AIBU to think this is an act of child cruelty?

[RedPoppyRed]

It is a daily fail link and I will say WARNING it is a distressing picture.

For those who don't want to see it the picture it is of a religious ceremony where by a small child of about 18 months is having his forehead cut open as an act of commemoration. He looks terrified.

AIBU to believe that respect and homage could have been shown by using paint instead of inflicting injury on a child?

There is in my mind no religion that promotes the harming of children (or anyone else for that matter) and this barbaric practice should be stopped.

WARNING GRAPHIC PICTURE

What you describe is if course child cruelty, I'm surprised you even gave to ask. I'm not going to click on a link that you describe in such barbaric terms though.

YABVU if you really need to ask whether that is child cruelty or not.

Omg not opening link

Apologies if the title gave the wrong impression. My actual AIBU is in the OP AIBU to believe that respect and homage could have been shown by using paint instead of inflicting injury on a child?

Of course it's child cruelty. I don't understand why anyone would do this to a child or themselves.

Of course not, why do you even ask?

I won't be looking at this. What religion is it?

I don't know if it's UR to believe that respect and homage could have been paid by using paint, there is too much cultural difference between the world I live in and one that thinks it's acceptable to cut a child, so I don't think it's our place to suggest paint.

I expect they could have thought of something else though.

I don't think the religion matters tbh. The fact that it is carried out is barbaric.

Out of interest (and because I'm not clicking the link) what religion is it?

Of course it is. But there's acts of child mutilation legal here under the name of religion.

Of course it is, it's grim. However it's also no coincidence that it segues into an article about ISIS. This is described as a Muslim festival, it's an Indian festival probably practiced by a small minority in a part of the world where gruesome religious ceremonies of various denominations are common.
This is anti Islam propaganda and being reported for no other reason than to stir up anti Muslim feeling.

There are also pictures of adults who have chosen to cut themselves which although I don't understand the point I respect their choice as adults. However when it comes to children especially one as young who clearly has no choice then to me that has nothing to do with religion and all to do with power.

listverse.com/2012/12/04/10-bizarre-indian-rituals/
India has a long and varied tradition of bloody and gruesome religious practices, many of which involve children. Ask 98% of the world's Muslims what they think of slicing open children's faces and they would be as horrified as you.

It has not stirred up any anti Muslim feeling in me. I care not what the religion is. I care that a child is harmed in the name of religion. I don't believe for a second that any child should be mutilated/harmed because of religion no matter what faith it is.

Ok, but it's disingenuous to avoid acknowledging the purpose of the article IMO.

It is cruelty, it's horrific but as others have said other acts of child mutilation are legal here. I'm an atheist and find many aspects of religious practice baffling and pointless. I guess the only thing I can hope for is that the child who is mutilated as part of a religious ceremony/cultural norm will grow up less traumatised by the experience that if the same act was done as an act of sadism by an abuser, I hope the meaning for the child and their understanding of the motives behind it will be different.

it segues into an article about ISIS. This is described as a Muslim festival, it's an Indian festival

Why let something as minute as that get in the way of a good old Muslim bash (!)

This is anti Islam propaganda and being reported for no other reason than to stir up anti Muslim feeling.

This. Poor kid though.

Why let something as minute as that get in the way of a good old Muslim bash (!)

Sorry but who is bashing Muslims?

Not me. I never mentioned the religion and as I have already stated I couldn't careless which religion it is. It is the act itself I find distressing and unnecessary.

Sorry but who is bashing Muslims?

the paper. Because of the way the article links to a piece about Isis and describes it as a muslim festival. Not you I am sure!

Don't know about anti-muslim. I would said right off that this would be one of the Indian religions rather than Islamic. Muslims (and Jews) prefer to cut chunks of flesh from the other end.

Anyway it's perfectly fine to do that if it's your religion. Cut bits off their genitals, cut their faces, beat the devils out of them or hand them to the priest to be raped. It's all part of god's plan. Blessed be the name of the lord.

Not you I am sure!

Sorry I am at times crap and grasping the tone of a post and I am not sure if you are saying you think I am damning/bashing a particular religion I think it is the exclamation mark that has thrown me.

Sorry but who is bashing Muslims?

The media. Left right and centre.

But that is by the by. Your thread is about cutting the child's face and whether this is cruelty.
But you did link to the article which blames those pesky Muslims.

Red I not saying you are bashing anything I was being sarcastic in my first post.

I've never heard of this before and I listen to radio 4 a lot (resulting in oodles of niche general knowledge). This must be a non mainstream religious practice and frowned upon by most reasonable people, even ones of that faith.

I'm a christian and I've heard of some fairly "out there" christians doing some very strange things. I'm thinking of those groups who play with snakes as a demonstration of faith.

Both what you describe, op and the messing with snakes are unreasonable and not the fault of the religion as such.