|
1 February 1995
Dear Sir/Madam
I have
noted with interest some of the proposed or anticipated changes to the
constitution of South Africa currently and under consideration.
A
newconstitution os a natural outcome of the exciting eventsof 1994and speaks of
a further step in the move to democracy in South
Africa.
Some aspects of the
possible changes have troubled me and it is for this reason that I write. I
will list the specific areas of concern
with comments.
1 Freedom of
Speech If, by this phrase, we mean that persons shall no longer be
prevented from either communicating, or receiving by form of communication,
bets
and information which are the right, rather than the privilege, of the people of
the nation, I must wholeheartedly agree. But,
if by this we mean that any
person can choose to introduce to others, by form of printed material or other
means, visual or verbal
matter which might not only be personally harmful to
them but which might place the society at further risk of moral decay, I can
only
(end page 1) raise objections.
The phrase 'Freedom of Speech'
needs to be more carefully defined. The definition needs to slap oppression and
corruption in the
face while protecting the public from pornographic and other
harmful material. The constitution must not only liberate, it must also
protect.
2. Sexual Orientation This is an area which must be
treated with delicacy. Sexuality is a core aspect of who we are as people and,
therefore, a discussion of it touches something deep within each
person.
-2-
The constitution aims to protect individual human
rights, but by virtue of the fact that we live in a diverse society, the
asserting
of some individual choices prescribes the overriding of others.
Though in the church we assert, promote and seek to practice the
conviction that
each person is of equal value and all people are to be treated with equal
dignity and respect, the line must be drawn
at the point at which a minority
practice which contravenes the word of God is given equal constitutional
standing with a practice
ordained and instituted by God. A move to include "gay
rights" as part of the constitution is only one small step away from legalising
homosexual marriages and providing the climate for legal action being taken
against churches for their refusal to employ and pay
persons on their staff. If
this climate is created, the constitution will be the toy of the minority
in this country and an albatross to the majority.
(end page 2) Gay bashing or
witch hunts are clearly contrary to basic human rights, but the new constitution
must not err to the extreme
of placing a stamp of approval on that for which
God's unwavering response waslis the Cross of
Jesus.
3. Abortion/Riciht to Life As a Christian there is no other
conclusion to which I can come other than that life begins at conception, that
it is sacred and
that no-one, other than God, has the right to either give or
take a life.
I do understand the arguments for the right to have
abortion-on-demand, the most heart stirring being cases of rape, extreme
malformation
and risk to the mothers life. I am affected by these cases, but my
reading of the arguments tabled in the British Parliament prior
to the
legalising of abortion there, and my study of subsequent statistics indicate
that, of all the abortions currently being performed
in the U. K. less than 3%
are for the reasons so strongly and emotively advanced in that parliamentary
debate. This is a potentially
wide doorway for a great moral abuse. The new
constitution should steer well clear of judgements which stray into the domain
of
God, becoming a self‑appointed authority on the time of which life
actually begins. This is the dangerous territory for any
man or
woman.
4. Freedom of Religion Again this is a term which requires
definition. If by the term we
(end page 3) mean that all those practising
one form of belief or another will have the right to continue in the exercising
of that
faith privately or corporately without hindrance or outside
interference, I must agree wholeheartedly, but with the following important
qualifications.
Where this freedom leads to practices which are discordant
with basic morality or are an infringement on the fundamental human rights
of
others, the exercising of this'freedom' cannot be constituted as being a right
and should be removed, as in many practices of
Satanism and other occult
activity.
-3-
It must be remembered that something in the
region of 80% of all South Africans call themselves "Christian". A constitution
which
does not reflect this in it character and execution is a constitution
which is not truly democratic.
As an example, should the issue arise - as it
did in the U.S.A. and U.K. as to whether schools should continue to permit
public prayer
and worship of God on school property, I trust that the "Freedomof
Religion" clause will not enable a minority to silence the
majority.
Thank you for reviewing these proposals and concerns. I do not
envy you your task and will continue to pray for you for wisdom and
understanding.
Yours faithfully
CAROL BLACK
(Ms)
|
