1. Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson Debate

Comment #295216 by Goodbluff on December 2, 2008 at 1:50 am

Thanks MPhil for your post..sigh, so much to learn, so little time.

And thanks JMCARVAS for provoking him :)

2. 'My daughter deserved to die for falling in love'

Comment #180917 by Goodbluff on May 16, 2008 at 5:08 am

A lot has been said about this, I'd like, however add my "pinch of salt"

I lived in Iraq for half my life in what you'd call the "secular" segment of society.
The phenomenon of honour-revenge is totally ingrained in Iraqi society (widen this to the middle-east, north-africa, etc. if you like).

I repeat: Death as vengeance for dishonor is ingrained! Women are the first targets, but not the only ones.
"educated", "secular", wealthy Iraqis might send their daughters abroad to somehow avoid other drastic consequences. Incarceration or marriage is probably another "mild" form of vindication or damage control.

Now, what part religion and/or tribalism exactly play in this barbarism, i don't really know. It is certain that Islam is a highly combustible element in this terrible concoction.

The sad truth is that it is impossible to live in such a society without being infected by this malady, you assimilate or...

Hypocrisy is off course another ingrained property in the whole mess.

No invasion, regime-change, etc is going to change any of this anytime soon. Secularisation might, but don't hold your breath for that. The way things are devolving, Iraq is now closer to the middle-ages than it was pre-invasion.

3. Death Sentence for Afghan Student

Comment #115307 by Goodbluff on January 24, 2008 at 1:37 am

Nothing strange here they're simply applying the law. The "crime" in question may not strictly constitute apostasy, but close enough as:

Rejecting Muhammad's claim to be a prophet,denying the concept of prophethood, Cursing Muhammad, defaming his character, etc.

can be considered a form of apostasy.

End of story, welcome to the middle-ages :(