Court rules against Moreletapark
Recently a Pretoria High Court judge awarded R87 000 in damages to a music teacher who was fired by the NGK Moreletapark in 2005 because he was in an unrepentant homosexual relationship. Heralded as a ‘watershed’ case for the gay rights agenda, this ruling is a disturbing warning of things to come unless Christians rise up and appeal the ruling. Judge Dion Basson further ordered the church to unconditionally apologise to the teacher, Johan Strydom. The church, on the other hand, maintains that homosexuality is a sin and that while the congregation was willing to keep these people on as part of its flock and to assist them with the necessary love and support, it couldn’t allow them to serve in a leadership position.
Head of Moreletapark, Dominee Dirkie van der Spuy, said all people were sinners but that God was forgiving. He said that if Strydom chose to live celibate, he would have remained in his job. The judge found that the congregation had unfairly discriminated against Strydom. Van der Spuy was disappointed by the judgment and stated that the church could not apologise for the Word of God. AFM president Dr Isak Burger said the ruling was a "serious threat" to religious freedom in South Africa.
According to media watchdog, Philip Rosenthal, Morelata has the legal right to appeal to the Constitutional Court, but "this would be expensive - maybe half a million rands or more in legal costs. Nevertheless, it should be done, because now the rights of every Bible respecting church in South Africa is under threat from this bad decision. Furthermore, if accepted, it will not be the end of homosexual persecution of Christians through the injustice of the court system. If we don’t fight back now, it is going to get worse – in countries like Holland, Canada and Sweden, this homosexual persecution is even more dire with several pastors being criminally prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality. For more information please see
www.defendmarriage.co.za
If this kind of persecution continues, some churches may need to choose to lose their financial assets and keep the faith. If we need to, we should be prepared to lose our church buildings and meet in hired halls or private homes or the open air, but we should not compromise with unjust courts who demand us to tolerate sexual immorality.
"Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated." Heb 10:33. Christians and all churches need to stand with the NGK Moreletapark against this persecution. Let us pray for them, and those who can, please send funds, to assist with an appeal. Please email your support and assure them of your prayers at: pr@moreleta.co.za or see
www.moreleta.org. For more info on how you can lobby government, please contact Christian View Network. 021 685 4500 or
www.ChristianView.org.+
Write to your local paper to express your moral outrage – your faith is at stake! Argus Newspaper: lyntinaa@ctn.independent.co.za Die Beeld: briewe@beeld.com Business Day: jimjones@tml.co.za Cape Times: ctletters@ctn.independent.co.za City Press: news@citypress.co.za Daily Dispatch: eledit@iafrica.com Daily News: pather@nn.independent.co.za Die Burger: dbmening@burger.naspers.co.za Eastern Province Herald: epherald@tmecl.co.za Evening Post: eppost@tmecl.co.za Mail & Guardian: letters@mg.co.za Rapport: rapport@rapport.co.za Sowetan: swtnedit@sowetan.co.za Sunday Times: suntimes@tml.co.za Sunday Tribune: tribletter@nn.independent.co.za The Mercury: mercletter@nn.independent.co.za The Natal Witness: mail@witness.co.za The Star: letters@star.co.za The Sunday Independent: scribe@sunday.independent.co.za
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