SC verdict on homosexuality, adultery detestable: Church body

Kohima: The apex church body in Nagaland has taken strong exception to the recent Supreme Court judgments decriminalising homosexuality between consenting adults as well as adultery, terming them “detestable” and “unacceptable” to Christians.

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) deliberated on the court rulings threadbare in its executive meeting held on October 30-31, it said in a statement on Saturday.

“Legalising of such acts (homosexuality and adultery) is extremely detestable and unacceptable to the Christians under any circumstances,” the statement by NBCC said.

“This interpretation that granting of liberty, empowering adulterers and unnatural relationship with the encouragement and support of law is terribly wrong for our society,” the NBCC added.

In what was hailed as a historic move, the apex court had on September 6 unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises consensual unnatural sex, saying it violated the rights to equality.

Following this, the top court struck down Section 497 of the IPC dealing with the offence of adultery, holding it manifestly arbitrary, archaic and violative of the rights to equality and equal opportunity to women.

The NBCC warned Christians not to be swayed away by such laws as reinterpreting the Bible, and the biblical morality and ethics. The church body said “marriage is between a man and a woman only” and that it shall “never permit gay sex”.

“Though we are governed by the law of the land so as to be good citizens, however, when the laws are intentionally introduced and amended to liberalise or compromise morality and ethics of its citizens, we, the church must firmly stand guard against such move at all costs and always,” it added.