Honor Killings vs. Dishonorable Livings

Which is worse?  Killing someone for living in a dishonorable way?  Or letting them live in dishonorable ways?  Now of course, the answer seems simple enough.

However as I have watched several reports lately on the increasing prevalence of honor killings within Islam, I have begun to wonder if some hidden guilt is trying to be soothed.  What do I mean?   Well we are often quick to demonize what we do not do in order to make sure attention is diverted from our own shortcomings.

No doubt, the idea of honor killings is often abused by Muslims to justify murder of those they wish to rid themselves of.  Often, violent men within the religion choose to prey upon women knowing that their cultures are likely not to defend those viewed so lowly.  But we must admit the idea of killing someone for doing dishonorable things is not a concept foreign to us.  We do it in the execution chambers and we do it in war.  Killing for dishonorable actions has been a staple of most societies that have ever existed.  Furthermore, we must realize that the authority the government has to punish dishonorable actions ultimately has its source in the authority given to parents over children.  So while many of the stories being told are right in their judgment of particular cases of honor killings, why do those same stories try to make sure that the idea of honor killings looks utterly sinful without any qualification?

I suppose it is because deep down we know that while we are not guilty of honor killings, we are guilty of allowing dishonorable living all the time.  We figure that if we can shine a bright light on honor killings, we can hide  in the shadows without our sins being exposed.

What do I mean by allowing dishonorable livings?  Well I mean how Fathers allow their Christian daughters to come to church showing cleavage.  I mean how the phrase “well they are going to do it anyways” has resulted in the tolerance of all sorts of sexual sins.  I mean how older women have given up on teaching our younger girls what it means to be modest and gentle.  I mean how Fathers allow their sons to feast on pornography in order to make them decidedly masculine by cultural definition.  I mean how Dads say nothing when their sons tell them they are moving in with their girlfriends.  I mean how Fathers allow their sons to hang out with those who do dishonorable things.

Yes, we demonize parents who take discipline to the extreme in order that our lack of parenting, teaching, and discipline will be ignored.  So perhaps honor killings are not laudable, especially when the concept is used to justify violence.  But neither is allowing dishonorable livings.