Ban homophobic clerics from mosques, gay rights campaigners urge

Dan82 · Jun 10, 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/09/gay-rights-london-mosques

Gay rights campaigners have urged mosque leaders in east London to ban homophobic clerics from using their premises, following a 21% rise in gay hate crime in the area.

Activists, including journalist Julie Bindel and Pride trustee Colm Howard-Lloyd, said some preachers at the East London Mosque and the London Muslim Centre had "created an atmosphere in which hate is socially acceptable; they have spread a message in which maiming and violence is the most dutiful, honourable, devout thing to do".

Their concerns follow the £100 fine given to Mohammed Hasnath, who put up "Gay-Free Zone" stickers in the area; the case of Oliver Hemsley, who was paralysed from the neck down in August 2008 following a vicious attack; and Metropolitan police figures showing that gay hate crime had risen in the borough of Tower Hamlets – where the mosque and adjoining centre are located – from 67 attacks to 81 in a year.

In a statement, the campaigners said that while the East London Mosque and the London Muslim Centre had distanced themselves from the sticker campaign, they had "hosted numerous hate preachers who have promoted the most vicious homophobia imaginable over the years...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/09/gay-rights-london-mosques
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Robert · Jun 10, 2011

Well, this is a silly argument.

Homophobic clerics exist because a large amount of people, within the Muslim religion, believe that their religious texts condemn homosexuality. Asking for homophobic clerics to be banned is like asking for clerics who believe in god to be banned. Nonsensical.

Some Muslims will see this as gays advocating the destruction of their religion (because thats what it is). This is counterproductive and intrusive.

Ban homophobic clerics from mosques, gay rights campaigners urge

Dan82
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Ban homophobic clerics from mosques, gay rights campaigners urge

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Dan82
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