The alternative lifestyle should not be legalised

Dear Editor,

I wish as an individual and as a Pastor to lend my voice in objection to the planned consultation on and eventual legalisation of the alternative lifestyle.

I am, like many other citizens, fully aware of the changing attitude towards people who are living in this lifestyle. I am also concerned that persons should find themselves in such a predicament trapped, as it were, in a body contrary to their hormone urgings, but the question is, is this lifestyle morally correct and how would this lifestyle affect and influence our nation as a whole.

I would like to state unequivocally that I do support employment for all and sundry regardless, and this must be equal but, at the same time, I quiver when I think the impact this would have on the lives of my grandchildren and the generations to follow, and especially the growth in population.

On the score of population growth, multiplication can only be had between individuals of the opposite sex; it was never meant by nature or by the living creator that our biological make-up permitted reproduction of any sort, therefore, if two persons of the same sex co-habit then that relationship would be empty and void of offspring. If this practice becomes prevalent it will see a reduction of conception and births and the population will be compromised drastically.

I believe space should be given to all to make their contribution to the building of our nation and those who have tendencies that are not compatible with basic human and godly standards must not be discriminated against – ie, the right to live and work must be adhered to, tolerance and love must be of great importance when we deal with persons who are this way, and we must be aware that we should be willing to assist where necessary.

My problem though with this issue is that making the alternative lifestyle legal through legislation would create more moral implications and spiritual decadence for our peoples, and we don’t need that at this juncture of our development, or may I say never, never and never.

In the Christian view, when God created man he made man and woman and man was presented to woman and commanded to multiply and replenish the earth; people of the same sex cannot do this and our bodies are designed for sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex. I dare say any attempt to do anything otherwise will be an affront to God and what he stands for, and how he made us to function as male and female.

I trust that all of Guyana would sensibly oppose every effort to make the alternative lifestyle legal, despite what is happing in the developed world. Judgement will come to all those who try through their way to contradict what has been in place and instead in an unseemly way turn the natural use of our bodies to something for which they were never intended.

Yours faithfully,
Bishop Ivan John
Bibleway Church