Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew recently stated in his
book "Hard truths" concerning homosexuality that “It’s already accepted
in China,” and goes on further to state that “It’s a matter of time
before it’s accepted here.”
In America, the latest 2011 Pew rolls, indicated
46% opposing gay marriage versus 45% supporting it. In 2009, the stats
was 54% versus 37%. The change towards equality and justice has a strong
positive trend especially amongst the younger population.
What has aided and set the impetus for greater
public acceptance is the "coming out" of public entertainment stars such
as Adam Lambert in 2009, Clay Aiken in 2008. Ellen DeGeneres, the famous
TV hosts came out in 1997.
Whilst many countries are constrained by
their strong fundamentalist religions on the legalization of
Homosexuality, the British who first came out with the colonial laws now
used by these countries has long repealed these archaic laws such as
377A which goes back to King Henry XIII. The king who was also the
defender of the Anglican Faith must have felt so subconciously guilty of
killing and re-marrying so many wives that gays are to be blamed for his
sins.
When the Anglican Church in Singapore (who is also
the leader of the National Council of Churches Singapopre, and the
Global Anglican South) talks about morality concerning homosexuality,
they should be mindful of history. The laws against gays were created
out of hypocrisy, the injustice and prejudice sanctioned by the
Christian Faith lasting for more than 500 years.
Justice has a way of redeeming itself even
after decades as seen in the uprising in Egypt and Libya where the harsh
dictators ruled over them with the general populace suffering from
poverty whilst the rich and the political elite were enjoying untold
riches. Injustice cannot last indefinitely. The closet will finally be
broken, sooner rather than later.
We are getting to a point a history, a sharp
turning point for gay rights where for the first time in the Western
World, not only are gays decriminalised, but the full rights of marriage
given. The GLBT community has hitherto been persecuted, murdered, denied
relationships, made to suffer a lifetime in the closet, their blood
cries out for justice to God.
The crimes against humanity done against gays are
still going on in many countries such as Uganda and Nigeria who have
reverted to their primeval and savage instincts of hunting down gays and
even call it "Christian". The gay community has become the new saints
and martys in these countries just as the Protestant Christians were
persecuted by the Catholics from the 11th century upto the 17th century.
Every change from injustice to justice has an
ending where the perpetrators of the crime against the nation is taken
to tasks. What will happen to those who has made it a lifestyle to
persecute gays. When it is all over, their mitigation that it "is a
matter of religious right" to cause harm will not stand in the court of
judgement either here nor in heaven above.
We are at a turning point in Gay marriage,
and it will impact the church because of justice and righteousness. The
harm caused by the Christian Faith cannot be washed away so easily just
as Pilate washed his hands clean of his part in crucifying Jesus.
The laws against gays was never part of the 1st
century christianity when the bible was written but added in later by
the pagan influence through Constantine and through infidelity by Henry
XIII. The church has been trying to defend a lie by emasculating
the bible of the pagan religious context, and the supremacy of grace
versus the law.
There will likely to be no "big bang" when Gay
marriages are fully legalised in all states in the US. The gay marriages
in the US came very quietly with no heavely hail or fire of judgement
predicted by the Christian Right. The straight men didn't become gays
and the straight population continued to have their divorces and
abortions.
Gay marriage in America will happen in a few years
when the polls go above 50% support for gay marriages. The churches will
most grudgingly accept the hard truths and in Singapore perhaps delay
the innevitable for another decade or two unless of course Hong Kong and
Shanghai sets the precedence first for which Singapore could not but
follow suit.
However, in the fight against gay marriage,
and to persecute gays and put them in prisons, the Protestant
Evangelical church would have lost its innocent Christian soul and
conscience which is very precious. The integrity, righteousness, and
moral standing lost will not be easily reclaimed.
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