The society we live in right now is more hypocritical than ever, where the victim is punished and the criminal is given all help. This is compounded by the fact that even in this century of the common man some hypocritical Pharasiees still exist to use religion as a tool of repression instead of a tool of freedom. Religion is supposed to save a person but everywhere it is being used to trample on the rights of individuals. And the fairer sex are bearing the worst of it.

The latest in this long line of religious/traditional hypocrisy is the story of Imrana, who was raped by her father-in-law in India. The Muslim law board instead of condemning the vile act and punishing the perpetuator of the crime issued a fatwa against the mother of five to separate her from her husband and children. This is not an isolated case. The other headline generating case is going on in Pakistan where a tribal court ordered the rape of Mai to punish her because of her 13 year old brother’s relationship with a women. In each of these case, the government has not stepped in as they are supposed to and have let these vile lonely old men to trample on the rights of the victims. I personally believe that in a secular society the law of the land is paramount and sovereign over any tribal/religious customs of laws.

This exploitation of victims, most of whom are women, is not confined to a particular region or religion. The above two examples were Muslims, but other religions do have their hypocritical notions. I have known of cases in rural India, where the village panchayat orders such brutal punishment like parading women naked through the streets to teach the Lower castes a lesson. The Hindu caste system is a real bane on the Indian society. And these punishments are usually for perceived slights on the upper caste by the lower caste.

The Christians don’t have the caste system or the shariat, but we have in words of Jesus “White washed tomb stones”, preachers with holier than though attitude and a judgmental spirit. Jesus was all about love and forgiving but a few Christians I know are all about judging and condemning. Jesus washed the disciple’s feet and had the last supper with them, but the Christians of today talk about refusing to give the Eucharist to people who support abortion. We talk about pro-life issues but have no real love for the people going through it. Instead of looking at the victims of rape through a humane eye we look at them with a hypocritical eye and judge them. We offer no solution to the stigma of rape but want them to carry the sign of it for the rest of their life. All in the name of a loving God.

“Men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains”