Saturday, March 14, 2009

Another view from America.

UPDATE 20 Mar. 09

Another view from, somewhere to the west! Interesting article here. 

Lessons From the Uganda Homosexuality Conference

From the comments, I think they are talking about a different Christian than those who attended the conference.

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I am a Ugandan who is gay. Living and working in Uganda. Funny that I just feel more angry and bitter.

And I am very bitter. To hell with the hypocrites, trying to figure out how evil I am, how deserving of the ‘punishment’ they dole out to me. Harsh, isn’t it? But I am no longer minded to be ‘charitable’ to pharisaical Christians.

 

gug

 

Sexuality Expert: Uganda Anti-Gay Seminar Takes Wrong Approach

By Michelle A. Vu

Christian Post Reporter

Fri, Mar. 13 2009 02:55 PM EDT

A sexuality counseling expert is finding fault with a recent Uganda conference on homosexuality where church leaders and some of the guest speakers supported the criminalization of homosexuality and enforced therapy for gays.

Uganda-based Family Life Network hosted a conference on March 5-8 in Kampala that called parents and the community to oppose the homosexual agenda. It featured guest speakers, including a few from the United States, who offered insight on the causes of and treatment for homosexuality.

Among the American guests was Dr. Scott Lively, president of Defend the Family International, who reportedly said he supports the government of Uganda criminalizing homosexuality, but that subjecting homosexuals to therapy is better than imprisoning them, according to UGPulse.

Lively reportedly said the main goal was to help homosexuals recover and not to punish them.

But Dr. Warren Throckmorton, director of College Counseling and associate professor of Psychology at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, finds it troubling that the American Christian leaders spoke at a conference that supports the criminalization of homosexuality and that none of them had reportedly publicly opposed the law. He noted that the people in charge of the conference called for stricter enforcement of laws against homosexuality.

“It is illegal to be homosexual in Uganda. There’s also a category of homosexuality (act) that has a potential for life imprisonment,” said Throckmorton to The Christian Post on Wednesday. “How often it is enforced is not clear.”

But news reports have communicated that homosexuals have been interrogated by police, beaten, and some have sought asylum outside the country, he said.

“So it is a very difficult place for those who are same-sex attracted to be open about it,” the sexuality researcher said.

Meanwhile, the American representatives from prominent U.S.-based ex-gay ministries, such as Exodus International and the International Healing Foundation, work in an environment where people can be open about their sexuality, Throckmorton pointed out.

“I think it’s inappropriate to try to transplant American concepts of ex-gay ministry into an environment where you can’t even go in and open yourself up to that kind of disclosure without some kind of risk,” he said.

In response, Exodus International said it applauds its board member Don Schmierer, who attended the Uganda conference, for his effort to convey an “alternative message that encompasses a compassionate, biblical view of homosexuality,” according to a statement by Exodus International president Alan Chambers to The Christian Post on Wednesday.

Exodus says neither Schmierer nor the ministry agrees or endorses Uganda’s criminalization of homosexuality law, imprisonment of homosexuals or compulsory therapy. Rather, the ministry says it “unequivocally denounces” the positions the government of Uganda has towards homosexuality.

As for Throckmorton, he also condemns the government of Uganda’s criminalization of homosexuality. He argues that people “cannot be forced to believe” and the state should not use “coercive power” to try to “generate obedience to the Gospel.”

Throckmorton, who holds the traditional Christian view that homosexuality is a sin, urges local churches in Uganda to lead the way in “implementing the Golden Rule” and to support freedom of conscience.

“I suspect they (Uganda churches) believe they are doing a good thing, but you can't really win someone over who fears and resents you,” he said.

3 comments:

spiralx said...

Since this is mainly a US initiative, it's good to see the other US elements entering the debate with a (somewhat) more reasoned - and reasonable - approach.

Leonard said...

I assume the participants in the anti-gay recent "family" conference in Uganda had their expenses paid by those who would promote extremist views against LGBT Christians, Muslims and others in Ugandan society...Archbishop Orombi, of Uganda, often brags about the "conservative" money that flows endlessly to him (replacing the defiled money of the American Episcopal Church) for "mission partnership" help in Uganda...there appears to be lots of MONEY available to stomp on the innocent character/unknown virtue of LGBT human beings...money for thuggery and hate crime seems unlimited.

Initiating the idea that LGBT ought be "treated" (by WHOM would be a good question) is similar to insisting that Heterosexuals who have sex outside of marriage ought be "treated" for tainted sexual intimacy..who is willing to pay the bill for this type of defective pogrom of "brain washing and selfrighteous" stupidity? What about those of us who may not or simply don't need "treating" by Orombi and his mob of wacko faithless healers? What about those of us who are regular citizens, solidly healthy (emotionally and spiritually and physically)? The entire idea that "witch hunting" LGBT people exclusively at all levels of society is silly, who will cast the first STONE?

I would imagine that the sexual "interlopers," if any/many",at Schools in Uganda are mostly Heterosexuals who outnumber Gay people by the hundreds/thousands

Orombi needs to keep propping up his anti-LGBT crusade in order to appear the "solid" preacher that he attempts to appear to be...unfortunately, for him and his crediability, he has lost case after case (including rulings from the Supreme Court of California) when attempting to take over property/parishes owned by The Episcopal Church...Orombi ought seek "treatment" for his great problem of over-the-top arrogance and trickery...the man is a very dangerous puffed up ego-driven
person who harms thousands of human beings while
preaching his hatefilled nonsense against those Christians/others he KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!

spiralx said...

Astonishing, isn't it. America is well known for its "cultural imperialism" - yet Uganda cheerfully throws its independence over for one more version of white rule!

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