Anglican head critcises promiscuity
2010-02-04 16:00
PROMISCUITY, unfaithfulness and unprotected sex are an offence
against the sanctity of life, according to the head of the Anglican Church in
South Africa.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba made the remarks in a “moral state of the
nation address” delivered at an interfaith function in Johannesburg yesterday
night, and released today.
Although he did not mention President Jacob Zuma, his comments come
amid controversy over the news that Zuma has fathered his 20th child with a
woman who is not one of his wives.
Makgoba said it would be easy just to preach “no sex outside
marriage”, which was what Christians and others upheld because it
made for
strong families and healthy societies.
“But, if my words are completely out of touch with how people
actually live, then I risk being dismissed as irrelevant,” he said.
“Let me rather put it this way: promiscuity, unfaithfulness,
adultery, unprotected sex that risks spreading HIV or resulting in unwanted
pregnancies and the appallingly high numbers of abortions that occur in our
country – all of these are offences against the sanctity, the sacredness, of
life.
“They are acts of emotional violence and physical peril, and
demeaning to the human dignity of all involved.”
He said such conduct was damaging to those involved, to the
stability of society, and to future generations.
Sex was wonderful, and was one of God’s best gifts to
humanity.
“But the greatest gifts are open to the worst abuses. Let us use
the gift of sexuality wisely and well.”
Makgoba listed Mahatma Gandhi’s “seven deadly social sins“, one of
which, he said, was “pleasure without conscience”.
“As the American satirist Felicia Lamport put it: vice is nice. But
a little virtue won’t hurt you.”
- SAPA