Is Modern Civilization "Civilized"?

If everyone howled at every injustice, every act of barbarianism, every act of unkindness, then we would be taking the first step towards true humanity. ~Nelson DeMille

Today, I would like to introduce Joseph Randell Sherman. I met Joseph through Facebook and, based on his kind and gentle spirit, I've asked him to be a guest writer. When I asked Joseph what he would like me to put here for a biographical note about him, he gave me the following poem which he wrote:

lightseed
by Joseph Randell Sherman

here and now
i am
unique vibration
conscious of being
wrapped in gift
of senses
rippling ‘cross
the waters
echoing
the divine
creation

Joseph wrote a heartfelt and passionate article about spiritual and religious inhumanity. And now, with great pride, Joseph Randell Sherman:

Is Modern Civilization “Civilized”?
by Joseph Randell Sherman

From the moment I first learned about the case of Sakineh Mohammedie Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery, my eyes welled with tears. I began praying, daily, for some kind of intervention, whether human or divine. Perhaps my prayers and those of others have been answered, because the latest news in this case is that Iran has denied that she will be executed in such a barbarous way.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/08/iran.stoning/index.html?hpt=P1&fbid=a_W5eV16U2-

I hope that this true, yet I still think that this topic remains worthy of  further discussion. There is no doubt in my mind that there are many more cases just like this one. This is just the only one being spotlighted on the world stage at this time. I believe that we must all pay serious attention to this. This is not just about one woman’s life. This is about humanity and human rights.

What they had planned to do was bury this woman up to her chest and allow others to throw stones at her until she was dead. Mind you, that in this process, the stones are not to be large enough to kill the person right away. No, they are of a measured size designed to inflict suffering for a long period of time. Please take time to read more about this barbaric practice at http://www.stop-stoning.org/faq_stoning.

If you have the stomach for it, buy the DVD titled “The Stoning of Soraya M.” which is a true story of another Iranian woman who was stoned to death in 1986 for the same alleged crime of adultery.

Even if Sakineh is not stoned to death, it is still likely that she will be put to death in some other way for her alleged adultery. Let’s talk about that for a moment. It was only after she had received 99 lashes that she “confessed” to her alleged crime. So this woman has already suffered greatly (her body is scarred for the rest of her life) for something of which she is, most likely, innocent. Now the Iranian Court system is demanding more … they want her to die.

How can such a travesty of justice exist? You must understand that, under Sharia Law, a woman’s testimony is worth only half that of a man. In this particular case, no evidence was even presented before the court.  They simply made a judgment based on heresay. Let’s assume, just for a moment, that Sakineh, did in fact, commit adultery. If that is true, then who is the man she committed adultery with and what consequences will he suffer? Under Sharia Law, women are punished while men go free. What’s more likely in this case is that some man raped her and now the victim is being punished for being victimized.


Again, this is not just about one woman. If Sakineh is allowed to be put to death, it will be a scar on humanity and we will all pay the price.

 “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” ~Jesus (according to the Bible)


*Authors Note: I am against the death penalty in any country, including the United States.
~Joseph Randel Sherman, 2010
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. -Elie Wiesel