Ayatollah Jannati encourages lots of killing.

Via The L A Times:

Iran's hard-line government, dominated by extremist clergy and the Revolutionary Guard, fears the rekindling of widespread protests coinciding with the Feb. 11 anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

In his Friday prayer sermon Jannati urged judiciary officials to deal harshly with protesters already in custody and praised them for the "quick execution" of two prisoners Thursday

"The judiciary is tasked with dealing with the detained rioters," the bespectacled, white-turbaned cleric said. "I know you well, judiciary officials! You came forward sincerely and accepted this responsibility. You are revolutionary and committed to the supreme leader. For God's sake, stand firm as you already did with your quick execution of these two convicts."

He added, "God ordered the prophet Muhammad to brutally slay hypocrites and ill-intentioned people who stuck to their convictions. Koran insistently orders such deaths. May God not forgive anyone showing leniency toward the corrupt on Earth."

If anyone ever wanted a textbook example of religion being used to prop up a wholly unworthy government--there's your example. Who is corrupt? And who is a hypocrite? To the Ayatollah Jannati, it would be the democratic protestors, who have witnessed not only the fraud in this past summer's election, but the outright heavy-handed murder, propaganda, and lying that has been used by the ruling clerics to fill in the moral vacuum they have supported. These people are only trying to speak the truth and ask for a more representative government. It could be argued that it is the clerics who support the Ahmadinejad regime but still want to speak about the revolution from thirty-odd years ago who look like the hypocrites.

By calling for the murder of people who only have protested for democracy, he is really calling for more demonstrations, which are like the earnest prayers of patriots presented to their their country. Does he really believe they offend God? Or does he only know that they offend the government he supports?