An abomination - that is the verdict and the outrageous sentence, not the couple

I read this story...I REread this story....I cannot believe this has happened...call me naive but what the...........

This particular slant was featured on the tellybox news. The worst end of the christianity spectrum appeared to be involved... again.

What a shocking story. I feel both sad and furious that things like this are still happening.

I can only echo what everyone else has said - truly shocking

Barbaric!

It's quite shocking to think that Homosexuality was only decriminailised in this country in 1967 ...................i know to younger FM's this seems a lifetime ago but it is well within living memory to me. Homosexuals (if found guilty of the act) were actually imprisoned.

Shocking!

It's ironic that aids is so endemic in Africa due to hetero sex etc..however this includes rape as a weapon .I watched that show "The most dangerous country for a woman" ..tragic , rape is commonplace.

Fire and Brimstone preaching causes such a lot of problems.... it's truly awful!

Some countries remain in the dark ages.

A few extracts from an article in today's Guardian on this subject:-


"Homosexuality," says Pastor Mario Manyozo of the Word of Life Tabernacle Church in Malawi, "is against God's creation and is an evil act, since gays are possessed with demons." The Anglican bishop of Uyo, Nigeria, the Right Rev Isaac Orama, believes homosexuals are "inhuman, insane, satanic and not fit to live".


 "In .... Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen, as well as in parts of Nigeria and Somalia, gays and lesbians can be put to death."


"In Nigeria, where former president Olusegun Obasanjo believes homosexuality "is clearly unbiblical, unnatural and definitely unAfrican", anyone who "has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature" is punishable by up to 14 years in jail (that's in the Christian south. In the 12 states that have adopted sharia law, same-sex activity is punishable by stoning to death)."

It's disgusting .... this is something I could get really annoyed about

I happen to work for 2 gay couples and they are the nicest people you could ever wish to meet. I don't know why some folk seem to be so against it? ... Imo, fair enough if it's not for you but live and let live I say. Who has the right to say what is right? .... I can only guess that alot of the prejudice goes back to the bible and religion. The year is twenty ten fgs!!! ... it's time to move on!!

I read an interesting interview by Reverend Cheri DiNovo, who seems to share the same views as Rowan Williams. It's a shame some don't take a leaf out of their books  

Everything always boils down to some misinterpretation of some religion or other...perhaps it's organised religion that should be banned before anything else.

If I may...

Although this couple were tried,convicted, and sentenced to 14 years with hard labour, as a gay couple under Malawi law, neither of them are homosexual.
Tiwonge Chimbalanga is a trans woman; Steven Monjeza is her (straight) boyfriend. They were arrested for holding a private engagement party. Malawi's government, as well as criminalising homosexuality, refuses to accept that transgender people exist.

I think it's just awful Such injustice!

Very true, I was going to say that this is our legacy (in the so called first world). If we hadn't forced christianity on anybody else, we wouldn't have this attrocity now.

I have a massive interest in this, having a gay daughter, and for some Christians to say this is a choice in life they choose... bloody rubbish. I was the one that sat on suicide watch when my daughter was 19 and was so unhappy, depressed and so very unsure of how WE would accept her, that wasn't a choice she made. Even rumours that my marriage break up was because my ex couldn't accept our daughter, that was also rubbish! It didn't matter one jot to me, I'm just happy that she's happy now, my ex is also not one bit bothered, in fact he's been helping her and partner move flats.

So many wars and prejudices are started in the name of religion   

I agree Dame Ann

Blimey, I hadn't heard that in any of the news reports!

I've just read this article, which does, sort of, mention it:

'Chimbalanga often wore women's clothing. He called himself Auntie Tiwo, and was, until the article appeared, accepted as a woman by his employer, cooking and cleaning at a local lodge. He insists he did nothing wrong but fall in love.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...uple-jailed-14-years

Although, it still calls her 'he'.

It also mentions colonialism and religion and how homosexuality and transgender identities used to be far more accepted in some African cultures.

Doesn't surprise me, Blizzie, but I read different news reports. Like this one; http://www.wakingvixen.com/201...-identity-is-erased/

The Malawi government and media don't want it mentioned; after all, jailing a straight couple for 14 years because they held an engagement party would make them look barbaric and backward. Oh, wait....

Malawi's President has pardoned these two men and ordered their release.
This was announced at a press conference in the presence of UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-Moon.

A victory for world-wide public opinion....... Hopefully.

That's brilliant news, Brisket.

Just a reminder that one of these so called 'gay men' is actually a trans woman (see Sarum's post), but great news anyway!

Ooh yes.
Thanks for reminder and amendment Blizzie.

That's great news....but in the light of David Laws (a clever, privileged man in power) feeling the need to hide his sexuality in this free and fair country...I feel I must take issue with those of you that have called Malawi or all Africans barbaric...I have an African mother, and I was born in Africa...my family are of the 20th and 21st Century.
I understand that Africa has a way to go to catch up with the West....but seeing as Homosexuality was still a crime in the UK as recently as 1967, and has been decriminalised in Eire since 1993...go easy on the use of terms such as barbaric. Thanks 

Good points suzy.
It makes one think....

Thanks brisket 

suzy, if you read the link I posted above (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/22/malawian-gay-couple-jailed-14-years), it does talk about how homosexuality was widely accepted in Africa before colonial times!

"It's important to remind ourselves," Tendi says, "that the issue of gay rights isn't fully settled here in the west either. There are still major contradictions in many countries; this is not something that we should feel we have completely resolved ourselves."

But the most common explanation many anti-gay Africans give for their stance, he says, is that "homosexuality is not African: it was introduced to the continent by white European colonialists." In fact, he points out, anthropologists have shown that homosexual practices were perfectly accepted in many African cultures in the pre-colonial era.

Thanks Blizzie...I am aware of that...it just hurts to see "my" people called barbarians...that's all.

That makes me feel a lot better about being of the same "people" as Nick Griffin, Simon Cowell, and that 'itler one.

I haven't got the foggiest what you are on about Garage Joe, but I do have a sense that you have been arsey with me for a while...just post around me for the duration. Thanks 

... er no!   I'm not arsey about anyone. I'm just saying that one can't define people by their race.

I apologise if I give anyone that idea.

Most of the posts have mentioned religion as being the culprit, suzy, and I can't see any that have called all Africans 'barbaric'.

And, as others pointed out, we're not that far ahead of other countries, and still have plenty of barbarians alive and kicking in our own country.