Post Courier of Papua New Guinea 1 August 2012
Letter to the editor Jax Goroka
Dame Carol Kidu has for a long time stood as an advocate for human rights. But I think she is pushing it too far in her quest to decriminalize homosexuality.
It is a blatant mockery and an unbecoming act for a person such as her to pursue. Homosexuality is a blasphemous lifestyle which insults the sanctity of Christian belief.
The claim that it was an accepted ritual does not justify the demand to have it decriminalized. That is a ridiculous base for support.
Should we go back and legalise acts on the premise that these were once recognised ritual. Then underage marriage and domestic violence should be legalised.
In the Bible, homosexuality is defined as an abomination. For some of us who are genuine Christians we are unhappy to be part of a country that supports a sinful lifestyle.
There are more serious cases for Dame Carol to pursue if she is truly concerned with human rights issues. There is the injustice faced by our West Papuan brothers and sisters.
Homosexuality is the impetus that provokes the growth and spread of HIV/AIDS in western countries. Why is Dame Carol trying to bring in a catalyst to aid HIV when it is killing us?
Dame Carol Kidu you are a lady held in highest esteem but this issue is forbidden even for you.
Letter to the editor Jax Goroka
Dame Carol Kidu has for a long time stood as an advocate for human rights. But I think she is pushing it too far in her quest to decriminalize homosexuality.
It is a blatant mockery and an unbecoming act for a person such as her to pursue. Homosexuality is a blasphemous lifestyle which insults the sanctity of Christian belief.
The claim that it was an accepted ritual does not justify the demand to have it decriminalized. That is a ridiculous base for support.
Should we go back and legalise acts on the premise that these were once recognised ritual. Then underage marriage and domestic violence should be legalised.
In the Bible, homosexuality is defined as an abomination. For some of us who are genuine Christians we are unhappy to be part of a country that supports a sinful lifestyle.
There are more serious cases for Dame Carol to pursue if she is truly concerned with human rights issues. There is the injustice faced by our West Papuan brothers and sisters.
Homosexuality is the impetus that provokes the growth and spread of HIV/AIDS in western countries. Why is Dame Carol trying to bring in a catalyst to aid HIV when it is killing us?
Dame Carol Kidu you are a lady held in highest esteem but this issue is forbidden even for you.
Homosexuality did exist in traditional Papua New Guinean societies, but for the purpose of rite of passage initiation processes for young boys.
Of course some of the processes involved may have being homosexual in nature, they had more symbolic meanings and were meant to detach a young boy from his mother and turn him into a man.
The outcome, young boys turned out to be men, marry the opposite sex and raise families of their own. In one way or another this process maintained stability in society compared to current homosexual behavior.
Aren't there more pressing issues to push for Dame Carol Kidu? Why not understand these rite of passage processes in traditional PNG societies and look into areas to help our young people.
Why else do you think young people are resorting to cult activities in schools, grafitying all over the city, consuming alcohol, drugs, and other such illegal activities?
Because today's PNG society largely influenced by Western ideology does not understand the importance of processes as the rites of passage for young people.
We should be encouraging sporting activities, art, etc, to engage youths in. It is a process that actually makes a young person feel they belong and they have a purpose in life.
Our PNG culture has changed over time and so have many cultural practices (though some people tend to argue some practices have died out).
We just need to better understand traditional practices and blend in with today's society rather than making misleading statements to support some crazy behavior.
Homosexuality in the way it is today cannot be supported on the basis that it is part of some traditional activity. Posted by: Yvonne Hani | 31 July 2012 at 12:35 PM