Anti-gay bill: First reform people who practice adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust— CRPL-Ghana to religious leaders

Reverend Canon Dr. Confidence Bansah, CEO of Center for Religion and Public Life (CRPL-Ghana), has called for a broader scope in the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill, urging parliament to also criminalize adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust, alongside homosexuality.

This is in response to the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which aims to criminalize homosexuality.

According to Rev Canon Bansah, religious institutions should first focus on reforming individuals within their congregations who engage in adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust.

Expressing scepticism about religious bodies' sincerity in helping gay individuals transform, he said;

"We see this 'gesture' as an act of hypocrisy because of our firm belief that they are incapable of reforming those people they preach to daily in their own congregations who commit adultery, fornicate, masturbate, and lust for men or women."

Rev Bansah further emphasized the need for consistency, arguing that the criminalization of homosexuality alone is insufficient when other behaviors threaten the safety, peace, security, and survival of the nation.

He called on parliament to broaden the scope of the bill, incorporating provisions against adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust.

"We believe that this will purge and absolve the Honourable Members of the House of any sin of hatred for homosexuals that they are being accused of," Bansah asserted.

The religious leader further raised questions about societal expectations regarding marriage and procreation, referencing Jesus' acknowledgment of eunuchs in Matthew 19:12.

He advocated for the biblical understanding that choices regarding sexuality should be respected and protected, even when differing opinions exist.

Below is his statement

Anti-LGBTQ bill: religious bodies must first reform people who practice adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust

A Joy News item from December 12, 2023 states that most religious bodies are open to helping gay people to transform.

Sadly, we see this “gesture” from the religious bodies as an act of hypocrisy because of our firm belief that they are incapable of reforming those people they preach to daily in their own congregations who commit adultery, fornicate, masturbate, and lust for men or women, when we know full well that these are the very things that are causing destruction to the Body of Christ and society at large (1 Cor. 6:9–11, Gal. 5:19–21).

It is therefore surprising that we are calling for the criminalization of homosexuality and not adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust, which are threats to our very safety, peace, security, and survival as a whole as a nation.

We are in this respect calling on parliament to criminalize adultery, fornication, masturbation, and lust, along with homosexuality—if only they want to go on with the passage of the anti-LGBTQI bill. We say so because we believe that this will purge and absolve the Honourable Members of the House of any sin of hatred for homosexuals that they are being accused of.

We wonder if we are all called into marriage and procreation when Jesus clearly affirms that there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:12). From the Lord’s own words highlighted here, it is clear to us that the choice or the decision to give birth or not to give birth is highly biblical, and so it is as important as anything that people’s choices regarding their sexuality must be well respected and adequately protected, even when we differ with them, so that like others, they must also experience the fullness of God’s love in society, in all places and at all times.

We want to remind ourselves at this point that grace is rich, glorious, and more powerful than the law and that, above all things, love conquers everything (John 3:16). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Like Jesus, as church leaders, in this season of advent, we must always stand in the gap and continue asking "sinners," “Has no one condemned you?" “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:9–10).

Rev. Canon Dr. Confidence Bansah,

CEO, CRPL-Ghana

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