Over the years you may realize that the question of LGBTI has been a sticky issue to deal with in Africa. Countries like Zambia and Tanzania had registrations that implicitly prohibit even the mention of LGBTI. Most of the time their argument are based on religious values especially in Christianity and Islam. While those religions have been exported to Africa and the African have completely accepted them as part and parcel of their culture and tradition, they are using this religion as the bases for not accepting LGBTI issue and related developments that are exported to Africa too. LGBTI is seen as Western and bad on the very Western religious bases! How would you preach LGBTI so that it is accepted in Africa as religion was and is preached and accepted in Africa?
I think the reason why African countries are against LGBTI is not only based on religion but the real customs and traditions. Lets look at the African tradition. It’s clear that there is nothing like LGBTI and any attempts to legalise it will be extremely difficult. Unless it’s imposed on African societies. Even with imposition, it will be very difficult. Now no country will accept imposition.
The challenge is that most of the African tradition guideline have been through oral tradition. That is; when we try to refer to our tradition for rejecting LGBTI studies in Africa, we have nothing written and which means will have to refer to scriptures that are not in fact African. I am told there are some documentation on Buganda kingdom about the practice of homosexuality but it has a Christian background too. Christianity is one of the religions we are using to reject LGBTI intervention. It is may therefore be correct to conclude that if LGBT intervention is rejected on arguments from the West, probably the West could have better means to help Africa accept LGBTI intervention at least.
You have made an interesting point. I also think most of the values in christianity happens to conform with the tradition of African societies. This proba explains why christianity was easily diffused in Africa. In that way it is still very difficult for something that does not conform with the beliefs of Africans to be accepted. I’m sure if polygyny was not in some parts of the Bible, some Africans would not have accepted christianty. Because at least there is some thing similar they accepted before they were told of one man one woman. My point is simply that, LGBTI is probably too off from Africa tradition
1 "Preaching is a way to nowhere". I am not taking it for granted that the term "Preach" simply means orally communicating the religious teachings or instructions to a group of people. This because its outcome and impact have largely contributed to what the world is today. That is Preaching has got very serious short and long term effects not only on humans but the universe. Our approach to LGBT is largely a fruits of Preaching from different religious. PREACHING IS A WAY TO SOMEWHERE! Fortunately or unfortunately it affects even our Science and the way it brings international support. Malala's is actually an evolution of religious approach in gender and education. Religion despite its problems has a lot of great Logic and will always influence our scientific conclusion. We should appreciate the what religion gives in the area of ethics.
2. Whether the preacher had embodied LGBT or not will very much depend on which level you may be looking at this. That is, oral transmission of the word or the impact as a result of the way of life that is promoted by that preaching. It is therefore, very easy to stop preaching but very difficult to stop living the tradition and culture that comes as a result of preaching.
It is, therefore, not so easy for Africa to imagine LGBT intervention without reference to western religion that is not only on the Preaching level (input level) but also deeply rooted in their tradition and culture (through put and impact).
The LGBT intervention will find challenges on different levels of research interventions. This will include getting authorization to conduct research from the Research authorities, getting the participants (samples), data collection process depending on the kind of the research design. The whole process may be viewed as immoral.
The fact that LGBT is like Tsunami in Africa calls for a lot level ground to do any intervention. This level ground should be felt-need of Africa. It is therefore very important to start a special preaching to facilitated an impact that will allow for LGBT intervention. This is the real opportunity!
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Computer Science
- Research Topics