I was misquoted; I'm against LGBT+ - MOG Music clarifies

Ghanaian Gospel artiste and songwriter MOG Music has clarified his position on the Anti-LGBT+ bill, which is awaiting presidential assent.

This comes after he received backlash on social media for refusing to publicly disclose his stance on the controversial Anti-LGBT+ Bill to maintain his reputation and avoid criticism.

In a recent interview, MOG stated that while he can share his views privately, he prefers not to do so in the media due to the potential backlash.

This decision, however, led to criticism from some who believe he should take a definitive public stand based on biblical principles.

Clearing the air on his stance in an interview on TV3 on March 13, MOG Music claimed he was misquoted by bloggers online who just wanted traffic.

According to him, he was not afraid to declare his stance on LGBT+ activities, but was rather refusing to comment on the passage of the Anti-LGBT+ Bill and the Supreme Court's involvement in its assention by the president.

“I want to set the record straight. Some bloggers and some websites are misquoting what happened on your sister station. The question was on the bill. The bill that has been passed and the bill that has been sent to the Supreme Court, and the refusal of the president to sign it. It was not on the whole LGBT+ issue. And I said I didn't want to talk about it. Because of who I am. I don't want to talk about it.

"However, I will not want to indulge myself in these communications, because of the sensitivity of the issue," he said.

MOG Music reaffirmed his Christian beliefs, stating that his stance aligns with biblical teachings and that he will not compromise his faith.

“My stance on this LGBT+ thing is clear. We've had an issue with this same statement somewhere three years back, and we brought a statement out clearly saying that I'm a Christian and I stand with the scripture. What the Bible says is where I stand. I am not going to go against my faith and do something wrong,” he said.

He called for respect for his decision to abstain from discussing the legal aspects of the bill, highlighting the sensitivity of the issue.

“What I don't want to comment on is the passing of the bill and also the bill being taken to the Supreme Court and the president's refusal to sign. I don't want to comment about it. And I think Ghanaians should respect my position about this thing, and it has nothing to do with my faith,” he stated.

MOG Music also criticized the media for sensationalizing the topic, suggesting that some outlets are more interested in generating clicks than accurately representing his views.

“People must eat, so they have to sell bad news. But definitely, you cannot tarnish the image of a man that God has raised,” he said.

About the Bill

The Parliament of Ghana on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, widely known as the anti-LGBT+ Bill.

The Bill, currently awaiting presidential assent, proscribes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) activities and criminalizes their promotion, advocacy, and funding.

Persons caught in these acts will be subjected to a six-month to three-year jail term, with promoters and sponsors facing a three-five-year jail term
The Bill will now require presidential assent to come into force within seven days.

However, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo refuses to assent to the Bill, parliament, by a two-thirds majority vote, can approve it into law.

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