Homosexuality And Islam

Yes, it sucks to be gay in an Islamic country.

I was reading this week's Economist and found this article: Straight but narrow - A debate about homosexuality in Islam is beginning. But in Muslim lands persecution—and hypocrisy—are still rife. It's worth reading the entire article, but I want to cover some of the main points here.

First, here is a graph that shows the penalties for the crime of being a man and gay in some Islamic countries:

Second, one of the unexpected consequences of the US invasion of Iraq is that life has become much more difficult for gays in that country.

The previous Iraqi regime was politically repressive but unbothered by sexual mores. Now men even suspected of being gay face kidnappings, rape, torture and extrajudicial killing. Ali Hili, head of a group called Iraqi LGBT, (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) says that since the 2003 invasion more than 700 people have been killed because of their sexuality. It is the most dangerous place in the world for sexual minorities, he says.

Third, though the Economist is a great magazine (in my opinion, at least) they have a tendency to think that it will all turn out well in the end. Just look at the article's title A debate about homosexuality in Islam is just beginning. See? It's just beginning, and who knows what wondrous fruits that debate will bear?

My prediction is little to no progress will occur in Islamic countries in the near to mid future. My skepticism is partly based on what's in the article itself. The writer demonstrates how different Islamic societies understood homosexuality in the past.

Earlier Islamic societies were less hardline. An 11th-century Persian ruler advised his son to alternate his partners seasonally: young men in the summer and women in the winter. Many of the love poems of the eighth-century Abu Nuwas in Baghdad, and of other Persian and Urdu poets, were addressed to boys. In medieval mystic writings, particularly Sufi texts, it is unclear whether the beloved being addressed is a teenage boy or God, providing a quasi-religious sanction for relationships between men and boys. Austere European chroniclers fumed at the indulgent attitudes to gay sex in the Caliphs’ courts (now the censure is the other way).

Look at all that progress that occurred in the - what? - the 11th century. Even when you consider that societies do not imporve in a straight line - that it's two steps forward and one step back - I'm going to say that the momentum for progress is going backwards. And sure the article points out that the debate about homosexuality and how it may be compatible with Islam is happening.

But that discussion is happening in the West - not so much in Islamic countries.

Being Gay in Jordan.

In the comment section of the Economist article was a link to a man's experience of being gay in Amman, Jordan.  It's very moving. Here are a few excerpts.

I’m obviously living a charming life, and my parents are evidently open-minded and will have no problem accepting me for who I am. This is where you go wrong. I live in a very homophobic world. One in which, if I were to come out, I could potentially be killed, and where my killer would be hailed a hero who rid our just and righteous society of what obviously was the devil’s spawn.

His parents eventually suspect that their son is gay.

Father: No son of mine is gay.
Me: Yes, that’s right, because I’m not!
Father: Good. Because if you were, you would leave my house, never to return.
Me: Uh – huh
Father: Do you know why? Because I cant have a “gay” live under the same roof as your siblings. I do not want them poisoned from a perverted piece of sh*t.
Me: Yes of course, I completely agree, I told you, X sent me these sites! I am not gay! And I am so, so sorry to have disappointed you.
Father: Good. Now get out. Go to your room – study.

That was the day I decided to remain closeted forever.

After being closeted the writer decided to leave Amman and live where he can be free to love who he chooses without the perpetual fear of getting killed. 

Faith-based "logic" is the same regardless of religion.

I perused through the comment section of this article and found a response that clearly demonstrates how belief-based thinking works.

... Islam, for Allah Almighty gave us a set of rules to live by, some could be flexible and arguable and we do not follow 100% but then there come sins, and Allah was very clear about them. We are not arguing about drinking alcohol here or whatever. This is adultery, and not ANY adultery but it's Luwat. Which really doesn't differentiate us much from animals. Nobody is born gay. God tests us EVERY single day, and from my knowing, the crappier your life, the more God loves you, it is His way of testing his faithful servants. We all want and wish to do things, but we don't do everything we feel like, otherwise this life would be a joke. And forget about the world itself for a second, anything with no set of rules would be chaotic. There is a reason why we live by rules, and if we break them, we will get punished. I read that you have tried so hard to cure yourself, but have you tried returning to Allah? I bet not... Have you tried seeking the help of a Shaikh? I bet not... Have you tried hearing or reciting Qur'an before going to bed every night? I bet not... Tried waking up to Fajr prayer, going to the mosque and enjoy the calmness and peacefulness of it? Guess not...
So NO, you did not try everything, this should have been your first option to be honest. Anything psychological can be healed. We all have the freedom to do all kinds of sins, and sometimes Allah facilitates that, He Almighty contradicting himself? (In reply to you saying if God would punish me why did he make me gay?) NO, He tests us, and it's up to us how to act upon it.

Please, please, please return to Allah before it's too late, and don't give up on Him for He never gave up on you! 

The writer of the comment demonstrates all the typical cognitive distortions of faith: 

• It's really the gay person's fault for not accepting Allah (easily interchangeable with Jesus if the writer was Christian).
• God is really testing you.
• If it's OK to be gay, then society has NO rules - it's all chaos! 
• Read the holy book. The holy book has ALL the answers. 

I'm exhausted with writing this post.

This is Purgatory.