The Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) church has condemned the Supreme Court over its ruling on the freedom of association for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community.
In a statement signed by CITAM’s presiding Bishop Reverend Calisto Odede, CITAM church said that the ruling was a contradiction to the existing laws that criminalize gay sex in Kenya.
They also raised concerns about the implication of the ruling, questioning whether other illegal practices such as paedophilia and incest have a right of association.
“This rather contradictory ruling has left many of us wondering whether other illegal practitioners like pedophiles and those involved in incest also have the right to association and if not, how different they are from homosexuals. And perhaps criminal organisations as well,” the letter by CITAM read in part.
CITAM further commended the section of Supreme Court judges that ruled against the majority decision allowing the creation of associations of homosexuals.
“We note that this comes to us soon after sections of the Church in the West decided to bless gay unions. We truly commend the judges who ruled for God’s creative order and for cultural preservation and dissented from that majority ruling. Similarly, we also appreciate and stand with the sections of the Christian faith communities who have stood their ground on matters biblical in spite of the schism from their umbrella organisations,” the letter read further.
The bishop further listed Bible verses that are in support of CITAM’s stance on homosexuality.
“In all these passages (Bible references), homosexuality is not approved but rather, is viewed as sinful, unnatural and perverted. In the Leviticus passage, it is punishable by death. This kind of lifestyle is incompatible with the new life Christians are supposed to be living in Christ,” Odede added.
According to Bishop Odede, the church views homosexual behaviour as sin because it is contrary to “God’s created order for the family and human relationships.”
He, therefore, called on Kenyans “of moral integrity” to reject the supreme court ruling claiming it will erode the societal norms in the nation.
“We call upon Christians and Kenyans of goodwill to stand out in opposition to this ruling and express their disagreement openly.”
In its ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court said that the decision to deny LGBTQ members their right to register as an NGO, despite homosexuality being illegal in the nation, was discriminatory.
This followed a ruling made in 2013 by lower courts to deny members of the community in Kenya to register a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) for the advancement of their rights.
