Homophobic Islam

The recent sentencing of two gay men in Indonesia’s Aceh province is a good example of religious intolerance resulting in them receiving a harsh medieval punishment simply because of their sexual identities.

Although polls suggest that only a very small percentage of Indonesians (87% of whom are Muslims) openly approve of gay sex, the nation ranks 2nd after Malaysia in global internet searches for the term “gay man”.

When it comes to this sensitive issue, Islam does not serve its adherents well. On the one hand, homosexual behaviour among men is widely practised; on the other, it is not tolerated outwardly.

It is time for Islam to move out of its medieval ways and integrate with modern life. MR M