Chritianity and the rehabilitation of offenders

Sebonomoea Rk Ramainoane

MOAFRIKA FM has this past weekend been reporting about a village chief who has been arrested for having sex with a donkey.

When commenting on the news this morning, listeners had differing views to the subject; some for - others against the act. My case here is simply that, if only Lesotho could be declared a Christian state, the right minded people would know that, these matters, which have since been legislated as criminal offences by governments, were thousands of years ago declared so by the Lord God.

One wouldn't need to go to a law school to know that it is wrong for one to opt for sex with animals. Reading the bible would be sufficient.

The difference between the statute and God's ordinance is that, to be safe from state prosecution, one only needs to keep his/her offence secret, if arrested and prosecuted, give an evidence that will convince the court. Convicing evidence does not need to be truthful since the court has no first hand knowledge of what really transpired.

Now in the case of the donkey reported here above, so much evidence will have to be provided to successfully prosecute the old chief in favour the donkey.

But, if the very same matter were to be dealt with, using the Word of God as a catalyst, the offender would be confronted with two things, an offence against God sin and an offence against the state, which is a crime.

In the case of someone acknowledging sin as against a criminal offence, it would be easier to rehabilitae him, which is the prime reason for having re-named Lesotho prisons, Correctional Service institutions.

REMEMBER Christianity is about one acknowledging his short-comings through confession to the Lord Jesus Christ and accepting forginess by faith.

Friends, I didn't mean to bother you with others would call a chapter in a university thesis for a doctorate in divinity. I only thought it would help one understand the importance of the argument on Christianity and the constitution of Lesotho. Now take a look at the following passage of scripture and judge for yourself if the argument that says a bible is an out dated book, is real, also, what Lesotho would be like under a Christian constitution. For the purposes of the old chief and a donkey matter you may wish to go straight to verse 21.

Deuteronomy 27

The Curses of Mount Ebal

1 Then Moses and the elders of Israel charged the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2 So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God gives you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime 3 and write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, [a]promised you. 4 So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, [b]as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. 5 Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not [c]wield an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build the altar of the LORD your God of [d]uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the LORD your God; 7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. 8 You shall write on the [e]stones all the words of this law very distinctly.”

9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the LORD your God. 10 You shall therefore [f]obey the LORD your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.”

11 Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, 12 “When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The Levites shall then answer and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes [g]an idol or a molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary mark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

18 ‘Cursed is he who misleads a blind person on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

19 ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, [h]orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

24 ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

25 ‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

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