In Syria two women have been stoned to death for “adultery.” Bear in mind, in one case adultery was “not being a virgin.”

In separate incidents in a span of 24 hours, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) carried out executions against two woman in Syria, sentencing them to death by stoning over allegations of “adultery”. Unconfirmed reports claim that in at least one case, the woman was sentenced to death as her new husband found that she was not a virgin. Both incidents of death by stoning have been reported from Al Raqqa Province.

Religion is about the only means in human history that people can think not being a virgin is a greater crime than murder. It’s the only way a person guilty of the “crime” of having sex can be seen as less moral than the person who ended her life through the excruciating means of stoning. Religion of peace…right.

The antidote to this isn’t the “right” kind of religion: it’s critical thought and compassion. Absent those things ordinary people can be transformed into monsters that only look human.