On December 19, 2023 morning, while listening to BBC World News, I felt pain at the breaking news of what Pope Francis announced that he has approved the Catholic priests to bless “the same-sex couples.” The priests are allowed to decide on case to case basis.
As far as legalising same-sex marriage, there are 35 countries so far as of today, and Slovenia is the latest country. Of these, 23 countries legalised same-sex couples to marry through legislation while the rest are through court decisions. Nepal became the first South Asian country to officially register same-sex marriage just in November, 2023. Even otherwise, way back in 2007, Nepal’s Supreme Court had allowed same-sex marriage.
Whereas, the Supreme Court of India by a 5-Judge constitution bench headed by DY Chandrachud, CJI, after several rounds of hearings, unanimously refused to accord legal recognition to same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act, ruling that it is within Parliament’s ambit to change the law for validating such union (marriage) in October, 2023. The Indian Supreme Court’s unequivocal verdict against same-sex marriage in India has made tremendous negative impact on the unnatural marriage between two men or between two women. Though India is a Hindu predominated country, as far as such unnatural matrimonial union is concerned, the established institute as Supreme Court stood firm and refused to budge at the fast developing negative trends. Well done. I thank God Jehovah for the conscientious verdict of the Indian Supreme Court on the most contentious matter. May God continue to strengthen the Indian Supreme Court Judges with wisdom, insights and robustness to stand and defend the truth against all kind of falsehood.
Not only the existing Pope, Pope Francis whose full name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio is today 87 years of age, but every Catholic Pope has a huge following. I am sure the present Pope is the icon of millions of both old and young people across the globe inclusive of people beyond the borders of Catholic denomination. Indeed, every decree including every utterance of Pope has immense influencing power over millions of people in the world. The 19th December, 2023 announcement on legalising same-sex marriage will have impact on the younger generations in particular.
The people in authority having power to make laws of the land in those 35 countries may not necessarily be Christians. Non-Christians may not necessarily uphold the Biblical principles so set by the Living God. Indeed, what comment should I have on the decision of those people in legalising a man is legal to have another man as wife or as husband or a woman can have another woman as wife or husband. Nevertheless, the Pope being the highest authority of the Christians under Catholic denomination, believing the same Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God as it is with the rest of the other Christian denominations, and having the same Bible which contains only the living words of God, and whatever parameters relating to marriage being set specifically in the Bible can neither be modified nor get it diluted in any manner under any circumstances. In the latest case, I am serious about is nothing but perversion. The first sample of marriage set by the Living God was the marriage between the first man Adam and the first woman Eve. Had it been the desire of the Creator God in His wisdom that marriage would be between man and man, He could go on creating man out of dust in lieu of procreation in absence of woman. Yet, God, in His wisdom, opted procreation out of the marriage between a man and a woman. What a beautiful and marvelous creation. Legalising same-sex marriage is definitely the anti-thesis to the creation of God by attempting to undo what God has done for mankind. Same-sex marriage cannot procreate and therefore it is a direct displease and provocation to Almighty God, the Creator, Sustainer and Deliverer.
At the first sight of reading the foot-note of the announcement of the Pope from BBC channel, I was indeed shocked. After a while, I realised that I must not be shocked by such surprise because of the fact such is one of the symptoms of End Time. Under such situation, the only thing I have to do is to go back to my Bible and get strengthened.
Z. Lohe
