Saturday 22 March 2014

Independent: Church teachings and homosexuality

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-03-16/letters/church-teachings-and-homosexuality-4274192385/
Sunday, 16 March 2014, 08:00 by Vincent Mercieca, San Gwann

I am an ordinary Maltese citizen and a practising Catholic. I am not a member of any religious group, so I hope I will not be accused of representing the Church like the bishops are when they speak about the laws of God, and also that I am interfering in local politics. Actually, I have every right to my political view as every Tom, Dick and Harry.

I am expressing my thoughts on the matter of our civil unions and the political correctness of homosexuality; LGBT or whatever name it is given. Some may agree with me; others will surely criticise me and bring arguments to attack my thoughts. As for myself, I do not care what people say, I am passing on a message and those who have ears to hear and eyes to see will hear and see, and those who want to close their eyes and ears are free to do so.

The Bible tells us that God does not approve of homosexual acts.

To start with, let us bring to mind the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God destroyed these cities because of their sinful way of life.

Let me quote a few verses on this subject.

Genesis Chapter 19

“When the two angels reached Sodom in the evening, Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. As soon as Lot saw them, he stood up to greet them, and bowed to the ground…

“They had not gone to bed when the house was surrounded by the townspeople, the men of Sodom both young and old, all the people without exception. Calling out to Lot they said, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so that we can have intercourse with them’.”

In verses 4 and 5, “the men of Sodom both young and old” called on Lot to send his guests out so they “can have intercourse with them”. This is a homosexual act. This shows us that homosexuality was one of the major sins of Sodom, as it is specifically mentioned in Genesis.

If anyone cares to read this chapter of Genesis, one will learn that soon after the angels told Lot and his family to flee the city immediately as it was about to be destroyed.

Let us move further on in biblical history and we see Moses having several meetings with God.

In the book of Leviticus, God gave Moses, and sometimes Moses and Aaron, the laws on various aspects of life and how and what needs to be done when people fall into sin.

In Leviticus Chapter 18 – Yahweh spoke to Moses and said:

“You will not have intercourse with a man as you would with a woman. This is a hateful thing.

“For all these hateful things were done by the people who lived in the country before you, and the country became unclean. If you make it unclean, will it not vomit you out as it vomited out the nations there before you? Yes, anyone who does any of these hateful things, whatever it may be, any person doing so, will be outlawed from his people; so keep my rules and do not observe any of the hateful laws which were in force before you came; then you will not be made unclean by them. I am Yahweh your God.”

Here we read in verse 22 that GOD, not the bishops Paul Cremona; Charles Scicluna or Mario Grech, said “This is a hateful thing” (in the Maltese version “hi ħaġa moqżieża”). This verse refers directly to homosexuality.

God does not have to be politically correct. He is the creator of life and He made all natural and divine laws. He described the act as a “hateful thing”.

God said “any person doing so will be outlawed from his people”. Yet, we mortals, through our politicians, our Parliament and through some of our lobby groups, want to portray homosexuality as something normal and we legislated some years ago to remove homosexuality from the Criminal Code. Now, they even have the right to enter a civil union and also to adopt children.

Quo Vadis Malta?

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