In the modern world that we live in, of this twenty-first century, people call it a civilized world. The civilization of this world means that people accept and go on with whatever activities, thought or way of life that is offered. Hence if one is seen living a lifestyle of the past then he or she is considered as not civilized.
The modern day civilization has embraced and accepted the practice and life of homosexuality. As such, therefore there are many who pronounce themselves as gay or homosexuals. These kinds of people demand their rights to live and be seen in this civilized world.
The terms “gay” and “homosexuals” are synonymous to each other. They refer to an orientation towards same sex relations. The American Webster New Ideal dictionary defines homosexuality as an “exhibition of a desire for sexual relations towards members of the same sex.” This practice and life of homosexuality contradicts the normal, conventional, traditional and human heterosexual relations. From an analytical point of view then, homosexuality is not normal, conventional, traditional and human.
From the foregoing, the Christian Panorama takes on this topical and moral issue to bring Christian insights to it. Christianity is all about faith, practical living and religion and so bears a very broad perspective. Under the eye view of Christianity homosexuality was known to be present as far back in the Old Testament during the days of Abraham. There were two cities called Sodom and Gomorrah and in these cities all kinds of evil things were perpetrated there and even homosexuality. In the book of Genesis Chapter 18 and 19, God was so displeased with the evil activities in Sodom and Gomorrah that he sent two angels there. The males in Sodom and Gomorrah made advances and requested to sleep with them. (Gen.19:5-9). The evil advances and sinful lives of the people especially homosexuality made God to send fire and burning sulphur on the whole town and everyone died.
The displeasure of God over evils like homosexuality made God to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. From this Biblical perspective, Christianity as a religion and practical living abhors what God abhors and sees homosexuality as an evil act that should be stopped and discouraged.
From a Christian moral theology and perspective, God from the beginning in Gen. 1 and 2, created man and woman to complement one another. The two opposite sexes of man and woman were what God ordained and endorsed for the prolongation of the human family. God created Adam and Eve and gave them the mandate, “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” Gen. 1:28. God in this sense did not create man only for man but man for woman so that the family of humankind will live on this earth.
The book of Leviticus in the Bible bears a lot of laws and commandments that the people were to follow. Chapter 18 and 19 of the same book has so many laws against unlawful sexual relations and even the law forbidding homosexuality is among them. Leviticus 18:22 states, “do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; this is detestable. This law is a command of God and anyone who breaks this law should be ostracised from his community.” (Lev. 18:29)
All books of the New Testament abhor homosexuality. When Jesus taught about marriage he quoted the Old Testament that God created man and woman so that the two of them become one. (Matt 19:4-6) For Jesus Christ and his disciples from where the Church and Christianity finds its roots, homosexuality is abhorred and not what God wants to exist in the lives of human beings.
The Christian moral teaching still retains the teaching of human sexual relations between man and woman. The true Christian teaching promulgates what God commanded from the book of Genesis, that God created man for woman and woman for man. The Christian response to homosexuality is such that it should not be and it is punishable as an evil act. Those involved in it should repent and be converted.
In our close society of The Gambia which is a religious and faith practising nation, homosexuality should not be practiced or embraced. In itself, homosexuality defines a nation and so our country should be kept in the sanctity of God not modern civilization.
