The following is singer Judy Mowatt's response to an article published by The Gleaner on January 6, 2005, on page D1.
I AM very concerned about the fact that what I said during my performance at Genesis on January 1, 2005, was misinterpreted and used by Mr. Kandre McDonald to imply that I was condemning homosexuals rather than the sexual sins that I highlighted. This certainly hurts my heart, because I know God has changed my life and He does not judge according to the type of sins that we commit. God loves everyone (John 3 v. 16) and there is no sin that is too great for the blood of Jesus to cleanse.
I am unsure of Mr. McDonald's motive in publishing the article in the manner he did. Despite this, I believe it is important for me to highlight the true context of my address. In reviewing my actual words that night, my address (a) showed God's general response to sin during different points in time using the story of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah and the Laws given to Israel (b) emphasised that the Laws in terms of sexual sins, pertain today. The sins that I mentioned are sexual relations between a married man and an unmarried woman (adultery was explicitly named); man and man (homosexuality which was implied); man and beast (bestiality, which was also explicitly named).
WHAT GOD WOULD WANT
Upon acknowledging the existence of these practices in Jamaica, I asked the audience to consider what God would want to do to Jamaica as a nation. Prayer was promoted as the means by which we would be healed and forgiven as a nation but only if this was done with a pure heart. I closed my statement, using recent severe acts of nature that occurred in other parts of the world to emphasise the seriousness of the times and signs of the "beginning of sorrows." I also indicated that Jamaica can have similar fate if as a nation, we do not repent.
What would I gain from using my allotted 20 minutes of stage time to lash out at homosexuals? I would not do this, as I would be defeating my purpose as a minister. I do realise that homosexuality, like any other sin, is in our nation and God does not regard this sin greater than the others. I also do not feel that you should condemn the sinner with the sin.
I acknowledge that I erred in implying that the penalty of death as executed in the Old Testament is applicable today. My intention was to emphasise that although these acts are still not condoned by God, we are subject to His mercy and Grace today. Even though I focused on sexual sins, I was not condoning other sins neither was I condemning any souls to physical or spiritual death. It is because of the Grace of God why we are forgiven of any sin, including homosexuality.
