UGANDA: Prelate Urges Parents to Protect Children from Promoters of Homosexuality
Rt Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok in the middle flanked by Journalists from both local and national media in a group photo shortly after press conference at his residence in Lira city
Fr. Isaac Ojok
The Bishop of Lira diocese in Uganda has appealed to parents to consider taking their children to schools where education will give meaning to their lives in a bid to protect and safeguard them from the current wave of homosexuality.
In his statement during press conference held at his residence in Lira city, Bishop Wanok observed that parents should choose good Christian schools and others where the future of their children can be safe guarded against homosexuality.
The statement of the bishop comes at the time when there various reports of alleged cases of homosexuality and lesbianism in some institutions of learning in the country.
Bishop Wanok who doubles as Vice Chairperson Uganda Episcopal Conference said promoting homosexuality and lesbianism in schools is prohibited and contrary to education policy and system.
He noted that it is an obligation for parents, education stakeholders and other key players to remain vigilant on promoters of homosexuality not to allow them to penetrate the learning institutions.
Similarly the bishop further pointed out the promotion of the use of substance of abuse in schools like alcohol and others that it should not be tolerated since it can be used to destroy the future of children and the learning system.
He challenged the public to remain firm and resist against the sin of homosexuality which is a satanic way of manipulating and destroying the future of humanity with the hidden intention to create rift among Christians so that the value of salvation is diminished.
According to Bishop, there is no need for believers especially the youth to keep roaming in search for money since they are being enticed by promoters of homosexuality saying it has reached a moment the people should settle and concentrate on productive work to earn and support their livelihoods.
He mentioned that Christianity does not obey things like homosexuality, killing and theft that are contrary to God’s way of giving life to people, the first value that God wants humanity to have life and have it to the full, the reason why Jesus Christ died on the Cross to give life as it is in the Gospel of John 10:10.
In his remarks the bishop went on to appeal that during the period of Lent, it is a moment of repentance and renewal for those involved in homosexuality so that they return back to God and live the life in a new way according to the will of God.
Deriving his reflection from the Book of Genesis Chapter 19, the bishop disclosed that God destroyed the whole of Sodomah and Gomorrah because their practice of homosexuality and lesbianism were contrary to the formula of Marriage designed by God to be between a Man and a Woman.
Such like homosexuality, Lesbianism and others according to bishop today have been rekindled again by those using science to experiment on human beings in changing the formula of living where by young people are getting confused, the move he said is sinful, contrary to God’s design and it is to be condemned.
He went on with his reflection to say that a person who is a homosexual or lesbian needs salvation the reason why the catechesis should be prepared for them to listen the teaching of Jesus Christ especially by stopping homosexuality or lesbianism, a teaching on how they should be saved and that if they listen and repent, they will also go to Heaven.
According to Bishop Wanok, a homosexual or lesbian is also created in the image of God and it is not proper to discriminate or chase them away from the community but that they should be helped to overcome homosexuality and Lesbianism which are sinful.
He urged Christians during this period of Lent to pray for the conversion of the homosexuals and lesbians and those in support so that they may return to God.
The bishop also used the press conference to express the need for believers to embrace the Christian practice of prayers, fasting, and that of charity particularly to those who have nothing completely in a move for Christians to be compliant to the way God wants.
In a related development, following the upsurge in the alleged cases of homosexuality in the country Parliament of the Republic of Uganda on Tuesday 21st March 2023 passed a Bill dubbed, “Anti-homosexuality Bill, 2023” with the objective to prohibit marriage between persons of the same sex, penalize homosexual behavior and other related practices, to prohibit the promotion of homosexuality, protect and provide assistance and payment of compensation to victims of homosexuality.
In the version passed by the legislators, the offense of aggravated homosexuality now carries death penalty. Aggravated homosexuality applies in cases of sex relationship involving those infected with HIV/AIDS virus, minors, those with disabilities and others.
The Bill also provides for penalties to prohibit acts that expose children to acts of homosexuality by imposing a 10 year prison sentence on a person found to recruit a child for the purpose of engaging the child in the act of homosexuality among others.
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