Trending: Brunei anti-gay law
You may have heard of the new law condemning homosexual behavioral by Brunei. The legislation gained some heat by human activist. Even actor George Clooney commented on the matter. While each of us will have our own opinions on this, allow me to bring to your attention a couple points to consider.
Obviously, if you are living in Brunei you would not have cared to comment, although some did. There is something inherently freeing in being an outsider. Some of us think of it as an objective seat to hold, but it is also important to note we are assuming insiders feel the same way. The law doesn't affect us. And even if we end up in Brunei for one reason or another, Islamic law, as the name implies, applies only to Muslims. There are cultural differences at play here. It is important to be culturally sensitive when viewing stories of international issues. If we are so quick to condemn others for holding views other than our own, what does that say about our cultural sensibilities? What does that say about our openness to others' point of view?
There is no but ifs or maybes about the Islamic view of gayness. Homosexuality is not only sinful, but is viewed as inviting the wrath of God. The words of one hadith loosely translate to "the throne of God shakes" when gay intercourse is carried out. I will hold off on my own views, because they are one unnecessary for the context of this piece and two do not sit well with many people. Mainly because the majority of human population believe that there is A Truth, an absolute, an idea which I do not endorse. Now, before I invite too much trouble, it's a subject for another time.
Condemning sexual queerness is not unique to Islam, it is also endorsed by other religious institutions. This stance on people's preferences is especially troubling for people finding themselves queer within a religious construct. Eventually leading them to forsake their own beliefs altogether. Not to mention, being gay is still criminal in many other countries, not just Brunei.
If we are to accept the new legislation out of our cultural understanding towards Islamic communities, there is of course a completely different matter to consider: how is the determination going to take place in the first place? Trevor Noah has a funny take on this. Here is what I think we forget to consider: Islamic ruling when it comes to sexual criminalization is very strict. It is too strict to the point even if a husband found his wife is cheating on him he has to witness the act taking place before it can be admitted to an Islamic hearing/court. Now I'm not a religious scholar, so I do not know how the mechanism of proving homosexuality will take place in Brunei. However, I can be assured, that if the driving force behind this legislation is truly Islamic in nature, the court will do its best to not willy-nilly call people gay.
You may be wondering, well, ok, but if there is a creator, why would they make somebody a certain way, then say you can't be this way. I'm not going to entertain the question too much, but all I'm going to say is reference Quran [2:286].
So now that you feel, hopefully, a little more open to the possibility of allowing an Islamic community to uphold their own laws, and know a little more about Islamic views, what do you think? There is nothing wrong with you still holding your original stance by the way, whether with or against. I only wish that this article inspired you take the time to think more about this topic.
Obviously, if you are living in Brunei you would not have cared to comment, although some did. There is something inherently freeing in being an outsider. Some of us think of it as an objective seat to hold, but it is also important to note we are assuming insiders feel the same way. The law doesn't affect us. And even if we end up in Brunei for one reason or another, Islamic law, as the name implies, applies only to Muslims. There are cultural differences at play here. It is important to be culturally sensitive when viewing stories of international issues. If we are so quick to condemn others for holding views other than our own, what does that say about our cultural sensibilities? What does that say about our openness to others' point of view?
There is no but ifs or maybes about the Islamic view of gayness. Homosexuality is not only sinful, but is viewed as inviting the wrath of God. The words of one hadith loosely translate to "the throne of God shakes" when gay intercourse is carried out. I will hold off on my own views, because they are one unnecessary for the context of this piece and two do not sit well with many people. Mainly because the majority of human population believe that there is A Truth, an absolute, an idea which I do not endorse. Now, before I invite too much trouble, it's a subject for another time.
Condemning sexual queerness is not unique to Islam, it is also endorsed by other religious institutions. This stance on people's preferences is especially troubling for people finding themselves queer within a religious construct. Eventually leading them to forsake their own beliefs altogether. Not to mention, being gay is still criminal in many other countries, not just Brunei.
If we are to accept the new legislation out of our cultural understanding towards Islamic communities, there is of course a completely different matter to consider: how is the determination going to take place in the first place? Trevor Noah has a funny take on this. Here is what I think we forget to consider: Islamic ruling when it comes to sexual criminalization is very strict. It is too strict to the point even if a husband found his wife is cheating on him he has to witness the act taking place before it can be admitted to an Islamic hearing/court. Now I'm not a religious scholar, so I do not know how the mechanism of proving homosexuality will take place in Brunei. However, I can be assured, that if the driving force behind this legislation is truly Islamic in nature, the court will do its best to not willy-nilly call people gay.
You may be wondering, well, ok, but if there is a creator, why would they make somebody a certain way, then say you can't be this way. I'm not going to entertain the question too much, but all I'm going to say is reference Quran [2:286].
So now that you feel, hopefully, a little more open to the possibility of allowing an Islamic community to uphold their own laws, and know a little more about Islamic views, what do you think? There is nothing wrong with you still holding your original stance by the way, whether with or against. I only wish that this article inspired you take the time to think more about this topic.
