Nigeria Prepares to Outlaw Gays-Why???? (Earth, the passion, beliefs, homosexuality)

[michel]

http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/anglican_church/index.html

Just what is going on here? I was very sadened to see this on Television; not only does the church refuse to accept the "Homosexual act", but it refuses to accept Homosexuals themselves.


Understanding their faith, I can see (though not approve of the fact) that they would not condone a homosexual relationship - but other ministers, interviewed, acknowledged that Homosexuals (as long as they remain chaste) are welcome in the church. Archbishop Peter Akinola, when the BBC tried to interview him, hid his face from the camera, and refused to answer any questions, nor explain his stance; his manner was very much that of a crook who had been caught out in a consumer watchdog programme.

I am sorry to say that that is how he came across to me too.
19 January 2007

Nigeria Prepares to Outlaw Gays

Nigeria moves closer to legislating gays out of existence as a draconian new measure is set for a vote in the parliament.
The new bill is the most comprehensive homophobic legislation ever proposed in any country. As reported previously, the measure would effectively strip gays and lesbians of all civil rights and "its extremism is rivaled only by the death penalty that exists for homosexuality in several Islamic fundamentalist states."
In addition to banning contact with or between any LGBT person, social or civil rights groups, it would also be illegal to sell or rent property to same-sex couples, watch a gay-themed film or video, or even visit an LGBT web site such as Rod 2.0. Even more ominous: The legislation would make it a criminal offense to impart any information on HIV/AIDS to gays.
The hateful legislation is supported by Archbishop Peter Akinola—head of the Anglican Church in Africa—who is the leading anti-gay voice on the continent. Conservative Episcopal churches in the US have have aligned themselves with Akinola. Unfortunately.
Some Background:

• Nigeria to Ban Gays Meeting (Rod 2.0)
• Who is Archbishop Peter Akinola? (Rod 2.0)
• Harsh New Nigerian Laws (Rod 2.0)
• Nigeria's Anglican Archbishop (Rod 2.0)
• Nigeria's Islamic Sharia Law (Rod 2.0)
• Nigerian Author Jude Dibia (Rod 2.0)
• UK Deports Gay Nigerian (Rod 2.0)
• Director Plans Film Adaptation of Gay-Themed Nigerian Novel (Rod 2.0)

[James the Persian]

Originally Posted by michel

Just what is going on here? I was very sadened to see this on Television; not only does the church refuse to accept the "Homosexual act", but it refuses to accept Homosexuals themselves.

If that is actually the case (I saw nothing from those involved in the link to suggest it was, though you may have seen it elsewhere) then their attitude simply is not in keeping with the Christian faith. I certainly could not ever support such legislation as it appears the church in Nigeria is doing and I could only recommend that they look to the examples of the very good homosexual Christians out there who fought against this passion (I know you won't agree with me on this, but it is the view of our Church also that the homosexual act is sinful). One they might look at is Fr. Seraphim Rose, a famous American convert and monk who many regard as a saint, though he has not yet been glorified.

James

[jamaesi]

I could only recommend that they look to the examples of the very good homosexual Christians out there who fought against this passion (I know you won't agree with me on this, but it is the view of our Church also that the homosexual act is sinful). One they might look at is Fr. Seraphim Rose, a famous American convert and monk who many regard as a saint, though he has not yet been glorified.

So how did this "saint" fight against homosexuality? Would it work in a fight against other integral things about people like their hair colour or shoe size?

[Green Gaia]

Until people stop demonizing gays for being who they are and loving whom they love, hatred and nonsense like this will continue.

[Terrywoodenpic]

A large part of the Anglican churches in Africa, maintain the attitude and beliefs of Victorian England.
They seem to want to reverse their laws back to those times.

After all it is only since the war that being an active male homosexual was not punishable by imprisonment. Lesbians were outside the law because Queen Victoria would not believe women could act in that way, and refused to sign that part into law.

Religions in many parts of the world seem to be reverting to their primitive medieval forms. Some are sufficiently powerful in their populations to translate this into law.

[michel]

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

If that is actually the case (I saw nothing from those involved in the link to suggest it was, though you may have seen it elsewhere) then their attitude simply is not in keeping with the Christian faith. I certainly could not ever support such legislation as it appears the church in Nigeria is doing and I could only recommend that they look to the examples of the very good homosexual Christians out there who fought against this passion (I know you won't agree with me on this, but it is the view of our Church also that the homosexual act is sinful). One they might look at is Fr. Seraphim Rose, a famous American convert and monk who many regard as a saint, though he has not yet been glorified.

James

I don't know if you ever have the chance to see "Heaven and Earth" on Sundays, James; (BBC1) - that was where they showed the footage of reporters asking for an interview. Like I said, unfortunately, the Archbishop lloked like a con-man running away from Watchdog reporters..........It just made it feel as if he knew he was in the wrong.

[James the Persian]

Originally Posted by jamaesi

So how did this "saint" fight against homosexuality? Would it work in a fight against other integral things about people like their hair colour or shoe size?

He fought his own passions, and he isn't a saint yet. I thought that was pretty obvious from what I wrote. My point was that he proves that it is possible for a chaste homosexual to be a valuable part of a Church which condemns the homosexual act as sin. I know you and others disagree with that characterisation, but that is utterly irrelebvant to my point. I also do not agree with your equating homosexuality to hair colour etc. However, natural you think it is (which is no argument in the context of Christian anthropology) it's a behaviour, not a physical thing. Fighting the passion of homosexual attraction is exactly the same, however, as fighting the passion of heterosexual attraction, which thousands of monastics appear to manage quite well, so yes it does work with other 'integral things' so long as you compare like with like. You aren't. You're apparently, calling on me to say that it is wrong to expect Christians to give up sinning, which I will not do. I do, however, think it's wrong for so-called Christians to take the position that the Nigerian church appears to have done, so I'm left wondering why the bile in your reply to me. Did you misunderstand and think I actually supported or Nigeria, or does disagreeing with you on this subject automatically make me an intolerant bigot?

James