One of the lead stories in South Africa over the weekend was the much-anticipated ‘wedding’ of Somizi Mhlongo to longtime same-sex partner Mohale Motaung.
Somizi is a flamboyant socialite who is very open about his homosexual lifestyle. He once caused a stir when he stormed out of Grace Bible Church during a sermon by Ghanian evangelist Dag Heward-Mills, after taking offence at comments the outspoken preacher made concerning homosexuality.
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But this past weekend the Idols judge was in a celebratory mood with a star-studded wedding that featured huge golden thrones and a massive eight-tier centrepiece cake.
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The lavish wedding was billed as a traditional ceremony but it shone a spotlight on LGBTQI issues and how the Church deals with them.
Frankly, it is untenable for the Church to remain mere spectators as traditional views concerning gender and family are being redefined. We are leaders of society and also have members who need pastoral care and guidance regarding complexities brought about by gender dysphoria.
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From the onset, I must tell you that the current and fervent discussions around gender are not brought about by new knowledge. The main driver is an ideology that is vigorously enforced by gender activists who campaign for radical expressive individualism while also harassing anyone who dares to dissent from their gender ideology.
In my previous piece about gender identity I mentioned that research in the relationship between biology and sexual orientation is inconclusive.
Subsequently, a study on homosexual behaviour published at the end of August debunked the idea of a single “gay gene”. This scientific study was the largest of its kind with close to 500 000 people participating and it concluded that it is mainly non-genetic factors that are behind homosexuality.
Gender activists are not dissuaded. In fact, their cause has somehow morphed into a civil rights movement. But is it? For a start, they tell us that gender is a social construct. A dichotomy is created between biological sex and gender and the two (biological sex and gender) are seen as distinct from each other.
And yet we are also expected to believe that gender is innate and immutable. Do you see the contradiction here? Ryan H.Anderson, PhD illuminates things further when explaining the transgender worldview. He says: “The transgender worldview combines a new form of the ancient philosophy of Gnosticism in which the real self is something other than a material body. While at the same time embracing materialism in which nothing but material bodies exist.”
Dr Anderson argues further that gender is a “social manifestation of bodily sex and that biology isn’t bigotry”.
It is Margaret H McCarthy who helps us to see why the false dichotomy between gender and sex is strenuously maintained. In the book, Gender Ideology and the Humanum, she posits,
“Gender” now belongs to the realm of the disembodied will, which stands over its body and chooses (“assigns”) an “identity” without any need for justification, especially when such choice is in opposition to its given sex.”
The big word with this ideology is “choice.” Gender activists are waging a war against anything that limits their freedom to self-determination. Their understanding is that gender exists in a continuum and thus a person has limitless possibilities to choose from.
But the biggest problem for these activists is that all of these new “gender identities” are unmoored from biological reality. Dr Anderson is correct — biology is not bigotry but it is the only objective determinant of sex.
From science we learn about hormones, chromosomes, internal and external reproductive organs, etc. And these are the indicators of biological sex.
If self-perception and feelings determined a person’s sex or gender (I see no distinction between the two), then gender could not be innate and immutable. Because innate things — such as age, ethnicity or height — are never subject to how a person feels. They simply are. In any case, what does gender really feel like apart from a body? In other words, apart from having a male body, what does it feel like to be a man?
And if some people can have a discordant gender identity what stops others from being transracial? In other words, to exist with a conflict with their race. Let me end with an open letter that Somizi wrote to himself. Yes, to himself and published on his Instagram page for his 2.5 million followers.
He wrote: “I owe myself a huge apology. This is an open letter to Somizi: ‘I’m really sorry for not loving you the way I should and the way you deserve to be loved. I’m sorry for not putting you first before anything and anyone. I promise to prioritise your needs, your wants; and give you more attention than I’ve ever given. But most of all I will love you better. I hope my apology is accepted. I love you.” He added that he was also sorry for doubting how awesome, powerful and important he was.
The letter was given further traction when it was picked up and published by various media organisations. Many of them coined it “self-love.” Which “self” they are referring to is difficult to tell.
Thank you for this article Mfundisi.
Well, sometimes the church is unable to say anything in matters such as these, because the church also partake in them. Many, from the church attended this wedding. And many posted on their social media pages, because they approve of this.
Hence, when it come to matters such as these, this is when we can clearly see that South Africa is actually not 80%+ Christian, as we profess to be.
And of course most people are scared of talking against the lgbtiq movement, because they are very vocal, very connected and we’ll funded. They will easily follow you and make your life miserable if you dare talk against them.
One person told me, “if you want to go hungry, then speak against the LGBTIQ. As though they control the economy or sonething.
Which she was telling the truth in a way.
After my daughter’s incident at UCT, the LGBTIQ followed her years after she graduated, calling her employers and telling them how homophobic she is, etc, telling her employers that she should not be employed by anybody, etc.
So this war is fierce mfundisi. We need God’s intervention. We need people who are prepared to lose it all, for the sake of the true gospel. Otherwise, we will remain a silent church.
Clementia what happened to your daughter is vile and absolute evil. I read about the topless protests by gender activists and the thrashing of her SRC office – forcing her to resign. I did not know that they followed her even after she left the university. But darkness can never overcome the light.
Thank you, Afrika, for your defence of the truth about gender. The analogy of ‘race’ is very petinent, and relevant – for South Africans understand ‘race’ better than most. If I can change my race, I can change my gender. If I can’t change my race, I can’t change my gender. Those who are confused about their gender suffer from a deformity and do not set a normative standard. They need our love, understand and counsel to help them manage their deformity – just as we care for paraplegics. I’m glad you put quotation marks around the word ‘wedding’. Jesus Himself defined marriage as heterosexual (Matthew 19:4-6). Who dares argue against Jesus? He is our divine Lord and Master, and we will follow Him even if it means persecution.
Thanks Hugh
Picture the scene…..
God says to Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Motaung as they stand holding hands in front of the Judgement Throne.
“What did you do with the life that I gave you on earth, Somizi and Mohale?” God asks.
“We lived a good life God-Person” they are heard to say in reply back to the Lord.
“Not good enough I am afraid. Did my Word not make it clear enough in the book of Leviticus?”
“Err, what’s that?” both Somizi and Mohale say as they look puzzlingly at each other.
God says nothing in reply, but points towards a door that is shimmering with heat and with the smell of sulphur, rich and burning as it glows.
“But we, we, em, we, err!”
The door opens and screaming is herd therein.
Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)
13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Shall we hazard a guess as to what where the loving couple will be ushered in this case?
Let us also remember that there are millions more that will face the same dilemma when their time comes to stand before the Lord, including them that endorse it, clap for it, scream about it, dance with it and so the list goes on.
You don’t need to be in LGBTQ or support it to go the same way, you simply have to do nothing about waking the LGBTQ up to join them all.
God help them. God help us all. Amen!
Pro-Gay activists will thank Piper James for his comment. They will jump at the opportunity to show how naively inconsistent he is: If Christians base their stand against homosexual sex on Leviticus 20:13, then they must also insist on the death-penalty for adultery (20:10), and for cursing your father or mother (20:9). Leviticus lists other serious sins which most good Christians commit without thinking: having a haircut or trimming the beard (19:27) and eating non-kosher meat at a braai (19:26). Most farmers will b condemned for planting pumpkins among their maize. Most Christians will be condemned at God’s judgment seat for wearing a shirt or dress woven of cotton and polyester (19:19) – I’m guilty of that one.
Thank you, Piper, for giving us the opportunity to correct your commonly misused Levitical Scripture. No Christian should base his/her ethics on Leviticus, which was given to the nation of Israel at a specific moment in history so as to distinguish them from the nations of Canaan whose territory they were about to seize. Leviticus must be interpreted in this context, and cannot be applied universally.
Christians have a more solid basis: they see this issue in terms of basic Principles, not merely proof-texting from Leviticus. Briefly,
a) God created humankind Male and Female and commanded them to have children and fill the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). Only heterosexual couples can do that.
b) God instituted Marriage as a heterosexual union. Same-sex couples cannot marry (Genesis 2:24).
c) In Matthew 19:6-8 et al, Jesus endorsed God’s Male-Female creation (a) and God’s institution of heterosexual Marriage (b).
Jesus is our Lord and Master – we follow Him and His teachings. Otherwise we cannot call ourselves Christians (John 15:14; 2 Timothy 2:19). The most loving thing we can do for any sinner is to turn him from the error of his way and save him from eternal death (James 5:19,20).
I don’t feel 54. I think the date of birth in my passport is an offense. It has nothing to do with my age, and the medical science has no say here either. I just am not 54! You can not force me into your rigid norms and damage my self image and cause me a trauma. So let’s start a movement and demand the right to define our age according to how we ourselves feel it to be. The date of birth in the passport should be left blank for us to fill as we feel!
And by the way, I’m not a white European woman, not at all! My spiritual father is an African, so I’m an African woman, and you can’t tell me I’m white! Because I’m not! I’m a nice and brown Zambian because I feel it!
Good point there Riiana. If others can redefine their gender surely you should also be allowed to redefine your age and ethnicity. What is good for the goose is good for the gender.
thank you children of God for standing up for the truth. God does not change and neither does His Word.
Gen 1v26-28
If my wife and myself have no desire to have children are we going against the Word of God? Our friends have been trying for over 10 years to have a baby – are they out of the divine will and purpose of God? I don’t think that is truth. Being able to bare children is a gift and a free will thing it was not given as a “do or die” law. It was basically a blessing God spoke over Adam and Eve and all male and female species thereafter. Once again – Word in context can make or break our twisted theologies.
Thanks man of God for your arguments regarding the homosexual “wedding”. we as real Christians must know that the only thing that is wrong in this planet earth is unbelief. Our duty is to seek the Lords face more and more so that we know what we need to pray for. Let us all remember that there are goats and sheep and the latter needs to be fed more of the real manna that is Jesus Christ. As much as we want to assist we might find ourselves fighting God who has created everything, some for the glory and some for doomsday. My prayer is that true Christians pray for the deliverance of those who are oppressed by evil spirits and demons as the Spirit of the living God reveals. May the good Lord bless you and watch over you and your family as you fight a good fight. Good morning
Jesus is not coming for a lukewarm church,a church tht embrace sin.