Malawi’s bishops blast gvmt for caving to foreign pressure on abortion, homosexuality
Malawi's
Catholic bishops made their strongest statement yet against an abortion bill
being considered by legislators, of the nation of over 17 million, linking it
to a parallel push to legalize same-sex "marriage" supported by the
U.S. and international agencies.
"We are deeply concerned about new trends in our
society that promote a culture of death instead of a culture of life through
the abortion campaign," the bishops stated in a March 13 pastoral letter.
"Because of that, the family and the institution of marriage between man and
woman are under direct attack from those campaigning for homosexual rights and
homosexual unions."
The bishops led their lengthy statement decrying the
poverty gap and the political culture of corruption and waste, but they focused
on the current bill, which would grant virtual abortion on demand, providing
exceptions to the current century-old law, which calls for a penalty of up to
14 years in prison but allows abortion when the mother's life is endangered by
delivery.
The proposed bill would add exceptions not only for
cases of rape, incest, deformity, and any danger to the mother, but also when
mental distress is risked. The law's provisions are backed by questionable
statistics suggesting that the country has 71,000 illegal abortions yearly,
half of which, it is also claimed, lead to complications.
This approach is used over and over, according to
Obianuju Ekeocha of Culture of Life Africa. She told LifeSiteNews last year,
"Right now it is a concerted effort by a number of key organizations and
governments aimed at the most vulnerable African countries. It is always the
same technique. Go for the countries of east and southern Africa, which are
most liberal in matters of male-female sexual relations; produce inflated
numbers about illegal abortion and resulting maternal mortality; use scare
tactics to win over politicians."
The bishops called on all Malawi people to show
compassion and respect for homosexuals and noted that the "condition is
disordered but not sinful in itself. However, when it comes to homosexual acts
or unions, the Church does not mince words: these are objectively evil and
totally unacceptable."
The bishops charged the government with caving in to
pressure from foreign countries and international aid agencies, which tie
monetary assistance to removal of laws restricting homosexuality.
The bishops wrote, "The Government has bowed down
to pressure from [the] donor community, international bodies and local human
rights campaigners. As Pastors, we find this path very unfortunate. It is an
act of betrayal on the part of those in power to sell our country to foreign
practices and tendencies contrary to the will of God because of money."
A story in
the New York Times last year noted that the U.S. has spent millions worldwide
since 2012 promoting homosexual "marriage" and other minority causes.
It also cited both African homosexuals and Christian church leaders claiming
that this push was causing a backlash against homosexuals and resistance to
such tied aid. "This is an abuse of power, and that's why many are turning
around and saying, 'Keep your money,' " the Rev. George Ehusani, former
secretary general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, told the NYT.
