Gay standoff in Spanish Town’s LOJ Shopping Plaza car park

So our friend ‘Ninja’ the son of the veteran dancehall DJ Ninjaman has made the trending numbers again after several video clips taken by smartphone users earlier in the afternoon. The thing got so out of control that the security guard as the video shows had to intervene while in my estimation got too physical with Ninja as he vented. Other smartphone videographers were busy taking shots and a crowd had gathered at the exit/entrance of the plaza’s car park. The sequence of events that led to the melee is unclear but the word is that Ninja while barefooted was effectively profiled as gay given his aesthetic from his bleached skin and hairstyle. His androgynous appearance has landed him in problems before elsewhere.

His temper is entirely another matter altogether.

Here is one of the videos making the rounds:

Sad though that his notoriety is once again enhanced by this ugly episode, one would expect that after one gets to a certain age that one simply just aim a little lower in terms of ignoring terse or harmful words and let things slide, Ninja is not known however to be one with restraint or patience when he feels that someone has stepped on his toes. He is going to explode whether one likes it or not, this is not limited to just non-LGBT people; even in the community he is known for such outbursts aka ‘judgements’ complete with the dramatics.

He was also supposedly labelled I had gathered inside the plaza as a scammer by members of the public, a stereotype that has come to be stuck on some persons by just how they look in terms of tattoos, and dresscode. Ninja is not going take that kind of bashing that kindly but the thing eventually cooled after some time but things like this tend to have an indirect effect in the credibility or image department pursuant to LGBT rights as those who effect the wall of dismissals on ‘gay rights’ when things as this one occur feel justified in their hardened positions.

Fortunately the mob or crowd at the entrance did not attack him as one would expected in times passed, one can remember another mobbing case outside of this ninja matter where cops had to rescue a gay man on Mountain View Avenue as a crowd descended on a house at the time to exact their version of how gays should be dealt with, here is that clip:

It was only in 2016 Ninja found himself in some challenges as well during a People’s National Party, PNP election campaign motorcade which drew some negative reactions from the public and even his own father for want of a better term ‘disassociated’ himself from his son while claiming he (father) did not have any issue with gays. Ninja senior said at the time that he did not curse his son but he (the son) cursed himself. He claimed that his son cannot call him and then he claimed his son he doesn’t know. Sad that for popularity Ninjaman decided to openly pretend he was not interested in his own and it is not an unusual response by many lesser celebrated persons who disown their own LGBT siblings so as to please onlookers and whisperers who expect gays are to be treated as others.

Family rejection often lead to forced evictions or estrangement if not displacement, one can also feel almost a stranger inside ones own home as other siblings simply do not engaged or are very distant. Others such as a 2004 incident at a prominent high school occurred, where a father incited violence on his own soon by other students; if it were not for the janitorial staff that intervened while sustaining some blows from persons and a chair that was thrown at the boy. The thing did not end up with a worse consequence thankfully and it left the country at the time baffled in some sense. Others agreed with the man’s actions while other persons condemned the action while the sexual orientation of his son was gone. Family bond was scene to be more stronger a reason for tolerance than just who he may be sexually interested in or sound like as it was said at the time the young man was well spoken; a trait that can land males in the target of gay allegations devoid of the gangsta or ‘badman’ traits buffered with bravado.

Here is that video from the prior Ninja episode then.

More anon no doubt 

also see a previous post: Ninja Man's Gay Son fled Jamaica after Numerous Death Threats almost one year ago.

Le Sigh!

Peace & tolerance

H

Male birth control could make us infertile!

Jamaican men claim - Male birth control could make us infertile.

Researchers in the United Kingdom have come up with what they have dubbed the 'male pill', an equivalent to female contraceptives, where doctors inject a gel-like substance into the sperm duct to prevent sperm form escaping and getting a woman pregnant.

However, the Jamaican men who spoke with THE WEEKEND STAR said there is no way they would undergo the procedure, which is expected to hit markets by 2018.

"No injection thing inna no balls! Me will gwaan use the condom, and when me ready me take it off. That sound weird. Suppose them give me the injection and it 'sheg' up me system?," Robert Matterson, a 37-year-old father of one, questioned.

According to the Parsemus Foundation, which is developing the drug called Vasagel, the product works by having a doctor inject a gel into the vas deferens (the tube the sperm swim through), rather than cutting the vas (as is done in vasectomy). If a man wishes to restore flow of sperm, whether after months or years, the gel is flushed out of the vas with another injection.

Sexually transmitted diseases

But none of the advantages were compelling enough to convince Jamaican men to warm up to the new technology.

"What about sexually transmitted diseases? It doesn't prevent against that, so it wouldn't make sense. Even if a one woman me have, mi no trust her 100 per cent say she nah go cheat and catch something then give me," said 38-year-old Wayne Fearon.

Calda Wint, 55, who has one daughter, said he believes the male contraceptive is a good idea for men who already have a lot of children and those who cannot afford children. However, he said he would not use Vasagel because he fears that it might have long term negative implications.

Meanwhile, Steve Knowles said he believes those products are for women.

"A woman alone fi take dem things deh, trust me. Just like how dem a change you sex and man a have baby, then them come with this," he said.

Despite all the naysayers, Dr Vernon DaCosta, who heads the Fertility Management Unit at the University of the West Indies, said he believes there is a market for such a product in Jamaica, but there is not enough funding to support research in the field.

"If the government promotes it, I think there would be a market for it here. But to fund research, we would need about five to 10 million dollars per year, and that's US dollars I'm talking about," DaCosta said.

Vasalgel was inspired by the work on a polymer contraceptive called RISUG®, which is in advanced clinical trials in India; some of the men have been using RISUG® for more than 15 years. But right now, only local men near the study sites in India are eligible for the trials, and formal reversibility studies have only been done in animals, not men.

In early 2010, Parsemus Foundation began developing a polymer contraceptive for the rest of the world outside India. The new polymer contraceptive is called Vasalgel™, and 12 months of rabbit studies have shown no sperm from the second semen sample onwards! Sperm flow quickly returned in rabbits that had the polymer flushed out. The goal is to have it on the market as an alternative to vasectomy as soon as possible, with the first clinical trial expected to begin in 2016.

Vasalgel is being developed by the foundation as a “social venture,” a company that makes enough money to stay afloat but not to make anybody rich, with affordable pricing and wide availability as its mandate. The social venture company within the foundation is moving fast on getting the first steps done; however, it won’t have enough money to finish the project, and has conducted fundraising campaigns which have helped to support the nonhuman primate studies that will be concluded by the end of 2015.

Want to see Vasalgel make it to market? Since long-term methods aren’t a big money-maker (it’s a lot more profitable to sell pills to men’s partners every month), big pharma isn’t interested– so we’re relying on public support. With over 20,000 men and women waiting to hear about clinical trials, even $5 or $10 each will fund the preclinical studies (the animal research needed before human trials). Here’s how you can get involved:

Survey of employers, politicians etc says 4% jump in Jamaicans 'hate or reject' homosexual relationships

According to the Gleaner today:

Gays in Jamaica can expect to face increased levels of 'hate or rejection', although many of the people who hate their lifestyle believe they can be 'fixed' through a conversion process.

Those findings are contained in the 2015 Awareness, Attitude & Perception Survey about Issues Related to Same Sex Relationships.

The survey of employers, politicians, and members of the general public was done between June and July last year by Market Research Services for Jamaica's leading gay lobby, the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG).

Among the range of findings is a 14 percentage-point jump in the number of Jamaicans who 'hate or reject' homosexual relationships when compared with the results of the previous survey done in 2012. Sixty per cent of Jamaicans say they reject the lifestyle compared to the 46 per cent in 2012. In 2011, the figure was 40 per cent.

When broken down into the sampling group, 61 per cent of the general public shared the view, while it was 30 per cent among politicians and 14 per cent among employers. Religion and moral concerns dominated the reasons for the strong negative reaction.

UNWELCOME FINDINGS

There were more unwelcome findings for the gay community as the level of tolerance among Jamaicans remains at 12 per cent, the same from the 2012 survey. Unlike 2012, when only one per cent among the population said they would encourage it, it was zero in 2015.

However, despite the increased unfavourable views of most Jamaicans towards homosexuality, the majority who did the survey shared the view that gays and lesbians may be 'converted to heterosexuals'.

The view was especially strong among politicians and the general public, who said gays "can just change".

For most politicians and employers, the Bible was critical to why believed gays and lesbians could be converted to heterosexuals.

They also were of the view that gay desires are born out of social factors and can be adjusted.

Questioning the inclusion of the word 'hate' in the survey, Dr Wayne West, chairman of the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, said he was not surprised by the finding that more Jamaicans are hating or rejecting homosexual relationships.

"Jamaicans, like myself, are becoming more and more aware that what we are contending with is not simply what people do in their private lives. This is a political movement. It has implications for public organisation and public order. People will reject it the more they hear of the public consequences," he argued, while raising questions about challenges to freedom of expression.

The gay lobby argues that the findings of the survey of 2015 attitudes towards same-sex relationships are "instructive".

"They show the tremendous amount of work we need to do to engender a society where everyone can feel safe and know that the laws will secure justice for them if their rights have been infringed," Dane Lewis, JFLAG's executive director, said in a statement to The Gleaner.

The same-sex survey involved a sample group of 1,003 comprising 33 politicians, 28 employers, and 942 people from the 'general populace'. It covered all parishes and has a margin of error of plus/minus three per cent.

ENDS

So it is known the crap that can happen out there and the earthy homophobia out there, but if we were to follow the throw off attempt by JFLAG's own advocacy officer although he does not identify himself as such when he writes for the Gleaner Jaevion Nelson chose to dismiss or read down those who in their own way highlight homophobia as published on March 31, 2015 as in: Jaevion Nelson: Starting A Different Conversation On Homophobia, yet here is the same JFLAG as presented here speaking on all things "Homophobia"

Oh boy one has to wonder sometimes, he must have been aware of the study or is it only JFLAG must speak on the issues? as he and others seek to instruct others as to how to proceed.

Bearing in mind JFLAG's own statistics in regards to reports:

Finally watch this symposium where parts of the article where presented in February at the University of The West Indies:

Peace and tolerance

H

More gay marriage paranoia from anti gay Jamaican groups

I agonized whether I should waste time granting valuable blog space for my valued readers who are little savvier than the average audience and previous blog posts have shown the lunacy from anti gay groups. Jamaica CAUSE and their predecessor Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, LCF have become exceedingly efficient at exacerbating fear and hatred out there capitalizing on the ignorance of the public while sadly gaining traction in doing so and playing the political card in the process.

The latest salvo come on the backdrop of that matter in the US of a clerk refusing to issue gay marriage licenses despite a Supreme Court ruling for all fifty odd states in the US while ignoring the fact she is a public servant paid by tax payers some of whom will benefit from the change in the law and the attendant state benefits affording to such couples prior.

The planned march by the groups for supposed opposition to gay marriage is laughable at least and utter nonsense and asinine at best as other issues such as the awful crime wave, murder rates going through the roof, abuse of children, rape figures usually high yet such groups find strength for gays along the lines of the tyranny of the majority. The 10,000 man march in Montego Bay recently by some church groups was to have highlighted the crime issue especially lotto scamming of which MSM have even suffered from it especially leading to homelessness and homophobic matters as well, chief among them a home invasion in a middle class housing area by a rival lotto scam group where the intended targets deliberately hire young men who are gay and articulate as it is said they get better results than none gay males in the illegal activity. The very week of the march then had three separate shootings and the latest only yesterday morning of three men for alleged lotto scamming rivalry as well as police crackdown on the scourge avenues for the practice become less so infighting rises.

What is even more interesting is the ever changing gold posts for some of the groups as they launch their campaigns for example Helen Coley Nicholson three days ago spoke to Nationwide Radio and also via TBC radio that the planned march is for to respond to the clerk issue and gay marriage and the push by LGBTQIP etc and a clear anti hate promoting agenda yet yesterday on Nationwide as interviewed by Brooks and Fitzhenly Dr Wayne West and Philipa Davies placed a spin on the whole affair when asked by the hosts as to the real reason for the march for Sunday September 28 as a pro-family and other national so called atrocities when the Helen Coley message cleared stated otherwise. It would seem that the Jamaica CAUSE folks are losing some traction and credibility as more and more it is clear to everyone they are selective and only have strength for LGBTQI people. Dr Wayne West went as far as to declare transgender folk as mentally ill.

Those other country priorities are of no import to Jamaica CAUSE et al it seems and given the election silly season obviously piggy backing on the US anti gay Christian clerk matter to gain traction possibly for a conservatism agenda pegged to the Jamaica Labour Party and the agitated referendum on buggery. What about the perceived corruption in government or at the party level; case in point the cry from Lloyd B Smith local government trace and his threat of sorts to his PNP hierarchy of skulduggery yet after the party offered a re-run of the race his threats seem to have disappeared showing the hypocrisy on all fronts; righteous indignation when convenient but the plebeians can go to hell.

It would seem as if the religious right groups prefer the status quo to continue as marriage defined as a union between a man and woman but ends up in some instances divorces as strangers are actually put together as no real romantic time and sexual play is allowed in other words no sex before marriage and the continued hiding of same gender attracted folk in the church as they struggle with identity, acceptance and fear or guilt. The usual argument postured by these anti gay voices is that gay marriage with destroy the family has been proven as nonsense borne out by the breakdown of said family unit without the rights and privileges afforded to gay couples. Just a cursory look at so called family life marriage is already destroyed by those who now have such rights, absentee fathers, fake marriage even in church but the parties aren’t actually in love, naive couples entering the fray. 

The so called straight without the hate tagline is so ridiculous to me.

Then comes the paranoia of church persecution due to disagreement with pro gay issues but if the madness such as that clerk persists and LGBT people feeling hurt by such actions while asking for tolerance in public advocacy then it is a recipe for further hardened positions and the true essence of our struggle is missed as smoke screens divert the eyes from the ball. I warned about such clouding of the issues some time ago in an audio post as well but here we have arrived at the very place I feared, then articles supporting atheism or question God’s existence while smacking gay or LGBTQ Christians in the face comes from folks like Michael Abrahams while supportive of the causes only seeks to mire the issues in the final analysis. The step-n-fetch-it approach by groups such as JFLAG has only added more fuel to the fire by their slow response to the issues when the LCF prior to Jamaica CAUSE’s formation and their rather daft stance on gay marriage from way back when yet it had to get to this stage and still no serious response from the group especially to categorically state that there has been no official position on the matter from them or any other group until present day; individual wishes via articles and discussion is not an official position and given that we cannot even get passed just basic understanding, public awareness on sexual orientation and settling misnomers about homosexuality.

The Gleaner carried this as well:

An alleged threat to family life in addition to recent developments in the United States regarding the sanctioning of same-sex marriage across that country are some of the concerns that have prompted what is expected to be a massive rally hosted by the Church in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, later this month.

Hundreds of well-known church leaders closed the doors of their sanctuaries to venture out with their membership in Half-Way Tree Square in June of last year to flex their collective muscles, as debate raged over a possible repeal of the buggery law.

Dr Stevenson Samuels, chairman of Jamaica CAUSE, the group spearheading the rally, told a press conference yesterday that the rally would not be an attack on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender (LGBT) community, but a call to save the nation from what he described as "predicted negative consequences".

"We are suffering from social, spiritual and economic effects of faulty family life and there is much to be done to address oppression and injustice, but despite our economic, political and social challenges, we will not accept new definitions of marriage and family that defy nature and design and will lead the country towards predictable negative outcomes," Samuels declared.

"We reject all forms of pressure or coercion, internal or external. We stand opposed to all policies that harm marriage, family and children, and as such, urge our leaders to protect the Jamaican family which is already gravely threatened," he continued.

WIDE SUPPORT

He also indicated that groups from several Caribbean countries have confirmed their attendance, including from Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Guyana.

Helene Coley Nicholson, president of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, who also addressed the gathering, noted that she was confident that with the support of Jamaican citizens, the country can be saved from decay of the morals of society.

"The case of Kim Davis puts into sharp focus some of the consequences of the unfolding LGBT agenda. Her imprisonment is the direct consequence of the overthrowing of laws by the US Supreme Court which legalised same-sex marriage in all 50 states in June this year," Coley Nicholson said.

POLITICAL AND LEGAL BATTLES

"That ruling has unleashed political and legal battles over concepts of family, religious liberty and freedom of conscience as well as the Jamaican Constitution."

Kim Davis, a Rowan County clerk in the United States, was sent to jail for refusing to issue licences to gay couples earlier this month.

"As the battle rages, what happened to Kim Davis has sent a signal not just to the centres in the US but to those in other countries, including Jamaica, that are within the sphere of the American influence," Coley Nicholson said.

"Intense pressure has been and is being put on Jamaica by the US and other countries to overturn our buggery laws and enact legislation to offer special rights to LGBT persons."

She added: "We acknowledge that more work needs to be done. However, we are people of faith and we will be guided by that. We believe that Jamaica is going to be a place of refuge and we will continue to take a stand and encourage others to stand with us."

ENDS

Then comes one of their own voices in trouble with the law just the same yet they associate with him in no other than the great Reverend Al Miller - The trial of Kingston pastor Reverend Al Miller is now scheduled to resume on November 4.

Miller's bail has been extended until that time.

When he appeared in the Corporate Area Magistrate's Court today his attorneys asked the court for more time.

Miller’s defence team told the court that they recently received the transcript of the testimony of former police commissioner Owen Ellington at the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry.

The lawyers said they needed more time to review the document.

Miller is being tried for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was charged after then wanted man Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was found in a car he was driving on June 22, 2010

Coke was wanted on an extradition warrant at the time he was captured along Mandela Highway in St Catherine, in a sport utility vehicle that was being driven by Miller.

Gay marriage rights and recognition will not take away from rights already enjoyed by those who the law covers and the aforementioned downlow or hiding in the church to conceal guilt has not been properly ventilated especially owing to the fact that some of the voices in the religious anti gay penny section have been burnt by such causes to end their own marriages hence the bitterness and advocacy from them in such groups.

Finally I am still in agreement with this clip below from the author of 'Dance With a Difference' by Shirley Fletcher:

Peace and tolerance

H

also see:

Why The Obsession with Gays Shirley Richards?

Anti Gay Group Jamaica CAUSE told We're Not Into You! Gays No Threat To Straight Folk

Exporting Gay Hate from Jamaica? .....Al Miller speaks

Jamaica CAUSE issues Veiled threat to Govt to not Repeal The Buggery Law

Betty Ann Blaine Deliberately Conflates Same Gender Attraction & Child Abuse at Christian Anti Gay Mass Rally & in Public Advocacy

Reverend Al Miller continues his antigay advocacy while his integrity is severely damaged

More Overreaction to the Jamaicans for Justice Sex Education Course & Media Senationalism

Betty Ann Blaine on Poverty, children and the Buggery Law .... and that awful confusion of homosexuality with paedophilia 2012

Hardened Positions by Religious Fanatics & Their LGBT Detractors Will Only Leave More Blood on the Floor

Anti Gay Voice & 'Child Rights' Advocate Betty-Ann Blaine Taken to Task on Public Advocacy

Why did CVCC & JFJ not Fund a Project/Home for Homeless LGBT Youth in New Kingston instead of the Children’s Home Fiasco that now obtains?

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy, government position

J-FLAG now advocating for decriminalisation of same-sex acts

Pastors Push Enumeration As Hedge Against Buggery Repeal (Gleaner July 1 2014) obviously the JFLAG change in the call to decriminalization has gone unheard deliberately or unnoticed. So much for pro-activity from our goodly advocates

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

Espeut, West says “Homophobia” was invented to abuse Christians as hate speech

Betty Ann Blaine & foreign religious zealots continue their paranoia & misrepresentations of male homosexuality

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

Spilling homosexual blood .... Observer Headline 29.11.09

Lesbians Do Have Morals 2009

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics 2014

Professor's Bain's Testimony Threatened Foreign Funding (Gleaner letter)

Lessons to learn from The Professor Bain Matter?

Anti Gay Voice & 'Child Rights' Advocate Betty-Ann Blaine Taken to Task on Public Advocacy

Ian Boyne: Bain exercised terribly poor strategic judgement

The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics to Promote Their Hysteria

Anti gay religious voices where are they? .... Pastor charged with sexual assault

There goes gay marriage paranoia again

Healthy Coalition nonsense

'UWI had no choice but to dismiss Prof Bain' says Professor Rosemarie Bell Antoine (OAS Rapporteur)

Pro-Bain Protesters To Meet With UWI Today

Buggery the only thing that makes church butts sore?

Betty Ann Blaine on Poverty, children and the Buggery Law .... and that awful confusion of homosexuality with paedophilia

Blaine will be her own victim (Observer Letter 11.08.10)

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with more deception added

What goes on in the minds of the overly religious?

BETTY ANN BLAINE’S ARRANT NONSENSE REQUEST OF PETER KING TAPES

THAT WON’T STOP AIDS, BETTY ANN SAYS GAY LAWYER

BUY NO RINGS, YOU WON’T WED; RELIGIOUS FEAR-MONGERING ON GAY MARRIAGE & THE BUGGERY LAW CONTINUES

The Hypocrisy of Jamaican Anti Gay Groups & Selective Actions of Societal Ills

There goes gay marriage paranoia again ....

Another pastor has sought to rile up his congregants in a church service where several heterosexual couples renewed their vows and as per usual the fear mongering as if granted gay marriage rights (as is inevitable after dealing with buggery first of course) is going to take away the rights presently enjoyed and protected by straight couples via the various marriage acts.

Heterosexuals are already as far as I am concerned are the ones who are killing the institution of marriage in its traditional forms, just take a look at the divorce rates in recent years and also the repeated complaints of persons in the church who are pressured into sometimes hastily put together marriages and despite counseling the requisite professional misses the downlow same sex attracted or bisexual partner in the prospective union and then disaster strikes afterwards.

In a previous post on June 3, 2015 (Sexual Orientation questions in premarital counselling) the very issue of deception in marriage was addressed but the parachuted gay marriage smoke screen to deny rights and tolerance is a kind of deception of its own and more egregious when it comes from religious voices. A question I have asked and to date no serious answer has come as contained in this previous post headlined: When did anyone ask for gay marriage rights in Jamaica when we can't get basic tolerance? from an official advocacy point of view where then the Methodists were the ones who screamed no to gay marriage. 

Today's Observer headline screamed: 

Pastor knocks same sex marriage as 70 couples renew wedding vows

’Marriage is what God calls marriage’

A local pastor did not mince words yesterday as he reaffirmed the church's position on same sex marriage stridently declaring that it was not ordained by God but was simply an arrangement.

"I don't call it marriage. I call it an arrangement. Marriage is what God calls marriage, not what somebody else calls marriage," Reverend Rennard White said as he delivered the message at Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre on Waltham Park Road, in Kingston where some 70 couples collectively renewed their wedding vows.

He added: "It seemed to have missed God, but he didn't know that a man could actually be a wife or that a woman could be a husband, he didn't know that, that seemed to have escaped him but (United States) President (Barack) Obama knows that; However, it is against the Lord."

White said marriage as an institution is honourable, godly and was designed to work, but the issues come when people with misconstrued values enter.

"It is God's institution, not an institution created by some social scientist. Marriages are not the problem, it's people who are the problem. It is a godly institution that's designed to work. If dishonourable people are into an honourable institution what do you think will happen?" he said.

White, who is also the vice president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, president of the Missionary Church Association and board chairman of the Jamaica Theological Seminary said that the purpose of renewing vows is to build good family structure and charged that for a marriage to be successful, couples have to give it their best shot as it isn't easy.

"Whatever you're marriage looks like today, under God, I hope you are working to make it work. Some people have concluded that this marriage thing is an endurance test and when you can't take it anymore you call it quits. The feminists have a position on it where they say it's not their death [in reference to till death do us part], it's the death of the relationship, and the popular word is you only have two types of people who are married -- those who are unhappy and stay with it, or those who are unhappy and leave it," he said.

White added that couples should understand that their marriage is what they make it and it is the foundation of a solid family structure and society.

"If we get marriages right, we're going to get a lot of things right in this country," White said.

Moreover, he acknowledged that in the 21st century, more than ever, challenges have arisen that have raised a lot of questions with regards to family life.

"Are we fighting a losing battle as a people of God? Are we trying to realise the unrealistic? This thing about a beautiful relationship, are we really just daydreaming? Should we just change the rules to suit the way the game is being played? Are we for real trying to adhere to a particular biblical approach for married life. Can we do that?" he questioned.

But regardless of the challenges, White said biblically, divorce was never intended and effort from both parties have to be made to preserve marriages and the quality of family life, as apart from religion, the family is the most developed institution worldwide.

He also called on men to be the spiritual leaders, lovers and labourers of their families and offered a few tips to improve the qualities of unions. He said some of the important things are friendship, commitment, fruitfulness, faithfulness, affirmation, sexual fulfillment and good deportment.

Bishop and founder of the church, Herro Blair, while addressing the congregation said the event was not one of pomp and pageantry but one where the church demonstrates to the world the importance of marriages.

He said as a body, the church had made adjustments so that family life is given the precedence it deserves.

"We have started putting emphasis on family structure and we closed our children's church in January so that families could sit together in service. Today we have come to give God thanks for our families and our marriages," he said.

The couples were also serenaded by Minister Verna Blair with the lyrics to Each for the Other, both for the Lord, which saw the wedded pairs dancing and enjoying the company of their partners.

At the end of the service those who participated in the ceremony of the renewal of their vows were presented with certificates to indicate that they had once again publicly declared love for their significant other, after which they were feted to a reception in the church's family hall.

ENDS

Yet divorce rates as hinted to above are high, for e.g the rates courtesy of Statistical Institute of Jamaica, STATIN screams trouble:

also see previous bouts of sheer madness if you ask me interspersed with some sensible reasoning:

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics

Jamaican Gay Unions? Hanna Says Ja Not Ready For Same-Sex Families Despite Int'l Redefinition

Gay Marriage Smoke Screen, False Dichotomies and Religious Fanatics 05.06.14

A response to Rev Carla Dunbar's stance on gay marriage

NY's Gay Marriage reactions & our scenario

MoBay Church Fraternity Says No To Buggery Review

Anglican Church in the Caribbean: No to Same Sex Marriage

J'cans can't handle a referendum (Jamaica Observer)

Same-Sex Unions And The Marriage Contract (Gleaner Editorial June 2014)

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with more deception added

Also see my previous entry on sister blog GLBTQJA Wordpress: REVEREND AL MILLER’S OWN MORAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST & ANTI GAY CAMPAIGN

UWI had no choice but to dismiss Prof Bain' says Professor Rosemarie Bell Antoine

Gleaner letter June 21 2014: Bain was Biased

Buggery the only thing that makes church butts sore?

JAMAICA COALITION FOR A HEALTHY SOCIETY, JCHS CONTINUED CONFUSION OF PAEDOPHILIA & CONSENTING HOMOSEXUALITY.

BUY NO RINGS, YOU WON’T WED; RELIGIOUS FEAR-MONGERING ON GAY MARRIAGE & THE BUGGERY LAW CONTINUES

PNP 2006, No plans to Legalise Same Sex Union (FLASHBACK)

No Same Sex Marriage says Prime Minister in Charter of Rights Bill Debate (Bruce Golding)

NOT READY FOR GAYS ……. GAY MARRIAGE SMOKE SCREEN REINTRODUCED ……………. POLITICAL DODGING 2011

BUGGERY LAW BACKLASH – BLAIR: THE CHURCH HAS BEEN SLEEPING – BLAIR WARNS REVIEW COULD LEAD TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGES 2011

Hardened Positions by Religious Fanatics & Their LGBT Detractors Will Only Leave More Blood on the Floor

REV AL MILLER ON THE ABNORMALITY OF HOMOSEXUALITY & THE INVENTED GAY MARRIAGE RIGHTS PLOY the man who is charged with perverting the course of Justice, also see: Al Miller has a case to answer (Jamaica Observer)

Gay marriage agitation if and when it begins in Jamaica as we cannot get passed buggery reviews and true tolerance as far as I am concerned is not just about the cultural aspects of relationship life but more so the legal protections and state benefits that flow towards couples recognized by the state thus enhance the decency of said couples who enter into monogamous relationships. I would have thought the folks such as Dr Wayne West would be sensible enough to see an avenue of monogamy in same gender unions as a means to reduce HIV risk as his usual line implying the HIV is a gay disease ploy quoting unqualified statistics and such.

Let us see when the real change will finally come and good sense prevails.

Finally politicians have also used this gay marriage smoke screen:

She said on October 20th 2009 - "Mr Speaker when we accepted the final report from the joint select committee that were looking at the bill we were completely satisfied with their recommendation of a provision to restrict marriage and like relationships to one man and one woman within Jamaica and that the provision should be specifically spelt out so that there could be no ambiguity ………. yes one man one woman (laughter in the house) and if you are Jamaican and go overseas the same applies ……….."

also see: Opposition sides with Govt on No to same sex marriage when Mrs Simpson Miller was the leader of the parliamentary opposition in 2009.

Peace and tolerance

H 

more reads:
Jamaica Council of Churches still not clear on the buggery law but resolute in opposing gay marriage 2013

'I Want To Marry My Gay Partner' - St James-Based Lesbian Says Marrying Her Lover Would Be A Dream

Lesbian couple celebrate their marriage locally

Gay Parenting (a view on the ground) (repost from 09) ........ International Family Day

No Same Sex Marriage says Prime Minister in Charter of Rights Bill Debate 2009

Gleaner - Prime Minister Golding: No to same-sex unions

Gay Marriage - An Invented Issue by the christian right movement

Will same-sex marriages ever be accepted in Jamaica? 2009

UPDATE June 12, 2015

Gleaner's cartoonist Lasmay decided to take a swipe at the issue.

'I Want To Kiss My Bride' ... Lesbian Couple Want To Get Married In Jamaica Before They Die from the Gleaner apparently a reaction to some strange supposed study on gay marriage refusal, sadly as the ladies express they want to marry the cogent points seem missing and the emphasis seems to be placed on the ceremonial component and not the rights and coverage that flow already to heterosexual couples. The definition of marriage is still between a man and a woman and the supposed gay marriage smoke screen when responded to by some miss out the other couple types under the LGBT umbrella.

Such as:

Transhomo couples

Transhetero couples

Asexual couples (gay or not)

Same gender couples 

Polygynous couples.

There is nothing in law as far as I am aware that stop persons of any gender from celebrating their union via an activity ackeen to a traditional wedding what needs to be zoomed in on if one decides to unofficially speak to gay marriage are the rights and benefits that accrue for others.

also see the Jamaica Gleaner headline yesterday: Vast Majority Of Jamaicans Remain Adamantly Opposed Same Sex Marriage the local team consisted of 

Balford Lewis, Research Fellow, Centre for Leadership and Governance, UWI, Mona, Jamaica 

Anthony A. Harriott, Professor of Political Sociology, Director of the Institute of Criminal Justice and Security, and the Head of Department of Government at the Mona Campus, UWI, Jamaica. Pages 38, 39, 242, 245 are where some of the details are:

Described as The American Barometer 2014, the study included 26 countries in the Americas and more than 41,000 interviews, which allows for comparison of the results of each individual country with others of the region.

Some 41.6 per cent expressed preference for the political rights of regime critics, while 16 per cent endorsed the political rights of homosexuals.

The question of whether homosexuals should be allowed to seek public office has been a subject of public debate in Jamaica for some time. It is a question that was raised during an interview with a journalist on the BBC's 'HARDtalk' programme, in 2008, that prompted former Prime Minister Bruce Golding to declare: "Not in my Cabinet!"

The LAPOP study also suggested that churches contribute to the marginalisation of homosexuals in Jamaica, by openly criticising their lifestyles as immoral.

It says that religion is an important determinant of the attitudes of Jamaicans towards homosexuals and notes its influence in affecting the political sphere.

While it is not all Jamaicans who feel this way, the acceptance level in Jamaica is still low and overruled by the majority, who are against homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Sexual Orientation questions in premarital counselling

Can it really?

Love 101FM Twitter handle comments

The matter of sexual orientation of prospective heterosexual couples was highlighted earlier today as what has been described as concerns raised by some members of the cloth in recent times where new marriages simply end in disaster due to the lack of disclosure or deception on the part of one or both persons involved. Everything from being on the downlow to pressure from the church leadership or family members who demand marriage and procreation as proof of normality or legitimacy as it were were covered. Previous discussions on this subject tend to have a leaning towards reparative therapy but thankfully this time it was more balanced and did not go there.

What are your thoughts on whether couples should be asked about their sexual orientation during counselling in preparation for marriage?

— Love 101 FM JAMAICA (@LoveFMJAMAICA) June 3, 2015

A question on Facebook by Love101FM’s Morning Watch showed via the respondents that persons hide indeed to cover up their true identity for all kinds of motives, other persons hinted to a lie detector test while others suggest the counsellors should not ask the questions on sexual orientation and should be left for the couple to be honest with each other prior to entering the union for purposes of trust and longevity of the marriage.

Facebook comments on sexual orientation in pre-marriage counselling June 3, 2015

Among the standard questions put forward to perspective couples are those of:

Religion

Family

Sexuality

Finances

Compatibility and so on

Should the counselling or marriage officer put sexual orientation squarely on the table?

Should someone who is found out to be gay/bisexual (even if the partner agrees) be advised to go ahead with the marriage?

Why do churches pressure their members into marriage and expect not to have problems emerge with downlow living given that the very church’s attitude overall forces persons to remain in the closet.

Reverend Marvia Laws raised the issue this morning on her aforementioned show given also a now deleted blog post on a blog ran by a Christian woman (maybe unbeknownst to Rev Laws) was of concern to me as well who was said to have experienced a breakdown in her marriage just days after when her former husband was found to be bisexual but never disclosed. Panellists in the discussion were two Christian marriage counsellors of the Anglican and Baptist tradition from western Jamaica Rev Carl Henlyn of the Gregory Park circuit of Baptist churches and the very Reverend Annette Brown of St Augustine’s Anglican Church in Coral Gardens Montego Bay.

The very Reverend Annette Brown raised among others things the following:

The unearthing of various sexual orientations and practices

Prospective couples must be aware of what is occurring or the sexual orientation of a potential spouse so as to avoid marrying a homosexual or bisexual

Difficulty in raising the subject with the parties directly given our cultural context and it would be better to raise it in a one on one session first before bringing both parties together if it becomes a cause for concern

During counselling persons are not honest and then the marriage dies thereafter

Sections in the solemn declaration in her church tradition it reads to the effect: ‘I know not of any lawful impediment why I should not be married to this person.’ She also stressed that during the session she goes through the ceremony itself and its aspects with relation to commitment and vows. Reverend Brown uses that phase of the dialogue to raise sexual orientation and also on the form that the parties are asked to fill out it is also raised but the results are not shared with the other party and is only the pervue of her unless it becomes absolutely necessary to raise it with both persons

Some women do marry gay/biesexual men for reasons of their own low libido and seeing his interest in the same sex will distract him away from her and not have her to be obligated for sexual relations as a full time heterosexual husband may be. Once a child comes into the picture they still stay together for years for purposes of the kid(s) and the wife’s low sex drive. She continued that some wives may not want to have sex all the time and so if the man goes out it is not like having sex with a woman hence they don’t feel ‘cheated’ on or that the marriage is in any threat. The business of women claiming they like having homosexual male friends as they do not feel threatened also factored when raised by Reverend Laws (show host) as societal practice women are usually hounded by men for sex or so on.

Reverend Brown raises other issues such as a previous marriage or relations and so on before getting to the sexual orientation bit as she feels that is her way of breaking the ice in the session. She asks the couple to speak to each other and she observes body language etc. She says it not easy to say to someone if you’re homosexual while assuming everyone who comes in for pre-marriage counselling is heterosexual.

Probing is required with excellent listening and perception skills as persons are good at telling you what they want you to hear for purposes of camouflaging any secrets.

A question on her standard form also asks of sexual history or knowledge of it with respect to one perspective partner: “if you find that your spouse is interested in someone else of the same gender how would you respond, how would you take the marriage?

On the matter of confessions and persons who claim they are healed or restored; or that they do not need to repeat it in a session as pre-marriage counselling she says she deals with that on an individual basis, she mentioned the issue of boredom and experimentation with same gender sex with a possibility of repetition in the life of the marriage as opposed to someone who is innately homosexual; she also raised concerns about persons using marriage as a cover from pressure from society (she never mentioned church pressure though).

She insisted her role is not to say ‘don’t’ to couples but alert them to dangers that may appear down the line, she uses hypothetical examples and see how the parties respond. She also said there have been postponements after sessions and issues are worked out. She also uses prayer before during and after the sessions.

Reverend Karl Henlin added among other things:

Presented an example of a couple who were considered ‘pure’ (no sexual contact prior to the wedding) in the church but soon after the man’s true sexual identity was discovered much to the dismay of the wife although he had testified he was ‘healed’ or changed. The woman was enthralled by his chivalrous behaviour in courtship to her but he really was struggling with living a double life.

He uses standard form that raises 8 questions to include hints to sexual orientation, after getting the answers he tailors what he wants to probe but he has not asked directly if someone is a homosexual either in one on one sessions or with parties present together.

A question asked by him in sessions is if five years or so down the road it is discovered by you that your partner is gay or bisexual or was involved in same gender sex in the past what would you do or how would you respond? As part of probing any suspicious issues.

In as far as conversion and or persons testifying healing of homosexuality he highlighted a case where a man and woman who came in for sessions, the man claimed he was healed and the woman accepted his new found dispensation but he (Rev Henlin) could not overrule the agreement with the parties deciding to go ahead with the marriage despite the full knowledge of the man’s supposed previous same gender sexual practices as brought out in the session. The wife three days into the marriage called back in consternation claiming “It” has returned and that she wanted out.

He has had occasions where he has had to extricate himself from certain situations knowing that issues are not settled or some pending doom seems to be on the horizon but the couple insists on pursuing the marriage anyway.

In as far as abuse presenting itself as a concern or in the sexual history with a same gender accused he says he wants to know if the other party is aware, probe if any prior counselling interventions; if not referrals and recommends waiting a while by putting the pending marriage on hold until that matter is dealt with or a full withdrawal.

More of my concerns:

The church tradition still has this notion of young Christians should not be single and that they should marry as soon as possible even when the parties do not know each other well; there is also an insistence of such young persons marrying within the denomination and definitely not a non-Christian.

Pressure from older family members can be over bearing as well (from personal experience years ago) questions such as where is your girlfriend? When are you going to have a child or we want grandchildren from parents as evidence of continuity of the bloodline I suppose or the procreation.

There is going to be more down-low marriage disasters I fear given the stance taken by some vocal religious groups on their anti homosexual campaigns, persons are forced underground or feel a need to have a desire to confirm to hetero-nomative to be accepted so persons rather hide just to avoid the scrutiny and profiling.

Then again honesty is so crucial and the jury seems to be still out as to whether bisexual men or gay men who find themselves in heterosexual unions should actually disclose, some bisexual activists say no it is not or should not be a concern while others say yes and do it from early in the courtship so as to avoid later troubles. Heterosexual women mostly tend to respond with disdain when discussing the matter or often say I suspected something.

Old beliefs abound:

also see:
Can counselling 'fix' my gay husband? (Jamaica Observer)

How I found out my husband was gay

On the down low: Men sleeping with men - another view

The unofficial practice by churches in using marriage to cure homosexuality

Peace and tolerance

H

8 reasons why you shouldn't be friends with your ex

SOME people will tell you that their exes are their best friends, but there's a saying that if you can be friends with an ex, either you never loved them or you still do. Indeed, for some people, when there's a break-up and one partner says they can still be friends, it's the same as having a pet die and being told you can keep the body.

"It adds excess stress, excess guilt, and makes the transition to a new partner difficult or impossible," counsellor David Anderson said. "Don't be friends immediately. Take time to heal without the other person being in your life. And when you've healed, then you can consider whether you still want a friend in that person."

Anderson said that the one requesting the friendship may be doing so out of selfish desire, as while they are not willing to continue a relationship, they are also not willing to release the person to move on with their life.

Here's why you shouldn't be friends with an ex:

1. Your ex may take you for granted. No one likes to be taken for granted, but if you hold onto your ex, he/she may feel you are so caught up in them that they can treat you just about anyhow and you will always be there regardless of the bad treatment.

2. Your present partner may be insecure. Not everyone can handle a relationship in which they feel that they are competing with an ex. This situation is made even worse if there is constant bickering between you and your new partner regarding incidents involving the ex. At some point you may be forced to choose.

3. You will not put your all into your current relationship. Having someone else to lean on usually prevents you from giving your

full attention to your partner, which in turn could lead to quarrels and a 'don't care' attitude on your part. After all, having a 'back-up' will force you to take risks you would not otherwise take.

4. You will not get over your ex. It is important that you give yourself time to heal from a broken relationship, and remaining friends does not allow this to take place. As a result, you will enter into your new relationship not fully healed and with unnecessary baggage.

5. You won't be able to fully move on. Moving on means you have not only got over your ex, but also that you have come away with lessons learnt that would better enable you to deal with a new relationship. If you remain friends, this cannot take place as you are never truly free.

6. He/she may use you for sex because you are available. Even if your ex has moved on to a new relationship, the moment they feel the need to go outside their relationship you will fall back into the picture, not because they are in love with you, but because you are available.

7. You are vulnerable to excess hurt. Being friends means you will still have expectations and hopes which will only result in hurt when these are not met.

8. A feeling of attachment and obligation may remain. Being friends, especially soon after a break-up, will undoubtedly mean you still have feelings for your ex, especially if he/she was the one who called it off. You are likely to also feel a sense of obligation and will answer to their every beck and call.

Also see:

7 Reasons Why You Might Lie to Your Partner

Inviting an unverified third party for a hook-up can be dangerous

8 things not to say to your partner in a heated argument

A Failing Relationship: How to Let Go

Are You Being Authentic in Your Relationship?

Gay Parenting (a view on the ground)

Sexual Reproduction for Same Sex Couples?

On Open LGBTQ Relationships

When Your Lesbian Partner is a Survivor of Sexual Abuse or Incest

Rejected Lesbian Lover Jumps From roof

10 Resources to Help Long Distance Relationships

The drip dry boyfriend vs. the ever increasing Jamaican Metro sexual