Boy killed for being a witch

[DesDownunder]

Warning: Real life horror story. Read with caution for those who anger at mistreatment of other human beings.

At first look you might think this is an extreme case, but it is really no different to the harrowing indoctrination that corrupts the development of people's personal growth everywhere. It's true that the torture is not as physical, most of the time, but even so the denial of the freedom to experience life without being subjected to religious belief is just as damaging to the individual's psyche. Anyone, who forcibly, physically or mentally, obligates another person to believe as they do, is guilty of putting that person's freewill to death, and that is a murder which must not be allowed to escape retribution and correction. It is the reason that any religion and the State must be kept separate.

http://www.news.com.au/world/couple-guilty-of-witch-murder/story-e6frfkyi-1226286836897

[blue]

I have friends of various religious views: liberal, conservative; Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, several others; I have friends who are agnostic or atheist; I have one or more friends who say they are pagan or other variations on that; I have friends who may have native religious views. They are my friends because I like them and think they are good people. I have had good discussions with some of them about their beliefs, even if we don't believe the same things. They still have something worth discussing, and some point to it I might not have though of, without being able to talk with them.

I remember one discussion that went very well until one idiot spoke up to say her way was the only way, and the others were going to hell if they didn't convert. That pretty much killed all discussion right away. Including, oddly enough, with those nominally in the "same" religion. It was a clear example of how *not* to treat people. I told her and those friends, I liked the discussion, and disliked her telling people who were supposed to be her friends that they couldn't talk about what they believed, which I liked hearing about.

But... taking it further and killing someone because they don't act or believe as you do, in religion or something loosely like / related to religion? ...Right out of the Dark Ages.

Have we made so little progress, that some people would happily slide back into the muck of ignorance, fear, and forcing others to do what one person says?

I realize they'd argue he was "doing sinful things" or the like. How do they know? Did they ask him what he believes or does in worship? Probably not.

Yes, there are some people who worship things / gods and in ways I would not agree are right or good. -- If those people do wrong, morally or legally, that's for the courts to decide, not me as an individual or as part of some group vigilante action.

I didn't want to read the article right now. I may get brave and read it later.

Part of me wants to react with a smart aleck reference to the Monty Python and the Holy Grail skit.

Part of me just has trouble accepting that people, calling themselves whichever of various religions, want to kill people for believing differently than they do. Note I mean any of several religions which have intolerant people acting like that. Note also I do still consider myself to have a religious faith. I often have questions I'd like to ask the Big Guy, and I often do ask, so it's no secret to said Big Guy or anyone else.

If we don't learn to at least tolerate, if not accept and celebrate and value, the differences among our own species, then how are we ever going to grow beyond our foolishness and reach out into the solar system, let alone beyond that?

Klaatu, barada nikto.

Where's the next shuttle off this benighted little mudball?

[DesDownunder]

Thanks Blue, that was a well presented and thoughtful reply, much of with which I agree.

I should point out that Blue and I are not of the same religious backgrounds, but we have an ongoing friendly dialogue because we respect each other's position.

As for contacting the mothership, I think we've been abandoned, maybe because our ancestors were the ones with a defective tolerance gene.

[JamesSavik]

I thought that we were past this sort of thing.

[Guest Dabeagle]

There will always be a regressive part of humanity that thinks of 'the good old days'. As a species we have a long way to go, for the good of us all we have to keep trying even in the face of utter stupidity.

[The Pecman]

People from the Congo, torturing and killing a teenage relative in London. Jesus.