TNP: Homosexuality against biblical teachings (Jul 14)

Homosexuality against biblical teachings

LOVE the sinner but not the sin - this seems to be the official stand of the Christian community on homosexuality.
14 July 2004

LOVE the sinner but not the sin - this seems to be the official stand of the Christian community on homosexuality.

The New Paper yesterday approached the mainstream National Council of Churches of Singapore to comment on the Free Community Church.

Its response was to fax across a statement issued last year which said that homosexual acts are clearly against the teachings of the Bible.

But the council - which represents Anglicans, Methodists and Presbyterians, among others - added that Christians shouldn't reject gay people or be homophobic and despise them.

Gays should be treated 'no less as persons of worth and dignity'.

The council, however, remained firmly against any action that might promote a gay lifestyle.

It urged the Government to continue to outlaw homosexual acts, and to retain the policy of not allowing the registration of gay societies and clubs, and the policy of not allowing the promotion of a homosexual lifestyle.

This statement was issued following some unhappiness in the community after Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong revealed last year that the Government no longer had qualms about recruiting gays into the civil service.

For Catholics, the Vatican website says the Bible condemns homosexual acts as a 'serious depravity'. But it adds gays 'must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity'.

Dr John Hui, Master of the Catholic Medical Guild, told The New Paper in an e-mail reply yesterday: '...while homosexual acts are intrinsically wrong and not to be condoned, those with homosexual tendencies must be treated with respect, love, compassion and sensitivity, like any other human being.'

He added that as far as he knew no-one has been expelled from the Catholic Church for being gay.