Fruits of Religious Fundamentalism

I came across this story which downright sickens me via Civil Commotion (http://www.civilcommotion.com/). It shows yet again the poisonous fruits of fundamentalist religion be it Muslim or Christian. It also demonstrates the problem of foreign fundamentalists who immigrate to western nations such as the USA, Europe, Canada and Australia and bring their f**ked beliefs with them. We have enough religious lunatics already without allowing in more. In addition, while western democracies allow religious freedom, somehow more must be done to make it clear to these immigrants that this type of barbaric behavior will not be tolerated. If they cannot conform to western societal norms against such conduct, then they need not immigrate.

I can only hope that the victims' father is apprehended and - while I have very real reservations about the death penalty as applied in this country - given a death sentence which is promptly carried out. Perhaps having daughters of my own, I simply cannot understand such religious based barbarity. Once again, I find myself thinking that religion harbors and causes so much evil. Here are some highlights from the Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/010608dnmetfunerals.216ceab.html):

Sarah and Amina Yaser Said looked luminescent in their pink dresses, a pink flower in each girl's hair. One might have thought the sisters were sleeping were it not for the matching pink-lined caskets that held them. Their Christian funeral service Saturday – followed by a Muslim service later in the day – served as a reminder of the promise their short lives held and the needless tragedy of their deaths. Police believe they were killed by their father, a 50-year-old cabdriver. And the police presence was a reminder that the girls' Egyptian-born father, Yaser Abdel Said, is still on the run.

Gail Gartrell, the sisters' great-aunt, said Saturday that Mr. Said had physically abused the two girls for years. Around Christmas, the girls' mother – Ms. Gartrell's niece – had fled because of Mr. Said's threats to kill the girls after he learned they had boyfriends, she said. "She ran with them because she knew he would carry out the threat," Ms. Gartrell said. "This was an honor killing." She said her niece returned after Mr. Said told her that he would move out so they could reconcile. Within a few days, she said, the girls were dead.