Examining Paradigms

Our current involvement in the Middle East has brought Islamic ideology into the spot light. As westerners we have a difficult time relating to many of their practices. Some of their practices are outright inhumane and in direct conflict with our ideals.

As westerners we appall actions taken by Muslim hardliners. For example, honor killings are an absolute outrage to our ideology. For those of you who are unfamiliar with honor killings, it is when a member of a family “dishonors” her/his family, and the family takes it upon themselves to kill that family member.

This practice is absolutely despicable! People are being killed for pre-marital sex, marrying outside their culture, and converting to a different religion.

But Wait! The majority of the United States accepts the Old Testament as the word of God almighty? This very book that is accepted by a large amount of religious westerners prescribes death by stoning to those who commit adultery and even those who break the Sabbath.

In order to eliminate this glaring hypocrisy, I call for all westerners to either discard their religious belief in the Old Testament or to completely embrace these honor killings as a valid practice. I sincerely hope that common decency, logic and conscience prevent anyone from choosing the latter and that they choose to abandon belief in the Old Testament.

I have heard two arguments that attempt reconcile a belief in the Old Testament and the condemnation for those practicing Old-Testament-like punishments in modern days. I find both arguments to be petty and self serving.

1) The first argument is that because our current social norm does not permit killing for sexual infractions or blasphemy, it is not right and should not be done.

This argument is WEAK! I do not think that right and wrong are governed by social norms. Social norms should be modified to fit rationally based ethics, not the other way around. Furthermore, if there really was an almighty being that directed her/his people, he/she/it would be useless if they were bound by social norms.

2) The other argument I have heard is, “Well, Old Testament laws were commanded by God (making them right) and Islam is not directed by God (making them wrong).”

This is even more absurd than the first argument. Islam has just as legitimate (or illegitimate) claims on divine guidance as Christendom and Judaism. Their convictions run just as deep, and in many cases deeper.

I urge all Christians and Jews to throw the Old Testament out. Mosaic laws are not humane, just, nor are they rational. If you do not throw the Old Testament out, the only other option is to fully embrace Islamic extremism in all of its horror.

**Caveat: I realize that many Muslims do not support these honor killings, and that they are not explicitly condoned in the Qur’an. However, these are unarguably born from Islamic roots and death is still the prescribed punishment for blasphemy in the Pakistani, and Saudi Arabian legal systems, as well as many other nations of Islam.**

This blog will be dedicated to discussing a variety of religious, political, and social issues.  It is imperative that we scrutinize ours, and others, paradigms.  Our now global and diverse society does not allow us to live the “unexamined life.” We must deal with contrasting and often colliding paradigms in an unbiased way.

On a religious standpoint, I invite all to know and understand their religious foundations.  It is not enough to take other people’s word for it.  In the following video I recommend four books that will give you a solid understanding about the complex, messy, and not straightforward foundation of Mormonism.

This blog and organization will be an ongoing project, and I hope that it will be fruitful.  If you have more specific question feel free to post a comment.  In the future I will have an email that you can contact me at.

**Caveat: In the video, I mistakenly attribute the second Michael Quinn book to “Daniel Quinn.” I apologize for the confusion. His first initial “D.” throws me off from time to time.**