Melting Snow

The Sunday News: Windows and Honor Killings

Sunday, July 17, 2016

World Peace  (ASR) Open the Gate and let the cat in or let the dog out. #2090334 by Prosperous Snow celebrating

The Joy and the Pain of Summer  (ASR) Summer in Las Vegas brings back memories of Oklahoma. #2090421 by Prosperous Snow celebrating

The Sunday News prompt for "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" 
This week, Microsoft said they won't be able to meet their goal of having 1 billion Windows 10 users  . I use Windows 10 and it's fine for everything I do; others feel passionately different. What's your take? Is the operating system important, or do you not care as long as the device itself still works?

I liked all the earlier Windows operating systems despite the fact that sometimes under certain conditions they were a pain in the head to deal with. I didn't mind the minor or major issues I sometimes encountered in those editions. The only big issues I remember encountering is the "Blue Screen of Death", which pissed me off when it happened during a writing session when I hadn't saved for about thirty minutes. Those experiences taught me to save every five or ten minutes so that I wouldn't lose very much if it happened. The next time I layout money for a computer I will get the Windows 10 system because I'm used to Windows and don't care to learn another operating system unless I'm forced to. Of course, I could change my mind if I go an extremely good deal on a new computer with a different operating system, but free technical support along with a free trial period would have to be included in writing.

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Now to a news item that is close to my heart. It concerns the treatment of women and "honor killing" or rather murders because that is what they are. Women are being murdered across the world because they transgress conservative standards. This happened recently in Pakistan when Waseem Azeem1 murdered his sister Qandeel Baloch2. I'm not sure how we, in the international community, can put a stop to this superstitious reaction to a male concept of family honor.

God created men and women as equals. In fact the story of the creation of Eve in the bible suggest that God created women for men to love rather then treat as servants or slaves. In the Christian bible God created Eve from Adam's rib and if you will check the location of your ribs they are close to the heart which suggests God intended women to be loved and respected by men. According to Questions on Islam3 in the article How was the first woman created?4 Allah (the Muslim name for God) created Eve (the first woman) from the left rib of Adan (the first man).

"...Allah Almighty created Eve from Adams left rib. In the meantime, Adam took a little nap. As soon as he awoke from his sleep, he saw Eve beside him. He was first surprised and then a familiarity and warmth took place between them."5

The only way to overcome superstition, which lead to hate, misunderstanding, and "honor killings" is education and an independent search for truth. We can't rely on someone else's opinion of what any Holy Book (including our own says). There are numerous scholars in every religion that can interrupt a specific Holy Book what we have to do is figure out if what that scholar says is based on love of God or the desire for power. In most cases, these two motives are incompatible.

Footnotes
1  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/qandeel-baloch-brother-pakistan-murdered-honor-faceb...
2  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistani-model-qandeel-baloch-dead-offend-conservat...
3  http://www.questionsonislam.com/
4  http://www.questionsonislam.com/article/how-was-first-woman-created
5  ibid