Another reason I hate religion?

It's too often too much about hate. (I added the links.)

The newly-installed president of the United Nations, Ali Abdussalam Treki, has said that homosexuality is "not really acceptable".

Treki, who is the Libyan secretary of African Union Affairs, opened the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly Friday with a press conference.

One question concerned the UN resolution which calls for the universal (de)criminalisation of homosexuality.

In reply, Treki said: "That matter is very sensitive, very touchy. As a Muslim, I am not in favour of it . . . it is not accepted by the majority of countries. My opinion is not in favour of this matter at all. I think it's not really acceptable by our religion, our tradition.

“It is not acceptable in the majority of the world. And there are some countries that allow that, thinking it is a kind of democracy . . . I think it is not,” he added.

Way to get started in the job, especially after a lot of blah-blah about human rights.

I guess we can't expect a whole lot of universal hand-holding and singing of Kumbaya from this guy.

Not that I'd want to hold his hand. Feh.

And we're still waiting for the UN to get its act together on women's rights which, the consensus among intelligent and civilized people is, would lead to changes that would make the world a better place.

OOPSY DATE: I quoted from a link with a major typo which I missed. It's fixed now.

Of course, the UN resolution is the Declaration for the Universal Decriminalisation of Homosexuality, made official on December 19, 2008.

(Thanks to CatBoreal and JB in the comments for that catch.)

Comments

[CatBoreal]

Uuuummmm..... Antonia?

Shouldn't that be the universal *de*criminalisation of homosexuality?

[jb]

I think there was a typo there... shouldn't it read DE criminalization?

[Dianna K. Goneau Inkster]

Maybe, Treki will grow in the job.

[rev.paperboy]

If Mr. Treki feels that homosexuality is "unacceptable" I suggest that he feel free not to participate in homosexual sex. Otherwise, he should shut the hell up. Trudeau was right, the state has no business in the nation's bedrooms.
The UN has also passed or is working on a declaration of respect for religion that will give a free pass to any nation that wants to prosecute blasphemy, the ultimate victimless crime.

[Jim M]

I would support a "universal decriminalization of homosexuality" but would have to agree with Antonia that holding this guy's hand should probably be called a crime.

[Ashley]

Is it just me, or might all the world's problems go away if religion could be kept separate from all political decisions and all laws?

I love how he says "It is not acceptable in the majority of the world" as if that is a valid reason for why it should continue to be unacceptable. How did he get this job exactly? Sheesh.

[Jim M]

This comment in reply to Ashley should not be interpreted as necessarily disagreeing with anything she said. However, I think the question she poses in the her first sentence, which was posed fairly enough (in my opinion), cannot really be answered in a straightforward manner. At least I do not see how it can be answered directly considering that the word "religion" is commonly defined and/or perceived (or just passed off) as being synonymous with the word "spirituality."

If religion and spirituality were synonymous words then I would say it's impossible not to mix religion with politics, but my direct answer to Ashley's first question as it is given is, no, it's not just you, Ashley.

[Daniela]

Even though I'm not crazy about religion either, especially institutionalized monotheistic ones who think that they have the right to go around evangelizing & brainwashing everybody, I do indeed gravitate towards spirituality, like wicca or other pagan paths.

[sooey]

Hm. I wonder what his views are on women? Maybe it's time the UN faced an international campaign protesting its bigotry AND sexism. For instance, why are its leaders ALWAYS men?

[...pat.]

Hate to say it, Antonia, but he's probably one of the type who will not shake a woman's hand (unless she is a close relative).

[The Stygian and his Shemitish Dogs]

Sooey Sweetie,

"For instance, why are [the UN's] leaders ALWAYS men?"

Wow. Keep thinking ... in this context, culture and relative clout ... think a bit more...

Pat Pet,

Why do you "hate" to say it?

But in a similar context, why did the feminist establishment not throw its weight behind Canada's first woman PM in 1993, or BC's first woman Premier in 1991?

[sooey]

The UN has had a free ride from the Left for long enough on the basis of "it's the best we've got". Well, it's sexist and bigoted in 2009. That's not good enough.