The Seventh-day Adventist Church has called for intensified public education on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, urging that Ghanaians be adequately informed about its implications before it is passed into law.
The Vice-President of the General Conference of the church, Pastor Professor Roberts Osei-Bonsu, said broad public sensitisation would yield better results than rushing Parliament to pass the bill and for the President to assent to it without a clear understanding of its provisions.
He explained that Ghana, being a deeply religious society, required deliberate efforts to educate citizens on issues that touched on cultural and moral values. According to him, such practices addressed by the bill were widely perceived to be inconsistent with the country’s cultural and religious beliefs, and should, therefore, not be entertained within communities.
Pastor Osei-Bonsu, the first Ghanaian to be elected to the top hierarchy of the church, made the remarks when he served as a guest preacher at the All Nations Chapel in Adentan of the Greater Accra Region last Saturday.
He cautioned that hastily passing the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill could create confusion and deepen divisions in society, particularly if the people the law sought to regulate did not fully understand its implications.
He warned that misunderstandings surrounding the issue could lead to dangerous situations, including wrongful accusations and potential harm to innocent people based on mere suspicion.
Pastor Osei-Bonsu reiterated that Ghana’s strong religious, cultural and traditional foundations meant that any conduct perceived to undermine these values would be regarded as immoral.
He, therefore, underscored the need for public education to ensure that citizens clearly understood the intent of the bill being considered by their representatives in Parliament.
Touching on the church’s evangelism plans, Pastor Osei-Bonsu announced that the church would, on September 5 this year, launch a global initiative dubbed: ‘One Voice 27.’
Furthermore, he explained that the programme was aimed at uniting members of the church worldwide and spreading the message of the second coming of Jesus Christ, using digital platforms.
Pastor Osei-Bonsu noted that the digital space had become a powerful tool for reaching people, particularly through coordinated media campaigns designed to promote spiritual renewal within communities.
According to him, the media now played a central role in shaping narratives, and it was, therefore, the responsibility of the church to make full use of it in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, resurrection and promised return.
Moreover, Pastor Osei-Bonsu indicated that the initiative would target more than five billion internet users across the world, including young people and children.
He urged church members to prepare themselves spiritually and emulate the example of Jesus Christ, who identified with the poor, the sick and sinners, and transformed lives during his ministry.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
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