Several columnists in the Saudi Al-Madina daily have recently written against the phenomenon of homosexuality in the world in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular, noting that Islam forbids it and treats it as an offense punishable by death. They wrote that this practice, which is tolerated in the West and even condoned by Western leaders, goes against nature and threatens to bring humanity to a level lower than that of animals. They also praised the Catholic Church for condemning homosexuality, and one called on all religious organizations in the world, especially Islamic ones, to protect mankind from the "heresy" of homosexuality, which threatens it. Another article also called to sentence homosexuals to death.

The following are excerpts from the articles:

Saudi Columnist: Homosexuality Is A Western Threat To Mankind And To Morality In The Guise Of Human Rights

Muhammad Al-Baladi, a columnist for the Al-Madina daily, wrote: "A [recent news] report said that an American grandmother had given birth to her own granddaughter after carrying her in her womb for nine months as a surrogate, so that her homosexual son and his partner could have a child and form an 'alternative' family. Here are the details: Cecile Eledge, aged 61, gave birth to her granddaughter, Uma Louise, in Nebraska, USA, after offering her gay son, Matthew Eledge, to serve as a surrogate for him and his partner, Elliot Dougherty. The egg was donated – and this is not a typo – by her daughter (the baby's aunt), in order to complete the homosexual family [consisting of] a husband, husband and children.

"I apologize to the reader for this nauseating news item, but presenting it was essential in order to clarify the extent of the West's moral absurdity that is threatening the world, and the alarming escalation of [practices] which undermine the divine natural order of creation in favor of homosexual filth that is mounting in the industrialized and civilized world. [This world] is apparently threatening to bring mankind to a level lower than that of animals, for animals naturally abhor many of these acts, which are being performed in the name of personal freedom and human rights. As a matter of fact... I do not know where this horrific moral erosion, headed by the coalition of barbaric capitalism, or [this] immoral practicality that is gradually taking over the world and completely overturning its moral balance, based on perverted standards, is taking us!

"The 'alternative family' that Cecile Eledge wanted to create for her son by carrying his child is a misleading term that has started spreading in homosexual circles in order to obscure the horror of their actions, which not only contravene all of the monotheistic religions as well as man-made laws, but also strongly contravene all the laws of creation, nature and the circle of life. This is nauseating disregard for an important divine law [regarding] populating the world and [ensuring] its continuity through controlled natural procreation. To tell the truth, I found no description of this disgraceful offense against mankind more powerful and genuine than the one [offered by] the Catholic Church, which said: 'Reinforcing society with the children of homosexual families is just like circulating false currency in society.'

"Amid the daily concessions being made by Western politicians and some human rights organizations to the masses of homosexuals, who try to present their demands as progressive and humane, it appears that the Catholic Church is the last bastion in the West [still] defending the values that the religions fought to establish for hundreds of years. Hence, I believe that all the world's conservative and religious organizations, especially the Islamic ones, must coordinate [and formulate] a uniform, firm and coherent religious position [on this matter], and set out red lines to defend mankind as a whole against the heresy of homosexuality that is threatening it.

"Absolute freedom is absolute corruption. We must not be a society without constraints or boundaries, in which individual cravings are the first criterion [for defining] freedoms. The monotheistic religions are the last bastion of morality, which humanity must uphold in the face of the pressures that condemn [the opponents of homosexuality] as barbaric and oppressive reactionaries. Otherwise, the world will witness an even greater moral collapse, to the point of [legitimizing] incestuous marriage or marriage with animals!"[1]

Saudi Author And Columnist: We Must Fortify Our Society Against This Repulsive Behavior

Another Al-Madina columnist, the author Dr. 'Assem Hamdan, likewise condemned homosexuality in a column published several days later. Agreeing with Muhammad Al-Baladi's statements, he described homosexuality as "ugly practices," "abhorrent behavior" and a betrayal of Muslim society, and called to defend this society against it. He wrote: "Al-Madina [recently] published an article... by my colleague Muhammad Al-Baladi, on the issue of homosexuality, a [phenomenon] that some Western institutions unfortunately welcome. Furthermore, former U.S. president Barack Obama gave his blessing to this repulsive practice when he invited two homosexuals to visit the White House. Perhaps one of the [most] fatal errors committed by former British Conservative [Party] leader David Cameron was his call to convene a Parliament session to vote on legislation pertaining to this pariah group, as if in order to welcome them into British society, which also includes people who oppose [homosexuality], naturally and based on the directives of the Christian Church. [In his article] Al-Baladi noted the positive position of the Catholic Church in the struggle against this despicable practice. In this matter there is a welcome agreement between the Church and the directives of Islam...

"Ultimately, these despicable practices erode the very existence of the materialistic Western culture, and it is only right that we should defend our [own] societies against them, by means of full commitment to the noble directives and rules of behavior of Islam, which came to elevate man and lead him to paths of abstention from sin and of goodness, decency and benevolence."[2]

Saudi Lecturer: Homosexuals Should Be Sentenced To Death

Al-Madina columnist Mohammed Khader 'Arif, a lecturer at King 'Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, responded to the articles by Al-Baladi and Hamdan, writing: "Dr. Hamdan clarified that both Christianity and Islam denounce this despicable practice and urged us to defend our society against it... I will add to the recommendation of the great author [Dr. Hamdan] that the punishment of those who commit these two crimes [adultery and homosexuality] must be severe and deterring. I have already proposed in two previous articles that a man or a woman who tempt [someone to commit adultery] should be sentenced to death... The punishment for a homosexual, if he is proven to be such, should be no less. For, as is well known, Islamic law imposes the death penalty on men who have relations with men.

"Publicizing [the crime] is part of the punishment, and is in fact the most important aspect of the punishment, so as to deter [others]... 'Assem Hamdan's article clarified that Christian societies [also] condemn these crimes, based on the directives of their religion, and do not regard the pursuit of the perpetrators a violation of human rights, so our conservative Muslim society must certainly do the same."[3]