Malawi 'gay wedding' couple deny indecency charges

[ccharles000]

Two gay men arrested in Malawi after getting engaged have pleaded not guilty to charges of gross public indecency.

Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza appeared at a packed court in Malawi's biggest city Blantyre, where they will ask for bail on Monday.

The pair held a traditional engagement ceremony over the weekend - believed to be the first gay couple in Malawi to start the process of getting married.

Homosexual acts carry a maximum prison sentence of 14 years in Malawi.

The BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says large crowds of onlookers went to see the couple in court.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8434743.stm

[donco6]

1. Did they get married while engaged in sex?

I mean - "gross public indecency?" For a ceremony?

And yet, they will probably be convicted and thrown in some hellhole jail for years. Sickening.

[Sultana]

2. May God watch over them

[LeftyMom]

3. "God" got them in this situation. nt

[Sultana]

4. Que?

So many hateful people on DU. God did no such thing, the faults of man (those that jailed the couple) is not that of God. Blame God all you want, it will never stick.

*shakes head*

MAY GOD PROTECT THEM! oye..

[LeftyMom]

5. "God" is a mirror of what people already think, and an excuse for existing behavior.

Nice people use the concept to urge themselves to be nicer, guilty people use it to consider themselves unworthy, and vicious people convince themselves that their god wants them to be more vicious toward his/their enemies and redouble their efforts. That impulse to deflect the blame for nastiness allows religious people who are so inclined to mistreat others and blame the unquestionable dictates of their imaginary friend rather than their own inability to control their uglier impulses.

The fault, as I said, lies with "God." Who, without even bothering to exist, allows evil bastards to be eviler still in his name, while deflecting accountability for what they do. Nasty bit of business, that.