Anti-gay couple barred
England stops Jamaican-born Christians from fostering 16th child
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

AJamaican-born British couple say they have been told they can’t foster a 16th child in their Derby County home, because as Christians they don’t believe homosexuality is right.
Owen and Eunice Johns, who are back home in Jamaica, are preparing to take the matter before the European Court of Justice with the support of a coalition of Christian groups who are firmly opposed to the gay and lesbian lifestyle.
JOHNS… gays have more rights than Christians (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
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“These people (gays) have more rights than Christians. We have been called retarded homophobics because we want to stand up for the truth,” Eunice Johns, a retired nurse who hails from Trelawny, said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer yesterday.
Johns appeared at joint press conference with the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals and the Roman Catholic Family to highlight what they suggested was a “secular agenda” in the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The group, which consists of several influential Christian leaders, reaffirmed their objections to the lifestyle practised by gays and lesbians.
The Johns have been foster parents to 15 Jamaican children since they started taking children into their home in England in 1992. All went well, they said, until they went back to the Derby City Council to foster a 16th child in 2006.
“They started asking about my Christianity and I told them I was a Christian, I go to church on a Sunday. I told them I was a Bible-believing Christian,” Eunice said.
She was asked: “What if a child of five came to you one day from school and told you that they were homosexual?” To this she responded: “I would care for that child, I would give them love and attention and all that’s required.”
Her response, however, did not find favour with the social worker and when Eunice ventured to ask what her response should have been, she was told: “You would have to tell this child that it is alright to be homosexual.”
Failing to convince Eunice to change her mind on the matter, the social worker said she would have to raise the issue with her manager. Two weeks later the manager came to see her.
“She said to us: ‘Well, Mr and Mrs Johns, we were told that you said you could not tell a child it is alright to be homosexual, and in this day and age you would have to because so many children are not sure where they are and a lot of them are confused. So many people are confused these days, because they weren’t told that their sexuality and what they are feeling is right’.”
She said she and her husband were then taken before a panel of 12 persons at the Council where they were asked to explain their views on homosexuality. Two weeks after that, they got a letter thanking them for withdrawing their application to foster children. The couple were shocked, because they had made no such request. However, they decided not to contest the Council on the matter.
“After they said, ‘thank you for withdrawing’, we said ‘that’s alright, we would leave it, no skin off our nose, perhaps we shouldn’t foster’,” she recalled.
But just a few weeks later, they learnt of another couple whose foster child was taken away because they refused to tell them that homosexuality was right, she added.
After the passage of The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations of 2007, Johns said they began hearing of Christians who were being prosecuted for denouncing the gay lifestyle. Several Christian children’s homes had been closed, Christian pastors were being abused, and several Christian business owners were forced to close because they decided to affirm their belief. Christian marriage counsellors were also coming under increased pressure because of their refusal to marry same-sex couples, she claimed.
The Johns’ case eventually attracted the attention of the Christian Concern for Our Nation, a religious lobby group in London. Their solicitors took the matter before the Nottingham Crown Court in 2009. Following months of court appearances by the Johns, their lawyers, representatives of the Derby City Council, and civil rights group, the High Court, in a landmark ruling in 2010, noted that laws protecting gays from discrimination superceded the couple’s religious belief.
“The judge did not say we could not foster children, but the judge was saying England is no longer a Christian country, it’s now a secular country. He made it quite clear that we have got to adhere to what is being set out,” said Eunice, who came back to Jamaica five months ago with her husband.
Their solicitors are now preparing to take the matter before the European Court of Justice, Johns said, adding that Jamaica was in a good position to refute what she believed was a hidden agenda by the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender community.
“I notice the word that they are using here while trying to push this thing through is tolerance. We are Christians, so we should be tolerant. But it only takes that first door and it’s like a domino effect, all of the other doors are going to be opened,” she said.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Anti-gay-couple-barred#ixzz1v69ALk5B

Bonner family mourns loss of mother

Hasani Walters, STAR Writer

The Bonner Brothers (from left): Richie Spice, Spanner Banner, Pliers and Snatcha. – Contributed

The Bonner family is mourning the loss of Violet ‘Auntie Vie’ Bonner, mother of reggae musicians Richie Spice, Pliers, Spanner Banner and Snatcha Lion, who died on Monday at the Medical Associates Hospital in St Andrew at the age of 74.

The brothers are very saddened by the loss of their mother, who Spanner Banner said was a constant source of motivation for them.

“Well, it’s been kinda rough because my mother was always dear to me. When you have that kinda support and it just gone suh, it kinda hard to cope with it,” a saddened Spanner Banner shared.

diabetes

He went on to mention that she died as a result of being ill with diabetes along with other complications, but said that they had not yet received the autopsy.

The family has since been trying to cope and remain strong.

“Everybody haffi a hold up and a stay strong. It kinda shake up the family a way,” he said.

Richie Spice is currently on tour in Europe, however, Ralston Barrett of RAB Entertainment who has worked with the Bonner family as a publicist over the years told The STAR that: “Richie Spice is actually overseas but he got the news earlier today, and he didn’t take it easy at all as you would expect.”

Richie Spice’s nephew and grandson to Violet Bonner, Fontano Thompson, also spoke with The STAR saying that the news has been traumatic for the family.

“Boy the family is traumatised, is some wicked circumstances. We try wi best but it seems like is not we have the last word,” he said.

A man got the shock of his life when he caught his PREGNANT wife being intimate with a self-styled prophet in a parked car.

Patrick (31) could not believe his eyes after his wife Lydia Makoni’s illicit sexual exploits with Njari (40) came to light barely a week after they had consulted him for his services.

Lydia is said to have lied to Patrick that she intended to visit her mother who resides in the same neighborhood, only to discover that she had gone to the prophet [ Njari’s] house for her sex-sermons.

Patrick told us our report that he was really shocked after catching his pregnant wife having quality time in the parked car at House No. 12 Nzere Street where the prophet resides.

“I suspect that this illicit affair might have started on the first day we consulted him as he asked my wife to visit him alone the following day for more prayers. My wife is five months pregnant now and I wonder why she was cheating on me to that extent.”

“As we speak she is at her mother’s house after that incident and I can swear that Njari will never conduct his prayers again at his shrine,” fumed Patrick.

In another interview, Lydia also CONFIRMED that she was caught red-handed being swayed by Njari’s prophecies.

“It is true that this prophet asked me to come for prayers alone after we visited him along with my husband. He told me that I had no bright future with my husband saying he was planning to marry another girl.

“On the second visit, Njari gave me US$5 that I used to buy bread and he then seduced me and we ended up having s*x in the parked car,” she said. She said she had lied to her husband that she had gone to her mother’s place while in actual fact she was seeing the prophet.

“I was convinced by this prophet and I believed him as we were having problems at home with my husband that led us to consult him. He told me that he had fallen for me and that he would look for alternative accommodation in High-field for me although he knew that I was pregnant.”

“On the day in question, he gave me a laptop which he said was a token of love and showed me a book which he said was a proof that the car was his and I agreed to his demands before we were caught by Patrick. At home, I had given instructions for Patrick to be told that I was to come back soon,” said Lydia.

When we visited Njari at his shrine, he was not around as he is now playing cat and mouse with Patrick, who allegedly threatened him with death. Neighbors said Njari had sought refuge at his neighbors place where we finally hooked up with him and he confirmed the story.

He, however, blamed it on Lydia for visiting him at his house before begging us not to publish the story. After all she is the one who came to my house,” he said .

“I am here because Patrick has threatened to kill me and I know he is violent as people around this neighborhood call him Masendeke. I could have died and I was not familiar with him because he is extremely dangerous.

“I know that you reporters would take it wrongly and denounce prophets but to be honest I was not putting on my garments and this was a sin of the flesh. There was nothing I could do to resist that and I am prepared to marry her if Patrick is no longer interested in her.”

“I am a divorcee with four children the first one is 22 years old in the village in Dande under chief Matsiwo. Please do not publish this story. I am prepared to give you a heifer plus US$200 for your lunch and the driver who is with you.

“I am a dealer who buys gold and I have many beasts at my village so do not publish this story, I beg you,” said Njari as he pleaded with H-Metro to kill the story.

Njari was also attending to a lady identified as Priscilla in the presence of her friends. She told H-Metro she had been advised to leave her mobile phone after failing to give him US$30 that he charged for the services.

“I thank my God because this man wanted my cellphone after I failed to raise US$30 for the services he offered me. He asked me to remove my blouse before he took long to attend to me to cure my stomach pains. He is a false prophet. I could have lost my Samsung mobile phone,” said Priscilla. H Metro

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My Hometown

Oh Jamaica, land of my birth

Sweet Jamaica how I miss and longing for you

There you are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea

Filled with so much mysteries and wonders to see

One could only imagine therefore wants to be

Beautiful land, so enticing, so free

With your sweet sugar canes and white rum

And your blue mountain coffee

Your beauty never stops to amaze me

The many visitors that blesses your shores

You fill their hearts with joy and gladness

And mesmerize their loving hearts

Oh Jamaica, land I love to be

The tranquility that you’ve brought us

Your beauty has no ending

Your country side so beautiful

Like a bride adorned to meet her groom

Jamaica, oh sweet Jamaica

You are the apple of our eyes

So many have tried to conquer thee

But you are strong, vibrant, and resilient
and we are proud to be your own

Oh Jamaica, longing to see

Only in your yard I can be real

No need to pretend to be meek and mild

I can laugh out loud and be me

Talk until I’m hoarse

Sit up late eating Ackee and salt fish, bananas, dumplings

And roast breadfruit fresh from the tree

Fresh, fresh fishes from the sea

Not a worry, not a care

Just be myself, my family and me

With Jamaica by my side I’m free

Mango season come and gone

So does breadfruit, pear and Ackee

Sugar cane plenty for we to eat

Rum and coconut plentiful to drink to stupidity while we there

For soon we return to backra land

Hustling, bustling to make ends meet

Too tired for friendship or smiles

All I have to do is sigh when I remember sweet Jamaica

Now I must go

To do my masters will

But tonight when I rest my tired head upon my bed

I’ll close my eyes and instead of a sigh

I will smile, pray to my father high up above

He will send sweet dreams to my weary soul

He will bless my soul with savory thoughts
And if for some reason, he takes my heart

No more to ever start

He will steal me away

Walking in a beautiful Garden of Eden

That will reserve especially for me

Jamaica, Jamaica, oh blessed sweet Jamaica

Here I come to thee

My savior and I

by

Delfin Pitter Soumeila