700 Kenyan Evangelical Pastors Urge Obama Not to 'Preach' Gay Marriage
Support During Visit
Stoyan Zaimov ("The Christian Post," May 18, 2015)
President Barack Obama has been urged by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya,
comprised of 700 pastors, not to "preach" and impose his views in support
of same-sex marriage on the Kenyan people when he visits the African
country in July.
"We would like to send a strong message to the U.S. president that the
homosexuality debate should not become part of his agenda, as it has been his
tendency whenever he comes to Africa," Bishop Mark Kariuki of the
Evangelical Alliance, told the Kenyan Daily Nation newspaper on Monday.
"[Obama] should respect the faith, culture and people of Kenya when he
comes in July," he added. "He should not put [homosexuality] as one of his
main
agenda[s] in the country."
The pastors said in a separate statement that "President Barack Obama is
welcome to visit Kenya this summer — but please, leave the preaching to us."
And Nairobi Cardinal John Njue, who serves as president of the Kenyan
Episcopal Conference, said that Obama has "ruined" American society with his
support for gay marriage.
"Those people who have already ruined their society … let them not become
our teachers to tell us where to go," Njue said. "I think we need to act
according to our own traditions and our faiths."
Obama's state visit to Kenya, the country where he traces back part of his
heritage, will be his first return trip to the country since he became
president, the LA Times noted.
America has shared a strained relationship with Kenya in recent years,
stemming from the U.S.
government's opposition to President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was elected in
2013 despite being charged with crimes against humanity in the International
Criminal Court.
July's state visit is aimed at rebuilding that relationship, with Secretary
of State John F. Kerry already meeting with Kenyatta earlier in May to
discuss counter-terrorism efforts and security cooperation.
Obama has urged the African government to decriminalize homosexuality, and
in 2013 said during a speech alongside Senegalese President Macky Sall that
gay people should not be discriminated against.
"When it comes to people's personal views and their religious faith, I
think we have to respect the diversity of views that are there," Obama said at
the time.
"But when it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats
people, I believe that everybody has to be treated equally. I don't believe in
discrimination of any sort," he added.
The comments prompted Kenyan officials to urge Obama to respect culture and
religious beliefs.
"No one should have any worry about Kenya's stand as a God-fearing nation.
President Obama is a powerful man but we trust in God as it is written in
the Bible that cursed is the man who puts trust in another man," Kenya
Deputy President William Ruto said back then.
Kenya, a majority Christian country, does not allow gay marriage and
criminalizes same-sex acts, as is the case in a number of other African
states.
The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya has also said that it is wary of
Obama's upcoming visit.
"We are not prepared to accept, hear or listen to anyone lecturing us on
how our culture is good or bad," said IRCK Chairman Adan Wachu.
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