Occasionally, a sufficiently serious religious news item appears that I find it necessary to eschew irony in order to assess, in a serious and sober way, the exigent theological quodlibet.

Today, we are looking at the tendency of man, in this post-Christian era, to be attracted to donkeys. It may not have occurred to you, but it has occurred to the burrophobic, Anjem Choudary:

He said: ‘If a man likes another man, it can happen, but if you go on to fulfil your desire, if it is proved, then there is a punishment to follow. You don’t stone to death unless there are four eyewitnesses. It is a very stringent procedure.

‘There are some people who are attracted to donkeys but that does not mean it is right.’

Anjem Choudary advocates stoning homosexuals caught in the act – but only if they happen to be observed in flagrante by four people; personally, I would simply make the coupling paramours pay for psychiatric counselling for the onlookers to help them cope with the trauma.

What is missing from all this, is the penalty for the donkey lovers.