Statement by the Christian Community regarding the challenge to the Buggery and Gross Indecency Laws in SVG

We, the Association of Evangelical Churches, the Catholic Churches, the Methodist Churches, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mission of Seventh-day Adventist, and the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese – Representatives of the Christian Community in St Vincent and the Grenadines (approximately 85% of the population) – collaborate to express concern and offer clarification with respect to the need to preserve Godly values and wholesome family life in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Guided by God’s revelation through His Son Jesus Christ and His Word, the Holy Bible, we are confident that God, Father and Creator of all life, was deliberate in His design of and will for all human beings. God, in His wisdom created us as social beings and made family the principal agency of our society. Human community, therefore, requires neighbourliness and adherence to Godly values in order to maximise and fulfil its potential and as such, achieve virtues such as peace, order, harmony and righteous living, the absence of which perpetuates discord, violence, crime, war and chaos. We are aware that much of ‘modern values and principles’ are based on individualism, selfishness, a diminished regard for the other and a growing disregard for God as our Creator and Guide.

In light of modern challenges to the values which once pervaded our global society and held by the vast majority of Vincentians, and specifically in light of the challenge to our buggery and gross indecency laws in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we affirm that:

1. The Bible, the inspired Word of God, is the authentic guide for holy and righteous living, for societal wellbeing and the wellbeing of humanity.

2. All human beings are created in God’s image and likeness and are to be treated with respect and love which encourages living righteously.

3. God made human beings male and female from creation. He intended for them to live their lives as biological male and biological female which is determined from conception.

4. The foundation of the family is marriage between a biological male and a biological female.

5. The Bible clearly outlines that all sexual activity outside the confines of marriage between a biological male and a biological female are forbidden.

6. Human beings share various experiences of brokenness, abuse and dysfunction on account of the problem of sin.

7. Human brokenness, abuse and dysfunction when met by the transforming grace of God can bring healing and wholeness.

8. The individual right of choice and preference is not autonomous of the collective wellbeing of society and godly values.

We, therefore, reject any attempt to change or modify the Godly values upon which the laws of our nation was founded and the laws that adequately reflect those fundamental values, since to do so will cause further and significant harm to our individual and collective wellbeing.