Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down Section 377(a) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) thereby decriminalizing homosexual acts, Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC) of Nagaland has declared that it would never support such an ‘unholy practice’ which was morally unacceptable.
In a press note, CBCC executive secretary Rev Dr Vezopa Tetseo said that the council deliberated the matter at length in its executive meeting held from October 18 to 19 and reaffirmed the Biblical and moral stand of the Church and arrived at a number of resolutions.
According to CBCC, the church as a body of Jesus Christ has a scriptural obligation to speak to the world on moral issues and not give its silent consent to evil.
With this in mind, it further stated that explicit and overt homosexual practices and behaviours were in complete contravention to the Biblical sanctions on human sexuality.
It mentioned Leviticus 18 & 20, Romans 1:18-32, and I Corinthians 6:9-10 to support this point.
The council further laid down an assertion that that homosexual acts and behaviour between consenting adults were morally unacceptable because it violated the aim of human sexuality which, it said, was procreation and the union of love, accomplished in the union between men and women in marriage.
“Even if the homosexual acts are now legalized, it is not morally acceptable or justified. What is legal is not equal to moral acceptability,” it stated.
CBCC noted that the decriminalization of homosexual acts was likely to induce the legalization of homosexual union, but, it said that the Church would continue to uphold the Biblical teachings recognize, promote and protect marriage between men and women as the basis of the family and the primary cell of society.