SINGAPORE: The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) said on Thursday (Sep 13) it does not support the repeal of a law against gay sex, saying it believes the “homosexual lifestyle is not only harmful for individuals, but also for families and society as a whole”.

Although not enforced, Section 377A of the Penal Code criminalises sex between men, with offenders facing up to two years’ jail. The law does not apply to sex between women.



NCCS, which represents about 200 churches, said in a statement that its position on 377A remains unchanged. It said it agrees with the Singapore apex court’s decision in 2014 to dismiss a constitutional challenge by a gay couple against the law.

“The Bible clearly and categorically prohibits homosexual behaviour because it is a perversion of the way in which God has ordered human sexual relationships,” NCCS said in its statement.

“The repeal of Section 377A would result in the normalisation and promotion of this lifestyle, which in turn would lead to undesirable moral and social consequences, a slippery slope as seen in some countries taking this step.”



The council's statement comes after disc jockey Johnson Ong Ming filed a court challenge against the law, arguing that it runs counter to the Constitution’s guarantee of personal liberty.

Mr Ong’s case was filed on Monday, just four days after India scrapped similar legislation and sparked renewed debate in Singapore about the constitutionality of the law.

Veteran Singapore diplomat Tommy Koh called for Singapore's gay community to challenge 377A last week.

The ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the comments in response to a Facebook post on India's landmark ruling. Legal challenges against the law, in 2014, had failed, but Professor Koh said: "Try again."

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has said it is up to Singapore's society to decide which direction it wants to take on gay sex legislation.

In its statement, NCCS urged Christians to pray for the Government and people as the issue is being debated, that “they will not be influenced by domestic pressures or global trends”.

“Above all, the council urges Christians to pray that God will protect the institutions of marriage and family because they are indispensable for the wellbeing of the future generation and the flourishing of our society,” it said.