There is an Iranian guy who started visiting this forum - Mischa Tal; if you are reading this, what do you think about this?
Thanks, Hanna, for handing over the microphone.
I've already spent a lifetime engaging in quarrel after quarrel over most trivial things like religion or morality. And I just can't get enough of it!
Anyway, if you are asking, I'll be obliged to answer. Here's my two cents on it:
1-The whole thing being barbaric.
I absolutely agree. That doesn't mean that I think death penalty is barbaric in general. I do believe that there are particular cases in which execution is the only meaningful measure to take. But killing people for adultery, that goes way beyond reason.
Not a single person among those I know approves of it.
As a matter of incidental interest, what's the difference between this method or that method of execution? Why is stoning so horrible while firing squad is "honorable"? Why should any sane person think that by lethal injection, the victim is "rescued" from the electrical chair? The horror is in death itself. If we are against it, our argument should be directed against execution, rather than it's means.
2-Islam
Many Islamic scholars argue that we should stop these things, so as not to contribute to anti-Islamic feeling in the West. There's much to say about that, maybe some other time...
3-There must be hundreds of thousands who are unfaithful in their marriages in Iran...Pray for a miracle...
Clever point, and absolutely true. This is the rule: there must be eye witness testimony from four individuals who have seen the couple while engaged in the deed. People often prefer to do it privately, so the four-witnesses condition is not satisfied usually.
Iranian human rights activists have been busy for quite a while trying to stop this stupid thing. And not in vain altogether.
4-An invasion is needed
D'ya think? But I thought you're a pacifist!
Trouble is that it's easier said than done. I'm sure the Americans wouldn't think twice if it was all that simple. Saddam Hussein was backed by the United States, the Soviets, and most European countries. He tried to do it for eight years. Eight years. Those weapons of mass destruction that Americans couldn't find in Iraq were used against Iran.
Iran is kinda tough, if I can put it that way.
5-It's what the majority of people there [i.e. here] wanted.
Look it up in your history books, I prithee, and you'll find out that the Revolution took place some 30 years ago. Things have changed. What the majority of people here want is vivid through what happened last summer.
To get back to the topic, I agree that it's horrible, barbaric, etc. And many other Iranians are like-minded.