The sad story today is the reporting by the UPI of a statement by a Church of Nigeria Bishop:
“The Anglican Bishop of Uyo, Rt. Rev. Isaac Orama, has condemned the activities of homosexuals and lesbians, and described those engaged in them as ‘insane people”. ‘It is scaring that any one should be involved in a thing like that and I want to say that they will not escape the wrath of God,” he said. Orama told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) today in Uyo, that the practice, which has worsened over the years, was ‘unbiblical and against God’s purpose for creating man”. ‘Homosexuality and lesbianism are inhuman. Those who practice them are insane, satanic and are not fit to live because they are rebels to God’s purpose for man,” the Bishop said. He noted that the Anglican Church in Nigeria had continued to lead the fight against the practice especially in the US where it led the opposition to same sex marriages. ‘The aim of such fight is to provide a safe place for those who want to remain faithful Anglicans and Biblical Christians,” he explained.”
There is no valid defense that I can think of for these words, and I pray that the prelate who uttered them will very quickly come to his senses and repudiate them. It would be reassuring as well if others in his Province would as well.
There’s been a great deal of commentary all day on this subject. Terry Martin over at “Father Jake’s” first covered the story and his blog has the most comments from both sides that I’ve seen.
Susan Russell, the President of Integrity has a post up that points out the real harm that such words can cause to the bishop’s sisters and brothers in Jesus.
Kendall Harmnon has a post up that in addition to rejecting these sorts of statements by Bishop Orama, also goes on to talk about the incendiary nature of words that are uttered in one place and context and heard in another. His point that we all need to be very careful in how we treat each other is well taken.
“bls” has a post from earlier today on the subject in which she wonders what use there is in being linked in Christ with the sorts of people who would make such statements.
