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“This has nothing to do with religion”

So said the man's father after Omar Mateen killed 50 people at an Orlando gay club. Although details are still emerging, his father told NBC News that his son may been motivated by witnessing two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago. “This has nothing to do with religion,” he told NBC, adding that the family had been unaware of his plans.

This in an article "Queer Muslims exist – and we are in mourning too", in today's Guardian, in another attempt to distance from Islam terrorist actions committed by Muslims.

It convinces nobody. No comments are allowed, naturally, not on this or any of the several other articles on this incident. You begin to wonder what this newspaper's game is, so determined is it to shield Islam from criticism. The effect is to destroy what remains of the Guardian's credibility.

The misdeeds committed in obedience to the teachings of Islam are getting all religion a bad name. Christianity and Judaism promote can intolerant attitudes too; the Old Testament is explicit on the subject (Leviticus 18:22). It is read on the afternoon of the Day of Atonement and is presumably where the Islamic teaching comes from. However, both the Jewish tradition of interpretation, and Christian teaching always tempers what is written in the Old Testament. The Christian model is this...

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

and this

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

God wants us to repent and forgives the repentant sinner. He certainly does not want anyone thrown off cliffs or tall buildings for sexual transgressions.

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