Reading my post requires exercising some relativism, as hard as that may be for individuals who struggle percieving the world in ways other than their own.
Suspending judgement, taking the life of an individual as a form of punishment for breaking law, be it governmentally or religiously implemented, plays a reoccuring theme in history's description of man. I can understand why the fatal stoning of a woman for adultery would result given the circumstances and conditions of that specific kind of life. Relativistically, given the fabric of radical islam-- which incorporates the understanding of a woman's role and the importance of obeying dogmatic principles (including with emphasis the relationship between a man and a woman), the stoning of women (and also men) to death for commiting adultery all of a sudden becomes common practice. Analogically as common as imprisoning those who realize their pediphillic tendancies in the Western World; and as common as not implementing punishment for commiting abortion (although the country remains split with this issue).
Once again, it comes down to the relativistic nature that creates divides within the human race.
An answer to these comparison questions;--"What is more right, What is more wrong?"-- requires an intellectual tool. This intellectual tool should need to manifest itself as a universal understanding among all, kind of like a universal principle or law.
It is often argued that the most basic universal principle, that should be acknowledged and obeyed by all, is the idea that one musnt encroach upon anothers being without consent. Western in origin, this universal prinicple is broad at best, but lays a solid foundation for creating boundaries and creating stemming principles that contribute to a society with order, a global society that shares a common good. Some would say that the aforementioned universal principle is too liberal, for who is man to cognize or CREATE a law that envelopes the being of every person. This principle, however, may realize itself via adhering to a higher power, and this is when things begin to create unbridgable divides, which I personally find distasteful and a shame. My opinion on this is a product of my dislike for totality and its devices in belief systems.
Back to the original topic.
Emotionally, I am automatically inclined to deny justification for the stoning of a woman or man for commiting adultery. Too many variables play such intricate roles in the life of a human being that constitute and contribute to the actions we make for us to take life based on an action percieved under the dogmatic spectrum of though. Husbands beat wives, some people are just not meant to be together. One very solid truth regarding human beings, is our diversity on an individual level. Knowing this truth, and pairing it with a custom that emphasizes arranged marriages--the result is self explanatory and there are bound to be couples who simply can not work together.
I am not condoning adultery, if marriage, or any relationship, is not fucntioning as it should, I find it important for both individuals to find mediums in communication to realize incompatabilities and eventually remeasure the value of that particular relationship. Islam, of course, is very much against divorce--a common ideal with the top 3 religions. A religious social atmosphere sometimes makes it difficult for people to lead happy lives, but it is also true that many choose the religious life for the happiness it brings them. Now we have a situation consisting of a religiously instituted society, containing religious followers and non-followers. The non-followers, the adulterers, will suffer the consequences.
I love religion, very much, because to me, religion is the perfect exemplification of the human spirit and its strength. Religion is very strong and brings both the best and worste out of an individual, based on whatever angle of the window your observing from. I am, however, a believer in a separation of church and state, simply because of diversity and diversity alone. Until only one form of church exists (never), the unification of humans to strive for a common good may only be made possible by leaving religious thread out of the fabric that weaves society together.
Topic: Honour killing.