Homosexuals In A Lagos Church!

Finally, they made their debut in Nigeria. Not that homosexuality - sexual attraction to somebody of the same sex - is alien to Nigeria ; those who engage in it have been operating clandestinely. However, all these changed last week when homosexuals from all over West Africa gathered for a convention inside a church in Yakoyo area of Ojodu in a Lagos suburb. Not a few people were shocked about the boldness of the sexual perverts in announcing their arrival. Many people were curious to find out how the convention of men /women inside a church would look like. They were more eager to see how they would preach the gospel and how they would rationalize homosexuality and still be in agreement with the Bible. Attendance was strictly by invitation and security was tight but news hounds who managed to gain entrance into the church had a lot to report. The theme of their convention and preaching is "Would Jesus have discriminated?" For the avoidance of doubt, the Bible in Genesis 19:24 says "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven." The Bible explains further that the cities were destroyed because of homosexuality. The Quran condemns it and the Nigerian constitution also forbids it. But the London- based convener of the homosexual convention who dressed like a woman was in a relaxed mood inside the church. He/She was also convinced that they have not broken any law by man or by God. Majority of those who participated were men who dressed like women, walked like women and giggled like women with their earrings, weaved hairs and make up. To prove to those in doubt that they have come to stay, the organisation under which they operate - The Rainbow Coalition - has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria .

The issue of homosexuality is so contentious to the extent that it has created a lot of disagreement between the Anglican Church in Britain and its counterpart in Nigeria . The Anglican Church of England had recognized homosexuality and this has pitched it against the Anglican Church of Nigeria which frowns at homosexuality as anti-Biblical. The scenario is unfolding in America where an Episcopalian church has ordained an active homosexual Gene Robinson a Bishop. Many observers are of the view that the conveners of the Lagos homosexuals' convention must have derived their boldness from happenings in London and America where homosexuality is fast gaining ground and legal recognition. In fact it is common these days for cities in America, Europe and Australia to celebrate same sex marriages. The argument of homosexuals against societal rejection is that they are not treated fairly by heterosexuals who are people sexually attracted to the opposite sex and who are considered as people of normal sex orientation. The homosexuals at the convention argued, among other things, that they have the right to choose their own sexual preferences and orientation as this is better than many heterosexuals who had been involved in relationships with the opposite sex but came out bruised and bitter. The convener argued further that''the two-day event tagged 'A Special Vigil Night of Gospel Praise' is a straightforward church programme which should not be misconstrued by anyone to be an unusual gathering as we are out to enlighten Nigerians that God sees your inside and welcomes you as you are and will not throw you away as people often do."

As a matter of common sense, if God thought those men could interchange for women and vice versa, He would not have created women in the first place. Also the two holy books would not have condemned homosexuality. The Quran not only forbids homosexuality but also forbids a Moslem man from marrying certain categories of women like one's mother, daughter, sister, blood sisters, and one's mother-in-law etc. I am also sure it is a taboo in the traditional setting for a man to sleep with another man so where did they get the basis for this awkward union? This leads us to another question: What is the attraction in a man dating and mating with another man or a woman dating and mating with another woman as is the case with lesbians? How do they enjoy sex? How do they feel? What do they feel? How do they relate like' husband and wife'? Is this a normal union? Talking about normality and abnormality, it has been discovered that such absurdities as homosexuality always found a safe berth in the realm of normality because they would always argue that what is normal to one individual may be abnormal to another as in the case of different strokes for different folks.

But there is a minimum generally acceptable standard for a normal behaviour and anything outside this is considered a deviant behaviour, so says Sigmund Freud founder of psychoanalysis and this is one of the guidelines that restore the sanity of society. If not for this line of distinction, those who engage in deviant behaviors like the homosexuals engage in sexual perversion would have labeled the rest of us as abnormal beings. I once engaged somebody in an argument over what constitutes an abnormal behaviour and he told me there is nothing like an abnormal behaviour especially in sexual matters. He cited an example of a friend of his whose only method of enjoying sexual satisfaction is to watch women laps while they pee! This guy would hide in a corner and peep at any woman answering the call of nature and he would ejaculate, what a man! He gave example of a girlfriend of his who would not enjoy sex except he beats her up first! He also gave examples of men who have sex with their daughters, kids, mothers, and mothers-in-law, fellow men and even animals and he said since they derive pleasure in doing so, their actions are perfectly normal! I was shocked and I came to the conclusion that God created so many human beings with different chemical and biological make up and this explains why there are various behavioral patterns in people. This is why a man could wake up and feels like killing his neighbors for no just cause other than the fact that he simply enjoys killing people! If not for the line of demarcation between normality and abnormality and the injunctions of the religions which forbids certain practices, the rest of us would have been wondering if we are the ones who are abnormal! Though the American Psychiatric Association in 1973 eliminated homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses and, in 1980, dropped it from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the fact still remains that homosexuality is a deviant behaviour.

We are yet to be convinced by the Anglican Church of England and America, which gave tacit approvals to homosexuality, the Biblical basis for their evil endorsement. Homosexuals are found in many professions, including the legal profession, and one wonders if they would see issues as the rest of the society. If they are Judges, would they not be biased and their judgment perverted as their minds? If they are teachers what would they teach the kids? If they are counselors what would they counsel others? If this evil union is allowed to fester in Nigeria, we may be inviting another form of dangerous cultism on campuses. Are animals not better than these people? Animals are not known to be homosexuals and I stand to be corrected. Homosexuality is simply sexual perversion which should be condemned and discouraged in our society by all rational minds. It is freedom, liberty and frustration carried too far! Other sexual perversions are lesbianism, transvestitism (somebody who dresses and behaves like the opposite sex) and bi-sexuality. Bi -sexuality is when somebody is practicing both heterosexuality and homosexuality.

It is sad that law enforcement agents looked the other way while this absurdity was going on despite the publicity that heralded the convention and despite the fact that what they were doing is against the laws of Nigeria. If this is allowed to fester, with the current myriads of problems of hunger and frustration, in no time, our unemployed male graduates would get 'married' to rich men who could provide for them and the number of unmarried women and men/women would swell and our society would become so mad, confused, perverted and absurd. May God help us!

By Hakeem Jamiu (Daily IndependentN.P)