The University of California at Santa Barbara is a queer (no pun intended) place which is dominated by students on bikes and skate boards. It has the only known traffic circle for bikes, and pedestrians venture onto campus at their own risk.
Of course, UCSB is also known for other types of silliness. Now the school has come out with a guide aimed primarily at Christians that preaches (no pun intended) that students of faith (specifically Christians) should check their religion at the door when it comes to the question of homosexuality. Campus Reform has the report.
http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6811
Let me highlight a couple of passages from the link "Homosexuality and Religion"..
"Rejectionism is held mainly by Judeo-Christian denominations that embrace a more fundamental, Biblical interpretation of sexuality. This approach entirely objects to the idea that homosexuals deserve equal rights."
Islam
"There is a great deal of variety in Islam faith regarding homosexuality, mainly due to the fact that Muslims do not have a single, central source of authority (like the Pope, for example). As a polylithic faith, it allows for a diverse range of beliefs. In general, Muslim texts take a much more sex-positive stance than most. Sexuality is first and foremost a mechanism for pleasure, and secondarily a means of reproduction (which is quite the opposite of Catholicism). Intercourse in marriage is considered the highest good of human life. Both polygyny (marriage between a man and multiple wives) and cocubinage (the practice of having a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife) are sanctioned by Islam; even the Prophet Muhammad had several wives. Muslims do not follow celibacy, or refraining from sexual activity until marriage. Contraception is encouraged by law. Muhammad himself support al’azl (the withdrawal method) as a way of enjoying intercourse, though today this is viewed as an outdated method of birth control. Therefore, many within this faith support homosexuality."
So Christianity and Judaism condemn homosexuality while Islam is portrayed as a happy, tolerant faith when it comes to sex. Let's just call it the Thailand of religions.
Never mind that sharia law calls for the death penalty for homosexual acts. No mention of the fact that Iran hangs gays.
And notice the careful wording that says that there is a variety of ideas within Islam regarding homosexuality. It then switches quickly to discussion of sex in general. Islam may be tolerant of pre-marital sex for men, but women who engage such in acts tend to wind up on the wrong end of a few hundred rocks. But then nobody is going to tell Muslims to check their faith at the door.
By all means, nobody should harass or condemn gays for any reason, religion or otherwise. However, the literature being put out by UC Santa Barbara is disingenuous to say the least.
No comments:
Post a Comment