Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

[webfact]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views
ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia is considering canceling the visa of an Islamic cleric who has reportedly preached against homosexuality, the government said on Tuesday.

British-born Farrokh Sekaleshfar arrived in Sydney a week ago as a guest speaker of the Imam Husain Islamic Center, The Australian newspaper reported.

Asked about homosexuality at a lecture at the University of Michigan in 2013, Sekaleshfar said: "Death is the sentence," the newspaper reported.

"Out of compassion, let's get rid of them now," he reportedly added.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Department of Immigration and Border Protection was reviewing Sekaleshfar's visa.

"We have zero tolerance for people to come to Australia who preach hatred. Zero tolerance," Turnbull told reporters.

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said he had ordered the visa review after becoming aware on Monday of the cleric's presence in Australia.

Sekaleshfar did not immediately return the AP's call on Tuesday.

A gun attack on a gay nightclub in Florida that left 49 dead has focused Australia's current election campaign on the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. Australians go to the polls on July 2.

Turnbull said that if his conservative coalition were re-elected, he would legislate to ensure that people convicted of terrorism offenses could remain in prison after serving their sentences if a court ruled that they continued to pose a threat to society.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten welcomed the review of Sekaleshfar's visa.

"I do not know how this fellow got a visa," Shorten told reporters. "I think the government needs to get on to it quick smart and this person, in my opinion, is not welcome in Australia holding those abhorrent views."

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-14

[Pimay1]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

[manfredtillmann]

"We have zero tolerance for people to come to Australia who preach hatred. Zero tolerance," Turnbull told reporters.

come on, mal, a fair few members of your government don't seem to be too fuzzed about this sort of stuff. well, may be not 'hatred', but...

good political move, but, and where will you stop? questionnaires before immigration: do you think we should euthanise all this/that/them?

keep trying, mate

[halloween]

Seem in Oz they recognise hate speech when they hear it. Might as well start packing pal, you're on your way whether you know it yet or not.

BTW there is a definite difference between claiming sinners will burn in hell and suggesting that they should be helped get there.

Edited June 14, 2016 by halloween

[RuamRudy]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

[Prbkk]

It begs the question how he ever got a visa in the first place: known nutter and ratbag, albeit in sheep's clothing. This guy was giving lectures with similar themes in Orlando just 2 months ago.

There needs to be some consistency in these visa matters : it's either nutters in or out, not some nutters are OK lest we offend the islamis community and create discord ( but banning the Dutch guy was ok, and the 'pro life' one and others).

This guy is barking mad if he is being quoted accurately ( and yet still gets into both USA and Australia).

Straight out to the airport and onto the next Air Asia flight to KL, economy...enroute to his place of birth ( UK)

[shirtless]

Dont just consider it cancel his visa he can keep his ideals in his home country even if its about gays.

[Clamhua]

If zero tolerance is too be practiced, the preacher should be on his bike already

[i claudius]

Considers? He shouldn't be allowed to even be considered for entry

[simple1]

If zero tolerance is too be practiced, the preacher should be on his bike already

Visa cancelled and already departed Oz

[thaibeachlovers]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

[daveAustin]

Please don't send him back to UK.

[Meena999]

Australian government to scared to make a decision (Piss week ). Turncoat Turnbull is more worried about losing votes in the up and coming election, than the safety of Australia and it's citizens.

[jaidam]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Shocking that the most vociferous supporters of islam are totally uninformed as to what islam is about. Rather than naively cheering on an imaginary view of what you would like islam to be, better to educate yourself properly and quit with the naive statements that contradict everything about islam. This cleric is a good strict muslim, and is preaching absolutely in line with normal mosque preaching. In mosques they are not discussing equal rights for homosexuals and how to end female genital mutilation. A quick education could be found asking your wife to walk around Bradford without a male escort - in fact don't bother.

[Estrada]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Not true. In the United States the religious extremists in the Anti-Gay Republican Tea Party also preach death for homosexuals. Last November, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and his father, Rafael, both appeared at a right-wing Christian conference in Iowa hosted by extremist radio host Kevin Swanson, who was already notorious for openly supporting imposing the death penalty for homosexuality.

[thaibeachlovers]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Not true. In the United States the religious extremists in the Anti-Gay Republican Tea Party also preach death for homosexuals. Last November, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and his father, Rafael, both appeared at a right-wing Christian conference in Iowa hosted by extremist radio host Kevin Swanson, who was already notorious for openly supporting imposing the death penalty for homosexuality.

OK, so I should have said that 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of Christians no longer want to kill people for being homosexual, while it is main stream belief for Muslims to do so. Remember that the vast majority of Muslims don't live in western countries, so most people on TV will have never met a true believer Muslim, and probably know the "bad' Muslims that don't go along with everything in it, just as most Christians don't follow the more extreme version of Christianity, like the Inquisition.

[Familyaffairs]

Extradite filth back to the UK....I agree

[neverdie]

It begs the question how he ever got a visa in the first place: known nutter and ratbag, albeit in sheep's clothing. This guy was giving lectures with similar themes in Orlando just 2 months ago.

There needs to be some consistency in these visa matters : it's either nutters in or out, not some nutters are OK lest we offend the islamis community and create discord ( but banning the Dutch guy was ok, and the 'pro life' one and others).

This guy is barking mad if he is being quoted accurately ( and yet still gets into both USA and Australia).

Straight out to the airport and onto the next Air Asia flight to KL, economy...enroute to his place of birth ( UK)

Actually, I'd like to see them let him in. Take him for a little drive somewhere.....one way journey. Ta Ta grub. Next.

Time to fight fire, with fire. You wanna come to Australia grub, welcome, step this way

[neverdie]

As I said before, let him in, give him a backpack, put him on an isolated outback road and give Ivan Milat a new ride and point him in the clerics direction. 5555555

Let's be creative in how we deal this threat, we don't want things to become boring and mundane.

[RuamRudy]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

So, as you ackowledge, the Christian fairy story is as riddled with hate and prejudice as the Islamic version; do you actually believe that all Christians are filled with loving kindness whereas all Muslims are spewing fire and brimstone?

So when the Phelps family hold up placards at the funerals of US servicemen that state 'Fags Die, God Laughs' and 'God Hates Cripple Soldiers', according to you they must either be Muslims in disguise, or some benign, tragicomic joke that influences nobody?

[12DrinkMore]

Australia considers cancelling cleric's visa over gay views

Now why would they do that? We all know Islam has nothing to do with violence.

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

So, as you ackowledge, the Christian fairy story is as riddled with hate and prejudice as the Islamic version; do you actually believe that all Christians are filled with loving kindness whereas all Muslims are spewing fire and brimstone?

So when the Phelps family hold up placards at the funerals of US servicemen that state 'Fags Die, God Laughs' and 'God Hates Cripple Soldiers', according to you they must either be Muslims in disguise, or some benign, tragicomic joke that influences nobody?

There will always be total nutters, unfortunately that is unavoidable.

The problem is that islam deliberately creates more nutters out of people who would otherwise be sane.

[ilostmypassword]

They are not proposing to cancel his visa because he is a Muslim, but because he espouse hatred and violence. The former does not guarantee the latter, and similarly, you can have the latter without the former.

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Not true. In the United States the religious extremists in the Anti-Gay Republican Tea Party also preach death for homosexuals. Last November, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and his father, Rafael, both appeared at a right-wing Christian conference in Iowa hosted by extremist radio host Kevin Swanson, who was already notorious for openly supporting imposing the death penalty for homosexuality.

OK, so I should have said that 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of Christians no longer want to kill people for being homosexual, while it is main stream belief for Muslims to do so. Remember that the vast majority of Muslims don't live in western countries, so most people on TV will have never met a true believer Muslim, and probably know the "bad' Muslims that don't go along with everything in it, just as most Christians don't follow the more extreme version of Christianity, like the Inquisition.

Such ignorance. In America the average support of Christians for gay marriage is an enlightened 44%. For American Muslims it's a horrifying 42%. Evangelical Christian support is at 28%. Mormon support for gay marriage is 26%. Jehovah's Witnesses at 14%. Historically black Protestant churches support is at 40%.

http://reason.com/blog/2016/06/13/in-america-muslims-are-more-likely-to-su

Edited June 15, 2016 by ilostmypassword

[RuamRudy]

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

So, as you ackowledge, the Christian fairy story is as riddled with hate and prejudice as the Islamic version; do you actually believe that all Christians are filled with loving kindness whereas all Muslims are spewing fire and brimstone?

So when the Phelps family hold up placards at the funerals of US servicemen that state 'Fags Die, God Laughs' and 'God Hates Cripple Soldiers', according to you they must either be Muslims in disguise, or some benign, tragicomic joke that influences nobody?

There will always be total nutters, unfortunately that is unavoidable.

The problem is that islam deliberately creates more nutters out of people who would otherwise be sane.

Islam does not deliberatley create nutters - individuals with ulterior motives do, using it to manipulate the vulnerable and weak to commit atrocities. The Phelps family are no different - it is simply that there are currently more people who abuse Islam than there are those who abuse the Christianity, and there are more lost souls within Islam ripe for manipulation than there are in Christian areas.

[Steely Dan]

If you were to bar entry to every cleric who preached incitement there would not be many left who could travel. This is exactly as it should be.

[RuamRudy]

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Shocking that the most vociferous supporters of islam are totally uninformed as to what islam is about. Rather than naively cheering on an imaginary view of what you would like islam to be, better to educate yourself properly and quit with the naive statements that contradict everything about islam. This cleric is a good strict muslim, and is preaching absolutely in line with normal mosque preaching. In mosques they are not discussing equal rights for homosexuals and how to end female genital mutilation. A quick education could be found asking your wife to walk around Bradford without a male escort - in fact don't bother.

How far can you see from on top of that high horse of yours? How do you suggest I educate myself? I woke up this morning at 4.01am with the call to prayer from the mosque that is around 20m from my bedroom. Being in the middle east, I usually spend most of each working day surrounded by Muslims, but this being Ramadan, they tend to disappear around 1pm. However at no point have they ever indicated anything other than fraternal friendship. Maybe tonight, at iftar, when we are sitting round our shared meal, I will ask them why they hate me so much and want me dead. Do you think that, with the explanation they will give me, I can then consider myself as enlightened as you?

[thaibeachlovers]

55555555

He is merely preaching Islam. He hasn't made it up himself. The penalty in Islam for lots of things is death, including homosexuality and leaving the Islamic faith to become something else.

The difference between Islam and Christianity ( which also has the death penalty for homosexuality ) is that Christians no longer want to kill people for such reasons. Many Muslims do.

Shocking that the most vociferous supporters of islam are totally uninformed as to what islam is about. Rather than naively cheering on an imaginary view of what you would like islam to be, better to educate yourself properly and quit with the naive statements that contradict everything about islam. This cleric is a good strict muslim, and is preaching absolutely in line with normal mosque preaching. In mosques they are not discussing equal rights for homosexuals and how to end female genital mutilation. A quick education could be found asking your wife to walk around Bradford without a male escort - in fact don't bother.

How far can you see from on top of that high horse of yours? How do you suggest I educate myself? I woke up this morning at 4.01am with the call to prayer from the mosque that is around 20m from my bedroom. Being in the middle east, I usually spend most of each working day surrounded by Muslims, but this being Ramadan, they tend to disappear around 1pm. However at no point have they ever indicated anything other than fraternal friendship. Maybe tonight, at iftar, when we are sitting round our shared meal, I will ask them why they hate me so much and want me dead. Do you think that, with the explanation they will give me, I can then consider myself as enlightened as you?

Before you ask them if they hate you, tell them that you are homosexual. Perhaps their attitude might change then.

PS I too worked surrounded by Muslims for many years, so I speak from experience.

[Galactus]

just considering?

ban this guy to enter any other country forever!

such guy needs to be jailed alone until he dies

[SgtRock]

Apparently he has already left.

Anti-gay preacher linked to Orlando leaves Australia

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36431916

Where are all the poisonous spiders or snakes when you need one.

[White Christmas13]

Australian government to scared to make a decision (Piss week ). Turncoat Turnbull is more worried about losing votes in the up and coming election, than the safety of Australia and it's citizens.

Crap, Shorten said the same thing

[Jingthing]

If you were to bar entry to every cleric who preached incitement there would not be many left who could travel. This is exactly as it should be.

Perhaps.

But you know there are some American Christian preachers that say similar things, approving death penalty for gays, so I hope that Australia and other nations applying these policies don't single out ONLY Muslims.