Posted on 03/25/2019 4:54:04 AM PDT by Petrosius
PRETORIA, March 22, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – In South Africa, a high court ruled that the Dutch Reformed Church’s adherence to its teachings that marriage is for one man and one woman amounts to “discrimination.”
On March 8, the Gauteng Division of South Africa’s High Court in Pretoria ruled that the Dutch Reformed Church may not exclude certain members of the church from the full and equal enjoyment of the rights and freedoms offered to all of its members. This would include allowing “marriage” for same-sex couples.
“If a member of the [Dutch Reformed] Church is permitted to study to become a Minister in that Church, but disallowed to engage in his or her profession only due to the fact that he or she would be in same-sex relationship, there is an inherent contradiction in the conduct of the Church,” the court ruled.
The High Court held that the Dutch Reformed Church had discriminated against homosexuals during South Africa’s apartheid era and before the promulgation of the country’s current constitution. South African Justice Edwin Cameron wrote with regard to past discrimination:
The sting of the past and continuing discrimination against both gays and lesbians lies in the message it conveys, namely, that viewed as individuals or in their same-sex relationships, they do not have the inherent dignity and are not worthy of the human respect possessed by and accorded to heterosexuals and their relationships. This denies to gays and lesbians that which is foundational to our Constitution and the concepts of equality and dignity, namely that all persons have the same inherent worth and dignity, whatever their other differences may be.In 2015, the Dutch Reformed Church -- a conservative Protestant denomination which has been in South Africa for centuries -- allowed individual church councils to decide whether or not to recognize same-sex unions as "marriages." The church also decided then to allow professing homosexuals to serve as ministers of the Gospel.
However, when the church decided to adopt a new policy and return to Christian principles against the liking of LGBTQ activists, Rev. Laurie Gaum and his father Rev. Dr. Fritz Gaum joined other members of the denomination to sue in court to have the church’s decision declared unconstitutional. Homosexuals may again be "married" by the Dutch Reformed Church and also serve as ministers.
Professor Pierre De Vos, who teaches constitutional law at the University of Cape Town, suggested in an op-ed that the wavering with regard to its teachings about homosexuality may have brought the Dutch Reformed Church to its loss in court.
De Vos wrote that the church was “conflicted” about the issue of homosexuality and homosexual ordained ministers, and that “it did not hold a particularly strong religiously inspired view that its religious doctrine required it to discriminate against gays and lesbians.” The court wrote that the church “was split on its interpretation of the Bible pertaining to same-sex marriages and leadership in the Church based on sexual orientation.”
DeVos wrote that the Dutch Reformed Church’s decision in 2016 to revert to its previously held views about homosexuality could “hardly be said to be to be a central and well-settled tenet of the doctrines of the Dutch Reformed Church.” It was not surprising, DeVos wrote, that the court ruled that there “was no pressing religious purpose to justify the discrimination against gays and lesbians.”
While it remains to be seen how the Gauteng court ruling will play out in the remainder of South Africa, DeVos wrote that the country’s courts may be “tilting towards the protection of individuals harmed by religious beliefs and practices and may in future be less ready to give religious institutions a free pass when they do discriminate.”
Same Sex Relationships,,,
Is there anything they can’t qualify as discrimination in SA?
This is why we have the 1st Amendment.
Hmmm, that kinda gives the term "Go to hell" a whole new meaning...
In 2015, the Dutch Reformed Church -- a conservative Protestant denomination which has been in South Africa for centuries -- allowed individual church councils to decide whether or not to recognize same-sex unions as "marriages." The church also decided then to allow professing homosexuals to serve as ministers of the Gospel.
"Conservative" churches don't do these things. They let the camel's head into the tent and the court sealed the deal.
Satan using all his tools to steal, kill and destroy Jesus’ churches filled with members who are silent and voters who are not passionate about what God gave writers of books in the Bible to inform us of what He will do when we chose non-kingdom ways. You are exactly correct as their souls go to hell.
I pray and seek God’s ways through Jesus. That I might have life and have it more abundantly! We need to make sure those we vote for and support have kingdom goals and not non-kingdom goals! Life on earth is enough heartache without it being eternal!!!
I praise God for generations that gave us God in teaching and living. Yesterday at a graveside service, just feeling that generational belief and connection was humbling.
"I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a Constitution in the year 2012. I might look at the Constitution of South Africa."
Link: Why does Ruth Bader Ginsburg like the South African constitution so much?
Is it all starting to make sense now?
Remember this when Lefty says. “We are a free society. We do not need freedom of speech or religion set down in law, our freedom includes all of that by default.”
if freedoms are now down as base law, they will be taken away. The Left never had any love for freedom.
Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.” The rite of Christian marriage is God’s institution. Homosexuals can be united in civic “marriage” in South Africa. Christian churches who follow the Bible’s teachings do not have the right to follow the dictates of godless government when it conflicts with God’s teachings.
South African court rules Christian church discriminates against gays in refusing them ‘marriage’
All of life is discrimination. Deal with it, snowflakes. (though I didn’t know leftism was so dominant down there.)
A very wise and fortunate Gal you are..!! Thanks for your words and I'll try to keep them with me throughout the day today... :)
Wonder if this will apply to mosques as well.
/s
South African “court”?
Bwahahahahahaha.
Hell, they are almost as corrupt as our 9th Circus.
And appropriate respect should be given to both.
2015, the Dutch Reformed Church — a conservative Protestant denomination which has been in South Africa for centuries — allowed individual church councils to decide whether or not to recognize same-sex unions as “marriages.” The church also decided then to allow professing homosexuals to serve as ministers of the Gospel.
However, when the church decided to adopt a new policy and return to Christian principles against the liking of LGBTQ activists, Rev. Laurie Gaum and his father Rev. Dr. Fritz Gaum joined other members of the denomination to sue in court to have the church’s decision declared unconstitutional. Homosexuals may again be “married” by the Dutch Reformed Church and also serve as ministers.
Ain’t the church of my youth..South Chicago,nigh onto 70 yrs ago when I went forward after hearing a young feller preach..Billy Graham..
Coming to America if the Gay Mafia and the Communists have their way...anything to destroy the basis of Western Civilization, the nuclear family.
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