U.N. rights experts slam Nigeria gay marriage bill...

News: 8:50 a.m. February 23, 2007 GENEVA

On Friday 23 February 2007, four United Nations envoys, condemned a proposed Nigerian law banning same-sex marriages as a violation of international human rights law.

The independent experts, most of whom report to the Human Rights Council, the U.N. watchdog on fundamental freedoms, said the legislation amounted to an 'absolutely unjustified intrusion' into an individual's right to privacy.

(It would) contravene ... the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that 'all human beings are born equal in dignity and rights',' they said in a statement.

Homosexuality is already illegal in Nigeria but the government introduced a bill explicitly outlawing gay marriage after a number of Western countries authorised same-sex unions. Offenders face five years in prison under the legislation, which is currently before the House of Representatives.

'The bill contains provisions that infringe freedoms of assembly and association and imply serious consequences for the excerise of the freedom of expression and opinion,' the envoys' statement said.

The envoys are: Hina Jilani, special representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders; the special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, Doudou Diene; the special rapporteur on violence against women, Yakin Erturk; and the special rapporteur on the right to health, Paul Hunt.

News culled from: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news

What does the Bible say about marriage and 'same sex marriage?'

© Jeremiah Films

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
—Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

"And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
—Genesis 2:18-25 (NKJV)

"And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'"
—Matthew 19:4 (NKJV)

"But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'"
—Mark 10:6 (NKJV)

What is the consequence of this disobedience?

© Jeremiah Films

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."

—Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
—1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

"Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,"
—1 Timothy 1:9-10 (NKJV)

Comment:

It is well said that Marriage is a fundamental social institution that does not exist just for the emotional satisfaction of two individuals but for the greater good of the community. Societies that put emotional fulfillment before right actions and principles will soon give way to a multitude of addictions and deep corruptions and collapse. God will judge (according to His Word) any society that institutes same sex marriages.

"The simple fact is that marriage is uniquely important and strategic in raising up the next generation of citizens. That’s why a good government will have a special interest in supporting marriage. It is not just biblical teaching but observable fact that children flourish best in families headed by a father and mother committed to each other in life long marriage. Society blesses marriage because marriage blesses society. The future of society depends on the future of the family. It does not depend so directly on other types of relationships, and it certainly doesn’t depend on relationships that are sinful." -(David Feddes)

Today, pray and take a stand against the adoption of the gay marriage bill in Nigeria or any other nation. Gay marriage is not the will of God and when you pray according to God's will, He will answer and act. It may seem like you are not directly affected by this issue, but the concept of the homosexual lifestyle is spreading like wild fire and many nations are already legalizing as well as encouraging it. Check the following statistics:

Same-sex marriage is performed nationwide in countries like:
Netherlands (2001)
Belgium (2003)
Spain (2005)
Canada (2005)
South Africa (2006)

These other countries have also adopted same-sex marriage in some of their states:
Aruba
Australia
Austria
China
Estonia
France
Ireland
Latvia
Lithuania
New Zealand
Portugal
Romania
Sweden
Taiwan
United Kingdom
United States:
CA, CT, IL, MD, NY, NJ, OR, VT, WA

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage

What role can I play as a Christian?

Homosexuals, long accustomed to being looked upon with disgust by most people, are understandably anxious for acceptance by society, hence whenever they find themselves in positions of authority they seek to pronounce their lifestyle as acceptable to all. In spite of great pressure today from humanists and other liberals to get homosexuality recognized as an acceptable--if not even preferable--life style, the Bible makes it plain that it is really unnatural and animalistic wickedness that must be rejected by true Christians. They must not be encouraged to continue in their wickedness, for it may well cost them their eternal souls. Instead, they need to be "loved into the kingdom," being delivered first of all from their rebellion against God, then to Christ for salvation and cleansing.

We as Christians must remember that Christ died for their sins, as well as ours. They are still objects of His sacrificial love, and we should seek earnestly to bring them to Him for cleansing and deliverance. We are not to judge them, but to pray for them and use every opportunity we have to share the love of Christ with them.