Spinoff: Honor killings in the Christian world

[phynestone]

I read a thread in the Off Topic forum about a Muslim young woman being killed by her father because she was being "disobedient." I use that term in quotes because I am not too familiar with Islamic culture and everyone has different ideas of how that term relates to the conduct and behavior of loved ones. The basic gist is she left her husband in Iraq and came back to the States, moved in with a new boyfriend and his mom, started working and had adopted some American ways. Her family came to the US when she was 4, so she may have become "Americanized" in as far as developing her values. Her father became angry b/c she dishonored the family, and ran her over, along with her boyfriend's mom, with his SUV. I don't believe this is an edict from the Koran, I believe this is extremist behavior, as we Christians have those who embrace extremist behavior. I am trying to view this through lens independent of how I've been raised, although it's difficult.

Have you seen this in the Christian world and if so, do you mind sharing?

 

[Prudent1]

No, since Christianity is based primarily on a personal relationship with God versus other belief systems based primarily on a defined set of rules (which we call works of the flesh) I have not seen this. What I have seen are ppl who claim to be Christians perform unChrist like acts and claim that God told them to do it. In some cases I have read of the perp claiming to be Jesus. Case in point the man who killed George Tiller, the ppl in Kansas harrassing soldier's families at their funerals (Fred Phelps), and ppl who bomb abortion clinics and such. The old adage still applies if it walks like a dog and barks like a dog it's a dog. We can surgically alter it so that it can reach it's inner cat, bird, monkey or whatever but at the end of the day it's still a dog. So, since the bible gives us tell tell signs of what actions/ behaviors are consistent with the Christian lifestyle, why aren't Christians held to the same standards? If it walks like a heathen and talks like a heathen then it's not a Christian, it's a heathen. We are even instructed to check ourselves often so that we don't get 'out of pocket' by the bible. I say all this to say we live under a covenant of grace. Something to be thankful for and not to be taken lightly. However, even in the old testament where we see examples of God rightly dispensing justice through sometimes violent methods, even those ppl had numerous chances (grace) to get their acts together. Does God implement tough love in order to get ppl's attention? Yes. Is he an enabler who excuses bad behavior b/c he never got 'X' as a child? No. He is balanced and fair in his discipline. He does allow us all freedom of choice on how we want to live. Even at the judgement when some are told to depart from him because of the choices they made he will not gleefully smile as they are sent to their eternal fate. If he imposed his will they would've chosen him. Hopefully some others will chime in but I do not know anyone whose life lines up with the bible's teachings who says God instructed them to perform any honor killings.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

No, since Christianity is based primarily on a personal relationship with God versus other belief systems based primarily on a defined set of rules (which we call works of the flesh) I have not seen this. What I have seen are ppl who claim to be Christians perform unChrist like acts and claim that God told them to do it. In some cases I have read of the perp claiming to be Jesus. Case in point the man who killed George Tiller, the ppl in Kansas harrassing soldier's families at their funerals (Fred Phelps), and ppl who bomb abortion clinics and such. The old adage still applies if it walks like a dog and barks like a dog it's a dog. We can surgically alter it so that it can reach it's inner cat, bird, monkey or whatever but at the end of the day it's still a dog. So, since the bible gives us tell tell signs of what actions/ behaviors are consistent with the Christian lifestyle, why aren't Christians held to the same standards? If it walks like a heathen and talks like a heathen then it's not a Christian, it's a heathen. We are even instructed to check ourselves often so that we don't get 'out of pocket' by the bible. I say all this to say we live under a covenant of grace. Something to be thankful for and not to be taken lightly. However, even in the old testament where we see examples of God rightly dispensing justice through sometimes violent methods, even those ppl had numerous chances (grace) to get their acts together. Does God implement tough love in order to get ppl's attention? Yes. Is he an enabler who excuses bad behavior b/c he never got 'X' as a child? No. He is balanced and fair in his discipline. He does allow us all freedom of choice on how we want to live. Even at the judgement when some are told to depart from him because of the choices they made he will not gleefully smile as they are sent to their eternal fate. If he imposed his will they would've chosen him. Hopefully some others will chime in but I do not know anyone whose life lines up with the bible's teachings who says God instructed them to perform any honor killings.

I have nothing extra to add to this post....you have spoke the truth, and in love. Thank you for being a believer who is not ashamed to speak the truth!

 

[phynestone]

Thank you for your response. Anyone else?

 

[Guitarhero]

I read a thread in the Off Topic forum about a Muslim young woman being killed by her father because she was being "disobedient." I use that term in quotes because I am not too familiar with Islamic culture and everyone has different ideas of how that term relates to the conduct and behavior of loved ones. The basic gist is she left her husband in Iraq and came back to the States, moved in with a new boyfriend and his mom, started working and had adopted some American ways. Her family came to the US when she was 4, so she may have become "Americanized" in as far as developing her values. Her father became angry b/c she dishonored the family, and ran her over, along with her boyfriend's mom, with his SUV. I don't believe this is an edict from the Koran, I believe this is extremist behavior, as we Christians have those who embrace extremist behavior. I am trying to view this through lens independent of how I've been raised, although it's difficult.

Have you seen this in the Christian world and if so, do you mind sharing?

Not personally, but they do exist and mostly in the Middle-east. If not mostly killings, then certainly beatings. Not everyone, but it can and does happen. It has nothing to do with the christian faith but is culture-oriented.

 

[Spring]

Honor killings has it's roots in "man's" sinful belief that women are property and beneath him. Notice that these men believe they have a license to sin, have many wives, have concubines, have the right to divorce you, etc.,.... they believe this is their divine right. And some women can be just as complicit in their own degradation. In some cultures of course the women live in constant terror from their fathers, brothers and then their future husbands.

Thankfully in the 1800s, Christian suffragist and secular feminists were at the forefront of addressing the atrocities committed against women here in the United States, so it wasn't as accepted and common place here as it is in the Middle East.