Muslim Homophobia in Britain

[MNBrewer]

Can We Finally Talk About Muslim Homophobia in Britain?
Feb. 24, 2011

"It's patronizing -- and authentically racist -- to treat Muslims as if they are children, or animals, who can only react to their oppression by jeering at or attacking people who have done them no harm, and who they object to because of a book written in the sixth century. Muslims are human beings who can choose not to do this. The vast majority, of course, do not attack anyone. But they should go further. They should choose instead to see us as equal human beings, who live and love just like them, and do not deserve scorn and prejudice."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/can-we-finally-talk-about_b_828037.html

[MNBrewer]

1. and elsewhere

http://www.gallup.com/poll/107512/moral-issues-divide-westerners-from-muslims-west.aspx

"Although the opinions of the public in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom and Muslims in these countries capital cities differ most on the moral acceptability of homosexuality, abortion, pornography, and sex outside of marriage, the data show that attitudes toward these issues also vary greatly across the Western countries studied. The French public is more likely than any other population polled to view homosexuality (81%) as morally acceptable. As points of comparison, 68% of Germans, 66% of Britons, and 48% of Americans believe homosexuality is morally acceptable. In the Muslim communities polled, the acceptability of homosexuality is highest among those living in Berlin (26%) and lowest among those living in London (4%); in Paris, 18% of Muslims believe homosexual acts are morally acceptable. Religious Americans' attitudes (28%) on this issue align closest with those expressed by Muslims living in Berlin."

[msongs]

2. Islam, the gift that keeps on giving (like religion in general) nt

[loli phabay]

3. you know this hatred of homosexuals in the islamic community is just brushed over

i cant believe we actually have people on DU who support governments and regimes that openly call for the deaths of all gays and not just their deaths but their brutal deaths. Its like its okay and given a pass.

[closeupready]

4. Christian homophobia is even worse, IMO.

nt

[MNBrewer]

5. Not to minimize Christian homophobia

But in what way? How is it worse? Where?

[closeupready]

6. Uganda, for one.

Catholic dogma holds that gay families are part of an "ideology of evil".

And if we were going to tally a body count of gay people executed in service of religious superstitions, I'd be willing to bet that Christianity's history has a higher total number than probably any other religion.

[MNBrewer]

7. If you want to get into counting the bodies, go ahead

But let's deal with the here and now, first, please.

Russia, for example, is a good example of Christian homophobia in action. But they're not proposing, much less implementing a death penalty for homosexuality.

The proposed bill in Uganda is horrible, and I and many others have condemned it here in this forum, repeatedly. It is a textbook example of Christian homophobia. However, even in the face of this threat against their lives, the GLBT Ugandans can do this.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/08/13/uganda-against-odds-gay-pride-events-take-place-in-entebbe/

I'm unaware of anything like this in a majority muslim country. Maybe Turkey, as they're wanting to be part of Europe.

[closeupready]

8. First of all, I know you are Christian and also one of the good guys,

so thank you for that.

But secondly, I made my statement as a matter of personal opinion, not 'scientific' fact or the conclusion of any kind of scholarly study. It's based upon my own experience, that Christians are almost invariably hostile to gay people like me, and that muslims I've known are friendly and kind.

If I were forced to drawn an imperfect analogy, it would be to the psychological defense mechanism of Stockholm Syndrome, i.e., indentifying with one's abusers even after being freed.

That is, Christianity has been an abusive spouse to gay people, rather than a kindly shepherd, over the millenia, and I ended my association with Christianity years ago, and no matter how many times Christians of various denominations tell me, "this time, it will be different! I've changed!", that relationship has ended.

[MNBrewer]

9. I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I'm a Christian

Because I certainly am not.

I'm an atheist who was raised in the christian faith, but rejected it.

[closeupready]

10. Oooooh, sorry.

I guess I was thinking of others here who are lovely GLBT souls and also Christian.

Cheers.