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**__CVineXPharm__** · 11-16-2011, 10:04 PM

honour killing has nothing to do with islam it is a culture thing and it happens quite a lot in the Asian and Arab communities.
the parents are usually ashamed that their daughter has gone astray and the father or the brother kills their own flesh and blood.
this is done because most asians/arabs live in a tight knit community and they dont want live in shame.

p.s Somalis dont do this

I don't think it has "nothing" to do with it. It may or may not have an influence, it depends, on whether religious ideals are used to justify the actions. In that way, Islam can be used as an "amplifier" of backward cultural practices. Like FGM in Somalia, religion is not the cause, but arguably it's prevented positive changes to discourage the practice.

For example, honor killings occur in Pakistan but are they rooted in the tradition of Islam or in the paternalistic tribal culture of that area (which predates Islam)? I am an atheist so when I ask this I am not trying to defend Islam but there is no concept of “honor” in Islam such that the actions and deeds of individuals are not tied to that of the family or clan, which is at the root cause of honor killings. If anything Islam teaches that individuals are responsible for their actions alone, and does not reflect on their family or tribe. Islam may be used to qualify or re-inforce notions about what actions can be defined as bringing “dishonor” but it is NOT the underlying motivation or reason.

Arguably, Islam's fault in the matter is that it has not reformed its more chauvinistic notions which are used to justify violence against women and to abolish the practice. It has been a stop gap to change when it possibly could have reformed it. The way in which Muslims practice Islam has limited progressive ideals from taking root, because muslims are taught to believe without critical thinking and ignore rational arguments because the source of the argument is kafir.

11-16-2011, 10:04 PM	#26
__CVineXPharm__ Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 406 Senior Member	honour killing has nothing to do with islam it is a culture thing and it happens quite a lot in the Asian and Arab communities. the parents are usually ashamed that their daughter has gone astray and the father or the brother kills their own flesh and blood. this is done because most asians/arabs live in a tight knit community and they dont want live in shame. p.s Somalis dont do this I don't think it has "nothing" to do with it. It may or may not have an influence, it depends, on whether religious ideals are used to justify the actions. In that way, Islam can be used as an "amplifier" of backward cultural practices. Like FGM in Somalia, religion is not the cause, but arguably it's prevented positive changes to discourage the practice. For example, honor killings occur in Pakistan but are they rooted in the tradition of Islam or in the paternalistic tribal culture of that area (which predates Islam)? I am an atheist so when I ask this I am not trying to defend Islam but there is no concept of “honor” in Islam such that the actions and deeds of individuals are not tied to that of the family or clan, which is at the root cause of honor killings. If anything Islam teaches that individuals are responsible for their actions alone, and does not reflect on their family or tribe. Islam may be used to qualify or re-inforce notions about what actions can be defined as bringing “dishonor” but it is NOT the underlying motivation or reason. Arguably, Islam's fault in the matter is that it has not reformed its more chauvinistic notions which are used to justify violence against women and to abolish the practice. It has been a stop gap to change when it possibly could have reformed it. The way in which Muslims practice Islam has limited progressive ideals from taking root, because muslims are taught to believe without critical thinking and ignore rational arguments because the source of the argument is kafir.
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