Abdul Khalik , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 03/28/2008 1:38 AM | Headlines
Homosexuals and homosexuality are natural and created by God, thus permissible within Islam, a discussion concluded here Thursday.
Moderate Muslim scholars said there were no reasons to reject homosexuals under Islam, and that the condemnation of homosexuals and homosexuality by mainstream ulema and many other Muslims was based on narrow-minded interpretations of Islamic teachings.
Siti Musdah Mulia of the Indonesia Conference of Religions and Peace cited the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings was that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation.
"There is no difference between lesbians and nonlesbians. In the eyes of God, people are valued based on their piety," she told the discussion organized by nongovernmental organization Arus Pelangi.
"And talking about piety is God's prerogative to judge," she added.
"The essence of the religion (Islam) is to humanize humans, respect and dignify them."
Musdah said homosexuality was from God and should be considered natural, adding it was not pushed only by passion.
Mata Air magazine managing editor Soffa Ihsan said Islam's acknowledgement of heterogeneity should also include homosexuality.
He said Muslims needed to continue to embrace ijtihad (the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the Koran and the Sunnah) to avoid being stuck in the old paradigm without developing open-minded interpretations.
Another speaker at the discussion, Nurofiah of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the dominant notion of heterogeneity was a social construction, leading to the banning of homosexuality by the majority.
"Like gender bias or patriarchy, heterogeneity bias is socially constructed. It would be totally different if the ruling group was homosexuals," she said.
Other speakers said the magnificence of Islam was that it could be blended and integrated into local culture.
"In fact, Indonesia's culture has accepted homosexuality. The homosexual group in Bugis-Makassar tradition called Bissu is respected and given a high position in the kingdom.
"Also, we know that in Ponorogo (East Java) there has been acknowledgement of homosexuality," Arus Pelangi head Rido Triawan said.
Condemnation of homosexuality was voiced by two conservative Muslim groups, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Hizbut Thahir Indonesia (HTI).
"It's a sin. We will not consider homosexuals an enemy, but we will make them aware that what they are doing is wrong," MUI deputy chairman Amir Syarifuddin said.
Rokhmat, of the hardline HTI, several times asked homosexual participants in attendance to repent and force themselves to gradually return to the right path.
Rusmanto (not verified) — Mon, 06/15/2009 - 12:39pm
Well. Finally, we know that homosexual is not the nature of human being. It's not created by God, but it emerged during human history. It's created by the human will that since Adam and Eve fall into since, uncontrolled.
I am a Christian. I disagree with homosexual. God never create homosexual. He did create Adam and Eve and all animals and plan. But remember that God created Adam and Eve in a deference way. God made both Adam and Eve from soil. Not just saying a word, then give them a breath so that they can multiply and conquer the world (by descending). The only natural way for human to multiply is by conceiving through sexual activity between man and woman. No other activity is relevant.
If some people think that God permitted homosexual, He would not have punished Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps they never learn about religion which is believed as the faith record of their ancestor. Or maybe their mind has become like those of Sodom and Gomorrah, following the will of their heart, not the will of God.
Peter Boom (not verified) — Tue, 06/09/2009 - 3:16am
Dear HUMAN, you don't think human enough and perhaps you didn't read my Philosophy of Pansexuality. Sexology has proved that human beings can change their sexual approach to other humans, to themselves, to animals and also play with many different items. That is NATURE. It's the normal "sexual drive".Some religions started to consider sexual intercourse as a sin if not between a woman and a man aiming at producing children. This is of course ridiculous. Also masturbation was seen as a sin like homosexuality. Scientifically, since many years these attitudes are no more considered a sickness. If you want to repress yourself you are of course free to do so, but in the end that will make YOU sick and fanatic.
All the best, Peter.
Human (not verified) — Mon, 06/08/2009 - 3:31pm
To Peter Boom, Are u insane? I do agreed with Ahlam. As u said that "you mean you want to judge the creations of God". Homosexuality is not the thing created by God, it is human sickness. And one more things, we are human not animals or plants. We are far better smarter than the those other creatures. Dont make ur self lower than that. Animals and plants cant think like human beings, dont put urself equally with them. Think logically!!!God give u brain to think not to manipulate the situation.
Paco Fernández (not verified) — Sun, 05/24/2009 - 6:14am
The reading of all these comments and opinions leads me to the conclusion that religion does not really shape people. I would rather say that all religions are given form and reinterpreted according to everyone's character and ideology. Liberal, permissive open-minded people do not get fanaticized by religions, instead they interprete their sacred books in a more open and liberal way! The same counts for the conservative and close-minded type.
Peter Boom (not verified) — Thu, 05/07/2009 - 4:42am
Dear Ahlam, you mean you want to judge the creations of God. Homosexuality is perfectly natural and you can see that in Nature, where not only human beings, but also animals and plants live various sexual behaviours. See please the Theory and the Philosophy of Pansexuality on the site http://digilander.libero.it/pansexuality which I hope will open your eyes and help you not to judge.
May your God help you to throw away terrible prejudices which cause marginalization, death, injustice and social disorder.
All the best, Peter.
Ahlam (not verified) — Tue, 05/05/2009 - 6:27pm
What's this nonsense? Are those people who recognize homosexuality true Muslims? Don't they fear God for coming up with such a conclusion. All rational sane persons who can read the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him can understand that homosexuality is a sin, it is something very obvious. Homosexuality is against nature and the law of God. homosexuality is sick and disgusting.
May Allah guide people to the right path and may He protect us and our children from the insanity and immorality of some people, ameen!
Peter Boom (not verified) — Tue, 04/14/2009 - 4:44pm
I want to express my appraisal for the translation of the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings is that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation.
This should be an example also for the catholic and other churches who still preach discrimination and hatred.
Thank you very much, Peter.
Good (not verified) — Tue, 04/14/2009 - 9:51am
"Conference of Religions and Peace cited the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings was that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation."
i am a Muslim and Arabic is my mother language, al-Hujurat (49:3)means = And if they had patience till you could come out to them, it would have been better for them. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
thats the correct translation
source: http://www.searchtruth.com/search.php?keyword=Allah&chapter=49&translato...
Pandu Truhandito (not verified) — Thu, 03/19/2009 - 5:57pm
That's quite surprising. I wonder what "excites" the 180 degree conversion... I mean the real real reason
Supreme God (not verified) — Wed, 03/11/2009 - 12:36am
Heterosexuality is a sickness
Truth sometimes lies opposite of what people think. Long ago people
believed that the earth was flat but it was confirmed to be round. People
also believed that the earth was the centre of the universe. Then it was
established that the earth is just a planet revolving around the sun. The
same thing happens with heterosexuality. Some people believe that
heterosexuality is right and healthy because it causes the birth of
children. But in fact heterosexuality is a sickness.
Heterosexuality is a sickness because often when you want to get something
you have to pay a price for it. For example if you want to get a good
certificate, you have to spend money and study for years. You have to live
stressful periods, particularly before the exams. Another example is when
you want to build a house, you have to spend, to cut good trees sometimes
and to dig. And while constructing it creates noise and dirt, etc. In the
same way, to create children the woman and the man are diminished by nature
(or the creator). The woman has to menstruate each month. Her hips have to
become large and she must has two big humps on her chest to be able to
nourish the newly born baby. The woman bearing a child has to live some
handicaps. She has to live a slower life. She does not feel the handicaps
much because society and the family give her many facilities, benefits and
support. She is not participating with others on an equal footing.
Formerly when artificial insemination did not exist, the man had to
copulate with the woman. For the man to wish copulating with the woman, he
must become fascinated with the woman. For the man to be fascinated with
the woman, he must be diminished on certain points. The good qualities like
tenderness, refinement, feeling, understanding which are considered feminine
characteristics must be reduced in him otherwise he will not be fascinated
by women because when you have those qualities yourself you are not so
fascinated by them. Heterosexual men become therefore more rough, less
tender and lacking in feelings. They are thus more prone to agression and
violence.Heterosexual men constitutes about 30% of the population but they
commit 90% of all agressions and crimes. If you make a calculation you will
see that heterosexual men commit 21 times more agressions and crimes than
the rest. Since heterosexual men are more rough and cold, they are more ugly
and violent.
It is not being entirely masculine or feminine which is better. It is
having a combination of both masculine and feminine qualities which is more
human and more humane. The entirely masculine and the entirely feminine are
more animal like.
Since those entirely masculine are more rough and cold, they lack feelings
and sensitivity. Hence they do not perform well in artistic fields,
especially music and singing and other fields where feeling and sensitivity
are needed. Many artists, though they present an heterosexual image, have
feminity in them.
Heterosexual men are therefore more rough, cold, lacking in feelings and
prone to agression and violence. All tyrants, bloody rulers and terrorists
are heterosexuals. They are usually more ugly also. You can think of them
(e.g Khomeini, Hitler, Idi Amin, Bokassa, Mugabe, Pol Pot, Stalin, etc.).
In addition, many heterosexuals are sick and suffer from mental illness.
Some commit suicide also. Most of those frequenting doctors, hospitals and
clinics are heterosexuals despite society favours them and gives them all
facilities. What would happen if they have to live in the same unfavourable
conditions as gays and female homosexuals. They are not participating with
others on an equal footing. They have more advantages whereas gays and
female homosexuals have less. It is as if two horses are running, one
carrying no weight and the other carrying a weight of, say 100 kg. To make a
just, scientific and unbiased comparison the two must carry equal weight or
no weight at all.
In football, boxing and wrestling which demand agressiveness and brutal
force, almost all are heterosexuals, while in artistic fields which demand
feeling and sensitivity there are many gays. This proves that heterosexuals
are more animal like while gays are more human and humane.
Gay Pride: Contributions of gays and lesbians
It is difficult to envision and recognize a civilized world without the
contributions of gays and lesbians.
Here is a look at what the world might have been like if it had never
included people who were homosexual or had a significant homosexual
relationship in life.
African-Americans might have struggled longer before receiving civil rights
because there would have been no Bayard Rustin, the gay man who organized
the 1963 March on Washington. This was the march where Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
President Gerald Ford might have died in 1975 because a gay ex-marine
Oliver "Bill" Sipple would not have been alive to push away the gun of an
assassin in San Francisco.
The United States, Britain, and the other Allies might have lost World War
II because Alan Turing, a gay British mathematician, would never have been
born. Turing broke one of the Nazis' most important codes to help shorten
the war.
Religious life would have been lessened without the Christian voices of
Malcolm Boyd,Troy Perry, Jane Spahr or John McNeil. Christians would also
have a difficult time conceiving the New Testament without the scholarship
skills of Desiderius Erasmus (the basis for the Tyndale and King James
Versions).
Scientific progress would have been retarded without the discoveries of
Isaac Newton
Our musical world would have been impoverished because gay American
composer Aaron Copeland would have never been born. Russian composer
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky would not have existed, neither would have Leonard
Bernstein, English composer Benjamin Britten, or singers Bessie Smith,
Melissa Etheridge, Joan Baez, Boy George, George Michael or Elton John.
Katherine Bates would have never written "America the Beautiful." We would
have also missed the folk songs of Stephen Foster or the clever compositions
of Cole Porter.
We would never have listened to the "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" or "I Left My
Heart in San Francisco" -- both were written by gay men to their lovers (in
both cases, publishers demanded that gender pronouns be switched).
Western art would look very different because neither Michelangelo nor
Leonardo da Vinci would have been around. And of course, we would have
missed Plato and a woman Plato honored with respect as the "tenth muse" --
Sappho.
The Disney movie hits "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" would
have been much duller because Howard Ashman would not have been alive to
write their Academy Award winning songs. Or imagine "Star Wars" or
"Schindler's List" without the scores of John Williams.
Literature would have been lessened because many authors would never have
been born,including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.H. Auden, Nobel Prize
winning author Patrick White of Australia, E.M. Forster, Christopher
Isherwood, Somerset Maugham, Virginia Woolf, Willa Cather, Gertrude Stein,
William Shakespeare and Walt Whitman. And also influential french writers
like Marcel Proust, Jean Cocteau, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, Andre Gide,
Colette, Henri de Montherlant, etc.
Movie theatres would have been duller: no Rock Hudson, Richard Chamberlain,
Keanu Reeves, Raymond Burr (Perry Mason), James Dean, Cary Grant, Jodie
Foster, Marlene Dietrich or Montgomery Clift. Actually many of the most
important plays of the american stage would never have been written because
gay playwright Tennessee Williams would not have existed. We would have also
missed the plays of Edward Albee or the brilliant acting of Sir Laurence Olivier.
Who else would have been missing? Sports stars like Martina Navratilova or
Greg Louganis or Brian Orser would be gone.
There are also many famous people who are bisexual. Examples are: Madonna,
Joan Collins, Sharon Stone, Tom Selleck, Leonardo di Caprio, Tyrone Power
and perhaps Whitney Houston, Burt Reynolds, Richard Gere and Tom Cruise.
The list of people who have had significant same-gender relationships is
very long and includes also Socrates, King Richard the Lion Hearted, Queen
Christina of Sweden, Nathaly Barney, Liane de Pougy, Eleanor Roosevelt and
so many more.
Adapted from Diane Silver's "The New Civil War." 1997.
Hetero Shame
All despots are heterosexual. Most violent and ugly men are heterosexual.
Ex: Khomeini, Hitler, Stalin, Zia Ul Hak, Pol Pot, Mugabe, Bokassa, Idi
Amin, Mike Tyson, Count Dracula (Vlad Tepes), Musssolini, Nero, Jack
Palance, Bin Laden, Milosevic, John Paul II, etc.
In Iran when Khomeini took power after a coup, he and his men who are
heterosexual, tortured and killed more than 125,000 people. They established
a reign of terror, torture, violence and crimes.
A book called "Hetero Shame", recording the atrocities, the injustices of
heterosexuals and the notorious heterosexuals should be published