Islamic Leaders Outlaw Condoms in Somalia

[DemBones DemBones]

Saw this on the CNN crawler last night, found the story at BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3340611.stm


Islamic leaders say they have outlawed condoms in Somalia, where the vast majority of the population is Muslim.

The umbrella Somali Ulema Council has said it will use Sharia (Islamic) Law, including flogging, to punish those selling or using condoms.

The council is responding to a United Nations-funded campaign to raise awareness about Aids being aired by a local radio station.

<snip>

Sheikh Nur Barud, the chairman of the Ulema Council, told a public meeting that the use of condoms will increase adultery and those promoting its use deserve punishment.

[tabasco]

1. Ain't religions great ?

Fighting progress and public health around the world, 24-7. For all the good that good religious people do, there is an equal amount of stuff like this to balance it out.

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. that should work about as well as abstinence education

They are using the same argument you can hear in many US communities from people who oppose condom distribution, even science-based sex education for young people, on the principle that it will encourage pre-marital sex, which some Christians oppose.

The recent bush regime AIDS initiative reserves about a third of the money for abstinence education, which the regime's preferred method of combatting AIDS.

I have also heard similar arguments from people who oppose "no questions asked anon dropoff" for unwanted children in the US, to reduce the number of newborn infants left in dumpsters. Those who oppose dropoffs feel that like the morning after pill, the measure would encourage sexual activity.

[KC21304]

3. Now there's something to make the right wingnuts happy.

Or maybe in this case they would rather the Muslims use the condoms. Less propagating you know.

[Bombtrack]

4. I'm not being preduced to say that Islam needs to be moderatized

i'm not prejudging, I'm judging. Islam is being driven by nut-balled hate-filled zealots.

And secularism is the only treatment for shitstorm that the middle east is in.

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. Here is a thread for you

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=952881

[Bombtrack]

8. that's right ducttape, I guess your just going to keep implying I'm a nazi

or a racist or whatever because I have a realist/mainstream/informed foriegn policy

[DuctapeFatwa]

10. I implied nothing. It is a thread on mainstream views

:)

[WindRavenX]

14. Islam is a great religion...but it's being hijacked by fanatics

And the US and the western world is partially to blame for that. There's no doubt that right now Islam looks like a terrible, terrible religion, but it's a false picture of Islam. Islam is a religion of peace.
However, those in power are twisting it so it appears to be violent and hateful.
And this incident is saddening..so many people are going to get STDs and AIDs...jesus..

[Josh]

15. Islam is great on paper.

nt.

[kcwayne]

20. Like all religions, Islam is comprised of subjective interpretation

of rules and guidelines that are logically contradictory. While both Islam and Christianity claim to be religions of peace, the Bible and the Koran have just as many exhortations to violence and murder.

You can expect nothing more from systems of thinking that are based on unprovable premises, and assertions of truth or falsehood are not required to be based on objective evidence. The actions and interpretations that embody religions can be construed to fit any ideology, whether it be peace, war, stupidity, or enlightened reason.

When examples of hideous actions come under scrutiny, the faithful and believers deflect criticism of the religion's core values by casting blame on fanatics. Neither the genocide committed against Native Americans by Christians, or the endless bombings of shoppers, bus riders, and school children in Israel by Muslims, or the forced slavery practiced by both are construed to represent the core values of the majority of practitioners. But these atrocities have repeated themselves throughout the last 2000 years over which these religions have had the mind share of millions, and hideous acts have been committed by millions. One wonders at what mathematical point the number of acts of violence and stupidity reach a threshold where they are no longer considered to be the domain of fanatics and responsibility is taken for promoting these ideologies that cause millions to commit millions of acts of hostility over the generations.

[Bandit]

6. Boy would they ever fit in with the Republicans

Who cares if people die just as long as they don't have sex.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is great..if a sperm gets wasted

God gets quite irate...sorry..having a Monty Python moment :D

[RBHam]

9. "Would you get that, Deirdre?"

"Right then, I know this is going to be hard, but it's God's will. I've just sold all of you for medical experiments!"

[DemBones DemBones]

11. What do people think about Muslim leaders in Somalia

banning condoms?

Please do not compare them to anyone else, just discuss this issue. In question form,

Do Muslim leaders have a right to ban condoms in their communities?

[Dookus]

12. I'd say no.....

I think no religious leaders ought to have the power of the state to impose their beliefs. They can preach all they want, but their pronouncements should not have the power of law.

That goes for all religions, all nations.

[REP]

19. Same As Catholics Saying "Condoms Don't Stop AIDS"

Same tune, different verse. They have no more right than the RCC does. Doesn't stop either one, and the outcome is the same.

[FDRrocks]

13. Good job, asshole!

Great lack of obvious logical thought! He's like Republicans. Fuck birth control, it increases promiscuity. Proven by no numbers.

[0rganism]

16. AK-47's, on the other hand, are still available at your corner grocery

What a freakishly sad little country.

[DemBones DemBones]

17. What if Somalians agree that they

want AK-47s (assuming your comment is somewhat true)? What if, since they are predominantly Muslim, they agree with their religious leaders banning condoms?

Do Somalians have the right to respect a ban imposed by religious leaders?

[0rganism]

18. "Do Somalians have the right to respect the condom ban?"

What the fuck kind of question is that? (pardon the french pun)

Of course they have that right, in fact they'd damn well better respect it unless they're okay with being flogged or otherwise punished according to their leaders' interpretation of Islamic law. And if they consider condoms more dangerous than automatic weapons, then I will consider their country freakishly sad.

For some reason, I doubt the female population of Somalia was consulted for their opinions. Perhaps some of them would agree with my take.

Just because enfranchised people agree to something doesn't mean I won't be voicing an opinion about it. For instance, Americans agreed to be governed by republicans from 2002 to 2004, that doesn't mean we're enjoying it. Look around on this site, you'll find all kinds of opinions about the decisions of various peoples.

Do you have the right to respect a ban on hemp products imposed by corporate lobbyists? Do you have a right to respect John Ashcroft's ability to ship us all off to Gitmo at the wave of his hand, imposed by King George? Of course you do. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be pathetic.

[dusty64]

21. A good example

of what happens when "religious" extremists control a government. America are you listening?

[Walt Starr]

22. Folks, this is the future of the United States of America

The Anti-choice forces will ultimately ban every form of birth control. If they are given even an inch, they will take the whole lot.

This is the unspoken agenda of the Anti-choice movement. They want to remove ALL sexual and parenting choice from the masses.

[spanone]

23. Islam and the Bush fundies have much in common