Ghana Catholic Bishops have condemned reports that they are instigating violence and hate against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) community.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference say although they absolutely abhor the LGBTQI practices, they however do not subscribe to Ghanaians ill-treating them.
According to them, they advocate love for the homosexuals but their position is very clear on whether their acts should be accepted or not.
''Even though the declaration of the Bishops clearly states that the dignity of LGBTQI people should be respected because they are also children of God created in his image and likeness, the author(s) of the said response stated repeatedly that the Catholic Bishops were against LGBTQI people. What the church disapproves of are homosexual acts which she considers as intrinsically immoral. The inherent immorality of homosexual acts makes it impossible for the church to accept public advocacy and promotion of homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle. People with homosexual inclinations are subjects of the Church’s pastoral care as anybody else in the Church and outside of it.
''The long-held teaching of the Roman Catholic Church has been that while homosexual people,
i.e., those who have an erotic inclination towards others of the same sex, are to be loved and
respected and not discriminated against, homosexual acts are intrinsically immoral. It is for this
reason that the Church does not approve of “unions between people of the same sex”. Following
the example of Jesus himself who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (cf. Luke
5:32 [NRSV]), the Church in her pastoral care is solicitous about the salvation of all God’s children
and endeavours to show them God’s love and mercy," they clarified.
The Bishops gave this response in a rejoinder to The Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA).
Following an earlier declaration by the Catholic Bishops against the LGBTQI group, IDNOWA released a statement condemning the position of the Bishops.
“At the beginning of lent, the GCBC should come up with a message of reflection and repentance for the people of faith. Instead, it instigates violence and hate crimes against LGBTI people by using words such as ‘crusade’ against LGBTI in an affirmative way,” Davis Mac-Iyalla, the Executive Director of IDNOWA stated.
The Bishops, in their rejoinder and copied to Peacefmonline.com, expressed disappointment in The Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa over their statement saying ''the impression created by the response of IDNOWA that the Bishops are instigating violence against LGBTQI people is incorrect and therefore quite unfortunate''.
Read full statement below:
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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What we need to understand is that Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, was faced with the same scenario as the one you and other present day Sadducees, Scribes, and the all-knowing holier than thou crowd is doing in Ghana. And being God, he shamed them all by proclaiming, inter alia "He who has not sinned before, let him throw the first stone". I can say that those men of old had conscience to realise the truth in Jesus' statement and shamefully, but humbly drop the stones and leave. Imagine that woman was living anywhere near you and your like, she would not have had the chance to even hear the word "go and sin no more". You would have burnt her with whatever you could get. That, my friend, is not Christianity - let alone - Godliness. Humility to understand and accept the word of God that says 'salvation comes by hearing, and hearing - the word of God' and therefore going out there and show the kind of LOVE Jesus would show to THEM so that by so doing YOU MIGHT WIN SOME OF THEM FOR CHRIST. Go and preach to them. That is what the real Christian will do, not a religious zealot and radical whose only interest is in showing the world how much of a fundamentalist he is. To those, the Bible says "they have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof". That power is Jesus - who is LOVE and in whom no hatred, iniquity, hypocrisy, etc. is found. Time for real Christians to rise and subdue these charlatans and arrogant 'wanabe' Christians is here. May God have Mercy.
God detest homosexuals so why should we love them. Those media publishing these stories on their sites should be careful especially peace fm and Ghanaweb. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorra because of this abominable practice. We cannot love gays and lesbians since it is a cunning way to accept them as part of us.
Church is for sinners to be changed and not to promote sinning .Jesus did not condemn anybody but told them to repent and not to go back to that situation .As believers our brothers and sisters who are also in the faith but in this situation , we are telling them God loves everybody and He wants human to live like humans .Excuse my language animals will never deviate from their normal passion unless there is a problem with the mind .To our friends the bible says in 1corthians 6:19 every believer must live for the Most High .So' I FEEL LIKE TO BE' ..is selfish desire. Every being once has some negative passion but God gave us self control . Please open your eyes for person is convincing people by using negative human laws to draw others to destruction .A lot of people turn the message around to promote their agenda but the will God will prevail .