Devon Dick
THE HONOURABLE HORACE DALLEY, Minister of Health, called for condoms to be distributed in prisons in order to fight AIDS. It is noble to desire the containment of sexually transmitted infections; however, for a legislator to give support to facilitating law-breaking, that is, same-sex relationships between males is incredible. One goes to prison for breaking the law and now one gets official sanction to break the law while in prison. The honourable minister did not advocate for the repeal of the buggery law.
If condoms can be distributed in prison, why not allow sex workers in prisons to help the fight against AIDS? Dalley is dilly-dallying with the sex laws.
MINISTER IS NOT ALONE
However, the minister is not alone in dilly-dallying with the sex laws. The Gleaner's recent front-page story related that a 14-year-old schoolgirl was gang-raped while a deacon did nothing to stop the incident or report it to the Police. The pastor also apparently knew of the incident and did not report it to the police as required by law.
Romans 13 tells us that we must be subjected to governing authorities. Therefore, to liken the alleged perpetuators to the woman caught in adultery is not comparing orange with orange. For one, the woman caught in adultery engaged in a consensual sex act. This girl was raped! And there are examples in the Bible of how to deal with rapists!
In addition, it could be said that Jesus wanted justice for the woman because if the woman was 'caught in adultery' then the accusers must have known the identity of her male partner and they did not take him also to be stoned to death. Jesus dismissed what was a flagrant injustice to the woman in a male-dominated society. Who will be like Jesus and see that this teenager get justice? Can anyone imagine the hurt, anger and humiliation felt by that brilliant underage girl? How will she experience wholeness?
BAN THE TAPES
The Government must recall the tapes and ban them from being shown. To know that there is a market for that tape is sad.
It is commendable that the pastor and church relieved the man of his office in the church and that the pastor sought to counsel the victim. However, more needs to be done. Obviously, the pastor was traumatised by the incident and did not think clearly. He needs to take leave of his office and get counselling in order to appreciate the gravity of the situation and how it should have been handled. In addition, the law ought to take its course whenever there are flagrant abuses of a human.
WE ARE NOT PROTECTORS
But there was a judgement a couple months ago in a case that showed that we are not serious about protecting our vulnerable children. There was a young
pastor who sexually assaulted some girls who were wards of the State. It was commendable that he pleaded guilty. However, this was not an isolated sex act. Intercourse was repeated. Therefore, for the judge to only give the offender a suspended sentence because it was his first offence appears to me to be sending the wrong message.
A judgement in a court of law should punish the guilty; free the innocent and set the tone for the society in terms of what is valuable. There might be times for mercy and discretion but when persons sexually abuse young girls the society must frown upon on it in the strongest terms.
Bible verse for the day: St. Matthew 18:6, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
Reverend Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'.
