Catholic Silence

The bill was tabled in Uganda’s parliament about 2 months ago. Want to read it, the text as tabled is here.

It is a horrible piece of legislation. For the homosexual Ugandan, as long as he remains Ugandan anywhere on earth, it looks for only two things for that person. Death. And life imprisonment.

I know, the excesses of the bill are being walked back. Gradually, or so I think. But, they are still there. The bill is still in committee. Which means, all the recommendations, all the changes that can be made have not yet been made. The bill is as the government, ahem, the Member of Parliament, in consultation with prominent religious leaders in Uganda, as they thought it should be written.

Soon after its tabling, the bill was debated and given very, very strong support from religious leaders in Uganda. Spokespeople from the major denominations where there. Oh, you want a link to the text of what they said? Find it here.

But, notable in absence was a representative of the Catholic Church.

Officially, relations between the Catholic Church, or Vatican are very cordial. Check out this, our new Ambassador to the Vatican presenting his credentials. It is in the New Vision.

All over those two months, the Catholic church has studiously avoided making recommendations, or an official position on the bill. Oh, of course I know they support it. Without doubt. Me, I am not a Christian, nor am I religious, nor do I follow any political agenda. I am an individual, and I see no reason to say that religious leaders lie.

They do.

Church of Uganda, Anglican, they supported the bill. Very, very strongly. And, they then started walking back that support. At the moment, they don’t seem to have any position on the bill.

They are hypocrites. Inside the country, they support the bill. Very strongly.

But, they are taking pains to seem Christian in their opposition…. So, they are gingerly playing a political game. Preaching in church that the bill should pass. Calling homosexuals worse than Cockroaches… Yes, they do. But, officially, they don’t have a position. If you really believe that, read this piece from the Bishop of Karamoja Diocese of the Church of Uganda. [Warning. Not meant for any tender ears.... or feelings. It is brutal.]

The Pentecostals, Ssempa is doing a lot of speaking for them. Why should I add anything?

But the Catholic Church in Uganda?

Not a squeak. Not a scratch. Not a peep. Not a word, concerning this bill. This terrible, genocidal bill.

I have been trying to prod them, and I am still trying to. Unlike their Anglican brothers and Pentecostal brothers in Uganda, official Catholic theology sees Homosexual people as human beings.

No, I there was no glitch with my brain.

Most Ugandan Christians of all stripes, despite their Christian credentials, do not see a homosexual as a human being. That is why a Reverend calls us Cockroaches, a Bishop rails against us like this, and Bahati, a born again Christian, sincerely says that he would arrest his brother, his own brother to report him to the police, if that said brother was homosexual, and the bill was law to be jailed for life, or the death penalty.

Rick Warren says the bill is Un-Christian. I agree.

Once I was a Christian. Now, well, I will not have anyone intimate that I am. The Christian example that I see in Uganda fills me with horror. I AM NOT CHRISTIAN, and I am thankful for that. Truly.

But, more than 80% of my country people are Christians. They under the sway of Christian leaders in the country.

And, of these, those who profess the Catholic faith is 42%. No, I am not lying to you. 42% of Ugandans say they are of the Catholic faith. Here is the quote from Wikipedia, picked today 22-Dec-09.

According to the census of 2002, Christians made up about 84% of Uganda's population. The Roman Catholic Church has the largest number of adherents (41.9%), followed by the Anglican Church of Uganda (35.9%). The next most reported religion of Uganda is Islam, with Muslims representing 12% of the population.

So, where is the Catholic church in Uganda?

Deafening, the Catholic Silence in Uganda. Positively Deafening.

We have had a few hints, now and then, that they support the bill.

• The Silence. It is the single most damning evidence of their support.
  
  
• The Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Uganda was at this conference.
  Yes, he was there. Benson Obua-Ogwal confirmed it. So did Pastor Martin Ssempa in some private conversations with yours truly. (grin, we still talk, Martin and I. …!)
  
  
• Did you see the encyclical letter sent by Martin Ssempa as the head of the Uganda pastors… He purported to speak for the Catholic Church in Uganda.
  Hey, don’t lynch me, Catholics…. I know, heresy, heresy, heresy. But, the Catholic Church in Uganda is silent, and, they are at all these meetings. So, they do not support the bill in all its glory? No, I will not believe that piece of self deception.
  
  
• I know. I know, I know. They are Ugandans. Translation= homophobes.

Have you thought about the fact that the Vatican did release this kind of statement in New York, at the United Nations, condemning this kind of bill without mentioning Uganda once?

As stated during the debate of the General Assembly last year, the Holy See continues to oppose all grave violations of human rights against homosexual persons, such as the use of the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. The Holy See also opposes all forms of violence and unjust discrimination against homosexual persons, including discriminatory penal legislation which undermines the inherent dignity of the human person.

As raised by some of the panelists today, the murder and abuse of homosexual persons are to be confronted on all levels, especially when such violence is perpetrated by the State. While the Holy See's position on the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity remains well known, we continue to call on all States and individuals to respect the rights of all persons and to work to promote their inherent dignity and worth.

I think the Vatican is very aware of the silence from the Ugandan Catholic Church. And, they know why, so, the Vatican covered themselves. No. I will rephrase. 'PILATE WASHED HIS HANDS.'

I love politics. Trully. When I can poke my dirty finger into the eye of some buffoon politicians. Including those who play church politics. Church and Mosque politics.

So, in Uganda, we have a Cardinal. Retired, I believe. But, one is a Cardinal for life, isn’t it?

And, we have the Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Uganda. He was at this meeting which supported the govt. Here. And, Ssempa says that he represented him in this statement,telling Rick Warren to take back the 'bill in Un-Christian' letter, here. Those are their words, not mine.

Of course, we have the Papal Nuncio also, the Vatican’s ambassador to Uganda.

And, the Catholic Church in Uganda maintains a Deafening Silence…..

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