In a television program 'Powerline' debate on Power TV recently, Shekh Kafumba Konneh, a Muslim cleric and Rev. Rudolph Marsh,Cristian pastor both of the IFMC defended the Islamic and Christian religious perspectives on why homosexuality is an immoral act.
What is essential to note in the light of this debate is that both the Sheikh and the pastor are taking a common position of condemnation. It is an offence against God, against society and against the homosexual person him/herself, Shekh Konneh emphasized.
What should also not be overlooked is that charity begins at home. Even in the United States, where some states have recognized homosexual rights while others have not, there is lots of debates going on as Christians are divided on the issue of recognizing homosexual rights which many consider as against Christian principles.
Several months ago, it can be recalled that hardly had the present British Prime Minister David Cameron assumed the premiership of his country, when he told a British Commonwealth heads of state conference in Canberra, Australia about the need for aid donor countries to tie economic assistance to developing countries to the passage of legislations that recognizes homosexual rights.
The U.S. which sometimes follow the path of British foreign policy, picked up the challenge thrown as U.S. President Barack Obama reasoned with the British Prime Minister about the necessity for developing countries especially those seeking economic assistance from western donor countries to pass legislations in their various countries in favor of gay and lesbian rights.
In reality passing legislations recognizing gay and lesbian rights entails two issues. There is the issue of religious doctrine which members of the various religions are not willing to compromise irrespective of economic assistance. And there is the issue of national sovereignty, as many developing countries especially their citizens most of whom may either be Christians or Muslims are unwilling to compromise.
The Liberian society, for example, may be classified as one of the many that cannot be bought over with dollar economic assistance to twist laws in favor of homosexuality, which is granting legal status to people that have inclinations for same sex marriage.
We commend government for the relative calm that has been prevailing in the country as the debate on homosexual rights rages on from time to time wich is an indication of tolerance.
What we however abhor and condemn in the strongest term is the violent reactions that have sometimes characterized such debates. In some countries, people suspected of same sex marriage and inclinations are mobbed and if possible lynched to death which contradicts the principles of respect for individual's right to life.
