Church leaders ask Supreme Court to overturn gay marriage ruling by court of appeals

WILLEMSTAD - In an open letter, leaders of Christian communities in Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten have urgently requested the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling of the Court of Appeals in Willemstad, which legalized same-sex marriage in Curaçao and Aruba. 

The letter, signed by Said Flores, chairman of the Association of Pastors of Curaçao (APK), Gilberto Martes, chairman of the Christian Churches of Aruba (ICA), and Orlando Wilson, chairman of the Sint Martin United Ministerial Foundation, advocates leaving the decision-making on this sensitive issue to the parliaments of the respective islands. 

Local Legislation 

The church leaders point out various legal and moral grounds why the ruling of December 6, 2022, which states that same-sex marriage is equivalent to heterosexual marriage and therefore cannot be considered discriminatory, would be in conflict with both local legislation and international treaties. They emphasize that the civil codes of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten explicitly state that marriage can only exist between a man and a woman. 

The church leaders make no mention of their own State Constitution, which prohibits discrimination, including based on sexual orientation. The court confirmed on December 6, 2022, that indeed there is discrimination and that there is no justification for excluding same-sex marriage. 

In the church leaders' letter, it is argued that the increasing acceptance of homosexuality in Europe has not led to mandatory legalization of same-sex marriage by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). 

The organizations also say that one of the reasons why mental health issues are so high among homosexuals is found in the reality that people have a God-given conscience in which the awareness of good and evil is registered in the soul. Homosexuality is a violation of God's internal law, therefore those involved constantly experience mental disorders. 

The writers of the letter argue that the decision to legalize same-sex marriage requires a societal debate and is primarily a matter that should be decided by the democratically elected representatives of the people in the parliaments of Curaçao and Aruba. 

Division 

The request to the Supreme Court underscores the division on the subject within the communities of the islands and the need for a broader societal and political discussion, at least according to the church leaders. With their appeal, the church leaders hope to set a precedent that respects both local legislation and the socio-cultural values of Curaçao and Aruba. 

Even the churches are divided on the issue. The Association of Protestant Churches in Curaçao, VPG, is not part of the Association of Christian Pastors. The fundamentalist ideology on homosexuality of the self-proclaimed pastors is not endorsed by all churches in Curaçao. 




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