I happened to watch the programme Religious Reasoning on Sunday, May 8, and I feel obliged to respond to certain comments made by one of the Anglican ministers. Some of his comments were [wrong], some were distasteful, and some disgusting and degrading, especially to women.
I am fully aware that we as preachers who talk a lot are more vulnerable to stating things that, on reflection, we realize “it did not come across properly” and so we apologize, as I have had to do from the pulpit.
The subject being discussed was, I believe, Is Premarital Sex Wrong Or A Sin? The panel was led by two Anglican priests and a well versed young man who made me proud.
First of all, it was interesting to note that there were such opposing views on such an important topic by the two priests who are in the same denomination! I was shocked to hear a religious leader basically condoning the practice of premarital sex and bringing the slave trade and cultural differences into the debate . . . .
What really upset me were the following:
(1) The message that came across from the priest to the young people of our nation was basically echoed by a comment on the programme from one of the young people in the audience who had the courage to challenge the priest by saying words to the effect:
“So are you telling me that I can go out and have sex before marriage with whoever I choose?”
The reason that this upset me so such is that I have given my entire life to helping both the young and the old, and had the privilege of serving two terms on the Barbados Evangelical Association, working in close conjunction with the HIV/AIDS Commission. We worked tirelessly as volunteers doing everything in our power to discourage premarital sex, knowing the dangerous and deadly results that often occur.
The priest did a tremendous disservice to the efforts of so many of us in this nation who love our young people and are trying to guide them so that they can live a godly and successful life. It is a known fact that people who engage in premarital sex usually move on to even more careless and dangerous practices and often end up as another HIV/AIDS statistic.
(2) The second thing that upset me was his lack of understanding concerning the meaning of the word “fornication”. Instead of using my personal knowledge of Greek, I would rather quote from one of the Caribbean’s most respected theologians, Dr Clinton Chisholm, who also teaches Greek.
The priest was trying to convince the audience that the Bible condemns adultery, but he has seen nowhere in the Bible where God condemns fornication. Here is the quote from Dr Chisholm: “Porneia is a broad Greek term for all kinds of sexual immorality (including premarital sex/fornication, homosexuality and even adultery, although there is a specialized word for adultery, moicheia).”
My only reason for referring to the Greek was that the priest raised the subject himself and, in my opinion, displayed his lack of knowledge of Greek.
(3) I was particularly dismayed, baffled and disgusted with the said priest, when he was making his point that premarital sex was not wrong.
He stooped to a level that still embarrasses me and makes me wonder how young men, and in particular, young ladies, would have felt when they heard a religious leader refer to premarital sex by using the analogy with words to this effect: “How many of you would buy a pair of shoes without trying them on first?”
I find that remark repulsive and disgusting, especially coming from the lips of a “religious leader”.
Such a remark concerning trying on shoes and equating such with the sanctity and spiritual beauty of sex is to me reprehensible and in the category of an oxymoron.
I called the office of the Anglican Archbishop expressing my disappointment, and I sincerely hope that he can prevent these kinds of statements from being expressed again. I was unable to speak to him personally.
As a former Anglican, I have often given public praise to the Anglican Church for the many good things it has done for Barbados. I am proud of my Anglican heritage, but extremely disappointed with the comments mentioned in this letter. I sincerely hope an apology will be forthcoming from the said priest.
It is my prayer that my colleague in the ministry will see the error of his way, the damage he most likely inflicted on the youth of our nation, and that he will read the Bible some more, as there is so much God has to say on this matter.
I end by referring to a statement in the Bible made by a member in the audience: “Flee fornication!”
Rev. Wayne Webster is senior pastor of Calvary Temple, Crane, St Philip.