In an AP article "Police unable to prevent rising
violence against gays, Emo youths in Iraq" dated 12 Mar 2012, it was
reported that 58 Gay Iraqis were killed in the first 6 weeks alone by
religious people of faith. The widespread killing was undertaken by very
well supported religious motivations. A total of 750 Iraqi gays have been
killed due to religion since 2006.
A "kill gay" bill was recently distributed with
Baghdad's Sadr City neighbourhood listed the names and details of
33 people with the following warnings:-
"We warn
in the strongest terms to every male and female debauchee," "If you
do not stop this dirty act within four days, then the punishment of God
will fall on you at the hands ......." .
It is not a small minority with this religious
zealous outlook. "There is a strong wave of campaigns by clerics against
homosexuals now," said Ali al-Hilli, chairman of Iraqi LGBT group.
Whilst faiths such as Christianity have had a history
of causing harm to gays, the cases have been isolated other than in Nazi
Germany where thousands were murdered at the gas chambers. But that was
70 years ago, but for some faiths the slippery slope of harm continued
till today.
It is ultimately the rights of the people of faith
who is in the large majority to determine how they would live out their
faith according to their religious scriptures and enforce the religious
ruling on the rest of their community. However, grave injustice will not
go unpunished forever for God is a just God and their community of faith
will suffer.
We should be mindful lest we follow such religious
faith path of injustice in Iraq against the innocent for even now
arising in the Christian Faith in Uganda, gays are beginning to be
targeted and killed by the law.
We don't expect the killing of gays to be reported
in Christian progressive magazines such as Sojourners because it will
impact their notion that at the core, the major faith religions were
about "love" when it is actually about the strict religious laws and
judgement for failing to abide.
The depths of true religion is reflected when they have
absolute power and authority in a situation
where they are of the vast majority - how would they treat those who are
different from the majority, and against those who are their "enemies"
ie those who converted to religious faith or have other faiths. Do they
"live and let live"?
John 13: 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that
you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We tend to generalise that all major faiths are
about love but the onus is on the religious faith themselves to reflect
this truth rather than regarded as something inherent and intrinsic when many
religious text themselves actually sanctifies this call for violence.
In the Christian Faith, Jesus came not to
legitimize the harsh religious laws and punishments by the religious
authorities in the name of God. He came "not to judge" but to show love,
grace and mercy.
Jesus did not emphasise on the religious Jewish
laws, but that we are saved in believing in Him as God, dying and
raising from death for our sins. In religion we are sin focused and sin
conscious but in "true" Christianity, it is about an eternal salvation
in the Kingdom of God, and about loving each other as Christ as loved
us.
So much Christianity is about love, and not causing
harm rather than being particularly prescriptive except for the core
tennants of faith such as salvation and resurrection. There was a
deliberate move away from the Jewish laws for the letter of the law
kills especially to the oppressed and became a york of burden for
oppression. Instead the Rock of Salvation is a rock of grace.
In the American presidential election, the GOP
hopeful Rick Santorum was supported by the bible belt by those who claim
to have the same moral values. We can't gain our morality by being
anti-gay or by bearing arms, for morality is something within how we
respect the basic rights and dignity of others, and how we show kindness
and benevolence. The rest however is purely of religious faith works and
hypocrisy and not of Jesus Christ.
Our prayer tonight is for Jesus to protect those
who are in hiding in Iraq in fear of death because they are gay. May
they know Jesus Christ, their hope and salvation. Through this valley of
the shadow of feath, may the reality of God be close to them and lead
them through this life difficult paths.
Phil
4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are
noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any
virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.