Urgent
Religious Freedom Under Threat
Constitutional Rights
Opposition to Legalisation of Prostitution
Executive Summary
What's Happening
A pending high court application aims to decriminalise prostitution in South Africa, challenging longstanding legal precedent and moral foundations. This move would overturn the Constitutional Court's 2002 confirmation that prohibiting prostitution aligns with constitutional principles, as well as disregard a 2017 state commission's recommendation to maintain criminal sanctions against prostitution.
Why It Matters
Prostitution remains illegal in South Africa following a 2002 Constitutional Court ruling and a 2017 state commission recommendation. However, a new court application seeks to overturn this prohibition, threatening to legitimise an industry that fundamentally contradicts biblical principles and human dignity. This case represents a critical moment for defending biblical morality and protecting vulnerable people from exploitation.
What's at Stake
Success here would establish precedent for overturning biblical moral standards in law. The normalisation of prostitution represents a fundamental shift away from recognising human dignity and toward accepting the commodification of sexuality. This threatens the moral foundation of society and opens the door to further erosion of biblical values in legislation and public policy.
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Issue Context
Our Faith Position
Our commitment to biblical truth guides our stance on this issue. We believe Scripture provides clear direction for how Christians should respond to matters of faith, freedom, and governance.
Key Scripture References
Biblical foundations that inform our position
"Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness."Leviticus 19:29
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."1 Corinthians 6:18-20
"You shall not commit adultery."Exodus 20:14
Additional references
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Theological Foundation
Understanding the biblical principles behind our stance
Core Biblical Principles
- Human Dignity: Every person is created in God's image and deserves respect, not to be reduced to a commodity for commercial transaction
- Sexual Purity: God designed sexuality as a sacred gift for the covenant relationship of marriage between one man and one woman
- Protection of the Vulnerable: Christians must protect those at risk of exploitation and oppose practices that degrade human dignity
Scripture unambiguously teaches that human sexuality is a sacred gift from God, designed for the covenant relationship of marriage. Prostitution violates this divine design by commodifying what God intended to be holy, reducing people created in His image to mere objects for commercial transaction. The Bible warns that such practices degrade individuals and corrupt society. As Christians, we cannot support the legalisation of conduct that fundamentally contradicts God's design for human sexuality and dignity, regardless of legal or social pressures to compromise biblical truth.
Historical Precedent
Throughout history, faithful Christians have consistently opposed the normalization of sexual immorality, even when it was legally permitted or culturally accepted. In ancient Rome, where prostitution and sexual exploitation were widespread and often state-sanctioned, the early church maintained strict biblical standards of sexual purity, teaching that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. During the Victorian era, Christians like Josephine Butler led campaigns against the legal regulation of prostitution, recognizing that state sanction does not make immoral practices acceptable. In modern times, Christians have consistently opposed the legalization of practices that commodify human sexuality, understanding that legal permission does not equate to moral approval. Our stand against the legalization of prostitution follows this long tradition of maintaining biblical sexual ethics regardless of legal or cultural pressure.
Case Against This Proposal
A summary of our objections, suggested actions, and a constructive alternative approach.
Key Arguments
- Prostitution fundamentally degrades human dignity and commodifies the human body
- Biblical teaching clearly prohibits sexual activity outside marriage covenant
- International evidence shows legalisation increases violence and trafficking
- Legalisation enriches criminal organisations rather than protecting vulnerable people
- Claims of 'voluntary choice' ignore coercion through intimidation, violence, and drugs
- South African police are already overstretched and cannot effectively regulate such industry
Recommended Actions
- Pray for wisdom for courts and opposing parties
- Write letters to newspapers expressing moral opposition
- Submit petitions to authorities defending prohibition
- Use social media to voice support for maintaining criminal sanctions
- Support organisations defending traditional moral values
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