VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 163, December 26, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

EDITORIAL:

(Disclaimer:
While we strongly believe that the push for recognition of gay marriage is wrong, we believe that we have no right to impose our values on others. We condemn any harm done not only to above sexual minority but to other sexual minorities as well - bisexuals, transsexuals, transgendered et.c. While we continue to maintain our view that marriage is the sole domain between a man and a woman, we support civil unions for gays and lesbians)

When the geographical Tsunami occurred, there was loss of more than 165,000 lives and billions of dollars worth of property destroyed. Such catastrophes are obvious because of its immediate impact on the victims, their families and their immediate surroundings.

However what most of the world are not aware of, is the presence of another sinister SOCIAL TSUNAMI that is slowly but surely unraveling and is definitely NOT immediate or ABRUPT but literally continues at a snails pace but would eventually bring far more socially devastating destruction to mankind through the BREAKDOWN OF THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY that we now know of.

About a hundred years from now, anthropologists, historians, sociologists and other social scientists would be in a much better position to CONNECT THE DOTS and see a destructive pattern that had mushroomed during the early twenty first century that we currently may not be able to see.

In the previous issue we focused on the attack to the environment of the womb in which the human being is created. In this issue our focus is on the family in which the same new born infant is expected to be raised.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, THE NUMBER OF NON-MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS EXCEEDED THAT OF MARRIED-HOUSEHOLDS.

Examples of three such social trends that would cripple the traditional family are the increased acceptance and legitimization of gay marriage, open marriage and incestuous marriage. The traditional family is like a body that has been attacked on one of its parts and is bleeding. Our focus on this issue is on gay marriage.

PART A
GAY MARRIAGE:

(thegaymarriageblog.com)

(guardian.co.uk)

(cabai.wordpress.com)

(cabai.wordpress.com)

(swifteconomics.com)

(whatsthet.com)

(therealbollywood.com)

(theglitinc.com)

(liberalconspiracy.org)

(neoskosmos.com)

(dailymail.co.uk)

(elsenal.blogspot.com)

(Ed Note:
The technological innovation has been progressing very rapidly since past few decades. The speed with which the human behavior (that has been anchored on the foundations of religion, culture and politics) is changing itself to cope with above super fast technological change has been very slow.

This has resulted in an increased disconnect between technological progress and corresponding change in human behavior. The "disconnect" is obvious in terms of people not realizing the devastating impact that certain technological innovations could cause in the long run.

In above context, we love Islam because many of the verses of Holy Quran and sayings of Prophet Mohamed (SAW) repeatedly emphasize on GAINING KNOWLEDGE, while at the same time, there is emphasis on self-discipline and clear guidelines on the progress of an individual's journey of life along with a clear destination. One could argue that Islam is against misuse of technological advancements that are detrimental to mankind.

Below condensed version of an article argues that it is wrong to assume that GAY COUPLES CANNOT PROCREATE. Please note, technology explained below is currently not in place to implement the model but is anticipated in future.

It is not clear to us as to why should we be making life much more complicated that it really is ?

Allah says in the Holy Quran:
"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)"

Sexual Reproduction for Gay Couples:
(chromosomeschronicles.com)

Sexual Reproduction for Gay Couples:

"For a gay couple, one man needs to be Gay Couple designated as the father (the one who donates the sperm), and the other as the mother (the one who donates the egg). The “father” in this case can just donate sperm the normal way…no hardcore science is really involved. The “mother,” however, needs to employ the reprogramming and differentiation techniques". "Specifically, this man needs to donate skin cells. These cells must be reprogrammed into iPSCs, and the iPSCs must then be differentiated into eggs (this process is shown to the right). Once the eggs are created, they can be mixed with the sperm from the “father” to create an embryo from two men".

There are a few things to be aware of. First of all, the “mother” is also responsible for donating the mitochondrial DNA, which means that the man who opts to create the egg will also be donating the mitochondrial DNA. Another issue is that men carry an X and a Y chromosome. This means that there is a 50% chance that any gametes (sperm or egg) created from a man will have a Y chromosome. The egg must not have a Y chromosome because it might result in an embryo with two Y chromosomes, which would not survive. Finally, men still cannot carry children (I’m talking about biological men (XY), despite what you may have heard in the summer of 2008), so the embryos created from the two men will have to be implanted into a surrogate mother to deliver the baby".

Sexual Reproduction for Lesbian Couples:
(chromosomeschronicles.com)

"For lesbian couples, there are fewer lesbian Reproduction caveats to be aware of. Once again, one woman must be the “mother” by donating the egg while the other plays the role of the “father” by donating the sperm. The mother can donate the eggs just as a woman normally does through reproductive endocrinology in an in vitro fertilization setting. The “father” must utilize the reprogramming and differentiation techniques"....to produce the sperm (as summarized in the accompanying picture). Either member of this couple is capable of carrying the embryo (or embryos). If they opt to both carry embryos at the same time, I would go so far to say that the children can be considered fraternal twins.

There is one important caveat that the women must be aware of: they cannot have a son.

Women only carry XX chromosomes, and neither of them are capable of donating the Y chromosome necessary for male development.

For this reason, lesbian couples are only capable of having biological daughters".

PART B

INFORMATIVE ARTICLES RELATING TO MARRIAGE:

Traditional families are fast becoming a minority in our society

According to Baltimore Sun (Dec 18, 2010) , Census: Fewer than 10 percent of city households are nuclear families.....

New U.S. Census Bureau data indicate that her choice is becoming more common here. Baltimore and Washington are among a handful of U.S. localities where fewer than 10 percent of households are made up of married couples and their children. In the city, 8.6 percent of households are such nuclear families, compared to 23 percent statewide and nationwide.

The Decline of Marriage And Rise of New Families
By Pew Social Trends Staff

CHILDREN:

Children in America are growing up in a much more diverse set of living arrangements than they did a half century ago.

In 1960, nearly nine-in-ten children under age 18 resided with two married parents (87%); by 2008, that share had dropped to 64%.

Over the same period, the percentage of children born to unmarried women rose eightfold, from 5% to 41%. Far more children now live with divorced or never-married parents, and the number who live with cohabiting same-sex parents, while still relatively small, has grown over the past two decades.

Four in 10 say Marriage is Becoming Obsolete
Hope Yen, Associated Press
Nov 18, Washington

Is marriage becoming obsolete? As families gather for Thanksgiving this year, nearly one in three American children is living with a parent who is divorced, separated or never-married. More people are accepting the view that wedding bells aren't needed to have a family.

A study by the Pew Research Center, in association with Time magazine, highlights rapidly changing notions of the American family. And the Census Bureau, too, is planning to incorporate broader definitions of family when measuring poverty, a shift caused partly by recent jumps in unmarried couples living together.

About 29 percent of children under 18 now live with a parent or parents who are unwed or no longer married, a fivefold increase from 1960, according to the Pew report being released Thursday. Broken down further, about 15 percent have parents who are divorced or separated and 14 percent who were never married. Within those two groups, a sizable chunk — 6 percent — have parents who are live-in couples who opted to raise kids together without getting married.

Indeed, about 39 percent of Americans said marriage was becoming obsolete. And that sentiment follows U.S. census data released in September that showed marriages hit an all-time low of 52 percent for adults 18 and over. In 1978, just 28 percent believed marriage was becoming obsolete. When asked what constitutes a family, the vast majority of Americans agree that a married couple, with or without children, fits that description. But four of five surveyed pointed also to an unmarried, opposite-sex couple with children or a single parent. Three of 5 people said a same-sex couple with children was a family."Marriage is still very important in this country, but it doesn't dominate family life like it used to," said Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University. "Now there are several ways to have a successful family life, and more people accept them."

But economic factors, too, are playing a role. The Census Bureau recently reported that opposite-sex unmarried couples living together jumped 13 percent this year to 7.5 million. It was a sharp one-year increase that analysts largely attributed to people unwilling to make long-term marriage commitments in the face of persistent unemployment. Beginning next year, the Census Bureau will publish new, supplemental poverty figures that move away from the traditional concept of family as a husband and wife with two children. It will broaden the definition to include unmarried couples, such as same-sex partners, as well as foster children who are not related by blood or adoption.

(Ed Note:
It is really puzzling as to why there is no participation of Muslims in such an important social issue. Even Sikhs who are a much smaller minority than Muslims in the U.S have participated along with representatives from other denominations and faiths)

Historic ecumenical defense of marriage ignored by media
Chuck Colson
(lifesitenews.com)
Dec 15, 2010

"The letter (which you can read here) is entitled “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment.” The word “shared” isn’t mere rhetoric.

Among its signers are include leaders from various Christian traditions including Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Baptists, Evangelicals, Lutherans, and Pentecostals.

Unlike the Manhattan Declaration, this letter is not limited to Christians: Its signatories include other faiths, like Jewish and even Sikh leaders.

What the signers all share is the belief that marriage is the “permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman.” It is the “natural basis of the family” and “an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society.” All of society, not just religious believers.

As Archbishop Timothy Dolan put it, “people of any faith or no faith at all can recognize that when the law defines marriage as between one man and one woman, it legally binds a mother and a father to each other and their children, reinforcing the foundational cell of human society.”

Thus, “the law of marriage is not about imposing the religion of anyone, but about protecting the common good of everyone.”

Today, traditional marriage is under attack by homosexual activists. Defenders of marriage are called intolerant by the media, human rights tribunals and the courts.

"What a double standard! The news media report everything about the gay-rights movement. But a statement historic in its broad sweep of religious leaders is utterly ignored. So, it’s up to us to spread the word. But these are times we live in. The media may be silent, but we must lovingly speak the truth to our neighbors".

Comments to above source posted by Raymond Peringer on Dec 16, 2010:

The institution of marriage between a man and a woman has been part of human culture for thousands of years. In Pagan Rome, a couple wanting to get married, signed an undertaking to have children. That leaves out same-sex “marriage.” Today, traditional marriage is under attack by homosexual activists. Defenders of marriage are called intolerant by the media, human rights tribunals and the courts.

Major religious leaders release statement supporting true marriage

John Jalsevac
(LifeSiteNews.com)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2010

Leaders of some of the largest religious communities in the United States have come together to express their commitment toward the protection of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

In an open letter released yesterday, entitled “The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment,” leaders from Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran, Mormon, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Sikh communities in the United States affirmed the importance of preserving marriage’s unique meaning.

Read the complete text of the letter, and list of signers, here.

“The broad consensus reflected in this letter—across great religious divides—is clear: The law of marriage is not about imposing the religion of anyone, but about
protecting the common good of everyone,” said Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, newly elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and one of the letter’s signers.

“People of any faith or no faith at all can recognize that when the law defines marriage as between one man and one woman, it legally binds a mother and a father to each other and their children, reinforcing the foundational cell of human society.”

Other signers include Leith Anderson, the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Archbishop Robert Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America, Manmohan Singh, the Secretary General of the World Sikh Council – America Region, and many others.

The letter states: “Marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family. Marriage is an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society, not just religious communities.”

“As religious leaders across different faith communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

The release of this letter happened the same morning that oral arguments on the Proposition 8 case began. In August, Judge Vaughn Walker had ruled California’s
Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional, based in part on the claim that defining marriage as between a man and a woman lacked any rational basis, and instead reflected nothing but religion-based hostility to homosexual persons. This ruling has been appealed and its hearing is scheduled for today, December 6.

“Today is the moment to stand for marriage and its unchangeable meaning. We hope this letter will encourage just that,” Archbishop Dolan said.

In France, Civil Unions Gain Favor Over Marriage

By SCOTT SAYARE and MAÏA DE LA BAUME
(lifesitenews.com)
December 15, 2010

PARIS — Some are divorced and disenchanted with marriage; others are young couples ideologically opposed to marriage, but eager to lighten their tax burdens. Many are lovers not quite ready for old-fashioned matrimony.

Whatever their reasons, and they vary widely, French couples are increasingly shunning traditional marriages and opting instead for civil unions, to the point that there are now two civil unions for every three marriages.

When France created its system of civil unions in 1999, it was heralded as a revolution in gay rights, a relationship almost like marriage, but not quite. No one, though, anticipated how many couples would make use of the new law. Nor was it predicted that by 2009, the overwhelming majority of civil unions would be between straight couples.

It remains unclear whether the idea of a civil union, called a pacte civil de solidarité, or PACS, has responded to a shift in social attitudes or caused one. But it has proved remarkably well suited to France and its particularities about marriage, divorce, religion and taxes — and it can be dissolved with just a registered letter.

As with traditional marriages, civil unions allow couples to file joint tax returns, exempt spouses from inheritance taxes, permit partners to share insurance policies, ease access to residency permits for foreigners and make partners responsible for each other’s debts. Concluding a civil union requires little more than a single appearance before a judicial official, and ending one is even easier.

It long ago became common here to speak of “getting PACSed” (se pacser, in French). More recently, wedding fairs have been renamed to include the PACS, department stores now offer PACS gift registries and travel agencies offer PACS honeymoon packages.

While the partnerships have exploded in popularity, marriage numbers have continued a long decline in France, as across Europe. Just 250,000 French couples married in 2009, with fewer than four marriages per 1,000 residents; in 1970, almost 400,000 French couples wed.

Germany, too, has seen a similar plunge in marriage rates. In 2009, there were just over four marriages per 1,000 residents compared with more than seven per 1,000 in 1970. In the United States, the current rate is 6.8 per 1,000 residents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

France is not the only European nation to allow civil unions between straight couples, but in the few countries that do — Luxembourg, Andorra, the Netherlands — they are not as popular. In the Netherlands in 2009, for example, there was just one civil union for every eight marriages.

If current trends continue in France, new civil unions could soon outnumber marriages, as they already do in Paris’s youthful 11th Arrondissement.

The retreat from marriage — a recipe for disaster

Albert Mohler
(lifesitenews.com)
(condensed version)

Dec 13, 2010

Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dec. 13, 2010 (AlbertMohler.com) - If you were determined to consign a population to poverty and any number of social pathologies, how might you do it? If your design is to extend the effects of these pathologies and pains to successive generations, what might be your plan? The answer to both of these questions is clear. Just marginalize marriage.

Economists report that the wealth deficit of the unmarried as compared to the consistently married is as much as 75 percent. The unmarried are less healthy, less wealthy, and less stable in relationships as compared to married couples. And, to no one’s surprise, the ill effects of this condition are extended immediately to the children of unmarried unions and to generations to come.

In other words, it is hard to imagine a plot to bring harm and unhappiness to human lives that can compare, in social and economic terms, to the marginalization of marriage.

In terms of any religious dimension, this is as far as When Marriage Disappears takes us. Christians, of course, will have much to add to this picture. We know that marriage, though central to human society, was not given to humanity for purely sociological reasons. Marriage was given to mankind by our Creator, who gifted us with this covenantal institution for our health, our happiness, and for human flourishing. Beyond this, believers know that marriage is given to us for our holiness, as well.

Thus, for reasons that include all that we can learn from this report, and for many more that we know from the Scriptures and Christian wisdom, Christians know that the marginalization of marriage can only lead to unhappiness, unhealthiness, and the unraveling of human relationships.

We have no choice but to look this documentation squarely in the face. Are we not watching marriage disappear for many before our eyes?

Pro-Family Leader Laments Marriage Crisis in Spain

Comments: 1 Madrid, Spain, Nov 12, 2010 / 05:46 pm (CNA).-

The president of the Institute for Family Policy, Eduardo Hertfelder, has expressed disappointment in the state of marriage in Spain. The pro-family leader pointed out that so far in 2010, already more than 67,000 marriages have ended in separation and the number of marriages overall has declined. “The data on marital breakdowns confirms that the there is a marriage crisis in Spain. It demonstrates the need for our leaders to do something to prevent marital breakdowns – or at least mitigate them,” he said on Nov. 11. Hertfelder noted that during the first half of this year, 67,365 couples separated—3,000 more than during the same period in 2009. In addition, 93.4 percent of separations ended in divorce. “The seriousness of the situation” is that “despite the decline in the number of marriages ... the overall number of separations has not gone down, but up considerably. “This proves the problem is getting worse,” Hertfelder said.

GEMS FROM ISLAM:

* "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives". [At-Tirmidhi].

* "Spend on them and you will be rewarded for what you spend on them". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

* "Whatever you spend seeking thereby the Pleasure of Allah, will have its reward, even the morsel which you put in the mouth of your wife". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

* "It is enough sin for a person to hold back the due of one whose provision is in his hand".

* A man once told the Prophet that he had many children but did not kiss any of them. The Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) replied: "Verily, God will only show mercy to those of His servants who do good to others." Imam Bukhari's Book of Muslim Morals and Manners

* As he carried his grandson on his shoulders, the Prophet was heard to say: "O God! I love him, so You love him too." Imam Bukhari's Book of Muslim Morals and Manners.

* "Verily, a man teaching his child manners is better than giving one bushel of grain in alms." (Muslim)

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE
(You can't afford to be serious all the time)

Thanks to Dr. Lewis for forwarding below e-mail.

Walmart Doctor

One day, in line at the company cafeteria, Joe says to Mike behind him, "My elbow hurts like hell. I guess I'd better see a doctor."

"Listen, you don't have to spend that kind of money," Mike replies

"There's a diagnostic computer down at WalMart. Just give it a urine sample and the computer will tell you what's wrong and what to do about it.

It takes ten seconds and costs ten dollars - A lot cheaper than a doctor."

So, Joe deposits a urine sample in a small jar and takes it to WalMart.

He deposits ten dollars and the computer lights up and asks for the urine sample.. He pours the sample into the slot and waits.

Ten seconds later, the computer ejects a printout:

"You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water and avoid heavy activity. It will improve in two weeks. Thank you for shopping @ Wal-Mart.."

That evening, while thinking how amazing this new technology was, Joe began wondering if the computer could be fooled.

He mixed some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, urine samples from his wife and daughter, and a sperm sample from himself for good measure.

Joe hurries back to Wal-Mart, eager to check the results.. He deposits ten dollars, pours in his concoction, and awaits the results .

The computer prints the following:


1. Your tap water is too hard. Get a water softener. (Aisle 9)
2. Your dog has ringworm. Bathe him with anti-fungal shampoo. (Aisle 7)
3. Your daughter has a cocaine habit. Get her into rehab.
4. Your wife is pregnant. Twins. They aren't yours. Get a lawyer.
5. If you don't stop playing with yourself, your elbow will never get better!

Thank you for shopping @ Walmart


THE END