Here I go today venturing into an issue of “uncharted waters” for me. And, I suppose, being somewhat out of my depth.
However, of the numerous daily professional letter-writers to the print media – and the relatively “newer” regulars, I find one Yvonne Sam’s contribution always worthy of attention in terms of both style and content.
Quite analytical and provocative at times and obviously a qualified, caring health–care professional, she also, to me, delves into issues of ethics and morality. So it is Sam’s last Tuesday letter, under the caption “Where is the power of the church” which “provoked” my return to this fascinating social, sociological, moral, cultural issue of same-sex relationships, which reality is now universal. Especially, Frankly Speaking, in the more Western, Christianised world.
Ms Sam is lamenting the Christian Church seemed to have been compromised on the issue of same-sex relationships, same-sex marriage. Sam feels that the “sleeping/peeping Church” should be more forthright and forthcoming in terms of “what the Good Lord has deemed a marital union”. Excerpts from Yvonne: “There have been repeated warnings of the fate that would befall committed Christians if they held firm to their connections”; the Kentucky Court Clerk Kim Davis “is refusing to violate her conscience as a Christian …”; “make no mistake about it churches, you cannot afford to be merely peeping, or partly sleeping; your time is soon nigh and you must make a stand now. Following Jesus may soon be extremely costly. It is time for the church to make a hit and give us more from the pulpit”.
All the above from this concerned Christian resulted from the controversy caused by a Marriage Licence Christian Clerk, defying the US Supreme Court Majority Decision by refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples. The lady Davis, declared that her God is not for that. The State is saying that she is legally obliged to do her job of issuing the licences. What do you, do we say?
Religious outrage, civil rights
I recall being in New York, NY, USA when that State legalized the same-sex marriage. Roman Catholic outrage, especially, was as vitriolic as it was religious and moralistic.
Again I resort to some quotes from outraged Bishops (Governor Cuomo is, ironically, Roman Catholic): “This law is destructive because we fail to view marriage in the context of a vocation; a calling to participate in the great enterprise of forming the next generation. Marriage is now reduced to an empty honour”.
“We who oppose same-sex marriage are not callous to the very real human longings for friendship, affection and belonging that proponents of this legislation espouse as some rational marriage – equality…”
“We have – as Catholic Christians – in part failed as the proponents of the historical understanding of marriage as that between a man and a woman, precisely because we have sought to be sensitive to those who have same-sex attractions. Perhaps we must now speak more forcefully and clearly…” Shades of Ms Sam today.
In Georgetown today, I, recognizing people’s right to question the Bible and to challenge traditional understandings about relationships in the context of gender, would remind the New York Bishops that gays are made in the image of their God. Many are actually practising Christians and I understand their God to be forgiving in His own understanding. Or will the, Sodom and Gomorrah-like, actually punish the break-away non-traditionalist, sometime soon?
In this Guyana there are thousands of “single-parents”. Usually no male fathers around. Is that the same, or worse, than two males/females raising a child?
Frankly Speaking, I’ll forever remain traditionalist in this issue. But I’m neither activist Christian nor against people’s same-sex preferences. Yes, I’ll support male-female relationships rather than the same-sex liaisons, but I detest the aggression of the anti-sexual discrimination reps who behave as though they deserve more rights than we who remain “traditional”. Discuss (with Ms Yvonne Sam.)
A Criminalised Society?
Have we arrived at that dubious, unacceptable “status” as yet? We seem to be hell-bent towards that “standing”.
And I refer not to the daily murderous robberies and injuries within our current criminal enterprise. Rather I am reacting to something someone wrote recently about a few causes for crime locally and its seeming acceptance here. Just who precipitated this state of affairs?
I’ll wager it was both a “who” and a “what”. (I’ve lost the referenced item and my own notes) I’ll return to the issue quickly but this I offer now.
Between 1962 and 1964 as a City-bound teenaged teacher in the countryside I witnessed race-based violence born of political gamesmanship, aided even by American interests. With the People’s National Congress (PNC) wresting power from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), I as even a PNC supporter, experienced the further disregard for right as being better than wrong. The PNC embedded itself into our body politic in an all-powerful manner. Paramountcy spawned corruption. Criminality began then. Both elections and property, some dignity and institutions were appropriated, stolen.
Then came the post–PNC 1992 to 2015 PPP return to authority. Perception, whether in politics or not, can be reality. I submit that is both perception and reality, to state that Executive lawlessness in the Corridors of Power, in State institutions once revered, was the harbinger of numerous levels of criminality now characterizing the society, we know as Guyana. Examples from many “tops” infected the middle and bottom. The cancer needs expert surgeons but where are they? In the APNU/AFC newcomers? Huh?
The Criminalised State is a product of ours. Especially, those who inhabited, infested the top. What say you?
‘Til next week!
(allanafenty@yahoo.com)
