November 2010

The following is in response to a Hamilton Spectator article entitled, 'The Failed Culture Behind Honour Killing'.

Richelle Wiseman’s article which challenges the culture behind honour killing was both well written and thought through yet contained some inaccuracy.  While she clearly states her stance (and Canada’s) against honour killing she attempts to spread the blame around to the point of including Christians of such hideous crime in an attempt to avoid Islamophobia.

I challenge her knowledge of Christ’s teaching and His example when he lived among mankind prior to His resurrection.

John chapter 8, Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery and said that the Law of Moses required the she be stoned.  They demanded of Him what He said was to be done with her.  Jesus simply stooped down and wrote in the sand with His finger.  They continued to press Jesus for a response and so He stood up and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. ” Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust. The accusers one by one slipped away until there were none left.  He then stood up and said to her, “Where are your accusers?  Neither do I condemn you.  Go and sin no more.”

Christ by example dismissed stoning as a means of dealing with adultery (except when stones are thrown by the sinless which excludes everyone) while at the same time reinforcing that adultery is sin and that she was not to continue in her ways.

Richelle Wiseman in her article rightfully condemns honour killing and the unjust practice of holding women to purity standards of which men are not held to.  Such injustice is man-made and is not supported by Christ’s teachings. Unfortunately, her article seems to infer that sexual purity is patriarchal and an oppression of women.  We must be careful not to diminish the significance of sexual purity for both men and women.

Purity standards are part of God’s plan for mankind referred to by some as common grace.  Purity is a virtue for men and women which would benefit Canadian society tremendously by reducing sexually transmitted disease rates, single mom homes, rape and poverty while contributing to the intimacy and fidelity of marriage.

Hold men and women accountable to the same purity standards, absolutely, dismiss purity as a patriarchal oppression, absolutely not.