The discussion about homosexuality currently taking place in the media as a result of an ill conceived remark made by Cameron, the British Prime minister, that commonwealth members who will not enact laws legalizing same sex marriages will not be eligible for funds from the United kingdom, has brought to light some arguments that are not up to scratch. As an example let us consider the following statements:
1. Homosexulaity is wrong because even animals do not do it? Here we have a new criterion of morality: animals in general! what they do not do is good for man! what an argument!
2. Homosexuality is wrong because it is not an African tradition. This is definitely not true. But it means that those who use this argument have not taken the trouble to look into the past and the present and find the overwhelming evidence that is there.
3. Homosexuality is wrong because God forbids it! Well, will homosexuality be good when God allows it? Can divine command theories be used to justify or condemn homosexuality?
4. Homosexuality is good because there are people who are born like that. They are naturally sexually attracted to people of the same sex. Is that so? what are the evidences?
5. Sexual preferences depend on the choice of the individual and no one has the right to determine what is right and what is wrong for the other. Is this strictly a personal matter? Is the individual living in a vacuum? what is the role of the community in sexual matters?
I am posing many questions than answers. But the point I want to make is that when the furry against Cameron's remark cools down, and we come back to our sense, people with cool heads must help us to understand the morality of homosexuality. In other words, people with clear minds must help us to understand how Tanzanians can now begin to deal with the question of homosexuality not on Cameron's terms but on our own terms, Tanzanian terms.
1. Homosexulaity is wrong because even animals do not do it? Here we have a new criterion of morality: animals in general! what they do not do is good for man! what an argument!
2. Homosexuality is wrong because it is not an African tradition. This is definitely not true. But it means that those who use this argument have not taken the trouble to look into the past and the present and find the overwhelming evidence that is there.
3. Homosexuality is wrong because God forbids it! Well, will homosexuality be good when God allows it? Can divine command theories be used to justify or condemn homosexuality?
4. Homosexuality is good because there are people who are born like that. They are naturally sexually attracted to people of the same sex. Is that so? what are the evidences?
5. Sexual preferences depend on the choice of the individual and no one has the right to determine what is right and what is wrong for the other. Is this strictly a personal matter? Is the individual living in a vacuum? what is the role of the community in sexual matters?
I am posing many questions than answers. But the point I want to make is that when the furry against Cameron's remark cools down, and we come back to our sense, people with cool heads must help us to understand the morality of homosexuality. In other words, people with clear minds must help us to understand how Tanzanians can now begin to deal with the question of homosexuality not on Cameron's terms but on our own terms, Tanzanian terms.
