Another Christian View of Puerto Rico’s Sodomy Law
San Juan Star, July 11, 2003
Box 364187, San Juan, PR 00936
Fax: 809-793-7152
Email: Bbilder@eworld.com
In recent weeks, the legislature in Puerto Rico and the US Supreme court
have made history. Laws that govern the sexual lives of people have been
abolished. This was a brave thing, and many of us in the Christian Community
welcome the change.
Just as in every family, Christians do not always agree. These
disagreements are the roots of the many Christian denominations. Even within
congregations and parishes, we do not always agree. The blessing is when we,
as Christians, can agree to disagree with each other in peace.
Holy Scripture has been used for many important debates and arguments
between Christians since the beginning of the church, and it continues to this
very day.
When St. Paul began to evangelize Gentiles, there was a great disagreement
between some of the Apostles. The “original” Christians were all Jewish.
The Christians, thinking of their religion as a part of Judaism, insisted that
the new converts must become Jewish and be circumcised. They quoted Holy
Scripture, but Paul insisted and quoting Scripture as well, ended that issue.
The Protestant revolution had good Christians on both sides who all used
Scripture to support their views.
Scripture and church teaching was used to uphold and justify the evil
practice of slavery. In the 1960s,churches, both sides using Scripture, were
on opposite sides of the civil rights issues in the US.
Scripture has been used to oppress women. Women were seen and treated as
property. Men were not only allowed, but often encouraged to beat their wives
and children, even by the clergy! Scripture was used to oppose Women’s
Suffrage. Sadly, we are still fighting domestic violence and child abuse.
In Christianity, the subject of female clergy is still a hot-button issue
for some, but we now see women as ministers, pastors, deacons, priests, and
even Bishops!
The disagreement about homosexual people is just the latest in the long
line of Christian debates. Homosexuality was first condemned by the church in
the 13th century, so this is a relatively argument, as theological issues go.
There has been, over the last 30 years, much theological research, advances in
science and human rights. Many churches are now welcoming and accepting
homosexuals, to varying degrees. Others do not welcome homosexuals. All of
them use scripture to support their stand!
God is one who breaks-down the walls that people build to keep God and
other people separated from Godself. People seem to try to “own” God and
keep the Divine one in a box of their own making. They are unwilling to share
God with others, but that is not their prerogative in reality.
Many see the Sodomy Law, not as a moral issue, but as a human rights issue.
It is about the rights of tax-paying, law abiding citizens to live their lives
as they see fit. It is about having the right to love and form attachments
without fear of violence or arrest. It is about equal treatment under the law.
It is about privacy. None of these are “moral” issues that require the
church to speak. These are rights issues.
The idea that homosexuals having relationships recognized would in any way,
cause a breakdown in family values is laughable. I know of no married people
who would be forced to divorce if gay relationships are registered and given
responsibilities similar to or the same as marriage.
Family values are about as broken as they can ever be (This is one area
where the church has absolutely failed to stay relevant to people’s real
lives). When I seen Gay men and Lesbians speaking out and fighting for the
right to “get married” or to have “domestic partnerships” I see
nothing but the highest respect for family values. Much more so than people
living together, men cheating on wives and people having children out of
wedlock.
I believe that our elected officials do well for themselves by going to
church and hearing God’s Holy Word. It makes them better people. When they
legislate, they must remember they are not there to represent themselves or
their church. They have been elected to do what is best for their everyone in
Puerto Rico by doing what is right for all of the people. Sometimes, this
requires having the courage to stand-up for the rights of minorities. This is
what an honorable elected person does. This is something some of our religious
leaders need to respect instead of issuing threats to withdraw their followers
support. This is what separation of Church and State is about.
I pray for all of us in Puerto Rico as we go through these debates over
human rights.
—Steve
Cannon English, Priest
St. Michael and All Angels Evangelical Anglican Mission
(EACA)
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