Interestingly, I had watched, read, and listened to arguments, opinions, declarations, and even proposed punishments that had been pronounced upon people with such deviance. This particular sin got a ‘rowdy welcome’ from the public in the country and of course, a resounding attention it deserved from the media, churches, drinking sports, and even homes.
Hey, LGBTQ+ is a sin and should be condemned on no certain terms, however, what baffles me is that it has been made to appears this is the only deadly sin we experience in this country. It sounds as if the other sins: corruption, injustices, abortion, killing of people for human parts, fornication, adultery, idolatry and the like are now gaining less and less of an attention. Are they being relegated or ‘canonized?’ Have these sins all of the sudden become less offensive to God and man now or it is comforting to talk about sins we do not indulge in?
Many, especially pastors and priests have quoted scriptures to buttress their claims about how God frowns on such acts and how he never intended to create people either with such deviance or with these unaccepted behaviors. Nevertheless, one thing we lose sight of though, is that when it comes to God dealing with all of us when we sin is, before God condemns, punishes or destroys you, he would have warned you, given you a lot of opportunities to change before he acts. He is a merciful God but he equally punishes. God certainly will not ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’ as the saying goes. God, I guess loves the sinner and hates or dreads the sin in us; that is why he can afford to send his only begotten son. This actually applies to all transgressions and not only LGBTQ+
Hammering on one particular sin does not exonerate us from the other sins. Armed robbery, killing of innocent children, all in the name of not being prepared to be a parent, concubinage, indulging in occultism, stealing government money, extorting church members all in the name of God, neglecting the poor, aged and other marginalized in society, are as evil as the sins of people who subscribe to LGBTQ+. Naked corruption, glaring injustices in this country, cheating in one’s marriage or infidelity to one’s Religious vows, in my opinion, equally makes God feels like puking.
LGBTQ+ should be condemned with every strength we’ve got in this country, to save our country from such ungodly acts and behaviors but my point, all other sins should be given the same utmost attention. LGBTQ+ office is not the only office we should attack; there are equally a lot of other ‘ abominable offices’ either knowingly and unknowingly created in our hearts, homes, schools, churches, hospitals, and what have you, which we call ‘the system.’ Many other atrocities happen in this country and the usual slogan we hear is ‘that is Ghana for you.’ we are not ready to ‘stir those pots.’ Anyone who tries, ‘his head will be handed to Herod on a silver platter.’
I watched some TV talk shows and videos treading on this topic, I admired the vim, wit and tenacity with which people spoke against LGBTQ+, I thought if the same strength is applied to the other malicious, fictitious and atrocities in this country, life will be less burdensome
The dominant religions in Ghana are Christianity and Islam. When it comes to population both religions have got numbers, when it comes to preaching for virtues and against vices both religions are loud enough. Talk of those in politics, governance, health sector, teaching fields, and the markets or business industry both religions have numbers. Strange enough, these ungodly actions and attitudes are in the increase where religion abounds. What could be the cause? Is it pure and true religion or paying lips services to God?
In Luke’s Gospel (13:20-21), Jesus invites us to be the yeast so that we can leaven the bread dough. Let us all be yeast to infiltrate every fabric of sin in society and condemn whatever is evil as God would frown on them.
Nicholas Aazine, SVD
(Coord: Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation – JPIC Ghana-Liberia Province)
Divine Word Missionaries – A Catholic Religious Society
Email: justicepeaceint@gmail.com or nicholasbetol@gmail.com
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Ghana
