabbi quoted in the link. Dunno how most Orthodox Jews feel about it.

imitchellg5 · Jun 20, 2011, 07:48 PM

The HOA prolly doesn't allow dogs or lawyers.