Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/881840
12 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 OCTOBER 2017 News 'Men need sex more tha Church commission issues on 'illicit' fertility technology "MEN need sex more than women. And women need affection more than men. This is psychologically and biblically proven," Pastor Jide Jetson, presenter of Overcomer's Chapel, said in an interview to MaltaToday. The preacher's show on cable TV channel F Living recently caused controversy when co-host Pauline Attard Abela insisted that women should not refuse their husbands' demands for sex. The statement caused outrage, and a petition submitted to the Broadcasting Authority garnered over 1,000 signatures. Complain- ants said the show promoted alarming and potentially harmful sexist messages to easily-influ- enced and vulnerable viewers. But surprised by the backlash, both Jetson and Attard Abela are insisting that the idea behind the controversial episode was to "in- spire bonding between couples." "I believe – and I might be wrong – that women [having sex]… it's the last thing on their mind. That's not top of their priorities," the pas- tor said, when asked over the view of men needing sex as their top priority in marriage. "The women the pastor was ad- dressing know exactly what he was portraying," Pauline Attard Abela continued. "Most of the time, we women, we have our children, we have our careers – we sometimes neglect our husbands. That's what we're saying, as Christians, as wives, as a mother, the husband should al- ways be a priority," she said, saying that a marriage "always takes two." Reasons such as 'being tired, or having a headache', are also valid reasons for refusing sex. "Being away from your husband, as an ex- cuse… I mean the husband should help the wife so that her duties will run more smoothly so that the wife can find time for her husband," At- tard Abela noted. But asked why they made no ref- erence to husbands denying wives, Pastor Jide Jetson said the particu- lar episode that attracted contro- versy was addressing women spe- cifically. In one of his interventions in the same programme, Jetson spoke of encouraging men to take women to the hair salon by suggesting they change their hairstyle. The presenters were asked if they believed that such comments de- tract from the bodily autonomy of wives. "It does, yeah," the pas- tor admitted. "I'm a pastor, and I have people coming for advice… and I hear things. 'I want my wife to do this, I want my wife to do that'. Rather than complaining, DENISE GRECH THE Church's environment com- mission (KA) has called for greater appreciation for the value of life, in a missive on advances by the medi- cal and pharmaceutical industries. In a position paper more akin to a pastoral letter, with its broad dis- quisition on subjects such as IVF, environment, and workers' rights, the commission declared that not every technological advancement in science and technology "is licit". "If we are not careful, there is the risk that the pharmaceutical and medical industries end up giv- ing priority to economic interests rather than to moral rules and val- ues," the commission, a think-tank of the Maltese archdiocese said. It said more research on methods that overcome infertility without jeopardizing human dignity needs to be undertaken and invested in. The Maltese government has yet to discuss the re-introduction of embryo freezing, after it was banned in 2012 by the Nationalist administration when it introduced IVF on the national health register. Artificial insemination in Malta takes place using egg freezing. "During the debates about the very early stages of life, the KA cannot accept rhetoric aimed at eliminating guilt feelings by hiding the truth. It strongly believes that a human being's rights need to be respected, irrespective of size, stage of growth and development, physical or mental ability and con- dition of health. In a just and dem- ocratic society, everybody's rights are safeguarded, whether one is an adult or a vulnerable creature who cannot defend themselves. "In this aspect, the KA fears that if we are not careful, there is the risk that the pharmaceutical and medical industries end up giv- ing priority to economic interests rather than to moral rules and values. One needs to invest more in research that explores methods which would overcome infertility without jeopardizing human dig- nity," it said. The commission then turned to the issue of Malta's environment, where it warned against the ongo- ing building spree taking place on the islands. "Malta has become a huge build- ing site," the commission said. "The KA feels that it is high time the Planning Authority becomes more proactive with regard to planning rather than occupying its time processing development ap- plications." It called for the involvement of local councils and consultation with local residents, and lamented the state's inaction on the multiple accounts of land outside develop- ment zones being used for devel- opment. "One would assume that, for our small country, the correct use of land would be a priority. How- ever, it's clear that is not the case, as our open spaces continue to be replaced by the grandiose projects that are characteristic of countries much larger than ours," the com- mission said. "Projects such as petrol stations, elderly homes and schools are giv- en the green light without proper studies being carried out," the commission continued. The KA also slammed the Malta Employers Association's proposal of an unpaid first day of sick leave, calling it inappropriate. "Any employer who is worthy of the name developer needs to work towards achieving the common good," it said, echoing Archbish- Do they? Evangelist pastor Jide Jetson, of the Overcomer's Chapel, stands his ground after his TV programme attracted over 1,000 complaints to the Broadcasting Authority In a nutshell • Human rights must be defended "irrespective of size or stage of growth" • Local councils and residents must be consulted on development • Better studies on petrol stations and elderly homes • Keep women's dignity at the heart of debate on strip clubs • No golf course development Evangelist pastor Jide Jetson