Bend it Like Allah

Some angry Muslims have been holding demonstrations in southeast Afghanistan, protesting the U.S. military's dropping of soccer balls bearing an image of the Saudi Arabian flag. The military intended the multi-cultural soccer balls as something fun for the kids, but they didn't realize Saudi Arabia's flag features the Koranic declaration of faith, which includes the name of Allah. Afghan MP Mirwais Yasini said, "To have a verse of the Koran on something you kick with your foot would be an insult to any Muslim country around the world." First of all, the existence of any nation based entirely upon theocracy is an insult to reason, so I'm not so sympathetic on that point. And secondly, would it be okay to head-butt the name of Allah? Or throw it on the neighbor's roof to make your little brother cry? Unfortunately, these questions are not answered in the BBC's story here.