Gay, Lesbian Adventure Catches Fire

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra), September 5, 2006Charles Takyi-BoaduThe activities and operations of a group calling itself the gay and lesbian association of Ghana, coupled with their intention to play host to an international conference in Ghana, has met fierce condemnation and opposition from the Christian community.In the heat of events, the Christian Council of Ghana, mother of several Christian denominations in the country, has added its voice to that of the several condemnations by government and equally concerned citizens.At a press conference in Accra yesterday to state its position on the raging controversy, Right Reverend Dr. Paul Fynn, Chairman of the all-powerful council, condemned in no uncertain terms the activities and operations of the gays and lesbians."The Christian Council of Ghana vehemently condemns without reservations the formation of such an association in our beautiful and peaceful country," he said.He noted that the said conference would not have been in the interest of the nation, as it would rather have brought disgrace to many people in the country if not the entire population.According to him, the fact that the constitution of the country guaranteed freedom of association, movement, speech, expression and worship did not mean it should provide the license and authority for people to misbehave and satanise the country, as that of the infamous Sodom and Gomorrah incident in the bible.As the bible prescribes, he indicated, "God did not create man to marry man and woman to marry woman, but created man to cohabit with woman and to bear children".For this reason, he mentioned that it does not augur well for man to marry man and woman to marry woman and have their marriage blessed.Dr Paul Fynn has thus called on all Ghanaians, especially religious bodies, to rise up and nip in the bud the emergence of the practice he described as "despicable and dangerous phenomena" in the Ghanaian society.For him, homosexuality, lesbianism, occultism and the raging cocaine issues that have beset this nation within the last couple of months are all signs of the bad seed sown by the devil amongst us; hence the need to uproot such acts without further delay.The council thus advised all parents, teachers and guardians to keep an eye on their children and advise them to steer clear of such immoral and sinful practices.This he said was because these practices only bring untold hardships to individuals, the community and the nation in the long run.It congratulated government for its swift response to the issue, knowing very well its consequential effects on the nation and the people, commending it for not only condemning but also disallowing the proposed international conference to would have been held in Ghana."We further congratulate the government for recognizing the cherished traditional and religious values of our country and for listening to the Ghanaian public," said the chairman.According to him, the Council was solidly behind the government in its decision to take disciplinary actions against them if they were found to have acted in contradiction of the country's laws.Over a week ago, the president of the gays and lesbians association of Ghana, one Prince MacDonalds, came under immense attack from Ghanaians when he stormed the studious of Joy FM, an Accra-based private radio station, to justify their activities.Apostle Dr. Michael Ntumy, who could not fathom any kind of justification for such ungodly practices, said, "Homosexuality is an offence against God", quoting Leviticus 20:13 in the Holy Scriptures, "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death".This in itself, he said, must inform all persons of how God despises such practices.He noted that Christians consider homosexuality and lesbianism as contrary to the ways the Bible teaches and part of what the Scripture condemns, including fornication and stealing.He said the only way out for such persons would be to seek accord with God and accept to repent their ways."It is unfortunate all over the world homosexuals are coming out of their closets," he bemoaned.Although many people feel uneasy to talk about it in public, he wondered why and how others felt proud of this orientation and were telling the entire world that it was an alternate sexual course.Meanwhile, the Bible prescribe in Leviticus 18:22 that a man "shall not lie with a male as with a woman", emphasizing that "it is an abomination".