Posted on 10/29/2006 3:54:12 AM PST by EBH
The leading imam in Manchester, confirms that he thinks the execution of sexually active gay men is justified, the rights group Outrage reported.
Arshad Misbahi of the Manchester Central Mosque confirmed his views in a conversation to John Casson, a local psychotherapist.
Casson said: "I asked him if the execution of gay Muslims in Iran and Iraq was an acceptable punishment in Sharia law, or the result of culture, not religion.
"He told me that in a true Islamic state, such punishments were part of Islam: If the person had had a trial, at which four witnesses testified that they had seen the actual homosexual acts."
"I asked him what would be the British Muslim view? He repeated that in an Islamic state these punishments were justified. They might result in the deaths of thousands but if this deterred millions from having sex, and spreading disease, then it was worthwhile to protect the wider community."
"I checked again that this was not a matter of tradition, culture or local prejudice. 'No,' he said, 'It is part of the central tenets of Islam: that sex outside marriage is forbidden; this is stated in the Koran and the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had stated that these punishments were due to such behaviours.'"
Gay man rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said, "It is disturbing that some British imams are endorsing the execution of gay and lesbian Muslims.
"Imam Arshad Misbahi's homophobic attitudes give comfort and succor to queer-bashers. They encourage conflict and disharmony between Manchester's large gay and Muslim communities.
"Muslim and gay people know the pain of prejudice and discrimination. We should be working together to challenge homophobia and Islamophobia. I hope liberal Muslims will speak out in defense of the human rights of lesbians and gay men," said Tatchell.
Adnan Ali, founder of the British branch of al-Fatiha, an organisation for gay and lesbian Muslims, told Gay.com that "a person with such an obsession about execution of human beings is not even entitled to be addressed as Imam."
"Islam is a very tolerant religion and celebrates the human diversity in its core message," Ali said.
"The holy book Qur'an does not mention anywhere about the execution or killing of human beings on the basis of their sexuality. What surprises is this obsession of the Islamic clerics to killing and execution. Why? What about dialogue? Discussion?
"Arshad Misbahi's comparison of same-sex relation to adultery is nothing but ignorant and utterly irresponsible rhetoric, manifesting the wrong teachings of Islam. The media should . . . not take it for granted as the general view of the Muslim community all over."
And since this is in GCN, are there liberals listening finally?
Are they hearing the discussions of rapes, etc. These are not isloted imams. These are imams in big influential mosques.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
Gay man rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said, "It is disturbing that some British imams are endorsing the execution of gay and lesbian Muslims.
Anyone else notice an odd sense of denial in his quote?
...and about eighty percent of Freepers would be defending him.
the nitwit LIBERALS. When the jihadists come who do u think they'll behead first? Hollywood and the homos just dont know whats at stake here for them. Ah, but its so much easier for them to bash AMerica and bash Bush.
defending him, or his right to say it? You know, there is a difference.
The poor liberals wish they could tar Jerry Falwell and James Dobson with this kind of stuff, but they are Christians and don't think that way.
We all need to fight these fanatics (Islamofascists) together but the Left can't be allowed to create laws that could be used against Christians (hate crimes laws) in response to Islamic fanatics.
Groups like CAIR also seem to be using anger over terrorism to recruit Muslims to the Left and create the impression that Muslims are persecuted in the United States.
The Left is working one side (terrorist) side to gin them up. Perhaps they want to create conflict so they can come in on the wreckage with bigger government and new laws.
That's probably what the Dems mean when they claim we need to fight terrorism "smart."
When the Soviets launched Sputnik in the 1950's (thanks to captured German rocket scientists from WW II) liberals used the event to say there might be something we could learn from the Soviet system and initiated federal funding of public schools for the first time in American history.
Disturbing? That's it? Disturbing? I wonder if it was a bishop or rabbi, would it still just be 'disturbing'?
Wouldn't one think that the 'witnesses' were homesexual also? I don't think too many will come forward to testify. LOL
"Anyone else notice an odd sense of denial in his quote?"
In what sense? There are lots of things that you can accuse Peter Tatchell of, but inconsistency in his views in not one of them.
In light of this statement, I wonder whether we will hear any peep of protest from any Homosexual group at all ?
My bet is there will be a tiny whimper and that will be it.
Bullies are only willing to sue, tar and feather those they know are harmless ( e.g. Focus on the Family ).
However, I just wonder why this isn't in the Religious Forum? [/sarcasm]
"In what sense?"
For one thing, it's not just mooselimb sodomites they want to kill, it's *all* sodomites.
For another, he's an idiot to think that the mooselimbs will side with sodomites just because both "experience discrimination."
Not surprising. Same-sex attraction disorder is a mental illness, and it causes disordered thinking. Which is just one more reason that sufferers should not be in public life, education, or any other field where they can do great harm.
Yeah, they don't discriminate. They celebrate diversity by wishing to forcibly covert or kill anyone who isn't a Muslim. Which means their goal is anything BUT diversity.
"We should be working together to challenge homophobia and Islamophobia."
No. They should be working together to challenge their own caligynephobia.
It is interesting that when you here about Christians wanting to bring homosexuals back to God they are not talking about 'sending them back to god.'
Basically I see this imam's statement as an incitement to violence. He is saying it is OK to commit murder. His statement is no more or less repugnent than the statement from the Australian imam about rape. Based on this statement are we going to begin to see the wholesale slaughter of thousands? If you ask the imam, yes.
Republicans can use this statement and those of the other imam as the face of the enemy. Make no mistake about what is at stake, even for the liberals. In the last month they have been coming more mainstream in stating their 'beliefs.'
In other words, we need to make the world safe for Muslims to kill gays? Is this guy's brain so addled by notions of diversity that he cannot recognize a clear threat to his well-being when it bitch-slaps him in the face? Does he also fail to realize that he just compounded the threat by publicly criticizing an Iman, and now he might get the Rushdie treatment?
"If a Christian had said that, the Left would be demanding his prosecution for committing a "hate crime."
The other day there was a leading Aussie imam defending the rape of "improperly dressed" women (they are "like uncovered meat"). And then this.
Where are the Germaine Greers of the feminist world? They are quick to mock the death of Steve Irwin, but not a whisper to be heard against the murderous Muslims.
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