Presbyterian Church condemns homosexuality

… commends government’s bold decision

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Frimpong Manson, at a news conference held at the church’s headquarters on the Golden Jubilee Crusade, has condemned the shameful act of homosexuality and same sex marriages. He has pledged the church’s full support for government’s prompt and bold stance to prevent this abomination from being encouraged on Ghanaian soil.

According to the Moderator, homosexuality in certain communities is no longer viewed as something shameful or sinful, and that homosexuals have adopted an open lifestyle, which he described shameful practice in a more positive term as ‘gay’.

He was appalled that those who detested and condemned the practice were called ‘homophobic’ and that in some communities, it was the homophobia and not homosexuality that was treated with contempt.

He said churches in most Western communities were placed in a state of confusion or dilemma and were afraid of being accused of ‘social injustice and victimization” of the gay and lesbian.

“The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) are responding to the homosexual and same-sex marriages question not as people who are without sin, but are doing so as sinners who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, who is the means by which their sins are forgiven,” he declared.

He described the manifestation of sexual desire toward a person of the same sex as a detestable behavior, immoral, a deviation from normal and perversion of the creator’s original intention.

In illustration, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Manso pointed out that the South African highest court on Thursday December 1, 2005 ruled in favor of gay marriages; thus becoming the first country to legislate same-sex marriages in Africa where homosexuality remains largely a taboo.

He would not be surprise, he said, if churches were compelled to bless same-sex marriages since homosexuality was now a “human right” and a “social justice” issue in South Africa.

As a result of this, the Moderator called on all true Christian communities in Ghana and the rest of the world to pray for the churches in South Africa to resist this abominable act.

The accommodation of homosexuality in our churches he said was a result of our “failure to live and teach the values and principles of the Bible”, and that some churches do not know how to handle the problem of homosexuality and same-sex marriages in the face of social justice arguments which, in secular debate, are so effective and sound so good; but are causing moral decay and bringing ruins to our communities.

Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, a renowned evangelist based in the United Kingdom, at the conference challenged the various religious bodies and leaders in the country to see it a responsibility to stop organizations and individuals from importing other cultures from the western world that would undermine the credibility and the future of the nation.

He cited that religious leaders, politicians and people in authority must act as role models to stop the evil menace such as drug abuse, homosexuality, lesbianism and pornography that has contributed to the negative effects on our communities.

“The fact that Ghana believes in the practice of democracy does not mean we should abuse our ability to import cultures that over the years have destroyed great leaders and individuals,” he said.

The evangelist also commended the government for its initiative and called on all religious leaders to organize a peaceful national demonstration against such unacceptable cultures that are being borrowed from other Western communities, and rather expose the public to a sound and healthy environment.