Posted on 03/04/2006 7:50:48 AM PST by sionnsar
Issues affecting human sexuality have, in the recent time, been the front burner of debates in the Christendom. The legitimacy, desirability and canonicity of homosexuality, lesbianism and sodomy are issues that have seen the Church of God chanting discordant tunes.
The admission of professed gay into the ordained ministry of the Church, the climax of which was the consecration of Gene Robinson as a bishop in the Episcopal Church of America (ECUSA) in 2003 sparked off a row that has divided the Anglican Communion into two diametrically opposed camps of the liberals and the conservatives.
While the liberals insist that developments in human society should affect or redefine Christian theology, doctrine and worship, the conservatives believe strongly that the word of God remains the light that should guide nations and societies in the path of righteousness.
It is a long held understanding that the faith and beliefs of the Anglican Church are encapsulated and set forth in the articles of religion to which every Deacon, Priest or Bishop subscribes at ordination or consecration. Article IV states inter alia:
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation:
So that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be
proved thereby, it is not to be required of any man ...
The implication of the above is that in matters of faith and doctrine, the Bible remains our primary source of materials and information for doing theology. Homosexuality is not a new issue in the Bible. The earlier reference to this is Gen. 19 where men of Sodom wanted to have sex with Lot's male visitors who incidentally were angels.
It is generally believed that the city, Sodom, got its name from the practice of Sodomy which had come to be accepted among them as a way of life. That they accepted it as a way of life did not however mean that it was normal. Lot saw it as a wicked act (Gen. 19:7). Rather than dissipate energy and resources trying to hoodwink, cajole or subtly mislead the Church of God into accepting this satanic doctrine, champions of gay movement should first of all tell the world when homosexuality stopped being a wicked act.
Passages like Lev. 18:22; 20:13 further show that homosexuality is 'a detestable sin' which must be avoided. Lev. 20:13 merits quoting in full:
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman,
both of them have committed an abomination: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them".
The death penalty attached to this offence shows that it is indeed a grievous one.
The apostle Paul describes the urge for same sex union as a consequence of inability to abide by the truth as revealed in the scriptures. In Romans 1:26 - 27, he writes:
Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful
passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex
by unnatural acts. In the same way, the men give up
natural sexual relations with men and burn with passion
for each other and as a result they bring upon themselves
the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing.
From this, it becomes increasingly clear that homosexuality is a design of the reprobate mind. This is because the God who made man from the beginning made them male and female thereby making conjugal relations heterosexual. Nothing therefore can be more irrational and unreasonable than man to suddenly wake up and to tell God that "You made a mistake by creating male and female. It is now time to correct you!"
The Igbo nation, which is a microcosm of the African Society, has no name for such words as homosexuality, lesbianism, gay, sodomy etc. Names are normally given to things or practices that exist. In other words, what does not exist does not have name.
Recently a group of social deviants claiming to be gays in Nigeria came together in order to attract recognition. There is no doubt that they were misguided and influenced into taking the action they took because asking for recognition to same sex relationships is clearly alien to our culture.
Those who have been affected by this religious virus should endeavour to channel their thoughts aright to things that are profitable and mutually edifying. Of a truth, both the apostles and disciples of this movement of those who have passion and lust for same sex union are perverts. Perversion is a psychological disorder that can be corrected.
There is no doubt that advocates of gay marriage are motivated by the need to preserve the rights of those who are inclined to live perversely. There is nothing wrong in preserving ones right. Human right ensures that man lives as he ought to and not as he likes to.
It is very clear that if everyone is allowed to live as one likes to live, there will be chaos and anarchy. This is why the law is there to guide ones life as one ought to. Man, at creation, has his freewill which guarantees freedom of choice and action. He is free to choose between good and evil, right and wrong etc.
That also makes him responsible for his choice. To choose the wrong only to turn round and coarse others to see and accept it as right and a universal truth negates all the canons of human reasoning.
Since man is created in the image and likeness of God and is also dependent on Him, his laws must be derived from those of God. When therefore there is a conflict between 'human right' and 'God right', the former must judge and redefine itself by and from the latter in order to live in true freedom.
Our conclusion therefore is that same sex union in whatever guise it may manifest - homosexuality, lesbianism, sodomy, gay, civil partnership - is unnatural, unbiblical, unreasonable, unethical, ungodly and unAfrican.
--The Rt. Rev. David Onuoha, M.A. is Bishop of Okigwe South in the Province of Nigeria. This opinion comes from the Church of Nigeria News.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. The good Archbishop said it all.
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