Gay pastor challenges Archbishop Okogie
25 May 2008- Nigeria-Less than seven days after Cardinal Anthony
Olubunmi Okogie declared Nigerian gay pastor, Rev. Jide Macaulay an
insane person ignorant of biblical principles, the gay pastor has fired
back, saying Okogie does not know the Bible.
Okogie, the Catholic Archbishop of
Lagos had last Sunday said that right from creation, “God made male and
female and admonished them to multiply. He did not make them male and
male, nor female and female”.
In his reply to Okogie’s comments,
Macaulay who heads the House of Rainbow Metropolitan Church in Lagos,
with another branch in London said conservative Christians like Okogie
do not know the bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The controversial gay pastor said
that he is on an enlightenment mission and must supply new and fresh
information for Christians in the country to understand.
“We have to be radical against those
who are violent toward me. Many citizens of Nigeria including
conservative Christians have concluded that homosexuality is a sin. They
need new information, education and anointing for wisdom to understand
the heart of God for all the people of God”, the homosexual pastor said.
He explained that homosexuality is
included in the mysteries of God in the dynamic creation of the human
spectrum, and said he is happy to be a gay and servant of God.
“Let us say a few things. Jesus
Christ came to the world to die for my sins and not my sexuality. If you
fail to love me, then God who made me will love me always. he said.
I have responded honestly with all my
heart, to the call of God to be the face and voice of our community
Nigeria. I’m sure many people agree with me but refuse to identify
because of fear of rejection. All the same, I can understand”, he said.
Rev Macaulay said that there are at
the moment 15 million gays and lesbians in the country and called on
them to fight for their rights.
“Before we rush into the condemnation
of the 15 million sexual minority in Nigeria, we need to think of the
people’s rights to be part of the household of God and also how they are
to be included as rightful citizens of Nigeria”, he said.
He added, “we get nowhere without a
fight, but I believe that fight is righteous for many people that are
made to speak out or stand up for their belief”.
Last week in a recorded television
show at the City Mall Studio, Onikan, Lagos, the gay pastor had said
that he had been a gay since the age of 14.
He said he practices sodomy, the act
of having sex with another man through the anus, adding that he is
comfortable with it as a gay Christian.
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