Islam and Gay Marriage

Reading Michael Scheuer's Through Our Enemies' Eyes and watching much of the liberal Western reaction to radical Islam, I'm struck by how we're frequently told that the clash between the Islamists and the West is largely a reaction to specific American policies. Typically, the portfolio listed has to do with military bases in Saudi Arabia and support for Israel.

The liberal (and Scheuer) line tells us that we need to rethink these policies--that only when we have ceased to antagonize the Islamists will we be able to have peace with them.

Funny, that. The indispensable MEMRI has posted a transcript from Sheik Al-Qaradhawi. The sheik held forth on gay marriage on Al Jazeera three days ago. Among the highlights:

* ". . . Allah decreed that they [homosexuals] want to ruin our families. But there are strong tendencies in the West to destroy the family. An example of this is the marriage of men with men and women with women. Unfortunately, some clergymen welcome this and perform these marriage ceremonies in their churches. In addition, several Western parliaments have permitted this and issued laws about it so it has won legal recognition."

* " They want to make the perversion [ie homosexuality] widespread."

If you listen carefully, you will not hear the sound of liberals suggesting that, perhaps, if we just banned gay marriage, then maybe the Islamists would leave us alone. Theirs is the love of appeasement; but it is a fickle affection.

Bonus "Islam is Peace": The sheik also took the time to note, quite moderately:

"Out of more than 6,000 verses of the Koran, there is one verse that deals with a condescending and disobedient wife. It is said there that one of the methods of treatments is, 'And beat them.' This is not obligatory, but it is permitted and it does not suit all wives. All Koranic commentators agree on this. Beating does not benefit all wives, but it is suitable for some."