GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSIION

THESE TWO YOUNG MEN were photo-graphed in London, England shortly after their Civil Marriage. Kenya's Daily Nation published the photo here, causing considerable comment. Many found it quite offensive - few Congratulations! One of the two has had a previous relationship with a 62 year old white married man. I do not find this in the least attractive or praiseworthy, and I am told that this is because I grew up in a different generation and world. AND because all my basic social and cultural views are based on Judeo/Christian teaching. I am therefore conditioned by my culture to reject the whole idea of same sex marriage. I am told that these young men and thousands like them have the Right to their own Lifestyle without criticism. Some have told me that those who are Gay, of either sex, are born this way and therefore there is nothing to be done about it, and it should be accepted. This view is in fact accepted in some aspects of the Buddhist and Hindu Religions. In fact one view within these Faiths goes as far as putting forward the idea that those who are Gay may in fact blessed of the Gods, and able to bless others in the world in which they live. This is of course quite opposite to the Judeo/Christian position which is quite opposed to the practice in any form. Let me insert here a short article I recently came across -

'Why should homosexuality get singled out above all other sins? Is this sin uniquely exempted from repentance? The Gospels tell us that we all cannot change, and that each of us is in a similar condition to the homosexual, prior to regeneration. By nature we are ALL impotent to obey God's commands let alone believe the Gospel. Yet we all remain culpable for these transgressions (Romans 3v19-20). If homosexuality can be exempt because people claim that they are are born that way, then I guess this makes us all exempt from repenting of our various sins that we cannot naturally escape from. ((some will always say that they were born with a 'roving eye', or a 'paedophile', or with 'itchy fingers'.)) Are they exempt from even trying to be different? NO! They are expected to work at being a better person, not content to remain a thief, an adulterer, a child molester.'

But - religion apart for a moment - nature clearly teaches that this is an unnatural relationship. At least as long as one views Marriage as for the purpose of producing children. Two men cannot manage to do this, any more than two women. Therefore why insist on calling it a marriage? Just because a man 'feels' like, a woman, and is attracted more to men than women sexually? But there can be no life producing sex in such a 'marriage'. Same sex relationships mocks marriage.

But world society is changing! Away with culture, away with religion, away with everything except what a man or woman wants. Every and each person surely has the RIGHT to live the way they want.......? It is now HUMAN RIGHTS invented by MEN that rules, NOT the Ten Commandments, or any other Creed that might set a Moral Code by which we should all live for the good of each other. I find it hard to find good sense in a Marriage which does not have the hope of children and a new family in it. Thus when we saw our children married (right) we also hoped to see grandchildren generated from it.

We are to now see the widespread acceptability of the Gay Life Style as the days go by, and less and less will be able to be said against it. And this especially from a Christian point of view. The Christian view is more and more being eroded, so that finally it will seem as if we have all come to see it as inoffensive and permissible. Islam and the Koran speak against it, and in some places to practice it brings the death penalty still......but opinion is changing all the time even in Islam.

Generally history teaches us that old norms and laws do constantly change...........

I REMEMBER as a 12 year old child noticing the Salvation Army people in England. They all, men and women, wore the Army Uniform of dark blue, or else very plain civilian dress of similarly quiet colour. They would have no radio or even T.V. in their homes. fearful that the world of sin around them would intrude upon their own homes and lives. Very different, for the most part today. Colour and the Media have come in where before they were kept at bey. The Strength, and Purity of life is constantly being diluted by the world habits demonstrated and 'enjoyed' around us, and the pressure to more and more conform to what the world accepts - even in the Church of God - increases week by week.

The Bible says in the Book of Jude v7 in the New Testament of the Bible - relative to the sin of homosexuality (Amplified Translation) -

'The wicked are sentenced to suffer

just as Sodom and Gomorrah - and adjacent towns -

which likewise gave themselves over to impurity

and indulged themselves in unnatural vice and sensual perversity -

are laid out in plain sight as an exhibit of perpetual punishment

to warn of everlasting fire.

To me the most terrible thing to consider is the willful destruction of a life. Most of those engaged in Gayism feel perfectly justified and happy about it, although even the secular observers in the medical and psychological fields all agree that those following this life style are endangering their own physical and mental health. The incidence of Suicide for example is 6 times more than any national average. Depression and other disorders perhaps stemming from a subconscious sense of guilt, and also the instability of relationships forcing a multiplicity of partners, all make for a basically unhappy life with the spectre of ill health and a lonely death. The very fact that the majority of these people realise they are deviants but refuse to accept it, mean that they are all the time endeavouring to establish their own position in front of the rest of us. They feel that the practice of homosexuality is seen as a social evil, and thus themselves as sinners or social missfits, stigmatised, and judged cruelly by the rest.

Well how DO we hate the sin and love the sinner in this case? We DO have to love the homosexual man or woman. But we cannot encourage him in the sin that he does that we know will both injure him and endanger society around him. If we keep quiet, say nothing, and neglect to warn, point out, and challenge then he will die in his sins and we shall have to account for him. We may not turn our back upon him, may not allow ourselves to give up on him. He can be changed, can be healed and saved., by JESUS reaching out to him in ME ...in YOU. How about that. We may see things going wrong in our world society, and maybe it IS going to get worse and worse, BUT each one of US who know the LORD have to go on being busy on our Father's business, even the seeking and saving of those who are LOST. AND let me say clearly this ministry is not for the faint hearted - this ministry of reaching out to the lost with the Gospel. It will cost us, maybe hurt us. It cannot be done by Christians that are 'asleep' on the job. We have to be AWAKE!

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THE RAINS HAVE TAILED OFF. Quite nice weather, but still not enough rain in Eldoret. Ian and Diana Hogley were with us from Tuesday to Friday this week, and on Wednesday the four of us had supper together with Joshua and Miriam Mbithi. Joshua is having his 2nd operation on this coming Monday a.m. to remove yet another little bone pressing on a nerve. After that we are hoping he will return to full health quickly. DARYL has now found employment as Assistant Administrator and Sales Manager for a small private hospital here in Eldoret. We have not seen him since he left. Carol and the children are fine and we do continue to see them daily.

This has not been such a busy week but on MONDAY morning I have to attend a District Manager's Meeting for Charitable Children's Institutions which the District Children's Office has called. Maybe to do with the Memo I sent out last week! Then on Wednesday we have the monthly Meeting of the Children's Services Forum. Then on Saturday the School will take in Candidates for Primary Standard 1. Quite a lot going on as well as daily routines in the four Homes.

Had a special Meeting about our Secondary School this week. It has not been paying its way. Not enough students, and not enough money. Esther and I plus Anthony Ndungu the School Principal met and spent some hours discussing the matter. The Homes have 33 of its older children currently attending the School for free. We have decided this has to stop, so as from November we shall be paying in Ksh.50,000 per month or 12 pounds sterling per student. This will help, but we will still have to raise the Fees to those from outside as well. We had seriously considered shutting down the Secondary Section of the School. This would have meant that our own Homes children would have had to find outside schools, and we would in any case then have had to pay fees. We felt it better to try to do our best to keep things going and ensure the continuance of the high academic standard. God is Good ALL the time.

God Bless and be with you all till next time.

John and Esther