A Muslim cleric, Dr. Farrokh Sekaleshfar, is being reminded of his words from a 2013 speech given at the University of Michigan. “Death is the sentence. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about this. Death is the sentence. We have to have that compassion for people. With homosexuals, it’s the same. Out of compassion, let’s get rid of them now.” What do these words sound like to the average person? Do they not call for killing homosexuals?
But the speaker of those sentiments has backtracked after the mass killing of two weeks ago. He has now stated that he is “totally against the barbaric act of violence” that occurred. He adds that such a killing cannot “be justified Islamically.” Really? But that is not all he said. He tried to explain: “I never gave the call to a death sentence.” He was just explaining what Islamic law is “in a country whose people democratically desired Islamic law to be exercised….”
Oh, so it is only in an Islamic country that it is compassionate to kill homosexuals? In the United States, it is not compassionate? The Islamic doctor is playing with words. Everyone understands what he meant with his original statement. And we cannot help but wonder: “Is it the compassionate thing to do to kill Christians or anyone else who does not worship Allah?” Hmm.
Under the Law of Moses, God commanded homosexuals to be put to death—because what they practice is perversion (Lev. 20:13). It had nothing to do with compassion—at least, not for them. The purpose was to keep the nation of Israel holy. Furthermore, God showed His attitude toward homosexuality by destroying Sodom, Gomorah, Admah, and Zeboiim (Gen. 19). And that serves as a reminder still of the eternal punishment of those who practice that perversion (Jude 7). Killing homosexuals or abortion doctors or anyone else whose sinful behavior that is odious to us is not, therefore, compassion. It robs them of the opportunity to repent. Bernard Nathanson, who helped begin NARAL, changed his mind and recanted the practice of abortion. So did Carol Everett who once owned several abortion clinics. A few homosexuals have also repented. God will decide when they are past feeling and judge them. A Christian’s responsibility is to encourage obedience—not put anyone to death.