Catholic cleric decries
homosexuality in Tanzania
2007-12-25 10:05:45
homosexuality in Tanzania
2007-12-25 10:05:45
By Rose Mwalongo
Roman Catholic Bishop Method Kilaini has called upon the Tanzanian society to denounce homosexuality and to protect children from it at any cost.
Bishop Kilaini, who was speaking to The Guardian in an interview on Saturday in Dar es Salaam ahead of Christmas Day, said homosexuality is against human nature and embracing the vice was tantamount to condoning a sin.
"Homosexuality is a scandal. It is saddening to see some countries condon it."
We are glad most African religious leaders have denounced the behaviour and some have even refused to accept money from countries which embrace homosexuality.
It is bad to condon homosexuality, but it is even worse for religious leaders to do so,`` said the bishop.
The bishop was responding to a question on how he felt about gays and lesbians turning into clerics, as it has been the case recently.
He said Christmas should be used by all Christians and well-wishers to be new people, saying they must change as people and search their souls to find out how well they relate to neighbours, families and God.
``Let people search their souls and count not only how much money they have made this year, but how well they have related to others and God.
Lest we forget, money without peace is nothing. God has made himself a man to help human beings from their miseries,`` he said.
He praised Christians in Dar es Salaam for their efforts in seeking divine intervention to solve family matters saying it was now encouraging as most of the very busy people made a point to worship and seek advice from religious leaders.
``Dar es Salaam worshippers value the health of their soul,\" said the bishop.
Bishop Kilaini further called upon the government to maintain integrity and to motivate people to live with hope saying if people despair, they can`t go anywhere.
"Our president has vision but his ministers don`t understand his vision. It seems as if the only ones running around is the president and the Prime Minister alone".
Let ministers rally behind him for the well being of our nation,\" stressed the bishop.
Speaking on religious tolerance, the bishop showed satisfaction on what he said as an excellent relationship among denominations in the country.
He said there have been times when Christian leaders called their Muslim counterparts to discuss with them the importance of Kadhi court saying all went well.
Asked on his response on the soon to be tabled Aids Bill and what he felt about it, the bishop said Roman Catholic will not support the bill if in any way it encourages the use of condom to fight the pandemic.
"Telling someone to use condom is like saying that a solution to a sin is to hide while doing it. Condom is not only a taboo to us, but it amounts to killing".
"Encouraging its use is teaching people laxity. You should teach the people, that Aids is death and they will remember it even when they are drunk," charged Kilaini.
Kilaini further stressed that should the Bill be approved with the word condom in it, they would not accept it no matter what sanctions they have to face.
"We can`t sit still to see Tanzania run with immoral and promiscuous people. There is no compromise on condom use. Europe has few cases of Aids not because of condom use but because they nurtured a fidelity culture".
Rarely do you see huge advertisements of condoms like we see in our country,`` stressed Kilaini.
Each year Christmas is celebrated on December 25 to remember the birth of Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago.
- SOURCE: Guardian
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