The Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS, now controls large parts of Syria and Iraq. All areas controlled by the Islamic State are sentenced to the decrees and rules laid down by this extremist Islamic faction. The article “ISIS: Horrifying Photos Show Man and Woman Being Stoned to Death ‘For Pre-Marital Sex’” written by Richard Wheatstone on March 30th 2015 shares some photos of a couple who were stoned to death. Richard Wheatstone reports that these two, who were most likely in their twenties, were taken before a crowd of hundreds of people. There one of the militants read from a piece of paper that they were charged with fornication, or having sex before marriage and the punishment for their crime, death by stoning. A witness states that the woman died after the third hit and the man died shortly after. Richard Wheatstone goes on to inform the reader that this is not the first public execution for breaking cultural and religious laws preformed by the Islamic State. Wheatstone ends the article by stating that these brutal punishments are spreading panic in the Islamic State’s lands.
Uwe Siemon-Netto mentions very similar occurrences happening during the Vietnam War in his book titled Triumph of the Absurd: A Reporter’s Love for the Abandoned People of Vietnam. According to Uwe Siemon-Netto during 1968 in Hue Vietnam the Vietcong, or the communist extremists, would hold Kangaroo trials where they accused and executed anyone who were not supporters of the revolution. The current estimated death toll from these trials is between 2 500 to 6 000. It is revealed that this caused massive amounts of panic in Hue, because many were unwilling to speak to the “American” (Uwe Siemon-Netto) because they were afraid of being viewed as against the revolution.
While this connection may not be important, there is one point I would like to propose. History repeats itself. In the Vietnam War the Communistic North Vietnam eventually won the war. The important query that must now be asked is will the Islamic States also win their war, as they are using similar tactics to the Vietcong? Also if the Islamic States are using the same tactics as the Vietcong, have the allied forces learned a way to counter-attack yet? Has the world learned from its past, or are we simply repeating it?
Either way if you are interested in reading some more about the Islamic States executions there are some links. Also make sure to check out all the other postings at #uwreligions for more outlooks on current news.
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/sick-isis-killers-blindfold-gay-5246481
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/isis-fighters-throw-man-roof-4784798
Understanding World Religions 