Does your faith believe in jailing gays?
On Tuesday, April 26, I will be back in court as part of my ongoing constitutional challenge to the Jamaican anti-sodomy law.
At that time nine faith groups will be seeking to join the government in defending the law. They claim that consenting adults like me and my husband, Tom, must be sent to prison for up to 10 years at hard labour because of what we do in the privacy of our bedrooms. In addition, we must be registered as sex offenders and always carry a pass, or face a $1 million fine plus 12 months in prison at hard labour. The groups have argued that, among other things, these drastic actions are necessary to prevent the extinction of mankind!
As a gay Christian I am very disappointed that there are no religious groups in Jamaica that are willing to speak out in support of my case. Not a single one.
So, if you belong to a faith group anywhere in the world that believes that Tom and I are NOT criminals and should NOT be sent to prison, please let me know. Also, would you or your group be willing to sign an open letter condemning this British, colonially imposed law?
Thanks!
Maurice
maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” – Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
Related articles:
- Challenge to Jamaican anti-sodomy law gets under way
- Why I fight the Jamaican anti-sodomy law (Feb. 22, 2016, 76crimes.com)
- OK to block TV tolerance ad? Jamaican court will decide (Feb. 2, 2016, 76crimes.com)
- LGBT envoy heads to Jamaica amid plans for Pride (May 2015, 76crimes.com)
- Jamaica has a new gay-friendly public defender (Feb. 12, 2015, 76crimes.com)
- Progress in Jamaica toward ‘world as it should be’ (76crimes.com)
- Jamaica today: Challenging homophobic TV stations (76crimes.com)
I am happy to assist you in writing a letter and getting the word out to my colleagues in ministry. I am very sorry that you are facing such archaic and unfair treatment by the government in Jamaica.
Sincerely,
Bishop Randy Duncan
Reconciling Pentecostals International
http://www.rpifellowship.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3OMnL8mkc8 ( My video against discrimination I made for the United Nations ). When can we learn that it is so much better to work together then to try and divide and conquer? Discrimination is wrong. Protect your Brothers and sisters. Any religion I have studied – One of their fundamental beliefs is supposed to be – Love your neighbor as you would love yourself.
I, as a Gay Christian stand with you Tom & Maurice! This is absurd law that needs to be gotten rid of.
Maurice, I can understand how desperate you must feel to find support for your relationship with Tom in Jamaica. I have a bone to pick with your argument though. Jesus said in Mark 10:6-9;
6But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
All of nature understands its’ role. The animal kingdom mates male and female. The plant kingdom does the same. So, if you insist on living contrary to God’s design why would you then lie to the public and say you are a Christian? At least speak the truth about your lifestyle and say something like, ‘although the Holy Word of God says that ‘Mankind shall not lie with mankind as with womankind,(Leviticus 18:22 KJV), I choose to live contrary to that., therefore I do not fear God and cannot call myself a Christian’ But, because you say that you are a Christian and then spend time with your male partner in public, you are now deceiving the world. You see, your premise of ‘whatever I do in my bedroom shouldn’t affect how you think of me’ plea is false. Because, obviously we are all hearing about this and it is affecting the whole world! I wish you would become a Christian Maurice. I am going to pray for you and Tom right now. The truth is Maurice that you can be saved and delivered from your sin. Jesus can save and make clean and whole any drug-addict, fornicator, liar, thief, sodomite, murderer or any other sinner like I was. Now, I have been born-again and have been made clean in His eyes.
If you insist on pursuing your life of sin, I wish you would keep it ‘only’ in the bedroom, but unfortunetly for all of us, you have made it a public spectacle for all of the rest of us to see. You may not believe me but I truly care for you. I would not stay up late after a long day to write this letter if I didn’t.
In Christ Jesus my Lord
Paul Miller
A true Christian
Only Jesus saves,