SIGN SAME SEX MARRIAGE BILL INTO LAW

6th December, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: SIGN SAME SEX MARRIAGE BILL INTO LAW   The House of Representatives recently passed the bill on same sex marriage. If passed into law, offenders may be sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment while anyone found belonging to a homosexual or lesbian group will be liable to ten years imprisonment.      The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) hereby identifies with this bill. It is a step in the right direction. It will protect the norms and values of our nation and sustain human procreation. It is our considered opinion that same sex marriage offends the process of creation. According to Qur'an 2: 30-35 Allah gave Adam a woman as a partner (Hawa' or Eve) and not a man. The Bible also affirms that after creating Adam (Genesis 2:7) God created Eve (Genesis 2:22) and not another male.   The Supreme Creator has ordered the nature of things in pairs, male and female, positive and negative. Only thus can the world run its due course. Therefore any attempt to legalize same sex marriage is not only an act of disobedience to Allah but also an attempt to cause commotion in society.   MURIC calls attention to the grievous perversion of the people of Lut as related in Qur'an 7:80-84 and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:1-27. We warn that Jonathan should ignore Britain, Canada, America and other Western countries who have urged Nigeria to legalize same sex marriage. These Western countries are a bunch of advocatus diaboli who are bent on dragging Nigeria and the rest of the world into the deep sea of Shaytan.   Like drowning men, they are groping for any straw to hold or drag down to drown with them. We urge President Jonathan to quickly sign the bill into law before these Western countries drag Nigeria down with them. Jonathan must not succumb to the intimidation of neo-imperialists. We assure the president that Nigerians are united on this matter. We are solidly behind him.   We condemn Britain for threatening to withhold its aids to Nigeria if the same sex bill is signed into law. It is cheap blackmail. It is highly deplorable. We warn Canada and the United States to desist from interfering in the internal affairs of Nigeria. It is an assault on the sovereignty of Africa's largest democracy. It is totally unacceptable.   For having the temerity to threaten sanctions and the audacity to dictate to Nigeria, we demand that Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs should summon the British and Canadian High Commissioners to Nigeria as well as the American Ambassador to demand an explanation.   Finally, we recognize the need for government to create an enabling environment for the rehabilitation of homosexuals and lesbians. The physiological condition which compels unconventional sexual behavior requires proper understanding. We therefore urge government to assist people in this condition to receive proper expert counseling with a view to reforming and returning those affected to normal sex life.   Is-haq Akintola (Ph.D), Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered