I'm curious...are "honor killings" a cultural thing, a religious thing, or a little of both?

Question

and are they associated with any other areas or groups outside of the middle east (or middle easterners)?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19176808/

Answer 1

It is a little of both and these days mainly associated with middle eastern people (but not necessarily all muslims).

It is good to see that they were convicted.

People have to understand. When you immigrate to another country that some of your "traditions" and beliefs may not be acceptable in that country.

Answer 2

This was all a while ago. One of the muslim leaders in Australia made a controversial remark about women displaying themselves like meat in a butchers shop... and if they get raped it's the woman's fault. I've travelled to quite a few Muslim countries and a little respect for the culture goes a long way. You dress conservatively and act respectfully according to the local laws and customs - and I found the Middle East one of the friendliest and safest places I'd visited. By the same token, Australia has gender equality and a low tolerance for rape and abuse of women. To have a respected Muslim leader publicly carrying on about Australian women being little more than meat is unbelievably offensive and a totally unacceptable ideal to be promoting. It's just so wrong when so many other Muslim leaders here are making an effort to demystify their community - and general members of the Muslim community are going out of their way to embrace the Aussie lifestyle while staying true to their faith. One muslim girl even joined the lifesavers with a specially designed bathing outfit to show it's possible to be both an Aussie and a Muslim. Australia welcomes pretty much everyone, no matter what country or religion. Having radical, influental religious leaders gaining citizenship and then ignoring our laws is "just not cricket"!

Answer 3

Must be cultural, because I've never read that Muslims are to practice "honor killings" in the Qur'an or Hadith.

Answer 4

In Islam you can not force your children to marry who they do not wish. One channel was saying this girl was having an affair on her husband the next says she was abused. You can not win with the Media because they can't get it right. This I say is neither cultural or religious just ignorant.

The Middle-east only represents a small portion of Muslims.

Answer 5

In the old Japanese culture, people would kill themselves rather than be dishonored. I understand and i agree one must be brave to be able to do that! Killing someone also to preserve honor?No,that is murder.

Answer 6

Thank you Layla for giving the whole story. I am sorry that people gave you a thumbs down just because it was long and they did not want to read it

Or it it that they do not want to see the truth that it is against Islam

Answer 7

Honor killings were around before Islam, only in the Arab world, and still continue stubbornly on. It's sad, I know.

Answer 8

i think a bit of both i mean their culture is to do with their religion and vice versa...its crazy, and its also crazy that there's no getting through to people like this...they come into western countrys like england and bring their inbred backwardnss with them, like it's acceptable or something, what did they think was going to happen to them?
There was that other girl who was recently killed in an honour killing frenzy in her own country....stoned to death by her family and so called friends and even more worrying, the local police stood by and watched....Did the people who committed this atrocity in england think that western civilised police would do the same thing? Did they think they were so right in doing this to their own daughter that authorities would ignore it?
Theres no getting the message through to people like this, thats what worries me

Answer 9

Culture for sure

Answer 10

100% Cultural!