CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Aug 8, CMC – The S. Lucia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists says while it recognises the authority of the state in legal matters, it is firmly reaffirming its belief in the biblical model of marriage and sexuality.
The statement follows last month’s Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s (ECSC) ruling that struck down the laws that had criminalized same-sex relations with offenders facing the possibility of up to 10 years in prison.
Like the Roman Catholic Church earlier, the Seventh-day Adventists said it remains guided by what it called the “unchanging authority of the Word of God” defining marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman and rejects same-sex sexual relations as inconsistent with God’s revealed will.
“We recognise that such decisions fall within the legal framework of the state. However, as a people of faith, we remain committed to the unchanging authority of the Word of God in matters of moral and spiritual conduct.”
The ECSC said two sections of the island’s criminal code that banned “gross indecency” and “buggery” were unconstitutional.
The case was one of the five country strategic litigation initiatives of the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) which has been working closely with LGBTQ+ organizations, individuals and allies to protect and promote the community’s basic human rights.
The case removes outdated, colonial-era barriers that fuel stigma, discrimination and violence. The Court modified the laws relating to exclude private consensual acts between adults (section 132) and those aged 16 plus (section 133), paving the way for dignity and equality to be respected.
In its statement, the Seventh-day Adventist underscored the “inherent dignity, worth and value of every human being” calling on followers to extend love and respect to all, regardless of orientation or life choices.
“We are all children of God, broken in different ways and in need of His grace. Christ Himself modelled a perfect balance of truth and grace, and we are called to do the same,” it said, urging St. Lucia to return to the principles of God’s Word, noting that “lasting moral clarity and national well-being are found in alignment with His truth, rather than in departure from it”.
Last week, UNAIDS described as a “milestone for human rights” the court ruling saying “this triumph upholds LGBTQ+ people’s rights to protection of the law, privacy, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and equal protection under the law, as guaranteed by the Constitution”.
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