"Honor Killing" of 17-Year-Old Girl

In John 8:1-11, a crowd of religious men wanted to murder a woman they claimed had committed adultery. They asked Jesus for His opinion. Jesus said:

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
(John 8:7b AMP)

As much as those men wanted to murder that woman in their self-righteous fervor, they realized that they too were guilty of sin. Some, even worse than that woman was accused of. On that day, no stones were thrown.

On today’s news, a mob of religious men set out to murder a teenage girl for falling in love and marrying a man of a different religion. The vicious and brutal act was recorded on video that has been posted to the internet and broadcast on television for all the world to see.



This certainly gives fuel to those who are against all religion... but it was not religion that motivated Jesus when He told the woman:

I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.
(John 8:11b AMP)

Religion kills... but the love and compassion of God is expressed through the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. It was religion that motivated the situation that was described by the Assyrian International News Agency thusly:

For four months the girl had been given shelter by a local Muslim Sheik. It was reported that in the last few days her family persuaded her to return home, convincing her that she had been forgiven by her parents and relatives for her mistake.

In a short mobile video clip which appears to have been taken by locals at seen of the murder, the girl is seen being ambushed on her way home by a group of up to 1000 men who were waiting for her to return; the men killed her in the most brutal way possible, by throwing large stones on her head. The following clips show that while she is alive and crying for help she is taunted and kicked in her stomach until someone finishes her off by throwing a large stone on her face.

Note, video links will not be posted here, as the images are graphic and disturbing. The Assyrian News Agency continues, saying:

From the clips it appears that the girl was first stripped naked to symbolize that she had dishonored her family and her Yezidi religion. She is lying on the road naked while her smashed face is covered with blood and still breathing.

According to the website and footage from the clip a number of armed local police officers were present who in fact helped the crowd to kill the woman rather than preventing the crime. Sometime later the Iraqi army arrived at the scene and refused anyone entry, including the press.

Killing women for reasons of honor, shame and religion does happens in regions of Kurdistan and Iraq. The above incidents are not uncommon in some of the deeply religious and traditional communities. For long violence against women has been commonly used as a political and religious weapon and as a means of social control.

Deep religion kills. Jesus gives life. In the Bible, Jesus says:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
(John 10:10 AMP)

Turn away from religiousity and follow Christianity.