It really saddens me that the Middle East still uses corporeal punishment for religious "crimes". Unfortunately, this is not the exception to the rule there. Also, I have a question for the Muslims on this board. I do not know that much about Islam, however, I did attend one seminary about Islam in the United States. The presenter stated that Islam does not have a "hierarchy" in the sense that Christian religions normally have. If so, how come does a political entity, the state, punish people corporeally and feel justified? Is there a Political-Muslim hierarchy rooted in the middle eastern culture that uses the Q'uran as law? I'm curious how come American/European Muslims do not speak out against Middle-Eastern Sharia more often? Or, perhaps they are and I just never read about it (a hopeful possibility).
Note: I am not casting stones on any of the Muslims on this board. I am simply inquiring about his or her interpretation/perspective of Sharia. Heaven knows that the the church I am affiliated with, the Roman Catholic Church, has plenty of examples of men abusing religious ideals in order to gain greater power and authority.
After Reading the article from the OP, I am grateful to be an American citizen.
