On June 23, 2013,
Jamaican church pastors rallied nearly 1,500 people in Kingston to support the
country's buggery laws. Pastor Leslie Buckland of the Church of Christ argued
that LGBT activists were trying to "take over the world" with their
challenge of the laws. Buckland said that if the laws were repealed, activists
would "go back to the court to make it a criminal offense to speak against
the homosexual lifestyle."
Jamaican anti-gay protesters at the Jamaica
CAUSE rally (June 29, 2014)
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Jamaican Churchgoers Hold
Anti-Sodomy Revival Meeting
By BCNN6
– Several church pastors in Jamaica led a revival meeting Sunday to oppose
efforts to overturn the Caribbean country’s anti-sodomy law and turn back what
they see as increasing acceptance of homosexuality.
Roughly
1,500 people in their Sunday best gathered in a central Kingston park for a
spirited religious service two days before a rare court challenge to Jamaica’s
anti-sodomy law. The island’s Supreme Court is scheduled to begin hearing on
Tuesday a petition by a gay rights activist who hopes to challenge the
constitutionality of the 1864 law under a charter of rights revamped in 2011.
The
colonial-era “buggery law” prohibits anal sex and “gross indecency” between
men, outlawing sexual relationships between consenting men. The punishment is
10 years in prison in Jamaica, one of several Caribbean islands with
anti-sodomy laws enforced with strong backing from religious groups. Barbados,
Guyana and Grenada are among the regional countries that uphold laws
prohibiting homosexuality.
Some in
the Kingston crowd carried placards saying marriage should only be between a
man and a woman and others pumped signs into the air saying “Keep the buggery law!” A similar prayer meeting was
held in the northern city of Montego Bay.
A
religious group called Prayer 2000, led by the Rev. Naila Ricketts, spearheaded
the meetings. Pastors spoke about the power of prayer and the need to transform
Jamaica as petitions were circulated urging the government not to abolish the
anti-sodomy law. A gospel music band performed while the participants
enthusiastically clapped, swayed and sang under the hot afternoon sun.
“We
need our politicians to know that we need them to walk the path of
righteousness,” said Eleanor Johnson, who said
she travelled from Jamaica’s southern Clarendon parish to participate.
Church of
Christ pastor Leslie Buckland urged the crowd to pray for the conversion of
homosexuals and lesbians. He said gay rights activists are trying to “take over
the world” by challenging anti-gay laws in the courts. He said that once
Jamaica’s sodomy law was repealed, gay activists would “go back to the court to
make it a criminal offence to speak against the homosexual lifestyle.”
During a
televised debate shortly before leading her party to a dominating win in 2011
national elections, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller called for a review of
the law that would come in the form of a “conscience vote” by lawmakers. The
information minister recently said Simpson Miller would soon take the matter to
parliament.
Many
people in this highly Christian nation perceive homosexuality as a sin.
Some say
Jamaica tolerates homosexuality as long as it is not in the open. But gay
activists say Jamaica is by far the most hostile island toward homosexuals in
the conservative Caribbean. They say homosexuals in poor communities suffer
frequent abuse and have little recourse because of anti-gay stigma and the
anti-sodomy law.
SOURCE:
The Associated Press
Jamaica CAUSE in huge numbers protesting on
June 29, 2014 at 5pm
[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/608092169298015/photos/a.608106969296535/617523741688191/?type=3&theater]
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