What do homosexuality and the rainforest destruction have in common?
The Pope has declared that the Catholic Church must protect mankind from both. [See “HOMOSEXUALITY IS AS GREAT A THREAT AS RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION, SAYS POPE.” in The Malaysian Insider, 2 Jan 2009
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com.my/index.php/world/14674]
The article stated that-
“The Pope — who acquired a reputation as an aggressive, doctrine-enforcing cardinal before he was appointed to the Vatican top job — also defended the Church's right to ‘speak of human nature as man and woman, and ask that this order of creation be respected’.
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are a sin. It opposes gay marriage and, in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality ‘a deviation, an irregularity, a wound’.
This month the Vatican opposed a proposed UN declaration, backed by all 27 European Union states, calling for an end to the practice of criminalising and punishing people for their sexual orientation.
The declaration was seen as an important condemnation of countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality can be punished by death.
A Papal spokesman was later forced to clarify that the Vatican continues to condemn the use of the death penalty for any crime, including any related to homosexuality.
Instead, the Vatican said its opposition to the UN proposal was driven by concern that countries that prohibit gay marriage would somehow be targeted.
The Italian gay rights association Arcigay branded this an ‘excuse’ to distract people from the real intent of criminalising gays.”
What does the Bible say?
The Bible mentioned homosexuality in only seven passages and each reference is relatively brief. Whenever homosexuality is mentioned in the Bible, it is mentioned negatively. However, neither it is singled out as being worse than other sins such as envy, murder, slander, deceit and malice (see Romans 1: 18-32). See “The Bible and Homosexuality” in Christian Counseling by Gary R. Collins (PhD), 1988).
Should we criminalise and punish the homosexuals?
Let us examine the reaction of Jesus Christ (see John 8:1-11). The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery (they did not bring the man). They made her stand before the public and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such woman. Now what do you say?” Jesus said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, until only Jesus was left with the woman. Jesus asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Though I am working on it, I am not a person without sin. Are you?
Should gay marriage be recognised by law?
If the answer is yes, then we should also consider abolishing the law against marriages of prohibited relationships. A member of the opposition team in the last Human Rights Debate put forward this argument: If we allow gay marriages to be legalised because love is a matter between two persons, what happens if a parent falls in love with his/her biological child? A brother falls in love with his sister or another brother? These people may form a minority group and use similar arguments as presented by the gay rights association. If we deny this minority group their rights but allow gay marriages to be legalised, we are discriminating against them.
Jesus loved the sinners although he did not approve of the sins. Likewise, we who seek to follow in his steps should do the same. Therefore, I will give my support to the UN declaration calling for an end to the practice of criminalising and punishing the people for their sexual orientation. It does not mean that I approve of homosexuality or any sexual immorality. I will treat the person with as much respect as I want others to do the same to me. It can be a struggle but I will try. If anyone asks me whether homosexuality is a sin, I am afraid I have to tell the truth.
Melissa Etheridge in limbo after gay marriage ban
ReplyDeletehttp://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/showbiz/27741-melissa-etheridge-in-limbo-after-gay-marriage-ban
LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2009 — Singer Melissa Etheridge, who never wed her partner during California’s brief legalisation of same-sex marriages, said yesterday the couple were now in limbo after the California Supreme Court affirmed a state ban on gay marriage. Etheridge, 47, said last October that she and actress Tammy Lynn Michaels planned to marry to legalise a ceremony they had in 2003.
But they never went through with the wedding in part because of the threat that it could be banned again, Etheridge told Reuters.
EU Study: Homophobia Damaging Lives Across Europe
ReplyDeletehttp://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/world/21836-eu-study-homophobia-damaging-lives-across-europe
VIENNA, March 31 2009 — Homophobia is damaging people’s health and careers across Europe and the problem may be worse than reported because victims are scared to draw attention to themselves for fear of a backlash, an EU study said.
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said police in most countries were incapable of dealing with homophobic crime — ranging from verbal abuse to deadly attacks — and said many governments and schools failed to take it seriously enough.
This creates a vicious circle, with victims preferring to remain “invisible” rather than being open about their sexual orientation or reporting abuse to authorities, the study showed.