Addressing Homosexual Challenges In The Best Interest Of Tswana Communitarian Nation
Correspondent | Monday September 26, 2016 15:26
These apprehensions have been cruised across Botswana through the social media waves, and led Anderson to be deported away from Botswana by Botswana government with immediate effect from 22nd September this year without trial. This 22nd September 2016 Botswana presidential peace securing decision at the best interest of Botswana nationals by seizing Anderson from advancing his “hate speech”- that stigmatises homosexuals and likely to materialise havoc among Batswana, was relevant. The major theological worry of Batswana triggered by Anderson `s antisocial statements - “Gays, lesbian and pregnant school girls must be killed. Botswana pastors are toothless...” has not been mere indoctrination likely to provoke them to revolt against the practice of gays and lesbian. But this worry worth to be the consciousness the call to Batswana for self-introspection and evaluation of their collective if not average position, concerning the following social ills. Such challenges encompass the so called “possessiveness” in legalising the right of same sex relationships and marriage, sex organs transplanting for the sake of changing gender, sex business, gender inequality, and above all the best interest of a child (Botswana Children Act, 2009, section 6) who is raised by same sex lovers. The mitigating questions for Batswana to respond to, reflected by this communique are; first, what and who shall amicably determine the progressiveness of Botswana towards accepting or rejecting homosexuality? Second, what is Botswana church `s prophetic role in integrating the homosexuals into the best interest of Tswana communitarian society? Religion is an integral part of human sexuality.
Relatively all sexuality ills peaking with the zeal of sex organ transplanting are influenced by non - exegesis of the Biblical scripture. Smith (1990) `s report on the 1979 consultation of the World Council of Churches titled Family Education Office, Marriage and Family Education in Theological Perspective, still holds water that, “Our sexuality is not uncontrollable, it is not an idol or a slave, it is ourselves as we live with other people we love- parents, friends, children, lovers, husbands, wives – in individual relationships and in group and communities” and the way we relate to God. As Botswana celebrate her 50th years of independence, the arena for resolving homosexual challenges in both traditional culture and modernising contexts, is evaluation of the church`s self-theologiing concerning her contributions to peace pillars of the nation. Addressed amicably from a well-informed theological perspective these challenges shall not do without Biblical exegesis, demythologisation and contextualisation of the scriptures in accordance with the natives people `s culture.
The self-proclaiming “spirit called Pastor” Anderson was not absolutely wrong to quote the biblical scriptures that counter unethical homosexual conducts. But he was worse to disregard the classical theological reflections articulated by Dean Mmpane, that, singling out a Bible text not even a periscope for individual defence without relating such scripture to the entire bible is doing injustice to the Bible. Secondly, that “Batswana theologians rather than expatriate who are under and miss informed of Tswana culture and context, ought to teach the Bible to their own people” - of course having done the research.
The alarming theologically claim by Anderson was condemning the homosexuals to death, instead of their practices. By so saying he was claiming the role of God. Even the Tswana saying motho ke modimo – “human person is something sacred”, if well interpreted by prominent Sotho/Tswana theologians like Professor Setiloane, denotes that “the human participates in Divinity without necessarily claiming equality with it”. The well-informing holistic biblical message is that, “All have sinned and fallen short of glory God and are justified freely by the grace of God through having faith in Christ” (Romans 3:23). Applying the biblical text ought to be followed by the scriptural exegesis. Therefore nobody on the basis of the individualistic Christian salvific doctrines is worthy to stigmatise and condemn the homosexuals for their sexual orientation as long as they do not victimise anyone outside their consensus.
Only God shall judge them. But because Botswana is basically a communitarian nation on the basis of traditional culture, the church has the role to advise the homosexuals that liberation mission compel their freedom to do not tarnish the collective values and peace of Batswana, more especially that some homosexual couples raise up the innocent children whom shall be faithful Batswana.
Missiologically on the basis of Christian liberation through the mission of reconciliation; the church shall be the refuge to the homosexual’s community and advised them to support the general community consolidating values. But this does not currently mean that both Christian communities of America and Botswana have each single unified stand on either condoning or rejecting homosexual practices. An individualistic Pastor Anderson absolutely opposes not merely homosexuality but homosexuals. Anderson seemed to have gotten that other American churches accept same sex marriage, better for him and associates to be reminded that “charity begins at home”.
*Reverent Mpho Mosweu (Cert. in Computing, Dip.in Theology, BTH. and MTH.) This article has been edited for space consideration