‘Don’t outlaw word of God’
PASTORS OPPOSE HATE SPEECH BILL AS THEY FEEL IT WILL MAKE PREACHING CERTAIN BIBLE VERSES CRIMINAL
TELEVISION preacher Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng has leapt to the defence of a minister who criticised homosexuals during a service in Soweto at the weekend.
Motsoeneng, who is the leader of Incredible Happenings Ministries, said according to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin.
“People must blame God. Pastors are preaching the Bible. You can’t blame [a pastor] on the teachings of the Bible.”
However, Motsoeneng said churches should not impose, fight or condemn homosexuality.
“I accept anyone, whether gay or lesbian. God loves us all, whether we are right or wrong. He wants all people to repent and come to him.
“The truth is: God made a male and a female, but something went wrong along the line. It is our duty to pray about it.
“According to the Bible, it is a sin but they are not committing a sin against anyone.
“They are harmless and most of them are kind people. It is a sin against themselves and God. I see them as people who deserve love and support. I am against people who harm and kill them,” he said.
He aired his view as controversy broke out over visiting cleric from Ghana, Dag Heward-Mills, who criticised homosexuals at the Grace Bible Church at the weekend.
Pastor Ndumiso Gawe of the Christian Voice SA said pastors should not be accused of promoting hate when they preach that homosexuality is a sin.
However, activist and founder of the gay-friendly Feather Awards, Thami Kotlolo, said pastors cannot hide behind the Bible while they are promoting hate speech.
“The role of pastors is to learn more of the Bible and be able to interpret it and be able to share the word of God and not to condemn, or promote hate speech.
“If you are quoting a verse in the Bible that speaks about [homosexuality] it is okay to quote a verse in the Bible … [but] when you go and quote those verses in church it’s about the tone,” said Kotlolo.
“I mean I had a conversation with Somizi [Mhlongo who slammed Heward-Mills after walking out of the church during the sermon] and he [Mhlongo] was talking about the tone …”
Kotlolo said pastors were people who were doing the work for God for all people and they should not discriminate.
Yesterday, Motsoeneng was one of about 300 religious and traditional leaders who had gathered in Turffontein, Johannesburg, to comment on the recently drafted hate speech bill.
The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill was drafted following several racists comments on social media platforms and the outrage by the public. A decision was then taken by Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to criminalise hate speech and racist comments.
Religious leaders opposed the bill as they felt it would restrict them in quoting and preaching Bible verses.
Archbishop Stephen Zondo of the Rivers of Living Water Ministries said they needed more clarity on the bill. “They need to postpone it. There are many things that the Bible says we must not do. How does it [the bill] protect us? If there is no clarity I am afraid that many of us will go to prison.”
Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development John Jeffery said the bill was not about religion, but that it would be reviewed to accommodate religion.
Khuthalani Khumalo of the SA Council of Churches said the body was still in the consultative process with its 36-member churches to discuss the bill.