The Islamic Council and Gays, continued

This post is a follow-up on two of my previous posts, The Norwegian Islamic Council and Gays, and The Christian People's Party and Gays.

The most recent developments on this issue is that the leader of the Norwegian Islamic Council, Senaid Kobilica, has called upon the Norwegian Imams and asked them to be open to talking with muslim homosexuals. According to an interview with Dagsavisen, "the Islamic Council do not want homosexuals, whether they be muslim or not, to be living in the closet. They are living in Norway, a democratic country, and are free to come out." Also, he has pointed out that the Norwegian Islamic Council are against capital punishment for homosexuality in Norway, but do not want to involve itself with legislation in other states.

Although Kobilica still holds the view that it is incompatible to be a practicing muslim and also to be a practicing homosexual, this is uplifting, and it is a step in the right direction. It is also an example that the Islamic community very much is capable of debate on defining issues. Let's just hope the debate and developments continue in the right direction.

We should also remind ourselves that a similar debate has been going on and is still going on in the Christian Church community in Norway. There is still a strong resistance towards letting homosexuals occupy religious positions in the Church. To me, there is no principal difference between the Church and the Islamic Council in this respect, at least when it comes to their stance on homosexuals in Norway.