The Muhammadiyah Youth Greater Aceh regional board (PDPM) in cooperation with the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) held a seminar on the theme The Dangers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in Society on Saturday February 10 at the Aceh Library Archives auditorium.

PDPM chairperson Teuku Raja Fadhlullah SE said that the LGBT phenomena is creating considerable anxiety in society. The LGBT movement is becoming more open and starting to influence many of the younger generation.

The main aim of the seminar, he said, is to provide the public with an understanding of the dangers of LGBT, that these deviant behaviours are prohibited under Islamic law and that they are a mental illness.

He hopes that parents, students and communities will fight against and rescue those who have carelessly deviated and fallen victim to LGBT.

Organising committee chairperson Jonni Satria meanwhile along with secretary Fakhrizan and seminar resource person and psychologist Dr Nurjannah Al Sharafi discussed the LGBT issue from a psychological perspective. Islamic law expert Dr Ali Abu Bakar took up the issue from the perspective of Islamic law.

The seminar was attended by hundreds of participants from Muhammadiyah autonomous organisations, social and youth organisations, non-government organisations and representatives from the Greater Aceh teachers and inter-campus student organisations (OSIS/OSIM).

Ali Abu Bakar said that LGBT is a deviant behaviour which is absolutely despicable and proscribed under Islamic law. There are many verses in the Quran he said which tell stories about of groups in the past who practiced deviant sexual behaviours and Allah exterminated them with a volcanic eruption and a rain of stones.

Nurjannah Al Sharafi meanwhile explained that LGBT is not a natural condition which emanates from human rights but a mental illness that can be cured. “Those who have become involved in LGBT circles use various means to attract sympathy from various groups”, he said.

Nurjannah said there are a number of ways to deal with this deviant behaviour including private guidance for LGBT sufferers through psychotherapy, spiritual therapy (religious), re-programming and behaviour modification (environmental).

According to Nurjannah, a private approach towards sufferers is needed involving the family, community, school and state, which should enact legislation which sides with character building which is in accordance with the norms of society.

“The approach must be holistic and comprehensive in terms of religion, medicine, psychology, the community and other means”, he said.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Pakar Syariah dan Psikolog Kupas Bahaya LGBT.]

Source: http://www.dakta.com/news/13844/pakar-syariah-dan-psikolog-kupas-bahaya-lgbt