The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

“Homosexuality is no disorder or illness, and can therefore not be subject to treatment. A ‘treatment’ with the only aim of changing sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual must be regarded as ethical malpractice, and has no place in the health system”.

After years of research and experimentation, this is the conclusion of the medical profession.

Would a good God who hung on the Cross for our sins, and opened his arms to suffer all the little children to come unto Him, have deliberately created homosexuals, whether male or female, for his Church on earth to reject and abuse them? Are they meant to hide themselves from our sight so that we can pretend that they do not exist? Surely, God did not create them to be the subject of our scorn.

Before, I go any further I want to declare that firstly I am a Bahamian — a “straight” Bahamian, whatever that means! In other words for those slow of understanding, let me make myself crystal clear — I am neither homosexual, nor heterosexual, I am “straight”. I am also a practising Roman Catholic, who does not believe that God will have his human creation mocked.

Yes, these Bahamians are different in their sexual orientation, but, like the rest of us they have talent, they have brilliance, they have much that they can offer to our community, and yet are they to be shunned for something over which they have no control? If the Christian Council has a problem with this then their argument is with God, the creator of all of us!

Possibly, God fashioned them to live among us to test our true worth as true Christians. So far, our ignorant arrogance is resulting in a failing grade.

This week the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community announced that it would hold a pride parade next year. The Bahamas Christian Council, through its president Bishop Delton Fernander, was quick to rise to respond. The Christian Council, he declared, would not support such a movement and would compete with its rally. “This is no time to play games with the faith,” he declared.

“The Bible, in which we firmly believe,” he continued, “clearly states that homosexuality is a sin and that the practice of homosexuality is a violation of God’s natural design of and purpose for the human body.”

The holy Bible also says that infidelity to the marriage bed is a sin. We suggest that members of the Church concentrate on removing the many moats from their own eyes, before they point their fingers at others.

Members of the LGBT community are also children of God. They know the rules and the consequences of their breach. As children of God’s creation, they are our equals in having to face and conquer life’s challenges. It is against that background that we shall be judged.

We suggest that the Christian Council concentrate on its own failings and let the LGBT community get on with theirs.

In the end God will be the judge of His creation – not the Bahamas Christian Council.

AMEN

Nassau

October 22, 2019