EDITOR, The Tribune.
World-renowned pastor Dr Myles Munroe has the country up in arms over comments he made several weeks ago about Foreign Affairs Minister, the Hon Fred Mitchell. In a nutshell, Dr Munroe basically wants the minister removed from his post because he feels that Mitchell is supporting an agenda that is ungodly and wrong.
Dr Munroe has received sharp criticism from his statements from the local and international communities. There seems to be a shift toward persons who are Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transvestite (LGBT) and there is strong support from the West that it is wrong to discriminate against persons of these orientations. US President Barack Obama has pledged his support for the LGBT agenda. He has even praised people of fame for coming out of the closet, the most notable and recent being NBA veteran Jason Collins.
If we were to go deeper into what everyone is saying, we must first look at the source and what they stand for or represent. Dr Munroe is a man of God and he believes in the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible does it give credence to men sleeping with men or women sleeping with woman. I wonder what would have been the reaction to Dr Munroe’s statement if he said that he supports LGBT lifestyles. Would the US President have sent him a note too and supported his stance?
The honourable Fred Mitchell is a politician and we must realise that politicians always have shifting views on various subjects. I think it is dangerous to sit idly by and allow politicians to become our moral leaders and dictate to us because we will always have confusion and chaos.
In lieu of Dr Munroe’s statements, Mitchell sought fit to publicly bash him. I think this was in poor taste. When we have persons, especially politicians, publicly bashing our church leaders for biblical values that are entrenched in the Holy Bible and there is no public outcry, we then see how far our values have shifted as a country. I am of the view that if persons are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transvestites then so be it. But I think that trying to convince the masses that this lifestyle is ok, to me is being dishonest, deceitful and ungodly.
I honestly don’t know if there is a scientific reason why persons are LGBT, but I do know that persons who truly believe in the Bible cannot support lifestyles that go contrary to God’s teachings. Persons who are truly of God cannot have shifting views about their sexuality and this is why Dr Munroe’s statements as a man of God are on point. The criticisms levied against him are certainly uncanny and distasteful.
Many world leaders and celebrities of all walks of life have given public support for the LGBT agenda. Many of them have their different desires and views on this subject but we must always remember the source ie who is making these utterances.
Our value system has deteriorated as a people and as a world. We are more tolerant of many things these days. We now have married men and women openly having sweethearts, school children hugging each other while walking home, persons in the church choir who are perpetrators of sin and known criminals in high office who are deserving of long prison sentences. Jean Toomer said that “acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own”.
I hate to say this but enshrined in our preamble to the constitution, it clearly says that we are a nation of God. We can’t have it both ways. If we don’t do it the way God teaches us then we are acting contrary to his will.
I applaud Dr Munroe for having the grit to speak biblically on this matter and I hope that persons understand that all of us are still God’s people but that there are certain standards that must be maintained if we are calling ourselves Christians.
DEHAVILLAND MOSS
Nassau,
March 24, 2014.
Comments
PastorTroy 10 years, 7 months ago
Dear Dehavilland Moss, Respectfully, it seem like you are trying your best to 'play it safe' and not offend either side of the isle, I can understand that and will defend your right to say it, however many Bahamians reject your subtle indoctrinating arguments and refuse to be 'controlled' by an organized religion, many who 'leaders' have a theoretical moral compass but are practically incompetent and hypocritically embarrassing. Really? so slavery was better? was it ok that 'Massa' could not physically constrain you or rule you therefore forcefully fed you religion to make you mentally subordinate? Being more tolerant (like Jesus, if you will) of many things these days, It's call evolving, or do you still have your 8 track player? Where were you the past 40 years? in a tomb? This has been happening before, during and after the "preamble in our constitution" was 'enshrined'. So what do that say of YOUR standards? because it seem like for us to believe that your standards came from a two thousand year old book with many purposefully missing pages and many different interpretation] Seriously, if you 'christian' religious leaders was doing such a great job, why is the Bahamas in it's current state of moral decline, chaos and no standards according to you? It's written in the Bahamas constitution! plus 'Christian' Religious leaders, though different denominations (one God, many denominations, Hmmm) had a monopoly on religion in The Bahamas! at least when I was living there in the 80's and 90's what happened? let's be honest here, many of you got rich! now, when you talk it's not about morals per se, it's about status and hush money, selling more of YOU, IMHO, respectfully, many 'religious' leaders have become publicity whores similar to Kim Kardashian and Snookie!
PastorTroy 10 years, 7 months ago
Cont'd When issues like this comes up people like you HAVE to speak up! but thankfully you are NOT our government! This is not a theocracy, it's amazing how people like you and others are so quick to condemn others, when you suppose to be a light! How many of your church members have LEGAL 'sinful' professions? casinos, number houses, breweries what about ILLEGAL 'sinful' professions? do you reject their tithes and offering or do you pay your mortgage with it? Religion is a multi-BILLION dollar BUSINESS, it's one of the easiest way to get rich, and gain status! I must say as much as many are now wising up to and learning the history of organize religion (by-the-way, you cannot learn this by reading the bible) not to mention how bold and scandalous religious leaders are; many have turn away from organize religion! Religion in The Bahamas are just like Fox News, YOU have an ideological agenda and as possessive, influential and mainstream as you may be your REGRESSION tactics DO NOT represent us, regardless of what you quote it from! This is why our young people are so angry and frustrated in The Bahamas, when I was growing up the older people had a saying that goes "Pig Grow Hog" well, you had many years to train your pigs, with globalism and burst of the information age many of the 'pigs' are now educated hogs, and the current 'pigs' are bold, progressive, tolerant and inspired about having a future competing GLOBALLY, the 'problem' is many are not given a chance, Hypocritical Religious leaders and old crooked politicians have a chokehold on our bright young minds, many have to seek freedom in other countries! This is sad! Just look at the statistics of old men, with young girls AND boys! Sadly many of us young people are waiting on many of these crooked and connected old cronies to die! Then there is still just a 50/50 chance because they groom and pass it down to their kids! In Conclusion, It is good to have 'the church' in our Bahamaland, however, The Bahamas is not, and never will be a Theocracy!
Andrewharris 10 years, 7 months ago
If you are going to base your views on homosexuality on the Old Testament you must then change your views on slavery, womens rights, animal sacrifice, punishment, religious freedoms and a host of other stuff. The bible also says we are not to judge one another and we would treat others as we would want to be treated. Dr. Monroe is a sinner like everyone else he is hardly in a position to judge anyone. He is expected to accept and love them. This is what Jesus would want him to do.
Klee 10 years, 4 months ago
Dr Munroe is not judging. He is merely cautioning and there is no hatred in cautioning his people. As a matter of fact that is love. A shepherd who doesn't preach the truth is "like a dog who doesn't bark when the burglar is breaking in."
Finalword 10 years, 7 months ago
Why do people continue to refer to Myles Munroe as Dr. Myles Munroe? SMT.
banker 10 years, 7 months ago
He has a doctorate in fleecing the flock.
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