The Immateriality of Same-Sex Marriage in South Sudan
12 min readBy Mabil Manyok Nhial, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Sunday, December 30, 2018 (PW) — I have, with an iota of audacity and unflinching certitude, been telling a plethora of my cronies that this world is sadly standing in between a black devil and a deep blue sea of aversion. It has always been my strong conviction that there is no shortcut to modernity as our young people hurriedly take a dim lit path to what they wantonly call ‘civilisation.’ I am not always ashamed of vetoing anything that touches morality, which is supposedly a fulcrum of secular values. Being a strict defender of morality has given me a laudatory epithet ‘RIGID MORALIST’ as my colleagues oftentimes dub me.
Human life militates against three pillars namely culture, religion and most importantly, the law. These three pilasters on which every society leans, must, as a matter of living truth, be jealously observed with a hefty amount of reverence. A society, which doesn’t live up to these three stanchions has indubitably triturated itself with a kamikaze effrontery. It is trite that our own world is getting mad every day in every way as a society so chooses to bend or even jettison one or all its standing stones; the societal values. Hasn’t it opted to be in a devilmaycare state?
The definition of marriage has traditionally been silhouetted. Marriage has since time immemorial been defined as a legally or socially recognised union between a man and a woman, which establishes rights and obligations between those spouses. This means that any definition that falls outside the ambit of this classical definition is as good as anything placed on nothing!
The dawn of ‘civilisation’ and ‘democracy’ has barged in with an ugly intention to water-down the conventional definition of marriage. It is without any doubt that the religious, social and ancient legal definition has been thrown into the bin of self-immolation just to cover the “rights” of those, who have opted to live as outlawries or foreigners in their own societies.
In my humble view, the law is in place to restrain those who act upon their mundanity as their so called sophistication overtakes the social and legal tenets of life. The law is therefore a regulator that modulates such rebellious, anarchical or crude modus operandi among the people in a particular society.
In as far as the natural law theory speaks so loudly, certain rights are inherent by virtue of human nature, endowed by nature; traditionally given by God. To put it bluntly, natural law refers to that law which has its source from God right from the days of antiquity. It has been referred to as use of reason to scrutinise and analyse human nature to deduce binding rules of morality in the words of Strause (1986). In this case, it is incumbent upon a people that the natural law interlaced with morality be ardently observed. Any alien culture that is likely to adulterate what a society considers as its laws, norms or morality, certainly falls along a rocky path!
Strause (1986), makes it clear that the natural law is implied to be objective and universal; it exists independently of human understanding, and of the positive law of a given state, political order, legislature or society at large.
Having invoked the relevance of the natural law, which is well intertwine in morality and religion, I find no convincing reason to twist the classical definition of the term ‘marriage,’ for the definition that does not cover the opposite sex marriage falls away. Defining it to accommodate same-sex practitioners is a sign of a people lost beyond redemption! It perverts the essence of the natural law, religion and societal values which are the pillars on which a living society stands.
As an avid reader of religious facts, research convinces me that there is no single sacred religious book that allows this ugly practice; the same sex-marriage. The so-called liberal ideas, which allow this unconventional practice are not, in reality, from any holy books. They are centred on illegal, immoral or mundane notion of achieving some iniquitous individual venialities meant to erode any society’s harmonious laws, norms, standards or moral values. Precisely, neither societal values nor religious doctrines allow any such immoral consuetudes like same sex-marriage.
Christianity is resoundingly clear on this unnatural custom. Some liberal Christians, who are so loose that they have found it easy to advocate for same-sex marriage. They do so by defining it in their own contorted manner to quench their hideous thirst for it. However, they have successfully failed to mention any societal norms, values or any biblical verse where the same sex-marriage or practice is expressly allowed! Conscience tells one to behave in the way of their society, not otherwise!!
Ignorance speaks through ‘his’ disciples; the liberal preachers of same-sex marriage that the Bible is silent about it. A sane person will always ask “which Bible do they refer to? Our Holy Bible? I wonder if they have not run berserk! Isn’t it true that the spirit of immorality is stronger than they are!
Well, this naked and bald assertion by the same sex-practitioners or their sympathisers cannot be left without it being lampooned. A person’s ignorance is always my warehouse. Therefore, I must unapologetically demystify their “pantless” perception by referring to the Holy Bible as well as other sacred religious books and doctrines.
In the Torah, the laws germane to sexual relations have well been delineated in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Moses, the law giver, explicates in Leviticus 18:22 that “do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.”
The Book goes deeper in verse 20:13, which proscribes the act by prescribing a relevant punishment to homosexuals. It unleashes that “if a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death….”
Paul, the Apostle, states in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 …that the law is made not for the righteous, but for the lawbreakers and rebels…for those practising homosexuality….This means that the Bible is not only against same-sex marriage, but it also denounces sodomy in general terms. Where do those loose liberal Christians get that audacity of promoting such a despicable practice?
In the Gospel according to John Mark, best known as Mark, who was a companion as well as an interpreter of Peter and the author of the Book of Mark, shows that marriage will be between a man and a woman as God created them male and female (Mark 10:6-9), not otherwise (the underlined part is mine). There are some other biblical references, which prohibit homosexuality as well as same sex-marriage namely; Roman 1:26-28, Jude 1:58 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Having unleashed this stubborn myth, which I call “deliberate ignorance,” I am not in a shadow of shame to lambaste this charlatanry, and make it clear to those swimming in the pool of ignorance that Christianity strongly proscribes same-sex marriage or homosexuality. Celebrating gay wedding in churches is not only horrendous, but also lacks a single speck of logic within the precepts and teachings of Christianity.
In Islam, same-sex marriage is not allowed, howbeit, there are some Muslims with such lousy liberal views on sodomy. They have so decided to be on a frolic of their own as they stand in between Islam and their flimsy views on homosexuality and lesbianism.
In the Quran, the people of Prophet Lut, who shamelessly indulged themselves in homosexuality have been discussed oftentimes as evidenced in Al-Araf 81 that “Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people.” This verse shows that Sodomy is not allowed in Islam and is punishable.
The first Muslim gay, Jahed Choudhury, who got married to his gay partner, Sean Rogan in 2017, had been ostracised because of being gay. His Bangladeshi parents could not tolerate his satanic practice. He then ended up getting married to his gay partner in the UK. This is a clear indication that one is free to do anything as he so wishes, but the environment where he lives is a prime factor to consider if he no longer wants to be bound by his culture, religion and the law.
Founded by Gautama Budha, Budhism is centred on eight cornerstones, which are meant to let humans escape from selfishness and insatiable desires namely; right living, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindedness and right meditation.
Budhism is neither supportive nor confuting of this unnatural practice. As a matter of fact, Tripitaka or the Sutras, which is the sacred book, does not talk about ritual ceremonies such as marriage or other social practices and it might, in my own view, be the reason as to why there is no mention of marriage. However, it is visibly clear according to Therava Budhists, who are very conservative in their faith that such practices as same-sex marriage or homosexuality have no place in Budhism.
In Hinduism, one would not be so dumb without meaning that homosexuality or same sex marriage is despicable and fervently prohibited in as far as the Vedas, the Hindus’ holy Book is duly concerned. However, there are a few unconscionable liberal views on same-sex marriage.
Just like other religions, Judaism strongly disavows such ugly practices as the topic under discussion herein. The Tanakh and Talmud, the Jewish sacred Books, disapprove of it. Traditional Orthodox Jews maintain that, it is not only disgusting, but also an odious practice.
African Traditional Heritage holds extremely stern views on sodomy, lesbianism, homosexuality or any indecent, salacious behaviour. Such did not and still do not have a place in African Traditional Beliefs. Homosexuality, as it currently has its monstrous face nowadays, has been unknown to African traditional society. Man to man sex was a very strange thing and was punishable. With the exception of some few African countries such as South Africa and Cape Verde, unnatural sexual practices such as homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality and so forth remain in the dark in 34 African countries.
As delineated above, the immateriality of same-sex marriage as well as homosexuality is diverse as it undermines the precepts and tenets on which a society stands. Its irrelevance is that it infringes on the laws of the Land. For instance, Article 5(c) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, which makes it clear that the customs and traditions of the people shall be the source of legislation. The customs and traditions give no room for such devilish practices.
On the same note, Article 15 provides that a marriage should be between the persons of opposite sex, that is to say, with full consent of a man and a woman. This position has been bolstered by other jurisdictions. A potential example is Section 78 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which reads “Persons of the same sex are prohibited from marrying each other.” This means that anyone involved in this illegal and immoral business does not only opt to live an alien life, but also risk being swooped by the law with its sharp claws.
Same sex-marriage debases the purpose of marriage. One could not just imagine a society where everyone would be a gay. Will that society have next generations? Where will they come from? Has anyone found a gays’ family with their biological children? Why do they keep on adopting other people’s children when they know that their ‘marriage’ will not bear any fruit? It is as meaningless as chasing the wind!
The immateriality of this practice is that it harms the best interests of children since the ‘spouses’ depend on surrogate or adopted children. This egregiously ignores and undermines biological, parental love supposedly be tendered to the children.
I would be so oblivious to remain in my ‘eloquent silence’ without asserting that this ‘civilised custom’ is not only hideous, but also vitiates and bastardises religious freedom which is an inherent right. For instance, human rights issues have received poor attention in countries inhabited by Therava Budhists, who are strongly opposed to such ugly practices as same-sex marriage, homosexuality, lesbianism among others. What does that mean?
In countries where there are no pieces of legislation supporting gay movement and lesbianism such as Zimbabwe, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, just to mention but a few, the global community looks at them with a frowning face! These countries have been treated with a lot of misgivings, not for any reason, but because they refuse to throw their own customs away! Agey!!!
This ‘sophisticated marriage’ or sodomy is so penurious on social life of a people. The founder of Pan Africanism in the name of Marcus Garvey was right when he vehemently stated that “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” The colonialists found that Africa was invincibly strong in terms of her culture and moral values. The only weapon that they unleashed to defeat Africa was not the Maxim gun. It was the obliteration of African culture, which they replaced it with some gothic culture.
History reminds me of the words of a British explorer, Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay in his 1835 report to the British Parliament, which are well etched on my mind. “I have travelled across the length and breadth of Africa and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage and therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Africans think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their selfesteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.”
I usually ask myself “did he really say those words?” The answer comes by its own. Where did this practice find its legality at the very first instance? Who has that problem, the dominated or the dominator? Why do the dominated have to allow themselves to be disembowelled of their positive standards, norms and values? How clean are they? Don’t they have their dirty hands in the demise of their secular values? I shall leave the question so open for you!
With all the societal pillars discussed hereinabove, it is evidently visible that they all prohibit same-sex marriage as well as homosexuality. The question remains “Where do same sex practitioners and their sympathisers get that audacity of mentioning it, let alone practising it?!” Have they not so chosen to live as outsiders within their own societal set-ups? Have they not decided to live by their own whims and reject the precepts of nature and common sense?
I still cannot imagine a world where everyone becomes a gay or a lesbian! Would it be the world we live in? The immateriality of same-sex marriage or homosexuality is the answer I give you to apply your own discernment. Lost in between a black devil and the most abysmal sea of despondence is what I refer to the same-sex practitioners as well as their sympathisers for they have so chosen to live as outsiders in their own land!
The author is a fourth year student at Midlands State University and can be reached via johnmabilmanyok@gmail.com
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