A man being stoned to death in Somalia.
This female was raped, then accused of adultery and stoned to death.
Friends, both Reuters and Al Jazeera have carried the story of a couple who were stoned to death in Iran in accordance with Islamic Sharia law. Apparently both of them were engaged to other people but were said to have committed adultery with each other.
In case you didn’t know, stoning involves each person being buried to the waste or neck and then the brave executioners pelt them with large rocks until they are dead (see images).
Of course, this primitive method of punishing those considered to be wrongdoers has been around for thousands of years. Ironically, in many parts of the Muslim world there are people who want strict Sharia law to be reinstated. The Taliban is one group who are active in this area.
While we in the Western world are rightfully horrified by this cruel, barbaric behaviour, consider the use of wonderful innovations like the electric chair and the lethal injection carried out by those in Christian countries. Who are we to point the finger at anyone else?
Fortunately, in Australia, there is no capital punishment. Then religion doesn’t have the sway here that it does in other countries. But why do people who claim they are religious act in such sadistic, brutal ways? I thought that all religion was supposed to be about love and caring and compassion and forgiveness. Silly me!
But we can’t just blame religion. Humans, although they might not throw the stones, go along with barbarity just as they go along with war. They sit in the stands and applaud when football or hockey players get involved in some biffo or are knocked out by a big tackle. They attend boxing events and yell and scream while they watch the blood flow.
Stoning and the electric chair, etc. It tells us a lot about ourselves and religion.
It is an unpleasant truth.
There is something, maybe in our genitic make up that is entertained by viewing violence. Especially when/where (good vs evil or right vs wrong) is concerned and (morality) is the victor. In sporting events we all choose sides whether it is football or boxing. When it comes to (law) it’s easily justified. If my understanding of history is correct, whole families would travel for days just to witness violent events in the Roman collisium where a death or deaths were the end result. I cannot say that I am immune to this myself, at least as long as I don’t suffer the consiquences. Without being ironic, Peace and goodwill to all!
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David G Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I like your sense of humour, 76-water.
Certainly it’s in our genes. That’s why Ted’s theory about ‘if we ate fruit and nuts eventually we’d become peaceful’ was so off the mark.
And, of course, we humans do have canine teeth! As well, I have seen footage of apes chasing an intruder from another group then killing and eating it.
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the romans (and their audience) certainly got a kick out of watching horrific things…….
nothing has changed…………………
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The duality of human beings is definetly working in all these scenarios ,electric chair or stoning the end result is the same DEAD .But i am always of the opinion short of an individual that is mantally ill this is taught to us often times at a young age we are mentally fed to be brutal and without compassion never really putting ourselves in the other persons shoes often times these religions make people believe that a god shares their prejudices and ignorance ,peace and justice can live in the heart if that is whats taught our lives are so short we need to live in a way where the better parts of a human being are cultivated instead of these dysfunctional governments or religions brainwash into us .
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“By their fruits ye shall know them” – that also applies to insane religious cults. Stoning is a barbaric religious law spawned by insane sadistic humans disguising it as orders from a ‘tribal god’.
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Coco, the Coliseum, in various guises, is alive and kicking.
Jeff, if money can be made from cultivating the worst aspects of human nature, then that’s how things will be.
America, the use of depleted uranium explosives and cluster bombs and landmines is even more barbaric than stoning.
What’s that song: ‘It’s a Wonderful World.’
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Amerikagulag Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
David…it’s Amerikagulag – with a “k”
and specifically in honor of the military commissions act and other totalitarian acts passed under Bush the lesser, and now carried on under O’bomb’em. My former handle was Osiris – in honor of the first ‘savior god-man’ of religion (that we know of)
But I agree wholeheartedly with your observation of DU munitions. Thousands of tons on Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bosnia. Israel is a guilty accomplice too. That topic in itself could prove equally as gruesome as stoning, in a thread. I was only confining my comments to the barbaric, torturous method of the ‘religious’, and thus “HOLY” act of killing while smugly quoting ‘thou shalt not kill’ from their holy ‘scriptures’. Hypocrisy knows no religion.
SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based. – Ambrose Bierce
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David G Reply:
August 18th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
I’m sorry, Amerikagulag. Regarding hypocrisy, surely it is the most prevalent and disgusting aspect of human behaviour.
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Anything that feeds the beast within is not a worthy religion of a forward thinking person.
It is a pathetic use of the human intelligence and capacity for discernment. To throw really large cement bricks – er, stones – at humans at the most primal and most important organ in the human body. The body will shut down to protect the brain. It is no less barbaric than all the ways that humans let the blood of their fellows and sisters. It must be frowned upon in all its forms if we are to keep acting like human life is important.
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David G Reply:
August 21st, 2010 at 1:54 am
Your mention of ‘the beast within’ is apt, Grace. Often, humans forget about his fact and it leaves them unguarded.
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We are capable of all sorts of behaviors. Some behaviors should be discouraged for the sake of being enlightened. See, when cultures, nations, individuals kill, it is a setback, not a progressive act. I can’t comment on genuine self-defense, because I do believe we have the right and responsibility to protect the life we have been given.
Science tells us that we have the genetic information for almost every disease, contained within our cells. Many illnesses are caused because our own immunity becomes low or compromised and then a disease or sickness manifests itself in our bodies. The beast is within and if we pretend it is not there, we do leave ourselves open to attack. We do things to stay healthy. We don’t live in fear of the beast, for fear will make it stronger. We tip our hat and go on our way. Acknowledging what is right and good in the world in the process.
Love snd peace,
Grace
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This song is dedicated to all the “stoners” out there…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4yCCr_CpwE
could you be loved?
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