Some Iraqi teens love porn, hash, beer and bacon.

BAGHDAD, Iraq—With a war going on around them and evidence of sectarian violence by radical Muslims everywhere, thousands of Iraqi teenagers have quietly rejected Islam in surprisingly bold ways.

A rebellious new group called The al-Bacon Brigade, for instance, is encouraging young men to masturbate, smoke hash, drink beer and eat bacon.

One member of The al-Bacon Brigade, who wore a black mask and would only give his first name, Ahmed, claimed that his fellow members have seen enough violence to realize the absurdity of Islam and all religions.

“I can’t believe that I used to think that Muhammad flew on a white horse to heaven,” Ahmed said with a chuckle. “It’s a fairy tale. And most American soldiers believe that Jesus’ mother Mary was a virgin. A virgin can’t give birth. Neither religion makes sense. It’s all bullshit, and The al-Bacon Brigade realize it.”

While not all Iraqis are religious, The al-Bacon Brigade are risking their lives each day by acting out against Islam in such an extreme way. But Ahmed is not concerned. “Religious fanatics are killing anybody these days. All the really popular kids are blowing themselves up, and we’re just hanging out, smoking hash, drinking beer, beating off and eating bacon. Some of our parents are disappointed that we aren’t planting roadside bombs. Fuck that.”

By joining The al-Bacon Brigade, members get access to a large collection of porn magazines and DVDs. Group members pay monthly dues of about $10 in order to pay for bacon, beer, hash and Astroglide lubricant bought in bulk. It’s almost like a fraternity.

Before I left Ahmed, he showed me his technique for recruiting new members: he gave me a crispy strip of bacon in a little bag, with a small ball of hash, a naked picture of an Iraqi porn star, a sample of Astroglide and a coupon for a free six-pack of beer.