When ignorance leads to tragedy

designs

On the News this morning was the almost unbelievable news that a Pakistani husband and wife killed their daughter for 'looking at a boy'. Her manner of being killed is even more shocking as the parents poured acid on this girl.

There were 943 'Honor Killings' reported in Pakistan this year with only 20 of the women being given any medical care before they died.

Looking at the opposite sex. One of the most natural responses we have as humans is construed as 'sin' and with it all of the religious and social prejudices that can and do lead to tragedy.

Some day these cultures, bound by religious myths and superstitions, will change with education and understanding but it seems a long way off, to distant to have saved this young girl.

As the father of a daughter who I would protect at all costs this just leaves me shaken and I wonder how to reach those young people so they don't grow up to be like their parents.

perfect1

what makes you think they will change- they havent for hundreds of years.

I found this article really fascinating when it first came out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/world/asia/21gender.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

designs

Well I hope through education and exposure to more progressive cultures the process to have some type of inner reflection takes root. This year has left me saddened with respect to the religious based concepts that are ingrained in so many people here and around the world. Some of the things that came out of our political leaders mouths about how they view women and how liitle they know about human physiology shows how religion is holding us back.

These types of ignorances steeped in religious beliefs take decades and longer to change but we have to keep at it.

NVR2L8

Out of love for their children, JWs refuse life-saving medical treatments because they believe Jehovah will right the wrongs in the new system...In most cases the child doesn't understand why even when he can perfectly parrot what his parents inculcated in him...

whathappened

Religion has such a disastrous hold on some people. This story made me sick. What is with these people?

glenster

An honor killing, or honour killing, is the homicide of a member of a family
or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the
victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community. Honor killings are di-
rected mostly against women and girls and are most prevalent in Middle Eastern
and South Asian Islamic cultures.

Many women's groups in the Middle East and Southwest Asia suspect that more
than 20,000 women are honor killed each year.

According to University of Toronto professor of women's studies Shahrzad Mojab,
followers of Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity have used their religions
as a rationale to commit honour killings. She said that honor killings don't have
"any definite connection with religion at all", and that honor killing had been
practised before any major religion came into existence.

Khan instead blames it on attitudes (across different classes, ethnic and reli-
gious groups) that view women as property with no rights of their own as the
motivation for honor killings. Khan also argues that this view results in vio-
lence against women and their being turned "into a commodity which can be ex-
changed, bought and sold."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killing

nancy drew

This is a strange planet many very different worlds exist side by side. Even within different countries varied cultures operate. Personally i dislike cultures because they may seem colorful and have costumes and dances and weird foods but they are prisons for the people who live within their walls. JW's live in a prison culture bound and limited by strange rules these places seem to oppress females more often than not. i don't see a change coming anytime soon.

designs

glenster- We have certainly seen men in political positions of power talking to women like they were the empty chair in the room.

nancy drew- Change will take to long. 20,000 Honor killings this year is a crime that we all must engage international pressure to address constantly.

leaving_quietly

Disfellowshipping / excommunication just because someone disagrees with a particular belief is a form of honor killing. Just sayin'.

When ignorance leads to tragedy

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