By Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterJAMAICAN CHURCHES say Government must not bow to international pressure and change the buggery law to accommodate the practice of men having sex with men.
Last week, the United States-based Human Rights Watch in its study 'Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence and Jamaica's HIV/AIDS Epidemic' called for the repeal of sections of the Offences against the Persons Act which criminalise sex between consenting adult men. The group claims the law is used to justify harassment of men who have sex with men and HIV/AIDS educators working with them.
"I think that they should stay out of our national business (as) we are mature enough to deal with it. I don't think we ought to repeal the laws because people request it... I think the laws should remain on the books," said Bishop Herro Blair, pastor of Deliverance Centre and the political ombudsman.
BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
He argued that any attempts to repeal the buggery Act "is one step from removing the laws of God, as most of our laws have a Biblical foundation."
"The said law is consistent with the word of God and I don't think it should be removed to accommodate anyone," Pastor Garfield Daley, a pastor at Faith Chapel United Pentecostal Church, Kingston, told The Sunday Gleaner.
Last week Government once again dismissed calls to repeal the Buggery Act as well as several allegations levied against its administration in a report launched by Human Rights Watch, an international organisation.
RAMPANT ABUSE
The explosive report levied several razor-sharp indictments against the Government and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which included allegations of turning a blind eye to rampant abuse of homosexual males and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Vivian Panton, chaplain of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), wholeheartedly supported the sentiments expressed by the Government and his colleague pastors.
"I give the Government absolute respect for the firm stance they have taken to indicate their regard for the sovereignty of our people and that no external group can claim any right to be indicating to Government what should constitute the laws which govern our country and our people," explained Dr. Panton.
Rebecca Schleifer, researcher with Human Rights Watch's HIV/AIDS programme and author of the report, also alleged that discrimination was also rampant in the church.
This, Bishop Blair believes, is a misrepresentation of the truth.
"I don't know of it being rampant in the church, as the church today is very mature even though we can't compromise our message as we preach according to Biblical definition of sin (but) we can't be condemnatory in the message," added Bishop Blair in response to discrimination against homosexuals.
Lawrence Burke, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston, said that his organisation has been at the "total service of persons with HIV/AIDS. I don't know of any discrimination against HIV/AIDS persons. We have been working with, counselling and walking with them... we nurse them and we have homes for them," he said.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS
However, Dr. Panton told The Sunday Gleaner that he does not buy the argument that discrimination against homosexuals is rampant in the church, but said that he knew that discrimination exists in the church.
"Discrimination against homosexual people prevails in the churches. It is unfortunate because it cuts against the grain of the all inclusive Gospel of Jesus Christ," he said.
Pastor Daley explained that "there is no way any church should discriminate against any individual who is not saved and wants to come into the church, whether they be a murderer, thief, homosexual or whatever."
