By Maurice Tomlinson
During his party’s conference last weekend, Prime Minister Andrew Holness condemned people in “foreign” who he claimed are trying to badmouth Jamaica.
But, as with his baseless attack on the press for simply doing its job, I want to remind the Prime Minister that, as a Christian, he should support those who seek and speak the truth.
Further, Prime Minister Holness needs look no further than the actions of his own government and members of his party that have brought international shame on our country, especially with regard to the treatment of LGBT Jamaicans.
Three recent examples will suffice.
Firstly, when the mayor and former mayor of Montego Bay, who both belong to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, banned Montego Bay Pride from using the Cultural Centre, this undermined efforts by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism to paint Jamaica as tolerant.
Ironically, the Jamaica Tourist Board had invited international tour operators that cater to the US$2 billion+ LGBT travel market to Jamaica to experience Pride. Instead what they witnessed was our homophobia.
Secondly, in the recent challenge to the country’s anti-sodomy law before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the government didn’t even bother to send a reply or defense. The government’s absence from the hearing showed to the international community how little the country cares about LGBT human rights.
Thirdly, the Attorney General (AG) Marlene Malahoo Forte embarrassed Jamaica when she condemned the United States Embassy for raising the rainbow flag on their compound after the terrible Orlando massacre, because, according to the AG that violated our laws.
However, when challenged by the US embassy to provide evidence of such a legal breach she could not. This was a major diplomatic and legal blunder by our AG and former junior foreign affairs minister.
Prime Minister, the fault is not in “foreign” or with the press. It is within your own party.
(Maurice Tomlinson is a lawyer and gay rights activist)
Maurice Tomlinson, God ordained all governments to praise what is good, and to punish what is evil. Governments are expected to be “ministers of God”, that is, “servants of God”. (See Rom.13:1,4) “Servants of God” means that all governments are obligated to obey God, and to ensure that the nations which they govern, also obey God. God has commanded that men must not have sexual intercourse with men, and women must not have sexual intercourse with women; but any sexual intercourse must be done between one man and one woman in the marriage relationship. Any sexual intercourse outside of the marriage relationship of one man and one woman is sexual sin. (See Rom.1:26-27; 1st Cor.7:2)
Therefore the Jamaican Government has done the right thing in forbidding the use of the Montego Bay Cultural Centre as a means of promoting same-sex marriage, or in refusing to change the anti-sodomy law, or in rebuking the U.S. Embassy from flying the LGBT Flag on its compound, which is a symbol of defiance against God’s command that homosexuality and lesbianism not be practised.
Maurice Tomlinson, God is commanding you to give up your same-sex relationship, and to give up your promotion of same-sex relationships, and to return to Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to do what He wants you to do in all aspects of your life. He is commanding you to confess Jesus as your King and to submit yourselves to His Son’s Teachings in the Holy Scriptures. He is commanding you to put your faith in Jesus as your Saviour, who took the blame and the punishment of all of your sins, when He suffered and died on the cross, and was buried and raised from the dead. He is also commanding you to be buried with Jesus Christ in baptism, and to be raised up with Him to live a new life of obedience to God. (See Acts 3:19; Rom.10:9-10; Rom.5:1,2,8-11; Rom.6:3-4)
After you have returned to God, He wants you to reach out to the LGBTQI Community and influence them to give up their sinful lifestyle and to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour also, so that their sins may be removed, they may have peace with God, and the power to live a new life of obedience to God. (See Lk.24:44-47)
If you do this, God will give you everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven, where there will be no death, no sorrow, no pain and no tears; but if you refuse, God will punish you in the lake of fire and brimstone, where you will be tormented day and night, forever and ever. (See Rev.21:4; Rev.20:10; Rev.21:8)
Yours sincerely,
Leslie Joseph Buckland Jr. (Kingston, Jamaica)
Leslie –
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Your words are not kind nor humble nor just. And who are you, Mortal, to say what God believes and deny the mystery of God to others? For this is the most egregious of all sins.
Indeed, I ask you what you believe God would think about your idolatrous bible worship over the recognition of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness given equally to everyone?
Peace be upon you.
Leslie –
The plank be in thine eyes!
Peace be upon you.