Norway: Islamic Council Finds Itself Unable To Retract Death Penalty For All Homosexuals

This even though they face a loss of funds.

You have to admire their commitment to ensure that Allah gets his blood sacrifices, don't you?

From Islam in Europe:

"It's of course completely unacceptable not to reject the death sentence for homosexuals. To take up this debate now is important, not least of consideration to young homosexual Muslim who struggle with their own identity," says the Children and Equality minister Anniken Huitfeldt to Dagsavisen.

The minister is sending a strong signal to the heads of the Islamic Council of Norway that they must distance themselves from the death sentence for homosexuals.

Huitfeldt's party colleague, parliament member Thomas Breen of the justice committee, demands to stop all state financial support to the Islamic council.

"There have been enough opportunities for the Islamic Council to enter the homosexuality debate. Now it's time that the state stand up for some values and remove all financial support from the organization till they distance themselves," says Breen.

The Islamic Council of Norway says they're waiting for the European Fatwa Council to rule on the question. The council, which met three weeks ago in Paris, didn't deal with the issue.

The Islamic Council is an umbrella organization for Islamic faith societies and organization in Norway, and is led by Senaid Kobilica.

"I have noticed that the head of the Islamic council himself is against the death sentence for homosexuals. This shows they're going in the right direction. I hope that the Islamic Council therefore acts as an instigator for homosexual's standing in Islam and towards the European Fatwa Council," says Huitfeldt.

Thomas Breen stresses that the Islamic Council does an important job for many Muslims in Norway and that he first and foremost wants a debate about the homosexuality issue with the Islamic Council.

"I can understand that the homosexuality issue is difficult, but I don't accept that the Islamic Council can't reject the death sentence which conflicts with basic human rights," says Breen. The Culture and Church minister Trond Giske decided last year that the Islamic Council will get half a million kroner in state support.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Culture and Church ministry, Wegard Harsvik, says that they understand the impatience with the Islamic Council but they don't tie financial support to what a faith society or an association of faith societies, like the Islamic Council, think. He rejects the possibility of using economic sanctions against the Islamic Council.

Former Children and Equality Minister Karita Bekkemellem was in her time in the cabinet very clear that the government shouldn't support organization who carry on with what she thinks is clear discrimination and breaking the law.

Bekkemellem says that it's a misunderstood tolerance from the state's side, and uses the society's money to support opinions which conflict with Norwegian and European principles of justice. Therefore all state support should be immediately stopped.

She thinks the Islamic Council, by not taking a clear standpoint, are trying to pander to the more extreme powers internally and in the Norwegian Muslim community.

"Why haven't they immediately rejected it?" she asks.Senaid Kobilica was unavailable for comment.New named head of the National Association for Lesbian and Homosexual emancipation (LLH), Karen Pinholdt, thinks that the Islamic Council has closed all doors which have been opened for dialog.

Thomas Breen doesn't accept that the Islamic Council can't reject the death sentence.

You know, I know of only one other religion in the world which is so intent on killing people; extremist Satanism.

But, you really have to get into the extremists to find someone to compete with Islam.

What does that make you think?