Gays in the Arab world

In Bos Raab speaks of gays in the Arab world and the tossing of previous notions but there is a lot to be said about this new coming out.  Homosexuality happens in the Middle East as much as the U.S. (if not more) however it has shunned and hidden for quite sometime.  Being homosexual is far less accepted than in the U.S. and it is most definitely not a regular topic of conversation.  The drawings on page 228 really invoke a lot of thoughts.
I suppose at first I found the drawings offensive and then I thought about what the author was really trying to say.  Even though it is prescribed in Leviticus for man not to lay with man, what if you are a believer? Can you believe in a merciful God and be homosexual? Why not?
Another topic that comes up is gays and the military.  In this case it is the IDF but this is a hot topic for debate far and wide.  It is interesting to see the same questions being raised regarding homosexuals and military service in the U.S. perspective and applied to Israel and the Middle East.  In my opinion as much as the U.S. truly is not ready to handle this question the Arab world is even more so.  The religious consequences and cultural conflict that could arise would be immense.  Some things are left better unsaid and I think now this may be the case.  Perhaps another year or even decade but I do not truly believe that the Middle East is ready to handle the questions regarding homosexuality.