Editor's Review

CITAM Church condemned the ruling okaying the LGBTQ culture, adding that their acts are punishable by death.

Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) church has strongly differed with the Supreme Court over its ruling on the queer community.

On Friday, the majority of the apex court bench ruled that despite it being illegal, same-sex adherents are free to associate and even register themselves in lobby groups.

The ruling has not sat well with a section of Kenyans and organisations, churches coming out to disregard it.

In an official statement, CITAM suggested that gayism and it's rudiments is among other forms of sexual malpractices and that by okaying members to associate, the apex court was setting a bad precedent as other nebulous groups might come up to claim the right to be recognized.

A majority of the Supreme Court bench ruled that LGBTQ members are free to associate.

Further in the statement, which has been signed by the church's presiding cleric Calisto Odede, CITAM stated that it would continue with the fight to maintain the national values and ethos that have defined Kenya for a long time.

Below reads the statement;

1. On Friday 24th of February, the Supreme Court of Kenya ruled in favour of the gay movement's right of association in Kenya. They stated that "Despite gayism being illegal (in Kenya), they have a right of association". This rather contradictory ruling has left many of us wondering whether other illegal practitioners like paedophiles and those involved in incest also have right of association and if not, how different they are from homosexuals. And perhaps criminal organisations as well.

2. We note that this comes to us soon after sections of the Church in the West decided to bless gay unions. We truly commend the judges who ruled for God's creative order and for cultural preservation and dissented from that majority ruling. Similarly we also appreciate and stand with the sections of the Christian faith communities who have stood their ground on matters biblical in spite of the schism from their umbrella organisations.

3. We recognize that there may be many people who are struggling with different kinds of sexual desires but they have not gone to court for the whole nation to recognize them. For one to privately struggle with such issues is one thing, but it is unwise to try to get the whole country through its various structures to endorse one's deviant behaviour. Those who struggle with homosexual desires are not significantly different from persons who are heterosexual but also struggle with sexuality in singlehood through non-marriage or through widowhood or through marital separation of one form or another. On top of this it is opposed to our cultural norms in Africa.

4. The Bible categorizes immoral thoughts in the heart and immoral actions as sinful, including homosexual behaviour. The Bible speaks 7 times about this kind of relationship directly: Gen. 19:1-11; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Judge:19:22-25; Roman:1:25-26; 1 Cor.6:9: 1Tim. 1:9-10. In all these passages, homosexuality is not approved but rather, is viewed as sinful, unnatural and perverted. In the Leviticus passage, it is punishable by death. This kind of lifestyle is incompatible with the new life Christians are supposed to be living in Christ.

5. The Bible considers homosexual behaviour as sin because:

a) It is disobedient to scriptural teachings.

b) It is contrary to God's created order for the family and human relationships. Human life would become extinct

everyone practiced it. e) It comes under divine judgment.

if

d) It is sin but reconciliation and restoration to God is possible. While Scripture makes it clear that homosexual

behaviour is sin and comes under the judgment of God, it also indicates that those who are guilty of homosexual behaviour or any other sin can be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). It is also one of the sins that Christ died for and can be forgiven.

6. Because of the above as Christians, we do hate the sin, but love the sinners with the love of Christ. Anyone struggling in these areas are welcome to any of our CITAM assemblies for counselling and prayer, as we believe God is able to forgive, restore and help one live a straight life that is God honouring.

7. On the other hand, we encourage Kenyans of moral integrity to reject, resist and oppose this supreme court ruling as it will erode our societal norms and morals. We call upon Christians and Kenyans of good will to stand out in opposition to this ruling and express their disagreement openly.

8. Meanwhile we will continue to pray and use other acceptable means to preserve our national ethos and moral fibre against negative external influences.