# In the name of God! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 19, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546 "2014-07-19T19:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/1 "2014-07-19T19:29:42Z")
There are many reasons why I would not argue with someone who says they’ve lost faith in humanity. Indeed, it seems new reasons, new revelations about human evil in the world, are added daily, with the only real mystery being which one will be the most hope-destroying. Well, today there is no mystery. [This article from the New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/world/asia/struggling-to-keep-afghan-girl-safe-after-a-mullah-is-accused-of-rape.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news) not only describes today’s candidate for most despicable human action but, it seems to me, has gained automatic entry into the finals of the ‘Humanity Deserves Itself Competition’. What follows is graphic, so you’ve been forewarned. Graphic in its description and retelling, and graphic in its detestation of those who would murder a raped child, in the name of God. By his own admission, an Afghan mullah had sex with Nahal\* (\*I call her Nahal strictly for convenience - I have no idea what her real name is). Nahal is thought to be ten-years-old; like most of the poor in Afghanistan, she has no birth certificate and no one can be certain of her exact age. What is certain, though, is that Nahal was pre-pubescent, having neither pubic hair nor commenced menstruating. Evidently a beautiful child, she drew the attention of the mullah who had only moments earlier been instructing her in the Quran. And what attention it was! So much attention that he left her with a ripped vagina. A vagina that is now continuous with her rectum - a [rectovaginal fistula](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780174/). An often intractable, life changing problem even when it occurs in a woman with access to state of the art medical care, it will, in this Afghani child, condemn her to life of oozing feces from her vagina not to mention repeated, unceasing, urinary tract infections. But that’s only if she lives - if the mullah and his supporters (who are not just many in number, but powerful in influence as well) have their way, Nahal will soon be killed. Given that this group also includes a good many of her male relatives, that this will be her fate seems all but inevitable. You see, she has brought shame to the good mullah. It is a straightforward thing, then: she must die. No matter that she was a virgin and nearly bled to death after he tore her vagina. No matter that, at 40 pounds, the difference in their weight and strength would have made resistance physically impossible. But most of all, as anyone who understands such things must surely agree: since she _consented_ to have sex with the good mullah, he did nothing wrong. Can his innocence be any clearer? Alas, those who tried to shelter her from the vengeance that was percolating around her could only do so much. They are few in number and lack resources. So, when her protectors placed Nahal in a shelter, it was only a matter of time before she, and the innocence and humanity she embodies, was betrayed. Nahal was taken from it ostensibly to go back under the protection of her family. The same family which had refrained from killing her only because she had been in the shelter and beyond their reach. Here I sit, six thousand miles away, my daughter out with friends. If the rain holds off, we’ll probably have a barbecue when she comes home. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/2 "2014-07-19T20:21:36Z")
We can’t be the world’s policeman… But, damn, I wish someone would. We tried to bring the basic concepts of universal human rights to Afghanistan. They didn’t give a shit. When the alliance withdraws, that region will return to this kind of thing. We’re condemning millions to slavery, rape, forced ignorance, torture… But to extend the occupation long enough to compel some level of civilization on them is unworkable. Ultimately, the fault is in human nature. We’re a species capable of this kind of shit. We’re also capable of doing things right. So…do the best you can, with the corner of the universe that you can influence. If you can’t make things better in Kabul, try to make things better in your own home town. That’s all we’ve got. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/3 "2014-07-19T22:30:33Z")
How can a religious society be a failure? Just like this. This girl is raped in a mosque, by a mullah, and the clear response is to kill this girl. The girl’s own father is pressured by fellow villagers to kill his daughter after she’s raped and now permanently injured by a religious figure. > [@](#): > > FROM ARTICLE: In the hospital room, the doctor found the girl’s mother holding her child’s hand, and both were weeping. “My daughter, may dust and soil protect you now,” Dr. Sarwari quoted the mother as saying. “We will make you a bed of dust and soil. We will send you to the cemetery where you will be safe.” That’s where I lost it. But how can the mother think this? She’ll be “protected” by being murdered and buried? But how can we even blame the mother for thinking this? Their ancient and barbaric religious values are beyond common decency. This society has raped the minds of every person in their belief. Especially their women, who of course, bring life. I used to say that Afghanistan was 500 years behind society. Now I believe they’re from another planet. Anyone who accepts this behavior as a way of life can hardly be considered human. I really hope Dr. Sarwari and all who support Women for Afghan Women can help to change some minds and make them see how disgusting and unacceptable these men and their forced values really are. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/4 "2014-07-19T23:24:38Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > We’re condemning millions to slavery, rape, forced ignorance, torture… I extracted this from your post just because I think this is wrong in several ways. The fact that we were not able to impose civilization on savages is not, I believe, our fault. In trying to do so we caused a lot of damage and hard feelings. Our motives were self-serving more than altruistic, but we still did our clumsy best to make some kind of modern nation out of this horrible backwater, and to bring modern notions of justice. We failed but not, I believe, through lack of trying. I would also like to say that I don’t believe religion has anything much to do with this tragedy/travesty. This is ignorant tribal paternalism, and whatever religion happened to be dominant would have served just as well. The “culture” in this part of the world is that men have no self-control when it comes to sex, and so if inappropriate sex happens it is the fault of the female for somehow being attractive and not hiding herself completely from view and not avoiding all contact with men outside the family. (I’m not sure if the family is any particular protection, since fathers raping daughters is also not unknown.) I don’t know what will change this, except I hope time and further exposure to the concept of equality of the sexes, of the value of every individual, male or female, to choose their own associations whether sexual or otherwise. Having said all this rational shit, I would really like to take this mullah and hang him upside down by his balls until he dies. I hope expressing this wish in a post this does not violate the rules of the board. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/5 "2014-07-19T23:29:15Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > There are many reasons why I would not argue with someone who says they’ve lost faith in humanity. Indeed, it seems new reasons, new revelations about human evil in the world, are added daily, with the only real mystery being which one will be the most hope-destroying. Well, today there is no mystery. [This article from the New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/world/asia/struggling-to-keep-afghan-girl-safe-after-a-mullah-is-accused-of-rape.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news) not only describes today’s candidate for most despicable human action but, it seems to me, has gained automatic entry into the finals of the ‘Humanity Deserves Itself Competition’. > > What follows is graphic, so you’ve been forewarned. Graphic in its description and retelling, and graphic in its detestation of those who would murder a raped child, in the name of God. > > By his own admission, an Afghan mullah had sex with Nahal\* (\*I call her Nahal strictly for convenience - I have no idea what her real name is). Nahal is thought to be ten-years-old; like most of the poor in Afghanistan, she has no birth certificate and no one can be certain of her exact age. What is certain, though, is that Nahal was pre-pubescent, having neither pubic hair nor commenced menstruating. Evidently a beautiful child, she drew the attention of the mullah who had only moments earlier been instructing her in the Quran. > > And what attention it was! So much attention that he left her with a ripped vagina. A vagina that is now continuous with her rectum - a [rectovaginal fistula](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780174/). An often intractable, life changing problem even when it occurs in a woman with access to state of the art medical care, it will, in this Afghani child, condemn her to life of oozing feces from her vagina not to mention repeated, unceasing, urinary tract infections. But that’s only if she lives - if the mullah and his supporters (who are not just many in number, but powerful in influence as well) have their way, Nahal will soon be killed. Given that this group also includes a good many of her male relatives, that this will be her fate seems all but inevitable. > > You see, she has brought shame to the good mullah. It is a straightforward thing, then: she must die. No matter that she was a virgin and nearly bled to death after he tore her vagina. No matter that, at 40 pounds, the difference in their weight and strength would have made resistance physically impossible. But most of all, as anyone who understands such things must surely agree: since she _consented_ to have sex with the good mullah, he did nothing wrong. Can his innocence be any clearer? > > Alas, those who tried to shelter her from the vengeance that was percolating around her could only do so much. They are few in number and lack resources. So, when her protectors placed Nahal in a shelter, it was only a matter of time before she, and the innocence and humanity she embodies, was betrayed. Nahal was taken from it ostensibly to go back under the protection of her family. The same family which had refrained from killing her only because she had been in the shelter and beyond their reach. > > Here I sit, six thousand miles away, my daughter out with friends. If the rain holds off, we’ll probably have a barbecue when she comes home. Sounds great to believe in the All Merciful Allah! ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/6 "2014-07-19T23:35:07Z")
I’ve read the OP and the linked article, twice. I thought I might be able to contribute something of value to this thread if I was able to get any understanding of the mindset of those who raped and now threaten to kill this child. Unfortunately, I have no words. In the name of God indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/7 "2014-07-20T01:07:41Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I extracted this from your post just because I think this is wrong in several ways. The fact that we were not able to impose civilization on savages is not, I believe, our fault. In trying to do so we caused a lot of damage and hard feelings. Our motives were self-serving more than altruistic, but we still did our clumsy best to make some kind of modern nation out of this horrible backwater, and to bring modern notions of justice. We failed but not, I believe, through lack of trying. > > I would also like to say that I don’t believe religion has anything much to do with this tragedy/travesty. . . . You say I’m wrong…but nothing here quite contradicts what I said. I agree with nearly everything you say here! (I wouldn’t use the word “savages.” I’m not quite sure what the proper word is to describe the overall Afghan society and culture, or the Taliban tyranny. For the latter, “assholes” comes to mind…) ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/8 "2014-07-20T02:01:31Z")
[What would Muhammad do?](http://www.muhammadanism.com/Hadith/Topics/Marriage.htm) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/9 "2014-07-20T04:10:58Z")
The intention of my OP was not to impugn Islam. My wrath was directed at those who would justify evil by appeal to religious authority, or indeed to some god itself. Those who pervert Islam simply to satisfy their needs and wants are no better or worse than those who invoked the name of Christ to slaughter ‘the infidel’, or in fact, anyone who would justify what is transparently wrong in the cause of right. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/10 "2014-07-20T06:10:57Z")
It’s like pedophile priests. In itself, it doesn’t undermine the religious teachings of the Catholic Church. At very worst, it indicates a cover-up culture that relied too much on traditions of unquestionable authority. It doesn’t impugn the religion. It merely confirms what we knew already: power corrupts. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/11 "2014-07-20T06:15:36Z")
So if I’m reading this correctly, the girl went home ‘last Tuesday’. Is this the latest that’s known? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/12 "2014-07-20T06:33:34Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > You say I’m wrong…but nothing here quite contradicts what I said. I agree with nearly everything you say here! > > (I wouldn’t use the word “savages.” I’m not quite sure what the proper word is to describe the overall Afghan society and culture, or the Taliban tyranny. For the latter, “assholes” comes to mind…) I was only arguing with the phrasing “we’re condemning millions” as if it were our primary responsibility to somehow stop it. I didn’t suppose there was much I was saying that you would disagree with, just clarifying a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/13 "2014-07-20T14:07:37Z")
And people wonder why I am so strongly anti-religion. This story is simply confirmation of the fact that religion of any kind is pure, concentrated evil. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/14 "2014-07-20T16:48:39Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > And people wonder why I am so strongly anti-religion. This story is simply confirmation of the fact that religion of any kind is pure, concentrated evil. Agreed. Religion really does poison everything. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/15 "2014-07-20T18:02:10Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > [What would Muhammad do?](http://www.muhammadanism.com/Hadith/Topics/Marriage.htm) I don’t know about Muhammad, but when it comes to Jesus, I think this calls for losing my shit, flipping over some tables and getting out the bullwhip. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/16 "2014-07-20T19:32:03Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Those who pervert Islam simply to satisfy their needs and wants are no better or worse than those who invoked the name of Christ to slaughter ‘the infidel’, or in fact, anyone who would justify what is transparently wrong in the cause of right. Why assume that these acts are perversions of the religions in question? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/17 "2014-07-20T19:52:11Z")
I’ve heard more than one person being interviewed about Afghanistan, being asked how long it would take for their culture to become more tolerant and more aligned with the universal declaration of human rights. The answer is usually ‘about 100 years’. That may not be enough time sadly. Ah well, at least the west and east Asia are still working on important stuff rather than this backwards nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/18 "2014-07-20T20:03:04Z")
What I don’t get is what would motivate any man to do something like this. She had to be screaming in pain and struggling the entire time. Religion arguments aside, this is one sick bastard who need a bullet in the fucking brain. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/19 "2014-07-20T21:51:58Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > Why assume that these acts are perversions of the religions in question? For me, it’s because it started with religious lessons in a religious building with a person of religious ranking (mullah). This rape is justified because their culture’s first and foremost story (Muhammed) took a young bride (9 years old). The men of this theocratic society rape, are not punished, the women treated like crap then murdered in this case. That is entirely from religion. I’ve never heard of any religion who considers women to be of a higher rank than men. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546/20 "2014-07-20T22:38:03Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > For me, it’s because it started with religious lessons in a religious building with a person of religious ranking (mullah). This rape is justified because their culture’s first and foremost story (Muhammed) took a young bride (9 years old). The men of this theocratic society rape, are not punished, the women treated like crap then murdered in this case. That is entirely from religion. I’ve never heard of any religion who considers women to be of a higher rank than men. Right, and that’s what makes these atrocities sound more like proper reflections of the religions in question than the perversions of them that **KarlGauss** asserted they are. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-name-of-god/693546.md?page=2)