Rifqa Barry: Fact or Fiction?
Comments (20)
August 26th, 2009
This is a complicated story to say the least. Rifqa Barry converts to Christianity and then runs away from home for fear of an honor killing. Running from Ohio to Florida, Rifqa claims that if she is returned home her father will kill her, as she claims it is his duty.
Honor killings happen around the world and the UN estimates that over 5,000 women a year are killed from honor killings. How do we or a judge decide that Rifqa's father really will murder her and that this is not just some story of teen angst.
We like to believe that parents have the best interest of their children in mind. We must keep in mind that there is a chance that her parents really do love her and just want her safe at home. Who's decision is this to make? This story is straight out confusing but at least it is raising awareness about Radical Islam. However, does Rifqa's family fall into this category?
Let's hear what you have to say. Whose decision should this be? Even if there is a chance of an honor killing is that enough? What impact do you think this case will have? 
Comments
You ask yourself or to anyone out there whether or not Rifqa's father will really kill her daughter because she is a Christian now.
GHSR Global Human Studies & Research. Org is a non-profit body operating in the field of human research and is studiying cases like this one for years.
We find ourselves free to respond on your post.
There's no reason to doubt or to question whether or not Rifqa's case is fact or fiction. If you (still) do then something should be reconsider what is standard to you.
From a human point of view it can look like this:
Asking if is fact or fiction is actually a struggle when you can not put the things on the right place because of missing information, conflicting information, or other circumstances information is reaching you.
The best way is to research deeper into the issue if it is interesting to you by referring a range of different (professional) sources instead of what you can read on social network sites.
Finding the answer whether or not it is fact or fiction is also related with human's habit of "can't without evidence".
In Europe, honor killings are mostly related with ARABIC family and society customs and standards, not fundamentally with the religion of Islam. We also can see that in the countries of their origins.
GHSR Europe knows three similar cases (UK,Netherlands).
GHSR Global Human Studies & Research.Org
FACT: This page states that there are "5,000 honour killings a year" in the Muslim world. A. Very few of them occur because of apostasy. B. There are over 1,000 women killed every year in the United States in domestic situations. 300 million Americans...1.5 billion Muslims...per 100,000 people, this rate is the same. Where are all the articles about how dangerous it is for a woman to be an American? Where is the media condemnation of American culture for its tolerance of abuse against women?
FACT: Why don't Americans READ their own bible? Look at what the Old Testament mandates the death penalty for!!! It is even stricter than the Quran. It is false that the Quran mandates death for adultery--it does not. This came from a body of work called the Hadith, and was based upon the Torah/Old Testament (Islam considers Moses to be a prophet along with Mohammed and Jesus).
FACT: in many Islamic countries, Arab Christians live peacefully with the Muslim majority.
FACT: I am a Christian who lived in a Muslim country for years. Honour killings are very rare. I saw Muslim girls get away with shit all the time that they weren't killed for. I saw Muslim girls elope and run away with boys their parents didn't approve of. Their parents tracked them down and brought them home, and tried to sweep it all under the carpet and keep it hush hush in the community, hoping no one would notice. But they did not kill the girl, and the girl in that example went on to graduate from University. I saw married women having adulterous affairs and have older husbands look the other way, as they did not want to lose the caregiving of their young wives. Feminist/Evangelical groups are misleading ppl in to thinking every girl in an "honour killing" was innocent. Many girls and women guilty of zina get away with it, what are the odds that the only ones that get killed are the ones that turned out to be innocent. It is a testament to the overwhelming power of our genes (some would say "shaytan") that with all the risk and consequences, women can still be sluts. It is because they make decisions with their emotions and feelings not with with logic.
I think Americans (including the ones running this site) are writing a bunch of bullshit about people that they do not know and have vilified just like the Nazi's wrote a bunch of bullshit about Jews.
To summarize: This girl was manipulated by Evangelical Christians into badmouthing her decent, caring parents who loved her. The Evangelicals were driven by hatred and pure evil. What kind of person lures another parents' kids into converting out of their religion and then giving statements badmouthing the parents. These people that played this girl are like Nazis and Stalinists, and if their is a Heaven and Hell, they should be punished in hell for their evil.
shes just a stupid teen who is scared of her father!
Yes I'm with you!! She is an idiot!! It looks like she just wanted to be with that Muslim guy who also converted into Christianity!! She is a fucking whore!!
The newsclip again is - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_arabs_sexual_harassment
1. Recent newsclip: “Harassment Across Arab World Drives Women Inside”.
Read: http//:news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_arabs_sexual_harassment
Pretty darn pathetic for the muslim males to behave this way…in such a primitive manner. You’d think by this time - going on 2010 - they would have evolved on
this planet quite a bit more than this; the dispicable neanderthalic way they present or portray themselves as is depicted in this newsclip.
Honor Killings happen in the US. Google search SARAH AND AMINA SAID. Westernized muslim women, watch your back.
Great blog. Can't wait to start my own blog.
It’s quite a shock but things like this do happen, The case is not of Radical Islam. It’s a simple case of illiteracy. it’s easy for you to label Islam as radical however when we see gross atrocities in the name of religion by Christians or Jews it’s not Radical at all. According to Islam the rules are simple, if you denounce Islam then the penalty is death however that can only be practised in an Islamic State.
If America is in true sense a Free State then it will allow her to practice her religion and her parents are also free to practise their but I hardly doubt they will Kill their own child.
The case is simple yet made complicated by everyone pointing fingers on religions. The point is that we should look at the matter legally and rationally rather than pointing fingers on others beliefs. All that will achieve is more contempt among human beings from all walks of life.
Loyalty to God trumps loyalty to any state - every Moslem, Christian and Jew knows that. The rules of Sharia apply in the USA and everywhere, and if they don't kill when religion says 'kill' it is ONLY because they lack the firepower to impose sharia on us all. For now.
By the way, I'm a Catholic. I believe Jesus is God and Pope Benedict has a God-given right to lead Christianity. If anyone wants to praise or condemn my behaviour I hope they WILL start pointing fingers at my beliefs, they are my standards. Oh, and, I DON'T believe I have any right or duty to go to war with everyone who says I'm wrong. I suggest everyone read both pro and anti Islam sites like this (pro) http://islam101.net/ and this (anti) http://www.jihadwatch.org/islam-101.html
God bless y'all
She's 17. Can't she be emancipated? She's just a few months away from being 18, which means she can leave home if she wishes. If 16-year-olds can be tried as adults in criminal cases, the same standard should be applied in this case, with someone old enough and intelligent enough to know what she is doing. Honor killings do happen. In America. Look at the following article: Lewisville cab driver had been investigated for previous abuse | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011008...
@Amanda
To Amanda: I appreciate you post since you claim to have some knowledge of Rafqa and her family. What seems naive, however, is that you "have known her for many years" and characterize her as a "very smart and talented young woman" whom you've always "looked up to," yet you essentially slough off her concern that her life is at risk and assume she must be blowing things out of proportion. I truly hope you're right in that she is not at risk. But surely you must see the conflict here. Either she is deceiving you - or the parents you know "personally" are deceiving you - but both can't be right. You're betting on the parents and not the girl "you've always looked up to" and who has "always wanted the best." Only God knows the truth. But until it's revealed, this girl should not be forced to return!
I've just finished reading several reports, including an article with Times magazine. Feeling confused.
How can someone possibly prove that her parents threatened this? What, they're going to stand up and say, "Yes. We threatened to send our daughter away to be killed!". That's ludicrous. They'd be banned from the country. It's literally her word against theirs. And what's with the media's bizarre bent of finger pointing towards the church? I don't understand. What of a child who's encouraged by a counselor to speak up regarding sexual abuse and gets told that it was all imagined in their head because the accused adult denies it ever happening?
Regardless of who blows this thing out of proportion, I'm just glad that someone is taking this girl seriously and letting her be heard.
Honor killing is indirectly accepted in Muslim Nations. especially in the area of a Muslim converting to Christianity, since its accepted in Islam, the police themselves, being devote Muslims keep a blind eye because if Allah the great judge allowed it , who are they to refute it as a wrong doing!?!
it is confusing and to the west, inconceivable. Rifqa's fear is justified. the parents are not evil, they are afraid of judgment day, they are devote Muslims who truly believe that it is right and responsibility to kill their daughter since to them, Islam is the only way to Allah, and God commanded to kill the infidels. there is no tolerance in Islam. Something the west is unable to see nor conceive.
If you go to the following link, I think it would prove enlightening on the issue of killing apostates in relation to the Rifqa Barry case: http://www.answeringmuslims.com/
No one can know what is in the hearts of this young woman's parents. What we DO know, is that islam allows honor killings, and especially for those who reject islam for Christ. The court must do all that is in it's power to protect this child from the worst. All of us pray that her parents love her too much to murder her, but reality is often cruel, and for the court to err, and cost Rifqa her life would be a far worse tragedy than to keep her safely away from her parents until she turns 18.
Let us not forget the many others who thought their parents loved them too much to murder them. Let's not add to that already tragically too high tally.
Americans MUST come to understand, islam is NOT religion! That is why we MUST believe Rifqa's life IS in danger if she is returned.
Honor killing happen all the time in the great ole US of A. amanda,I am sure that the network TV station owner's wife did'nt think her husband would cut her head off either. But to be a good muslum, he thought he should.When are you people going to awake? To follow the Quran is to be a good muslum.And jihad and honor killings are part of that.It all starts with islam. This girl is not making this crap up. She deserves to be protected.Moderate or radical, islam is the common denominator
Do you really want to know how Islam, as well as Hindus and Buddhist religious radicals persecute Christians in other countries??
Please go to 'Google search' engine and, type up "Christian are persecuted around the world". It will open up many websites with you tube videos that would shock you.
The Muslims,Hindus and Buddhist persecute Christians around the world whenever they can, but these religious group find the Western world a safe heaven to preach their religions!! We Christians give them freedom, privilege and quality as human beings. Hope some of these people will begin to see our Christian western human values.
I have known rifqa barry for many years.
We've known each other since 3rd grade.
I personally know her parents, and her entire family.
I do not think that her father will hurt her at all, this is all being blown out of proportion. Her parents just want her back home safe & sound. Rifqa is a very smart & talented young woman. I've always looked up to her, she has always wanted to be the best. The last time i saw her was last august when she came to visit in New York, where she lived before moving to Ohio. I have not spoken to her in months but I do hope that all of this will be forgotten & she returns home safely and talk to hr parents.
So please Rifqa, go home, I wish the best for you!
I think this poor girl is justified in fleeing her father. Honor killings are a real and a present danger. America is supposed to be a place of safety and security to practice your religion. She should be allowed to practice Christianity, its not SHE who is killing anyone. Radical Islam is not a joke people, WAKE UP!