Peter Garth, Contributor

The church must offer rigorous and precise criticisms of the existing socio-political order in the name of righteousness. The role of prophecy is never fully negative and condemnatory and the prophet has a task not only to be against sin and condemn wrong, but also to proclaim the creative, redeeming and righteous will of God.

The prophet is a spokesman for what God demands. He points out what conforms to the nature and character of God. He declares on whose side God stands. His word, therefore, is a word that condemns injustice and proclaims righteousness. The Church must recognise that it is not exempt from the evils of society, hence its prophetic word must be a purging word.

Educating society

The second role of the Church is that of education. The Church must clarify and be involved in conscientisation. Issues and problems multiply in the society each day, and at the same time, they become more and more complex. The ordinary person, and even the intellectuals, stand to be confused both with the number of issues and their complexity. There is also a further problem, especially in Jamaica, that invariably, when the issues are being discussed and when people are in search of better understanding of the issues, that the moral aspects of those issues do not receive the attention they ought to receive. The economic, sociological, scientific and psychological aspects will receive full attention, but the moral aspects will be ignored and considered less than important. I firmly believe that the Church has an important role to play in educating people about the moral factors in those situations.

It is against this background and within this context of the role of the Church that I would like to quickly mention some of the moral issues that confront us today. In recent times, I have been on many programmes dealing with issues such as casino gambling, homosexuality, abortion, greyhound racing and prostitution. These are all issues that need very careful examination and we must not be afraid or ashamed to say, "The Bible says!" Although these issues have other dimensions, the biblical aspects are most critical. I firmly believe in the reliability of the biblical documents and I am not afraid to use the Bible as a reference.

Necessity of research

However, I am also aware that when we look at the moral issues just mentioned, we have to remember that we relate to a generation that disregards the Bible, and so, research in the medical, legal, psychological, economical and other aspects must be considered.

Few activities are as brutal and damaging to people as prostitution. Field research in nine countries concluded that 60-75 per cent of women in prostitution were raped, 70-95 per cent were physically assaulted, and 68 per cent met the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder in the same range as treatment-seeking combat veterans and victims of state-organised torture.

Prostitution leaves women and children physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually devastated. Recovery takes years, even decades; often, the damage can never be undone. Truly, prostitution is not the oldest profession, but the oldest form of oppression.

Everyone knows that the Bible in no way or form endorses homosexuality, but along with the scriptural, there is the medical evidence that demands a verdict. Dr Jeffery Satinover's book, Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, Baker Press, 2000, should be read by everyone. This is a great book by a psychiatrist with important insights into the nature of change; a strong critique of attempts to say homosexuality is biologically determined; a spirited, well-documented defence of the possibility of change; and a devastating chapter titled 'Is Homosexuality Desirable? Brute Facts'.

Also, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality documents 10 scientific studies that reveal the lack of evidence for homosexuality being genetically caused.

On the matter of gambling, I believe very firmly in light of biblical principles that gambling is personally selfish, morally irresponsible and socially destructive. However, many Christians do not take gambling seriously because they cannot find a direct commandment against gambling, but there are precepts, principles and models that call every disciple of Christ to a life incompatible with gambling.

Someone may say, 'Gamblers agree to pay up if they lose, so they do give it willingly'. But it is not done in the spirit of goodwill that the Bible describes, else why does the gambler try to keep others from taking his possessions?

The truth is, gambling is mutual covetousness like duelling is mutual attempted murder. In duelling, each person agrees to let the other person try to kill him in exchange for the opportunity to try to kill the other person. However, killing would still be unauthorised, regardless of the agreement (Romans 13 vs 8-10). So, a gambler agrees to let others try to take his possessions in exchange for the opportunity for him to try to take the other person's possessions. Therefore, the conclusion is that it is still covetousness, just like duelling is attempted murder. The agreement simply makes both parties guilty of sin!

Issue of abortion

Regarding the issue of abortion, I believe that all life is a gift from God, so that neither the life of the unborn child, nor that of the mother, may be lightly taken. Abortions on demand or for reasons of personal convenience, social adjustments, or economic advantage, are morally wrong. Both the testimony of the Bible, and the history of evangelical truth, unite to condemn abortion.

When approaching the Bible, many pro-abortionists will simply try to twist the word of God - giving the impression that God does not have a definite opinion on abortion because the Bible does not specifically mention the word 'abortion', despite the fact that it obviously happened in biblical times.

I believe that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that moral laws are as abiding as the physical laws. Just as 'it is always wrong to hate (people),' abortion on demand is always wrong. The powers that be must come to see that it has always been wrong, it is wrong in 2008 and will still be wrong in the year 3000.

Rev Dr Peter Garth is president of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals.