WHY AMBASSADOR FOOTE IS AT FAULT

INany country around the world there are rules and laws that govern how they live and conduct themselves. The laws reflect the sovereignty of each state or country.

This means that foreigners entering new borders have to respect the laws of the land no matter how they disagree with them. Zambia as a country has laws that have been accepted by the Zambian people and we are led by the constitution of this sovereign republic.

The sin of homosexuality Homosexuality is outlawed in Zambia and in the Bible (Leviticus 18) it is one of the many sexual sins that are forbidden. Many scriptural verses make reference to the fact that homosexuality is not allowed such as Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:24-28, 1 Cor.6:.9-10. Although the gravity of homosexuality is being underplayed by some proponents of this act, the Bible treats it as a perversion and the penalty is capital punishment. That is the gravity of homosexuality in the sight of God. Homosexuals need help just like any other person who may be struggling with certain vices.

Instead of spending money to defend perverse acts, we need to spend resources to reform them knowing pretty well they are under the bondage of sin.

Our love for sinners should not lead us into tolerating and downplaying their immoral conduct. In a society, we should play by the rules otherwise everyone will claim to do whatsoever seems right in their sight and the result will be chaos (Judges 17:6 and 20:25) and further the Bible warns that there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death (Prov.14:12).

It does not matter if men trivialise sin, the Bible says ‘ Don’t be misled, you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant’ (Gal.6:7). This does not mean we are judgmental, but rather helping those who may be going astray to repent and turn to the Lord. Tolerating their actions is opening a door for them into eternal hell.

How Ambassador Foote handled the matter raises concern as a diplomat.

The US envoy raised his concern on the sentencing of the gay couple by the Zambian High Court by going public with his comments. Diplomats don’t work like that. He should have used proper diplomatic channels and in this case our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Foote breached diplomatic etiquette and communication ethics on how to best represent his country’s position on a matter in the country he is sent to serve. We are doubtful (knowing the Trump administration) that his position is the official position of America. He is responsible for all this because he was “slow to listen and quick to speak.” The Zambian people do not accept homosexuality. It is outlawed in our land.

If he had some challenges understanding the Zambian laws and the independence of the judiciary, he should have sought help on the sentencing of the gay convicts. His open disappointment and condemnation of the so called “harsh” sentence imposed by the Zambian High Court on the convicted gay couple was clearly unethical and undiplomatic.

He has put himself in this awkward position because he did not know the Zambian law on sex against the order of nature before leaving the US to come to Zambia to represent his government.

We are also fully aware that there are still some states in the US member-states where homosexuality is outlawed and one wonders why this should be imposed on a sovereign state like Zambia.

Ambassador Foote clearly vents too much anger

In his media address Ambassador Foote vents too much anger. He refers to some historical problems and his failure to meet the Zambian President Mr. Edgar Lungu.

He complains that his number of meetings with President Lungu does not commensurate with his government’s funding to Zambia. In other words, he deserves more attention for the amount of money his government is spending in Zambia - the golden rule application.

He openly discredits President Lungu for not prioritising scheduled meetings with him. This is absolutely sad that the ambassador does not appreciate the competing demands on State House and that the President has to prioritise.

The decision as who to see should not be based on size of aid being given otherwise our leaders will also only listen to the rich and reject the poor. This will be a serious problem when the poor will be given a deaf ear in preference for the rich. This is not servant leadership.

Ambassador Foote suggests judicial interference

By suggesting that the executive should have got involved in preventing the harsh sentencing of the convicted gay couple is tantamount to promoting interference with the independence of the judiciary by the executive.

This is highly contradictory as democratic best practices should allow for strict independence of the three arms of government.

In any case, who should determine when the executive should intervene in the judiciary or not, and how far can this be allowed to go on without breeding chaos?

Ambassador Foote was flippant and mocked Christianity

He still thinks Christianity is for the minority Zambians and that it is inconsiderate of the people with gay orientation. He mocks the Christian faith and the ambassador is

stretching his disappointment way too far. In his speech he says:

‘Discriminatory and homophobic laws, under the false flags of Christianity and culture continue to kill innocent Zambians many of whom were born with the virus. Your citizens are terrified of being ousted as HIV positive, because of the inaccurate and archaic associations between HIV and homosexuality.

The ambassador further expresses his “shock at the venom and hate directed at him (personally) and his country, largely in the name of “Christian” values by a small minority of Zambians. Where did he get the stats that Christianity is by a small minority Zambians? Does he understand the religious demographics and the history of this country’s faith?

The Ambassador is correct in confessing his incompetence to sermonise by doubting if at all Jesus Christ would have used those harsh words against anybody.

Unfortunately he needs to understand that Jesus used very harsh words in referring to Herod Antipas saying ‘ go and tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people…’(Luke 13:32). Further Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees calling them ‘ brood of vipers’ (Matt. 3:7 and 12:34).

Even if it was not for our faith, our African and Zambian traditional values, practices, cultures are the bedrock of our society. This does not mean we are perfect but that we have norms (at least) upon which we build our family and the nation and we treat gay practices as abhorrent. He misinterprets the biblical stories and clearly fails to understand various contexts around the ministry of Jesus Christ and the story of the woman caught in adultery. Jesus didn’t say the woman was innocent and that is why he warned her ‘to go and sin no more’ (John 8:11).

He made reference to the Roman Catholic Pontif Pope Francis for repeatedly speaking for the need for his church to welcome and love all peoples …regardless of sexual orientation.

Again, this may be totally misunderstanding the Catholic Pontif to mean that he was promoting homosexuality. Evangelicals do not hate homosexuals and neither are the doors slammed against people who may be involved in various forms of misconduct or wrong doing. God’s word in John 3:16 drives our passion for evangelism because we know the depravity of human heart. The centrality of Christian message is the love of God and the love for one another. This love for one another does not imply tolerance for repugnant behaviour. There are corrupt people who are embezzling funds and resources meant for the poor people and national development and yet we love these people enough to show them their need for repentance. There is no good reason to think that abhorring misconduct is the same as hatred for an individual. God hates sin and yet he loves the person. These are two different things.

Suggesting that aid can be linked to gay rights is mind shattering

It has always been argued that even animals everywhere differentiate who to copulate with. It is unthinkable that what animals have never tried to engage in, the so called ‘civilized nations’ define as fundamental rights of human beings and which should be respected. The interview response by His Excellency President Edgar Lungu to skynews, was that he would rather sacrifice ‘gay aid’ instead of compromising the morality and values of this great nation. The response clearly and firmly represented the position of the majority Zambians and in line with the Zambian constitution.

Linking aid to gay freedoms and LGBTQ rights is extremely sad and worrisome. It poses a moral challenge and an insult to the cherished values of the great people of Zambia. The High Court imposed the reasonable sentence on the offending couple in line with the laws of Zambia.

The link between aid and gay rights is not new. Anyone who has been following HIV/ AIDS discussions and programs involving foreign support should have seen this coming a long time ago when HIV prevention and provision of services to gay persons became centre stage.

It is unthinkable to suggest that such a civilized country can promote such acts and prioritise aid to promote repugnant practices. But we doubt that this is the official position (yet) of the Trump administration. The West should use its resources to fight global challenges such as terrorism, nuclear threats, carbon emissions and climate change effects, poverty, hunger, shelter, unemployment, human and drug trafficking and fighting corruption instead of promoting indecent sexuality under the guise of human rights.

Warning to the Zambian people that tough times may be near

The writing is on the wall. We may as well start preparing for the worst case scenario. It starts just like that and a nation can be brought on its knees. Donor aid always has conditionalities and at the most very unsustainable.

We know at one time it was the wind of change hinging on multi-partism and democracy, then transparency and accountability, then constitutionalism, then human rights and gay rights tomorrow etc.

The Bible says, “the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is a slave to the lender (Prov.22.7). Perpetually, conditions for aid keep shifting and they are not mutually determined by the parties involved but instead they are imposed by the lender unilaterally. We should begin early to strategise that aid will not always flow freely and find sustainable means to build and grow our economy.

Everyone should brace for hard work and commitment to the corruption fight that will guarantee resources being targeted to the vital sectors of our development and need.

If what Ambassador Foote has hinted on is finally implemented, then we should brace ourselves for tough times ahead and that the price we will pay may be heavy. We should start now to ensure that we use our resources prudently, become accountable, fight corruption and be faithful with payment and use of our taxes, build the economy and create sustainable development policies and promote a new culture to transform our society.

People should never have illusions that these donor conditions will ever end or ever improve. One day “aid conditions” will be so repugnant that they will be impossible to imagine. Zambians should know that “things can get worse” and time to think outside the box is now.

We should steer ourselves into creating a flourishing nation that works hard and promotes equality and equitable allocation of resources. We will never enjoy our sovereignty if we are always going to be on the receiving end of the aid equation. It is also disrespectful and affects dignity to always beg. We need to reverse this status quo to avoid borrowing ourselves into perpetual servitude.

Conclusion

The offence of homosexuality was a moral problem

On the moral side, the sentencing of the gay couple to 15 years imprisonment stands as a clear warning to those practicing or intending to engage into this unnatural and perverse act that they risk going to jail. The precedence has been set. The law has been applied. Some people may think that the West will always bail them out from their manufactured human rights and engage in homosexuality with impunity. This has now become a dangerous route for anyone to take. Zambians have been given the privilege to participate in constitutional amendments from time to time. Poor reading culture only causes some individuals to cry foul when they realise they were on the wrong side of the law.

Political early warning signs

There have been some debates in our parliament recently hinging on gay rights. The footage has gone viral on social media.

With this development, it is a message to our politicians that homophilia is unacceptable in Zambia. It will also be important that our politicians begin early in setting boundaries on their funding sources to avoid mortgaging the country’s morality to the highest bidder.

Watch this space. Politicians should also declare their position on this matter early enough so that the Zambian people can make their own judgment.

Zambians should ask pertinent questions on the position of political parties on gay rights, abortion on demand and the position on advanced human rights.

Also political parties should set clear strategies on how they will deal with this perennial problem of corruption. From my analysis one of the contributing factors to corruption is the politicisation of business and commercialiaation of politics. Because of spending too much during campaigns there is a problem of “payback” afterwards and this should be checked.

The church is a place for hope and help and in our role we stand to assist in any way to move the country forward.

*The author is former Executive Director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia.