SEXUALITY, RELIGION AND THE STATE
Holy Scripture records important events, beliefs and
philosophies of Judeo-Christian society for the first three of the last
five thousand years, and Genesis Ch. 19 (about the destruction of Sodom
and Gomorrah), and the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Romans 1:24-27, with
some other sections, unequivocally condemn the practice of homosexuality.
Most Christians claim to live according to the Bible, but nowhere does
that Bible command God's people to disenfranchise those of differing race,
colour, sex, country of origin, or sexual orientation. Why not?
Because we humans have as little responsibility for this last condition
as for the others. We do have responsibility, however, for whatever
we practice.
Democracy on which we Bahamians pride ourselves is not determined by the religion or sexual orientation of individual citizens. Rather, democracy insists on laws the majority considers to be just and fair to each one - insists that no one imposes his/her particular beliefs or habits on others who differ. A majority of votes determines leadership. Jesus bade us render to Caesar (the State) things that are Caesar's, and to God things that are God's. Caesar's and God's demands sometimes coincide - other times they do not. Some Christians believe God forbids homosexual practice, and the Bible literally agrees with them; other Christians disagree with the Bible in this regard in recent times - but none of this has anything to do with Caesar (the State or Government). As has so often been said, we cannot legislate what Christians consider morality. Conscience - Christian or otherwise must decide our morality.
The growing number of voices raised today, whether to accept practicing homosexuals into Church or National leadership or membership - or to exclude them from it - obliges us to grapple with this question without further delay. It is not an easy task. Many persons - certainly in our Bahamas - are convinced that the traditional family unit of father, mother and possibly children has proved the way to go. A family unit comprising two persons of the same sex, countenanced by Church and/or State, is abhorrent to traditionalists.
Persons of homosexual orientation who – through no cause of their own - are unwilling or unable to maintain traditional sexual relationships feel they have the right to engage legally in such unions as are possible for them. Has God consigned them to lives of loneliness because His gift of sexuality in them is different from His gift in most people? Why has God made some of us different from others in this regard? We do not know.
A democratic nation must strive for fairness and equal rights for ALL its citizens. A vote or referendum will probably need to be taken eventually. This is one of the decisions Caesar must make. No single clergy or layperson can decide it. How the Church will decide this question for believers is another matter. Like most other Church differences, the individual Christian conscience must decide and this may lead to even further separations among Christian bodies than we suffer a present.
Let us pray, over these difficult years of decision, that God the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of both Church leaders and followers - and also guide our Nation - as to what He wants us to do in this matter. May He give us grace and power to fulfill His will.