by Philip Amiola
Same sex marriage has been a subject of public debate for a long time.
A cursory review of ancient literature traces this contention to the antediluvian age. Since then, proponents of this world view have coined several terminologies to describe themselves and their ideology which has grown strong enough to become a matter of legislation all over the world. I have avoided this raging debate for a long time because, as far as I am concerned, it is a settled case. However, the renewed flurry of pro-gay initiatives and the resultant increase in consciousness that has attended the matter in recent times have apparently jolted me out of reverie.
Nature is replete with pointers to the fact that gay, lesbian and all forms of same sex unions are a clear anomaly. Sexual intimacy between a man and a woman is the normal pattern of matrimonial relationship because it is congruent to our physiology and anatomy; and because it is the normal means of procreation. You don’t need a PhD in Genetics or Embryology to know these things. Anyone with simple commonsense can tell that marriage is supposed to be between man and woman, not man and man or woman and woman. It’s unfortunate that such a fundamental matter of biological function, which nature has already decided through clearly defined anatomical features, has suddenly become a matter for legislative adjudication.
Since the family is the basic unit of every society, and good families are a product of healthy marriages, every attempt to transmogrify the marriage institution must be resisted with righteous fury. Until we see the situation in the light of this truth, we will not be provoked to radical action. You see, gay rights movements (and similar derivatives) are on a mission to distort our fundamental values and topple the foundational structures of our society. They have an agenda and they are committed to it. We need straight people who will be bold enough to pursue an opposing agenda with strategic commitment. When evil infiltrates a society, it does not happen in one fell swoop or by sudden invasion. So also is moral decadence – it is the cumulative effect of a process that has been actively pursued or passively permitted over time.
It is encouraging to note that the Nigerian legislature has taken a clear stand on this. I recently downloaded the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill from The Punch website. I hope other media entities will also take significant steps in resisting this evil tide. We cannot afford to be politically correct at the expense of our personal convictions and collective destiny. Kayode Adeniji puts it so well; “The simple demand of an evil system and evil people, is that good men should submit by simply keeping quiet and minding their own business. You will not likely be muted to actually participate in evil, but you will be told to keep your distance and not interfere with the operations of evil.”
We cannot pander to the whims of a few individuals at the expense of our communal values – the very fabrics that hold our society together. Regardless of the pressure, straight people must not be bullied into silence. We must continue to lift up the banner of truth in the midst of fallen standards. If we continue to passively tolerate this present decadence, I foresee a time when bestiality, sodomy, voyeurism and other forms of sexual perversion will become acceptable as alternative lifestyles. This may sound farfetched and totally unrealistic, but so did the concept of same sex union, only a few decades ago.
Philip Amiola is a teacher, writer and campaigner of empowerment. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria and tweets @PhilipAmiola.