Bring the popcorn and settle in to watch another chapter in the ongoing global culture war.  If you cultivate the right frame of mind, fear and despair should quickly give way to malicious amusement.

In Saudi Arabia, the “hard-right” so long the favorite bogeyman of leftist demagogues, has finally turned up.  In predictable response, there will be an increasing demand for thought-control in the West. The lines will be drawn even more firmly.

And all those who predicted the death of religion will have to eat their words as religion rises in every corner of the globe – whether pagan (US), Orthodox Christian (Russia), Hindu (India), Jewish (Israel and all its sycophants).

The Independent reports that Saudi Arabia, where the gloves were never on, has turned up the volume in the culture war:

“To that end, King Abdullah issued Royal Decree 44, which criminalises “participating in hostilities outside the kingdom” with prison sentences of between three and 20 years, Human Rights Watch said.

Yet last month further regulations were issued by the Saudi interior ministry, identifying a broad list of groups which the government considers to be terrorist organisations – including the Muslim Brotherhood.

Article one of the new provisions defines terrorism as “calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based”.

Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch, said: “Saudi authorities have never tolerated criticism of their policies, but these recent laws and regulations turn almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism.”