sex & Islam

[joanna bujes]

At 02:59 AM 02/27/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>53 percent of those surveyed in Western nations express
>some degree of tolerance for homosexuality, compared to
>just 12 percent of those surveyed in Islamic societies.
>While 82 percent of those in the West support gender
>equality, 60 percent are tolerant toward divorce, and 48
>percent express tolerance for abortion, the corresponding
>levels in the Muslim world are just 55 percent, 35 percent,
>and 25 percent, respectively

I'm not sure about the homosexuality thing. I think there are different 
cultural perceptions at work here. From what I understand, homosexuality in 
Islamic societies happens in tandem with heterosexuality: "Women for 
babies, men for pleasure." A man who opted for an exclusively homosexual 
relationship would be looked down upon for failing to do his part as a 
head-of-family man.... So, in this respect, contrasting western and 
non-western views of homosexuality doesn't quite work.

Anyway, just a thought.

Joanna