Thu | Sep 28, 2023

The double standard of the Church

Published:Saturday | July 5, 2014 | 12:00 AM

The Editor, Sir:

I write after reading an article on www.christianpost.com titled 'Gospel Artist Tye Tribbett Says Homosexuality May Be 'Natural' But It's Not 'God's Best'. I have been in churches in Jamaica where ministers preach against homosexuality saying that it is 'unnatural'. This makes it a sin.

The issue of sexuality is multifaceted. People are either heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. What comes naturally to a person is dependent on the category in which he/she is classified. With regards to Tye Tribbett, since homosexuality, although natural, is not God's best, I am now asking the question "Is bisexuality God's best?"

The Christian Church has long demonised homosexuality and has made it to be the worst of all sins. I recently attended a branch of one of the larger denominations in Jamaica and babies were being blessed. From my observation, the parents were not married, hence, they were guilty of fornication. This was overlooked by the minister, who later urged the fathers to "always be present in your children's lives and don't let anybody teach them how to become a homosexual".

JUDGEMENTAL

That was a very judgemental and boorish comment. I am gay and I was never taught to be gay. It is what comes to me naturally. As such, I have vowed that I will not be attending that church again. Christianity was founded on the teachings of love. The gospels are filled with Jesus' teachings on love for everyone, and the founder of Christianity, Paul, wrote in 1st Corinthians 13 that "... the greatest of these is love".

It appears to me that the Church has edited or adapted the Bible and has decided what laws they will keep and adhere to and the ones they wish to discard. I find that many Christians are judgemental and like to condemn people and their lifestyles. A person's sexuality does not interfere with anyone else's life or cause any harm to anyone.

I want to close this article by quoting James 2:7, which says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all". As long as we live in this world, you will break at least one part of the Mosaic Law or commit a sin. That makes us just as guilty as the person that you are judging. Luke 6:37 says, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned."

GAY SUPPORTER

St Catherine