Friends, recently, 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 (Google Images has photographs).
Of course, this primitive method of punishing those considered to be wrongdoers has been around for thousands of years. The saying that 'he who is guiltless, let him cast the first stone' is known by most.
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 (and they are being killed by Christian soldiers as you read this).
While we in the Western world are rightfully horrified by the cruel, barbaric behaviour involved in stoning, 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 the question must be asked: 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.
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 and the use of depleted uranium, cluster bombs and landmines.
They also 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. Cage fighting is all the go.
Stoning, the electric chair, depleted uranium, etc. They tell us a lot about ourselves and religion.
It is an unpleasant truth.
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