Honor Killing: No Such Thing

There is nothing particularly brave about taking a stand in opposition to murder. It takes about as much courage as it might for any member of Congress to publicly state his or her support of puppies and kittens. Nonetheless, this is the most difficult subject I've taken time to write about to date, and words escape me in my attempt to address this subject in any meaningful way. The monstrous nature of "honor" killings is such that I truly wonder if there is anything intelligent anyone can say in response, other than that this ritual is so inhuman and unspeakably cruel as to be obviously far outside the realm of minimally passable human behavior. You can ask "why", as in why would anyone do such a thing, and yet only an eternal optimist would expect an answer that makes any sense or otherwise puts this form of murder into some type of appropriate context.

A very cursory Internet search using the term "honor killing" immediately and unfortunately yields a wealth of information about this sinful phenomenon. Its origins are primarily found in Islamic cultures of the Middle East. It is a tradition that has tragically migrated to the countries of Western Europe, and even to the United States.

I am not a Koran scholar of any sort, and won't attempt to delve into how the tradition of honor killing emerged from various interpretations of Sharia law. You can find further information about Sharia on the Council of Foreign Relations Web site, which includes specific information about those sins that the Koran specifically singles out for punishment.

The comment I would like to make is that, as a blog devoted to fostering interfaith dialogue and unity, it strikes me that "honor" killing is an extreme form of the type of violence that occurs when people of different faith traditions and beliefs cling too tightly to said traditions and beliefs. Name any faith tradition or religion under the sun, and each one is populated with a wealth of adherents who take a hard line on their particular beliefs and forms of worship. It's this exclusive mindset that leads the Catholic Church to declare that it, and only it, is the one and true right way to know and worship God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), the one and only path to eternal salvation. It is this mindset that sets off Hindu riots against Muslims in India. It is this mindset that fuels the violence between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq. It is this mindset that pits the better part of the Arab world against the State of Israel and all of its supporters.

What are we doing? What is any of us doing when we have convinced ourselves that it is God who requires and sanctions any form of violence between and against other human beings? How convinced can any religion be that it holds the ultimate and complete truth about who God is and what God wants when this exceptionalist stance results in any form of violence and hatred perpetrated against people of different beliefs? How does any religion materially improve the lives of all of God's children if it is only intended to sanctify those who profess its specific beliefs? After thousands of years of bloodshed and violence committed in God's name, might it not be time for each of us to step back and examine those beliefs and traditions that facilitate peace and justice vs. those that perpetuate separation and violence?

Thankfully, religious differences do not always lead to violence and separation. In fact, harmony between different faiths and the resulting blossoming of love can occur in the midst of violent bloodshed and deprivation. Case in point: Sarajevo: if you can make it there you can make it anywhere! Actually, this might only be true in more recent times. In the period before the war, inter-ethnic and interfaith relationships were common and mainly not remarked upon. Would that it was so around the world in every culture and society.

To couples of different faith backgrounds who struggle to maintain loving relationships in the face of pressure, even violence, from family, friends, and faith, I say, God bless you. To the victims of violence, to those murdered (mostly women) for daring to love someone of a different religion than your family's, my prayer for you is that you would know peace with God despite having been murdered by those proclaiming to believe in God. Shalom.

- Doug L.

FOR FURTHER REFERENCE:

International Campaign Against Honor Killings

"Thousands of Women Killed for Family 'Honor.'" National Geographic News, February 12, 2002.

Reclaiming Honor in Jordan, by Ellen R. Sheeley (Amazon.com)

"The Death of a Muslim Woman: 'The Whore Lived Like a German.'" Der Spiegel, March 2, 2005.

"The girl who was stoned to death for falling in love." Daily Mail (London), May 17, 2007.

"Father in honor killing found guilty of murder."
MSNBC.com, June 11, 2007.

"God Angrily Clarifies 'Don't Kill' Rule." The Onion, September 26, 2001.