Jesus hates the sin, not the sinner

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Dear Editor,

Mrs Simpson Miller's statement regarding the buggery law was a brave and commendable act. I openly applaud her for exercising her right as a Jamaican citizen to speak freely about her views on the topical issue of homosexuality.

I believe that every Jamaican has the right to decide for himself or herself what sexual orientation he or she is comfortable with and wishes to pursue. This is why I believe that the uproar from the Council of Churches is just ridiculous. Firstly, she did not say she was about to legalise homosexuality, and secondly, how can the Christian bodies in this country advocate the continued marginalisation of a small fraction of our society?

Correct me if I am wrong. Wasn't Jesus Christ the one who said that He came to save the lost and isn't it also the belief and hope of every Christian to be like Jesus? So if they feel so strongly about the homosexual minority being 'lost' why not try to 'save' them by showing them the same love and compassion Jesus would?

Is it that those who choose to enter into same-sex relationships are less human than Jamaicans who are heterosexual? Homosexuals are people too. This I-am-better-than-you-and-so-have-the-moral-authority-to-bash-you mentality was the driving force for the enslavement of our beautiful black race for over 400 years, and it is definitely not Christian-like.

Jesus urged us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. As much as the Council of Churches dislikes it, homosexuals are our neighbours. Jesus hates the sin, not the sinner. It is full time for Jamaica to move away from homophobia. That sort of thinking is more crippling to our society than homosexuality is because it engenders abject disgust, hate and intolerance to our fellow Jamaican brothers and sisters who are exercising their freedom of choice.

Claudelle Maitland

UWI Mona

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COMMENTS (9)

M W
12/28/2011

why are we so hypocritical? We desperately try to uphold the 'biblical stance' on homos but ignore the others.We are all sinners according to the bible, yet we all want to cast the first stone.I dont know if homo is made or a taught behaviour but I would prefer to see sexual acts for both homos and heterosexuals confine to the bedroom.So you dont think that rapists , murderers and broken homes dont impact the youth as well?

tickyticky fish
12/27/2011

@ Claudelle Maitland why not legalize all sin and crimes the world would be better isn't it?

Lighthouse Sentinel
12/27/2011

'Devil smokesceen!!' 'They were born that way'. Nuttting no go so. This not a physical ting.

Lighthouse Sentinel
12/27/2011

'Hate the sin, not the sinner', true; but invoking the right to do whatever one chooses, puts God out of the picture. We were created; we are not the Creator. A which Jesus yu a talk 'bout? Not the one of the Bible. The Bible say flee immorality. Political correctness don't have a clue. Man is created in the incorruptible image of God; this 'Gay' lifestyle corrupts it. Endorsing it initiates the destruction of
a nation. Love the sinner, yes,but lets hold the truth of God's word in righteousnes

Mahoney Campbell
12/27/2011

We as a nation tens to invoke the name Jesus in whatever comment we make, it don’t work Jesus was a man who walk this earth, he no greater then you are me. Take a look at spiritual values not religious values if we are living in the eyes of the good book we all sin in the eyes of god….NOT JESUS!!
This has nothing to do with love your neighbors the issue at hand is the life style of our neighbors the life style that can influence the young that will impact future of the next generation pay atten

Angel Brown
12/27/2011

There is no comparison with what 1 chooses to be vs what what 1 is. Lets stop linking enslavement & gender discrimination with 1's choice of being gay. And its also silly stance to say what you do in yr bedroom is not my business. If you choose 2 sleep with children, animals, or deceive yr partners having many secret others u live to face the criticism of doing so when exposed. We love you but what u do we disapprove of so we ask persons to stop practicing unruly behavior.

0o k
12/27/2011

Maybe this is the bitter medicine that Jamaicans will have to face is the Comrades come to power. I guess the choice is JLP or Comrade Bitter Medicine?
A Cut in Public Service workforce and Tax Law changes vs A Drag-Queen of Jamaica?

Ray Stennett
12/27/2011

The writer of this letter is either hypocritical or very naive to the teaching of Jesus. Surely Jesus loves the sinner but remember Jesus always teaches repentance. Jesus admonished the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more. There's also the comparison to other sexual sins like adultery and fornication but everyone know that these are wrong but those who practice them love the pleasure. Homosexual is being presented as something that is right and to accepted as normal. Where is the commonsense?

B R
12/27/2011

People do not "decide" or "choose" to be gay any more than deciding to be "heterosexual" They are born that way...maybe that's too simple to comprehend!!

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Jesus hates the sin, not the sinner