The Sunday Mail
Acting Religious Affairs Editor
In a society where homosexuality has always brought out mixed feelings, a fierce debate was ignited last week when a St John’s College deputy head, Mr Neal Hovelmeier, revealed his sexuality to the school’s pupils.
Some parents immediately demanded the resignation of Mr Hovelmeier. By the end of last week Mr Hovelmeier had tendered in his resignation even though the school authorities had been supporting him.
Same-sex marriage, according to the laws of the land, is illegal.
The statutes do not entertain homosexuality and various religions also strongly condemn same-sex relationships.
Prominent African Religion Tradition (ATR) leader Sekuru Friday Chisanyu said Mr Hovelmeier was out of line in pronouncing his sexual orientation to the pupils.
“In African tradition, our values and norms don’t allow such acts. It’s strange, weird and disgusting. If it was in the village, we would take such people to the chief or the headman.
“As traditionalists, we condemn this in the strongest of terms. A teacher should not go public with his sexual orientation. What was he trying to achieve? To recruit our school going kids into his dirty acts?”
Clergyman Apostle Tawanda Chikeya said the Holy Bible is clear that God doesn’t tolerate homosexuality. He said it is a sin.
He explained, “In the Bible the two words – ordinances and statutes – are used interchangeably as they carry the same meaning.
Ordinance and statutes are not negotiable and they don’t change throughout generations. Therefore, the Lord spoke to Moses in Leviticus 18 verses 5 that, ‘You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord’.
“In Leviticus 18 verse 22, He (the Lord) said, ‘You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination’. The word abomination means something very bad or unpleasant in the sight of God.”
Apostle Chikeya said those who practice homosexuality, just like idolaters, fornicators, adulterers, drunkards and thieves, will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 9:9).
But Roman Catholic priest Father Clifford Nhetekwa said some people are born with genes that make them act like boys when they are girls and vice versa. He said this is not a sin.
He explained that it will only become sin if that person then practices homosexuality.
In Islam, homosexuality is also condemned in the Holy Quran through the story of Prophet Lut – known as Lot in Christianity.
The story of Lot details the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, where rampant homosexuality was being practised. Men even attempted to have sexual relations with God’s angels when they had visited Lot’s house.
As a result of the practises, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. The term sodomy was derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis.
