By Afam Echi
It has been revealed that not all Christian denomination are in sync with the much trumpeted Valentine celebration which gripped the world yesterday.
The God’s Kingdom Society, an indigenous church with strong footing internationally has opposed the Valentine celebration describing it as a pagan festival and contrary to Christian morality.
The condemnation was made in a Press release issued by the Church Publicity Secretary, Benedict Hart and availed the News Echo newspaper
Excerpts of the release states as follows:
“For spiritual reasons the God’s Kingdom Society, (GKS) the Church of the Living God, is opposed to Valentine’s day celebrations. The celebration is contrary to Christian morality and is based on paganism.
“In this age when many lives are being lost to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, when several governments around the world are battling to contain the scourge of teenage pregnancies, it is sheer vanity for anyone to be promoting a celebration that encourages sexual promiscuity.
“The Bible warns that those who indulge in immorality would be punished by God Almighty. Those who aid and abet them by profiting from such practices as Valentine Day celebrations would also not escape judgment, according to 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 and Romans 1:32.
“It is unfortunate that Africans like to copy the negative rather than the positive aspects of Western culture. This celebration is one African countries ought to discourage, if not ban entirely, as it is an imported custom that debases Africa’s moral values and compounds the poverty crisis facing most African countries.
“Valentine Day celebration has nothing to do with Christianity as it was originally a pagan tradition celebrated every February by the Romans in the third century. Unfortunately, it is increasingly being seen as a Christian celebration. The fact is that it was the priests of the Church, who, in the name of Christianizing the ancient pagan celebrations of the Feast of Lupercus, changed the name to St. Valentine’s Day”.
“Christians are warned to keep away from pagan customs and practices and Valentine Day is no exception. The Bible says, “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen. For the customs of the people are vain…” (Jeremiah 10:2, 3) And Christ told the Jews, their religious leaders in particular, “…Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” – Matthew 15:3.