by Collins Uma

Homosexuals are therefore right there in the same boat with thieves, swindlers, adulterers, drunkards and greedy people, many of whom are using this same Word of God to send their fellow sinners, the gays, to jail.

Warning: The views expressed here aren’t ‘politically correct’. Do not read further if that is what you are looking for.

Going through the bill prohibiting same-sex marriages and civil unions in Nigeria, passed by the Senate, there is no where it is mentioned that the bill was sponsored because homosexuality negates the provisions in the Holy Book. However, Nigerians, in trying to justify the new law, have relied heavily on the Holy Book as basis for their support of the jail terms that await convicted homosexuals. They also cite African cultural practices and say homosexuality is alien to our culture. Well, let’s look at the scriptures and see if they are right.

In the Gospel According to John, Chapter 8, Jesus was on his own when some folks came to him with a trick question concerning a woman caught pants down, literally, in adultery. They were going to stone her to death but they wanted to hear His opinion first. If He said they shouldn’t stone her it would be an endorsement of her sin. If He told them to go ahead with the stoning, where then is the love? After much disturbance he spoke to them the words which have become immortal; ‘Let him that is without sin cast the first stone’. The crowd dispersed in order of their ages, from the oldest to the youngest. This, I believe, was commensurate with how sinful each was. The Master then looked at the woman and asked her to look around if there was still anybody condemning her. She said there was none. Then He said ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more’.

I am a Christian. I do not have the right to hold a personal opinion on a lot of issues. My opinion is what the Word of God says. An example is the recent anti-gay bill sponsored and passed by the National Assembly, and signed into law by the President criminalising not only same-sex marriages but any union suspected to be amorous between individuals of the same sex in Nigeria. Its not as if gay marriages have been permissible in Nigeria before now, anyway. What is the position of God’s Word on homosexuals?

In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 9 and 10, the Bible states,

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God” (New English Translation)

Homosexuals are therefore right there in the same boat with thieves, swindlers, adulterers, drunkards and greedy people, many of whom are using this same Word of God to send their fellow sinners, the gays, to jail. Remember what Jesus told them in the opening lines? ‘Let him that is without sin cast the first stone’. Nigerians who support the ‘Jail The Gay’ law are just like these people who wanted to stone that woman, only with more sins.

The 26th and 27th verses of the first chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans makes us understand that homosexuality (which includes lesbianism) is an error. Revelations 21:8 also makes us understand other groups of people who will keep homosexuals company in hell, and this list includes all liars. A homosexual might go to hell but he won’t be alone there. If you tell lies (whether ‘white’ or ‘black’ lies), or are involved in pre-marital or extra-marital sexual affairs, among other sins, you will be there on the last day with the homosexuals, if you don’t get born again before then. Its as simple as that. I follow the Bible blindly. This is regardless of whether I’m ‘comfortable’ with its position on issues or not. The percentage of liars in Nigeria, and the harm these lies cause, compared with the percentage of homosexuals, makes one wonder why there hasn’t been a legislation against lies, pejury aside.

Even though it is not a ‘bigger’ sin than lying, homosexuality is a violation of God’s injunction. He created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. So, if Jesus were here physically what would He do? Well, same thing He did with the adulterous woman; He would say ‘Go and sin no more’. And He would applaud a ban on same-sex marriages. But He won’t stone gays or jail them. God loves adulterers and fornicators, inspite of these sins. He loves drunkards and greedy people. God loves homosexuals, regardless of their sexual perversion. And if we want to be Christ-like or Godly, this is what we must copy. Criminalising homosexuality and turning a blind eye to pre-marital sex is hypocrisy at its zenith. Both are frowned at by the God we seem to be fighting for.

Concerning homosexuality being alien to ‘our’ culture, let it be known that Africa is not really a village. So, there is nothing like ‘our’ culture or ‘African culture’. Different societies in Africa have different cultural practices which are not accepted by the other societies. A google search of the history of homosexuality in Africa will shock you with information about the existence of homosexuality in different parts of Africa, especially in Nigeria, long before the first colonial masters set foot on African soil. The white guys, in fact, came with homophobia.

There are speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan signed the bill into law at this time to score some political points. That may be true, seeing how religion is becoming a feisty matter ahead of 2015. That would be a good political move if we ignore the innocent Nigerians who would become collateral damage because of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s 2015 ambition.

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Collins Uma is a trained Sociologist with a bias for Developmental Sociology. He is a public affairs analyst and commentator. He is also a husband and father and an ordained Minister of the Gospel. Collins Uma tweets via @CollinsUma

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.