The Movement for Reform Judaism has officially backed gay marriages in a week in which church leaders have renewed their opposition to marriage equality for gays. The Reform Movement said such a move “can only strengthen society and the institution of marriage”. The Movement joined Liberal Judaism, Unitarians and Quakers in officially supporting equal marriage rights for gay couples. It has conducted gay commitment ceremonies since February 2011, recognising a greater diversity of relationships within its communities in what it called a “general move to greater inclusivity”. Representing 42 synagogues with a membership of approximately 30,000, together with Liberal Judaism the groups represent about a third of British Jewry. Rabbi Colin Eimer, who chaired the Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK working party said: “We are focused on what constitutes good Jewish relationships, be they heterosexual or homosexual. “Religious ceremonies exist in Jewish life for heterosexual couples to express their love,

The intersection of religion and homosexuality is a complex issue indeed. There are homosexuals in every culture and religion in the world. Unfortunately, our common humanity is divided up by dogma,  scripture and institutions of organized faith that reject sexual varieties and endorse discrimination and persecution against gay people. Listed here are numerous reports and commentaries from several religious perspectives regarding homosexuality. In general, gay Buddhists seem to have the easiest time with their religious system. Gay Muslims have the most difficult, with Jews and Christians in between. None of them welcome gays with open hearts.Posted Aliso Viejo, California, United States.

Hinduism and Homosexuality: Essays 1 Being gay and Hindu may win Pakistani DJ asylum in USA 6/03 2 Gay Sikhs: ‘You’re not alone’ 4/08 3 Asian countries urged to address HIV and AIDS in MSM 4/09 4 Vaishnavism and homosexuality 4/09 June 22, 2003 - San Francisco Chronicle 1 Being gay and Hindu may win Pakistani DJ asylum in the United States by Dave Ford A tall bamboo plant towers over low chairs festooned with cushions made of maroon and purple Indian fabric and inset with tiny mirrors. Daylight seeps through two ceiling skylights. A couch and more plants complete the living room decor in the San Francisco flat of popular psychedelic-trance DJ Keshav Jiwnani. He shares the former storefront space in the Inner Mission with three roommates and a friendly black-and-white cat named Sersha. On the room’s perimeter, wooden ladders lead to small lofts. In Jiwnani’s, an altar holds small statues of Hindu deities

Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition Also see:  Gay Israel story Gay Israel News and Reports 2000-02 Gay Israel News and Reports 2003-04 Judaism and Homosexuality 1 A second look on homosexuality 2/04 2 New books: ‘Wrestling With God & Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition’ and ‘Queer Theory and the Jewish Question: between queer and Jewish identities’ 5/04 3 Comment: Reflections on Yom Kippur and homosexuality within Judaism 9/09 Rabbi Harold Schulweis Archives 24 February 2004 1 A second look on homosexuality by Rabi Harold M. Schulweis The rabbis in the Talmudic era declared that two bachelors are permitted to sleep beneath the same blanket because Jews are not suspect of homosexuality. (Kiddushin 82a) Were the rabbis treating homosexuality in the first centuries the way we once dealt with drug addiction, alcoholism, wife abuse and declared, “This is not a Jewish problem”? We can pretend that it is not a Jewish concern, though a

1 Outing the Bible: The new queer theologians don’t need your approval 2/04 2 Homophobia turns young people off Christianity 10/07 3 It’s the gays’ fault 4/10 4 Prospective Catholic Priests Face Sexuality Hurdles 5/10 4a Challenging the Religious Fundamentalism Behind Anti-Homo Bill of 2009 3/11 5 Survey: Most US Catholics support gay rights 3/11 6 Gay bishop: Bible silent on gays 4/11 February 11, 2004 - East Bay Express 1 Outing the Bible: The new queer theologians don’t need your approval by Malcolm Gay, malcolm.gay@eastbayexpress.com One thing is clear: 2003 was without a doubt the Year of the Queer. In a mere twelve months, the United States Supreme Court cast aside anti-sodomy laws in Texas, theMassachusetts Supreme Court overturned the state’s ban on gay marriage, and Democratic presidential candidates from Dean to Kerry endorsed the idea of civil unions. On the pop culture front, a fashion-forward quintet captivated the country, metrosexualizing hopeless breeders on Bravo’s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Britney Spears

1 Homosexuality and Theravada Buddhism 2003 2 Will gay marriage be allowed by Buddhists in Thailand? 7/05 3 Homosexuality, Buddhism and Sri Lankan Society 8/07 1 Homosexuality and Theravada Buddhism 2003 by A. L. De Silva Buddhism teaches to, and expects from, its followers a certain level of ethical behaviour. The minimum that is required of the lay Buddhist is embodied in what is called the Five Precepts (panca sila), the third of which relates to sexual behaviour. Whether or not homosexuality, sexual behaviour between people of the same sex, would be breaking the third Precept is what I would like to examine here. Homosexuality was known in ancient India; it is explicitly mentioned in the Vinaya (monastic discipline) and prohibited. It is not singled out for special condemnation, but rather simply mentioned along with a wide range of other sexual behaviour as contravening the rule that requires monks and nuns to be celibate.

1 Gay Africans and Arabs come out online 2/08 2 A Jihad for Love: Can your faith really kill you? 3/08 3 Gay Arabs Party Here, Risk Death Back Home 6/08 4 Book on LGBT life in Muslim cultures published 8/08 5 HIV/AIDS and Its Effects on Society Cont. 5 9/08 6 Outcast heroes 11/08 7 Review: Islam and AIDS, Between Scorn, Pity and Justice 1/09 8 Al-Qaeda accused of using male rape to ‘create’ suicide bombers 2/09 9 Islam ‘recognizes homosexuality’ 2/09 10 Comment: False hope – LGBT rights in the Middle East 3/09 11 Why can’t Muslims be gay and proud? 7/09 12 What’s it like being a gay Muslim? 7/09 13 Transgender belly dancer helps launch Arab gay initiative 9/09 14 Middle East LGBT Monthly Magazine 9/09 15 Gay MEP Michael Cashman criticises UN General Assembly president’s ‘unacceptable’ anti-gay views 9/09 16 The Gay Sons of Allah

1 Islamic Feminism Revisited 2/06 2 UK Gay Muslim Activist Adnan Ali is Interviewed 3/06 3 New book gives voice to gay Arabs: ‘Unspeakable Love 4/06 4 Four-Day Conference to Highlight South Asian Gay Issues 6/06 5 Marriage for Gay Muslims? 6/06 6 Queer Muslims find peace 6/06 7 Homosexual and ‘passionate about Islam’ 7/06 7a Middle East dispatch Coming out in Arabic 10/06 7b Love, Lust and Passion: Sex and Taboos in the Islamic World 10/06 8 Gay Arabs organising in Israel 3/07 9 Arab Lesbians Hold Rare Public Meeting in Haifa, Defying Islamist Ban 3/07 10 Gay, Muslim lawyer bucks stereotypes 3/07 11 Bear Arabia is a unique social network for dating and travels in Arab world 5/07 12 Website for Arab and Asian gays launched 7/07 13 Changing Hearts and Reading Minds 7/07 14 Mithly.com website dedicated to the (LGBT) Arab communities of the world 7/07 *15 New documentary features gay Muslim experience 9/07 16 Holy hatred: Homosexuality in Muslim countries 9/07 17 Middle East dispatch Coming

1 The True Clash of Civilizations-Sex 4/03 2 Summer lovin’ – Arab Gays, Lesbians coming out of the closet? 8/03 3 Gay Muslims Work Toward a New Islam 8/03 4 Arabian Nightsweats (essay) 6/03 5 A Muslim calls for reform – and she’s a lesbian 1/04 6 Woman Fights for Equality in West Virginia (USA) Mosque 1/04 7 How a Muslim woman (USA) broke a taboo by praying with men 1/04 8 Review of Book by Lesbian Mulsim Author Irshad Manji 1/04 9 Al-Fatiha hold successful 2004 North Amertican conference in Los Angeles 2/04 10 Outing the Middle East 2/04 10a Differences in opinions among men and women (non-gay story) 5/04 11 Web site galvanizing Muslim moderates 6/04 12 Progressive Muslims rally around web site 10/04 13 Dissident Sexualities: Muslim and Gay in the UK 12/04 14 No Condoms & Gays Must Repent Arab AIDS Summit Agrees 12/04 15 Gay Muslims will hold international conference in Atlanta 8/05 16 Queer Muslims finish 5th international conference in (post script) 9/05 Foreign Policy

1 Power and Sexuality in the Middle East (Academic essay, 1998) 2 Gay Muslims in the Post-Attack World 10/01 3 Male Homosexuality in the Arab World 7/98 4 Gay Life and Death in the Arab World 2/02 5 Pakistani-American Gay Muslim Activist Works to Build Ties 11/01 6 Islamic Studies on Homosexuality (1998) 7 Gay Muslims Face a Growing Challenge 1/02 8 To Be Gay and Muslim (USA) 4/02 9 More acceptance for gay Muslims since 9/11 4/02 10 Interesting Notes from Academia about Homosexuality and Islam Middle East Report http://www.merip.org/mer/mer206/bruce.htm Spring 1998 1 Power and Sexuality in the Middle East by Bruce Dunne Sex as Power; Denial as Safety Sexual relations in Middle Eastern societies have historically articulated social hierarchies, that is, dominant and subordinate social positions: adult men on top; women, boys and slaves below. The distinction made by modern Western “sexuality” between sexual and gender identity, that is, between kinds of sexual predilections [and] degrees of masculinity and