Emma+Hersh

= How do certain religions address homosexuality? =

**Introduction**
When many religions discuss homosexuality they find that in their own book of God that it's a sin and it will prevent them form doing good. However there are people in these religions who don't believe that at all, they say that people can do what they want and it won't effect their path to finding God. However, not all of the people in these religions believe that, sometimes religious people are also tolerant of homosexual people. They then make a place where homosexuals won't be prosecuted but can still practice their religion.

**Islam**
In the Islamic book of God, the Holy Qur'an, it states that homosexuality is a sin. ====**"Do ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in? Verily, ye approach men with lust rather than women- nay, ye are a people who exceed.' But his people's answer only was to say, 'Turn them out of your village, verily, they are a people who pretend to purity.' But we saved him and his people, except his wife, who was of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them a rain; -- see then how was the end of the sinners!"** ====


 While this is very abrupt and strait forward, it goes deeper. The Qur'an states that homosexuals will be wiped out and prosecuted and not stood for. However, there are people within the Islamic faith who have nothing to do with this passage or belief. The Qur'an also states that those who are homosexual bring pain to them and those around them as well as bringing it to their God.

**"Bring us God's torment, if thou art of those who speak the truth!' Said he, 'My Lord! help me against a people who do evil!" **
 The Qur'an only mentions male homosexuals as sinners, not females. Which then brings up the question; is it alright to be a woman homosexual in the Islamic faith? Do the men of Islam allow and accept female homosexuals for their own pleasure? Or is it still a sin to be a woman homosexual even if it is not mentioned in the Qur'an? Women are pressured not only by their husbands, but also by the culture they live in to not be openly gay, so they must do their best to blend in with the culture.

**Wicca**
====People who are Wiccan typically practice in solidarity or a small group called a coven so they are with people who believe in most of the same things. Wiccans believe in the Earth to tell them what is and what isn't and are very spiritually connected to the elements, **"If you take [a copy of] the Christian Bible and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our bible IS the wind and the rain."** said Carol McGrath. This means that they can create their own way of viewing different people who believe in different things. Many Wiccans are lesbian and gay because in many covens it's accepted. They go with the flow and do what moves them. However, like a true people, there are some in covens who don't believe homosexuality is acceptable. They don't believe it to be a sin, but they don't believe that they should be together or that it's acceptable. Wiccans don't look at what might effect other people in becoming spirital, they believe that people achieve their own spirituality in their own way.====

**Conclusion**
While certain religions books of God state that homosexuality is a sin, it is important to remember that there are people who don't believe that and don't set their life goal to be erasing people who get in the way of God doing good for the world. There are also many religions that have no problem with homosexuals and appreciate that that is just the way people either decide to live their lives or just have no control over. It is also important to not judge people based on what they believe or don't believe just because their Holy book says something is true. When deciding whether or not to trust in a certain religions Holy book it is best to remember that they still have morals and that determines what the choose to believe.

**Work Cited**
Robinson, B.A. Islam and Homosexuality Updated: 2005 http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_isla1.htm
 * Islam**

Huneault, Robert Homosexuality and Wicca http://www.pf-pc.ca/info/wiccan/wicca/homo.html
 * Wicca**

Wicca, The religion Robinson, Bruce Updated: 2009 http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm