Opinion editorial on homosexuality in Islam -- opinion?

One typically offers opinions, followed by the whys. Think “persuasive essay,” because sharing your opinions for the sake of sharing them is futile.

You might begin by comparing Biblical text on homosexuality with text from the Quoran on homosexuality, then presenting what you consider a realistic and humane approach would be. Go on from there to compare what notable writers and theologians have said to embellish both approaches.

Could be a really interesting paper. : )

You don’t see any reason that sexual orientation should be a religious issue (it’s not clear from your details whether or not you have a religious affiliation at all). Christians are somewhat divided on the matter, despite the numerous condemnations of homosexuality in the Bible. Muslims seem to be more unanimous in condemning homosexuality on religious grounds.

Maybe you could explore why it is that some Christians feel justified in dismissing the relevance of the Bible’s pronouncements on homosexuality, and then why that kind of liberalism hasn’t as yet emerged in Islam. Does it come down to a difference in the nature of the Quran and the Bible? Is it a function of cultural values that reinforce and perpetuate a particular theological interpretation? Maybe look at how homosexuality is viewed in certain African Christian cultures.

The Wikipedia entry on LGBT Topics and Islam is actually pretty good, I think. It might be a good place to start. The entry is well documented and has a lot of links and sources for further research.

Perhaps you could approach it from “This is where Islam stands on homosexuality”, “this is how it’s playing out today (pick strict, liberal, and minority perspectives and cross strata within them: high level clerics to daily followers to “lapsed” believers)”, and “this is what I think about what I’ve found and why” – you could even demonstrate a hypothesis based on your beliefs then say how it’s changed or been solidified through the course of your research thereby demonstrating an opinion and how it can be influenced by various things.

Whatever you do, depending on how long you have to write your paper, you might what to keep an eye on Libya and see what you can dig up about how the announcement of their moving towards a more Islamic jurisprudence is being received by the relevant communities there.

You don’t have to compare and contrast to your own religion (or anyone else’s). You could compare and contrast to the Bill of Rights or the UN Declaration on Human Rights.

Compare and contrast with the US stand on individual rights and how gay marriage in the US is banned every time.

Try to find some sort of proof that those in Islam outlawing gay rights are themselves participants in gay sex activities.

Islam doesn’t tolerate homosexuality as Christianity… yet Christians get the blame for the “hate” towards them. Whatever. There are a few things you should know if you decide to follow this topic. If someone decides to follow the Qu’ran they should not take a stand behind. If one decides to follow something it’s not like he can change his mind because he doesn’t like how that things comes to be. No exceptions. They won’t tolerate any homosexual activity .. not even in prisons ^^ It’s one of the things I respect in Islam.

@thorninmud Christians aren’t divided. Those who accept homosexuality left the path of Christianity. They might look like other Christians but they are not.

@Hibernate Have you heard of the “No true Scottsman” fallacy? It goes like this:

“No true Scottsman puts sugar in his porridge.”
“Ah, but Angus puts sugar in his porridge.”
“Well, then Angus is not a true Scottsman!”

@thorninmud any other syllogism can work to point out the obvious. I know some “Christians” are doing what they shouldn’t be doing but they only wear the name of Christianity not the meaning of that means to be one. And some people will always “convert” just so they can spread out bad things about something. One example. You have a firm where you have 10 employees. You hire 1 more. This one can say… “what the hell… things were going fine till I came .. how about if I don’t do squat till the boss figure it out”. Just an example.

@Hibernate “The path of Christianity” is the one that Jesus walked on, he didn’t have anything to say about homosexuality, not one word. If you want to follow Christ you need to go where he went, and he didn’t go there. Did Jesus just forget to condemn homosexuality or was it just not that important to him? He had a lot to say about all sorts of things but not one thing about homosexuality. I find that very curious.

This is where you get it all wrong. The institution of marriage was made for a WOMAN and A MAN. He didn’t have to say anything about it because it was clear. Oh I’m sorry. You won’t accept this. Well, to bad since it’s a fact and it’s the truth.

@lillycoyote Or maybe he did say something about it but it wasn’t written down in the Gospels. The Gospels do say that Jesus said and did more than what was written in the Gospels. Though I find it interesting that a special point wasn’t made of it by Jesus, when so many Christians are convinced that homosexuality is the worst sin of all, worse than murder. But no, our only New Testament words against homosexuality come from Paul who was probably addressing pagan pederasts. So who knows…

@DominicX Who knows what Jesus really did or didn’t say. There’s no way to tell but any mention of homosexuality is something that seems very “conspicuous in it absence” in the Gospels. Also in the Ten Commandments. If God, as many Christians contend, sees homosexuality as such a heinous sin, those seem to have been two pretty good place to have mentioned it. God found a spot for coveting; coveting seemed worth mentioning, in the Ten Commandments, but not homosexuality. Odd. :-) If the Bible is seen by some of its believers as authoritative, inerrant and the revealed word of God, then something is missing there. Jesus called his followers to do many thing and obsessively oppose homosexuality to the exclusion many of the other things he called them do and admonished them not to do, like divorce, is odd to me. It wasn’t Christ’s agenda, but it seems to be the agenda a number of Christians, and if I’m not mistaken, Christ is the guy who put the C-h-r-i-s-t in christianity.

@Hibernate I didn’t ask this question to be subjected to a debate on whether or not homosexuality is wrong. With all due respect, I don’t care what you think about homosexuality. So I’d like to kindly ask that if you aren’t going to answer my actual question, don’t bother responding.

And newsflash: Murdering innocent people for the way they have sex is NOTHING to respect.

ETA: And one more thing, saying that those who accept Christianity are no longer Christians is like saying that those who commit any sin are no longer Christians. On the contrary, it’s what makes them Christians. Or did the whole point of Jesus’ death go over your head? A sin is a sin is a sin.

@lillycoyote Very well said. Amen. :)

All abrahamic faiths are homophobic.

[mod says] Let’s stick to answering the actual question, please. All side debate should be taken to an appropriate thread. Thanks!

What if Jesus was Gay?

@livelaughlove21 it’s the way the see things. If one decided to embraces Islam he should act according to what he accepted to be true.

Want to hear something that is news? In one hundred years Islam will be the predominant religion on Earth so better get used to it or else you’ll be taken by surprise and you won’t like it.

@Hibernate Want more news? I won’t be around in 100 years, so I honestly couldn’t care less about what the predominate religion will be. I don’t know where you get those “facts”, however, so I don’t know how you think you can know something like that well enough to state it as if it’s the truth. But neither of us will be around to find out, so of course you’re quick to make that assumption. People are always quick to make statements that can’t be proven one way or the other. It makes them feel smarter. :)

Also, as I clearly stated in my original post, I’m not writing this paper to bash Islam. I’m writing this paper to post my OPINION about how homosexuals are treated within the Islamic faith. As in, in Muslim countries. So, once again, the debate is moot point.

And more importantly, and more on topic, the Koran does NOT say that homosexuality should be punishable by death, fines, imprisonment, or corporal punishment. In fact, it doesn’t say that the people of that faith should punish them in any way, it simply states that it’s a sin. That’s why the topic is so controversial.

So is killing and harming and imprisoning these people living life according to the Koran? No, it is not. And in a culture that believes God is forgiving and merciful, like the Islamic people believe, it’s pure hypocrisy to treat one group of “sinners” like that while other types of sin aren’t regarded as deal breakers when it comes to getting into Heaven/Paradise/etc.

Where do I get this? Have you seen how many churches get less and less people who visit them. Muslims buy them and turn them into mosques. I don’t know where you live but this happen on a global scale not only in Europe.
You make a debate about what Qu’ran states yet you don’t even know what is saying. Muslims find homosexuality as a bad thing based on what they feel? No. better copy/paste from wherever you want to get your “own opinions” since it seems you clearly made up your mind and don’t want to see the other side.

Tomorrow’s better than yesterday. Peace out :)

Given there are a lot of sources of bad information out there due to erroneous interpretations, political agendas and miss-quoting the books/taking things out of reference…. I hope you made sure your sources were the most valid ones.

Yes religions promote relations between man and woman only because, IMO, I believe that enables procreation and the only way that society moves forward on that level.

@raven860 This was over two years ago, so I don’t remember which sources I used. I got an A in the class, so who cares?

Sure it was just an assignment but the accuracy of the context matters too. There is a lot of anti-religion material out there and so it makes it harder to find accurate information. My .02 regarding your essay but more so any future essays would be to be vigilant about the sources you use. That is all.

@raven860 the accuracy of the context matters too…but more so any future essays would be to be vigilant about the sources you use

Not when it was two years ago. I’ve graduated; no future essays for me. And it was an opinion piece. No sources were required for the assignment. Thanks for the advice, but I took one religion class and I never thought of it again. I don’t give a single crap about religion; it was just a class. Oh, and I rock at writing essays and I’ve got the GPA to prove it.

Sorry I picked this question up from one of the suggested/similar questions box in the corner.

But anyway,

Congratulations on your graduation! Your education may have ended but that does not mean that you may never research religion again in your future, My post is only to warn amount vast amounts of false information. present especially in cases of religion.