Over 200 poisoned with 'holy water' from wells

[Kshasty]

(edited for copyright purposes-proud patriot Moderator Democratic Underground)

Source: RIA Novosti

More than 200 people are suffering from poisoning in the east Siberian city of Irkutsk caused by "holy water" taken from wells during religious ceremonies of Epiphany, the local consumer regulator said on Monday.

Church officials denied the poisoning cases are due to sanctified water.

The number of victims has hit 228 as of Monday, 114 of them are in hospital, Rospotrebnadzor said. Earlier reports said 40 people were hospitalized with symptoms of poisoning last week.

The regulator said tests showed that water from the city's Archangel Michael Church corresponded to sanitary norms, but samples taken from two nearby wells and a swampy lake revealed the concentration of chloride and nitrate was two times above the norm.

"Water from a pond and underground wells does not correspond to hygienic norms," the regulator said.

(snip)

Read more: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100125/157676341.html

[salguine]

1. Just one more way religion is bad for you.

[ensho]

2. clue - "in an industrial zone between two major thoroughfares"

there isn't any way to sanctify poison

[progressoid]

3. Uh Oh. What did they do to piss off God?

[TalkingDog]

4. According to Francis Griffin:

...deres no such ting as tainted holy water!

[rd_kent]

5. God must not have liked those folks.....

more proof that if god is real, then he is an asshole.

[gcomeau]

6. There is of course only one explanation.

That town is infested by demons. Pretty foolish of them to voluntarily drink holy water though... so, stupid demons.

I mean, it's so obvious! Quick, send in the exorcists!