A Higher Authority for Sudan's President

Sudanese President al-Bashir's recent visit to Mecca has been described as flouting the International Criminal Court, which recently issued a warrant for his arrest. But here's the real reason al-Bashir, whose regime stirred up militias that have committed murder, rape, and ethic cleansing, should be afraid to go to Mecca: Any monotheist should be concerned that God might smite him down on the spot for having the gall to visit a religious site with the blood of hundreds of thousands of co-religionists on his conscience.

Elizabeth Palmberg is an assistant editor of Sojourners.