The Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches in America passed a resolution, opposing South Korea's anti-discrimination bill which would forbid the preaching on biblical definition of marriage.
Themed "Revive the passion for the Great Commission," the Korean Council held its own three-day annual meeting last week at First Baptist Church in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. It was attended by almost 600 participants from its 973 member churches, the Baptist Press reported.
During the meeting, the delegates agreed to convey its objection on the proposal to the South Korean government.
In June 2020, South Korea reintroduced the anti-discrimination bill, prohibiting discrimination against groups or individuals on the basis of sex, race, age, disability, nationality, gender identity, political opinions, religion and sexual orientation. It also stipulates that violators will be ordered to pay 30 million won ($25,281), which is not a fine or penalty but will be spent on the implementation of "corrections."
Arnold Fang, researcher of Amnesty International, said that the bill aims to "protect everybody from discrimination, including LGBTI people."
The proposal has been constantly opposed by the nation's conservative churches for about 20 years, holding that homosexuality violates their religious belief.
During a prayer meeting in Seoul last year, the United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), a conservative Protestant group, expressed its heavy opposition towards passing the legislation.
"An anti-discrimination bill was proposed by the Justice Party at the National Assembly and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea is recommending the legislation of so-called laws on equality... Facing the grim reality, the coalition and groups of Korean churches joined hands to hold a regular prayer meeting and form a committee on the matter so that they can handle the situation and oppose the anti-discrimination law, which creates another discrimination," the UCCK said in a statement.
"During the nationwide prayer meeting, we will stand against the move toward legislation and those organizations that criticize our church community - which took the lead to protect the weak and improve human rights and equality on the Korean Peninsula over the last 130 years - as if it is against equality and seeks its interests only. We will continue to make efforts to withdraw and purify the anti-discrimination legislation which has some hidden intentions and is anti-societal and unethical," the group added.
James Kang, the Korean Council's executive director, shared that the group also created a resolution last year to oppose America's Equality Act under the Biden administration. The council requested its member churches to pray and sign a petition to their respective senators, objecting the bill.
During the annual meeting, Kang was reelected for another four-year term. Kyung D. Kim, pastor of Flower Mound Korean Baptist Church in Texas, was elected as president, while Haeng Bo Lee, pastor of Korean Unity Baptist Church of Antioch in Tennessee, was voted as the first vice president.
The council also passed its 2022 budget, amounting to $1,032,000. The group allocated $651,200 for its missionary support and $130,000 for the Home Mission Board.
