29 October 2002
The
Editor, The Argus Fax 021 488 4156 e-mail arglet@ctn.independent.co.za
Lesbian
Bigots?
Ms.
Ntoyakuthi (Cape Times, 29/10/2002) is clearly a supporter of the
homosexual attempts for their sexual deviancies to be accepted as
mainstream. She claims to be saddened by the "bigoted response"
to "gay marriage". "What made it worse is that these
bigots were mainly women" – does Ms. Ntoyakuthi expect that
somehow most other women will share her views? According to the Concise
Oxford Dictionary, a bigot is "an obstinate and intolerant believer
in a religion, political theory, etc." Ms. Ntoyakuthi unfortunately
appears intolerant of women who hold views on "gay marriage"
that differ from her own.
I commend Ms. Ntoyakuthi for reading the Bible, and for her attempts
to understand why the authors wrote what they wrote. However, how
can she avoid the Apostle Paul’s obvious point in his letter
to the Romans: "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator –
Who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over
to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for
unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations
with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed
indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty
for their perversion."
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul makes the point clearer: "Do
you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves
nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit
the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were
washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the
Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
It is probable that the Bible – the most widely translated, printed
and read book in the world – has so little credibility in Ms.
Ntoyakuthi’s eyes, that she is unable to appreciate God’s
wisdom. For that reason, I would like to address some of her concerns.
God has set standards for man’s behaviour. A nation that consistently
refuses to behave according to God’s standards will experience
God’s judgement (just as a nation that consistently conforms
to God’s standards experiences His blessing – read Deuteronomy
28). In the turmoil and war that we bring upon ourselves because of
our refusal to obey God, women and children will be killed. Are only
the men who die on the frontline guilty of sin before God, or is the
whole nation, including the women, guilty? God is loving – He
has given the Bible so that we can understand what He requires of
us. If we choose to refuse to obey Him, can we then accuse Him for
being consistent with what He said He will do?
Slavery by kidnapping was not endorsed by the Bible – in fact,
the death penalty is prescribed for a man who kidnaps another. However,
forcing a man to work to repay the victim of his theft is prescribed.
Which is better – to put a man in jail, to be unproductive, taught
worse crimes and sodomised, or to force him to work to repay the debt?
Exodus 21:20 prescribes that if a slave is beaten to death, the owner
shall be punished – Ms. Ntoyakuthi will have to point out where
the Bible excuses a slave’s murder.
Do sons suffer for the sins of their fathers? Sons whose fathers are
drunkards may experience financial deprivation and will not have a
good role model to follow. However, it is clear from Biblical Law
that sons are not to be punished by Civil Courts for their father’s
crimes (2 Kings 14:6). Nonetheless, the fathers’ refusal to live
according to God’s plan will leave its mark on the children.
Ms. Ntoyakuthi claims that the Bible has no respect for women. This
is strange, since Genesis 1 claims that both men and women are made
in God’s image. Wisdom is depicted in Proverbs as a women –
surely this is high recognition? Wherever Christianity has made an
impact, the status of women has improved. Thanks to the Christian
missionary William Carey, widows are no longer burned in India. Thanks
to conversions to Christianity, "temple prostitution" of
women and girl-children is rare.
I would continue but fear the editor’s scissors being applied.
Are Christians bigoted, stupid and afraid of the unknown – or
are we wise to walk according to the clear light of the Almighty God’s
revelation?
Jeanine
McGill
PO Box 36129
Glosderry
7702
Tel (021) 689 4481
Cell 083 491 4413
e-mail jeanine@ledge.co.za
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