Unspeakable Love: Notes to Chapter 6
1. The Quakers (http://www.quaker.org.uk/), also known as The Religious Society of Friends, are a small sect with about 210,000 members that began in Britain in the 1650s. They have no formalised ritual or doctrine. Though rooted in the Christian tradition, the do not regard the Bible as their only source of inspiration. For a brief description of their history and beliefs, see: http://www.quaker.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=90275
2. Friends Home Service Committee: Towards a Quaker view of sex. London, revised edition, 1964. Extracts reproduced at http://worldpolicy.org/globalrights/sexorient/1964-quaker.html. See also http://www.quaker.org.uk/more/qviews/qviews3.html
3. Eron, John Lewis: ‘Homosexuality and Judaism’ in Swidler, Arlene (ed): Homosexuality and World Religions. Trinity Press International, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1993. p 124.
4. ‘Gay-rights supporters rally in Polish capital despite ban, opposition taunts’, Associated Press, June 11, 2005. ‘Gay marchers ignore ban in Warsaw’, BBC, 11 June 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4084324.stm.
5. ‘Jerusalem gay march ban set aside’, BBC, June 26, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4624843.stm. Man charged over Jerusalem attack BBC July 5, 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4653655.stm
6. Duran, Khalid. 1993. ‘Homosexuality and Islam’ in Swidler, op cit. p 181.
7. ‘Homosexuality and the ordination of women.’ Two lectures given by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on November 26, 1990. http://tasbeha.org/content/hh_books/ordofwom/index.html. For a summary of the Coptic Orthodox church’s views on homosexuality see: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_copt.htm
8. For an overview of current Christian and Jewish attitudes see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_and_Christianity and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_and_Judaism.
9. It is perhaps no coincidence that among the Muslim countries secular Turkey has some of the most liberal policies on homosexuality.
10. Hunter, James Davison: Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America. Basic Books, New York, 1991. p 106.
11. Ellison, Marvin: ‘Homosexuality and Protestantism’ in Swidler, op cit. pp 170-171.
12. ‘To be gay and Muslim.’ http://www.alternet.org/story/12817/
13. For discussion of successful Muslim efforts to block discussion of sexual orientation at the UN see Chapter 4. Another example is debate about the UN’s definition of “the family” – see Whitaker, Brian: ‘Fundamental union,’ Guardian Unlimited, January 25, 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1398055,00.html
14. Besides the Lot story, there are a number of other scriptural issues in Judaism and Christianity. They are not discussed here because they are of limited relevance to Islamic views of homosexuality. For more information about the various Christian arguments, see http://www.religioustolerance.org/homosexu.htm. For the development of Jewish ideas on homosexuality see: Eron, op cit. pp 103-134.
15. Genesis 18: 20-21. The Revised Standard Version is quoted here because its meaning is clearer. The King James Version says: “And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.”
16. Ezekiel 16: 48-49. For further discussion of this from a Jewish viewpoint, see Eron, op cit. pp 103-134.
17. Genesis 19: 4-11. Revised Standard Version.
18. The interpretation of “know” in this passage is sometimes disputed. However, the story makes little sense if it simply implies “to get to know” or “become acquainted with”. Its meaning in this context seems clear, especially in view of the way “know” is used again in Verse 8.
19. Jamal, Amreen: ‘The story of Lot and the Qur’an’s perception of the morality of same-sex sexuality.’ Journal of Homosexuality, Vol 41 (1) 2001.
20. Qur’an 50 (Qaf).
21. The relevant verses in the Qur’an are: 6 (al-Anaam): 85-87; 7 (al-Araf): 78-82; 11 (al-Hud): 73 and 79-84; 15 (al-Hijr): 58-77; 21 (al-Anbiya): 70-75; 22 (al-Hajj): 43-44; 26 (al-Shuara): 160-176; 27 (al-Naml): 55-59; 29 (al-Ankabut): 25-34; 37 (al-Saffat): 133-138; 38 (Sad): 11-14; 50 (Qaf): 12-13; 54 (al-Qamar): 33-40 and 66 (al-Tahrim): 10.
22. Qur’an 15 (al-Hijr).
23. The Arabic says: “wa laqad raawaduuhu ’an daifihi”. The verb here is the third form of raada which, according to Hans Wehr’s dictionary, in combination with the preposition ’an, means “to seek to alienate or lure away”. According to Wehr, when used without the preposition and with a direct object, the verb means “to attempt to seduce”.
24. Kugle, op cit, quotes a reconstruction of the Lut story by the twelfth-century Stories of the Prophets by al-Kisa’i (p 210).
25. http://www.alinaam.org.za/library/homos.htm. On the question of homosexuality among animals, modern research suggests it is quite widespread. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-human_animal_sexuality
26. ibid.
27. ‘Can I attend a homosexual “wedding”?’ http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=101635
28. Boswell, John: Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality. University of Chicago Press, 1980.
29. Armstrong, Karen: ‘Not-so-holy matrimony.’ The Guardian, June 30, 2003. http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,987573,00.html
30. Genesis 19: 30-38.
31. Kugle, op cit. p 223.
32. ibid.
33. ‘Submitted questions & comments.’ http://straightway.sinfree.net/feedback/quecom.htm
34. Human Rights Watch: ‘Religious police role in school fire criticised.’ Press release, March 15, 2002. http://hrw.org/press/2002/03/saudischool.htm; ‘Saudi police “stopped” fire rescue.’ BBC, March 15, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1874471.stm
35. ‘Homosexuality is a major sin.’ http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=30519
36. Kugle, op cit. p 200-201.
37. Rowson, Everett: ‘The effeminates of early Medina’ in Comstock and Henking (eds): Que(e)rying religion: a critical anthology. Continuum, New York, 1997. Cited by Kugle, op cit. p 197.
38. Qur’an 24:31 (al-Nur), Shakir’s version. This is translated by others as “male servants free of physical needs” (Yusuf Ali) and “male attendants who lack vigour” (Picktall). From the context, this clearly indicates men who were not heterosexually active.
39. ‘The significance of doing things with right hands.’ http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=58534
40. Kugle, op cit. p 194.
41. Qur’an 49: 13 (al-Hujurat).
42. Qur’an 30:22 (al-Rum).
43. Eron, op cit.
44. Haughton, Rosemary, ‘The meaning of marriage in women’s new consciousness’ in Roberts, William (ed): Commitment to Partnership: Explorations of the Theology of Marriage (ed William Roberts) Paulist Press, New York, 1987. Quoted by Carmodymso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt", Denise and John: ‘Homosexuality and Roman Catholicism’ in Swidler, op cit.pp 145-146.