The Eye of the Storm

By the end of monday, Parliament pulled the curtain, albeit temporary, on the issue of the repealing of Section 377A criminalising homosexual sex between males in private or public. The Straits Times quoted Siew Kum Hong who said the move to retain homosexuality as a crime was a “pity” and “a lost opportunity”. He added that “keeping Section 377A shows up Singapore as being behind the rest of the world”.

The LGBT community was naturally excited when the Penal Code was put up for review earlier after more than 23 years in 1984 even though the government had made it clear back in Nov 06 that Section 377A was not up for change. They had lobbied hard in all quarters for the repeal of Section 377A, roping in politicians, lawyers, foreign activists and a retired bishop no less. Their hopes were lifted when even Lee Kuan Yew spoke on several occasions to local and foreign media of his support for the law to be eventually removed.

In these early times, the LGBT community has yet to voice their views but I can foresee that the “right-wing” Christian community will be blamed for putting unequal and unfair pressures on the government against the repeal and have succeeded to “blackmail” members of Parliament who are Christians to speak on their behalf. The previous national debate on casinos in Singapore rubbished this idea that any interest group has the clout and power to influence the government to do anything against their wishes. In the end, the pure economics out-weighed the social evils of gambling. The government doggedly presented their case to the public on the economic merits and assured the people of their resolve to tackle all the unintended social fallout from the casinos.

The truth of the matter is that the government of the day must take into account the views of the majority or risk losing their mandate. However detestable this may be to people, it is the reality of life, the law of the jungle if you would. The internet commentaries and voices may give the impression of a general support for LGBT but this is an illusion. It is akin to going to a bar to prove that people generally like booze. The astute amongst the community did suggest that in order for Section 377A to be repealed, they must argue the economics of the case. This suggestion has touched a raw nerve of some in the community who felt insulted to be treated in terms of dollars and cents. They trumped the need to give equal civil rights to all, regardless of sexual orientation.

The non-repeal of Section 377A should not lull Christians into complacency. In fact, Christians should critically reflect why they have been singled out for criticism by the LGBT community. Rising above the ranting, there is one useful lesson for Christians to take home.

And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on, sin no more." (John 8:12)

Remember Jesus’ response to the women caught in the act of adultery? Have Christians been so zealous in telling LGBT to “sin no more” that we forgot to say “I do not condemn you”? In our quest to respond to the more vocal sections of the LGBT community, we could have unwittingly alienate those within that are still desperately trying to find answers. Individually and collectively as a Church, we need to do better to reach out to these confused souls and counter the massive propaganda of the world. This means having the moral courage to speak out for the truth and reflect the reality of homosexuality.

We are in the proverbial eye in the storm and the LGBT community will quickly find another vehicle to drive their cause and sought to find means to bring social pressures on the government and community at large towards their cause. While we continue to be the “salt and light” of the world, we also need to relate better to the individual LGBT around us and seek to do what Paul has exhorted Christians to do:

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)