Iceland’s bishop says Usmani’s views conflict with societal values

Iceland’s Bishop Guðrún Karls Helgudóttir says views attributed to Pakistani religious leader Muhammad Taqi Usmani conflict with the values of the Christian church and Icelandic society, mbl.is reports.

Usmani has defended the death penalty for apostasy from Islam, as well as amputation and stoning as punishments under Islamic law. He has also criticised the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations.

“If this proves to be true, then this is a message, whoever it comes from, that conflicts with the values the Christian church and our society stand for,” the bishop told mbl.is.

Usmani gave a religious lecture at a gathering at the Grand Mosque on Bústaðavegur in Reykjavík last Wednesday, according to reports published by Morgunblaðið and mbl.is.