The Churches and the “gay rights movement”
THE growing influence of the so-called “gay rights movement” throughout the world, and the succumbing of certain Churches to its arguments despite the explicit condemnation of sodomy by the Scriptures, is shown by the proposal of the Uniting Church of Australia, presently being considered, to give recognition to homosexual relationships. Also, in the Episcopal Church of America, an ecclesiastical court has ruled that “core doctrine” does not prohibit ordaining homosexuals who are in committed relationships.
This is in marked contrast to the decision of the Reformed Church in Hungary to condemn a recent decision by Hungary’s Parliament to give legal recognition to homosexual relationships.
The Royal divorce
SADLY, the crumbling marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana has finally ended in divorce. In less than two minutes, at a court hearing at Somerset House, the Prince was granted a decree nisi dissolving his marriage to the Princess on the grounds that they had lived apart for at least two years and the Princess consented to his petition. Thus ended a marriage which many expected would be a model one.
There are three factors in this divorce, apart from the heir to the throne being involved, which especially sadden those who prayerfully wish well to the Queen and her family. The divorce is on grounds other than those permitted by the Scriptures. Secondly; there has been the admission of adultery by both parties. Thirdly, the Queen requested the couple to begin divorce proceedings. It is to be feared that the Royal Family has gone far astray from the narrow, pleasant and safe path prescribed by the Word of God.
Islam’s persecuting policies
ONCE a wealthy contractor, Robert Hussein, 44, a professing Christian, has been stripped by Kuwait’s courts of his civil rights and material wealth (assets totalling $4 million) and driven into hiding for fear of his life. His crime? Refusal to renounce Christianity and revert to Islam. In June, Judge Jafar Al-Quzweeni ruled that Islamic law calls for Muslim leaders to execute Hussein as an apostate. Like many nations, Kuwait declares by its constitution that it allows freedom of religion, while its Muslim-dominated court system contends that the constitution gets its power only from Islamic law, which does not allow conversion from Islam.