Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Exodus International Statement

Bishop Ssenyonjo still tours the  US.

But, there is this statement from Exodus International. They are THE ex-gay ministry of the world. And, they were involved in the ‘Anti-Homosexuality Seminar’ of last year. They have released an apology for the whole thing. First saw it at ‘ex-gay watch. Really interesting reading.

One thing I have come to appreciate is the reality of lies and false denials given in the name of ‘politics’. They really gall me, don’t know why…! We have lots of ‘political correctness’ in Uganda, regarding what can be said about the ruling party. But, there is lots of it through the world. Israel and its ‘terrorist’ blockade-runner activists is one case in point, so is BP and its oil-spill…. Me, I am a plain old traditionalist who is impressed more by truth than by denials and false pretences, so I am impressed by an apology that is heartfelt.
I also regret that Exodus itself or by association, of which there is little or no differentiation in this case, was connected in any way to this conference and its organizers.  Exodus and I do hold to a biblical view of human sexuality but that in no way means that we believe consensual heterosexual or homosexual adult sexual expression conducted in private should be criminalized.  Nor do we believe that those same groups who deviate from biblical sexual thought or expression should be targeted as criminals, deemed unlovable or miscategorized as incapable of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  In deed, we all fall short of the Glory of God and there is but one-way to Him: seeking His Son and acknowledging Him for who He is.
Yeah, I know, I am not alone in appreciating honesty. Ex-gay Watch, and Throckmorton, and Box Turtle Bulletin applaud it too. Of course, what has been happening in Uganda, and in Africa will continue to put the burden on Christians. Christians will continue to be blamed for the anti-gay hostility in Africa still. Not least because the condemnation has been literally wrung out late and with lots of ‘back-looking’. But, that weight of condemnation lightens. By a feather.

So, there indeed has been a bit of a silver lining to the whole 'Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009' As Timothy Kincaid of BTB writes-
It has engendered an international discussion about human rights, it has illustrated the work which continues to be required in much of the world, and it has caused many in the Christian community to question their beliefs and positions.
Some, such as Scott Lively, were revealed as supporters of a culture of imprisonment and death. There have always been those who operate from a sphere of deep hatred towards gay people. And for too long their rhetoric was not perceived as too radical or too extreme to be outside of acceptable Christian thought. For some, this situation revealed their heart.
And others found themselves, for perhaps the first time, speaking out in the defense of gay people. Some religious leaders were embarrassed that they were associated with the bill and the blind hatred in Uganda’s religious rhetoric and took steps to denounce the bill and disassociate themselves from the bias. I am hopeful that they have learned a lesson and will be careful in the future about lending their name and voice to those who act out of hate.
And there were those, like Exodus International, the ex-gay ministries umbrella group, who were made aware that anti-gay activism has real consequences and that “loving the homosexual” has responsibilities that extend beyond trying to “call him to redemption.” Although they claim to “challenge those who respond to homosexuals with ignorance and fear”, for a very long time this “challenge” has been nearly nonexistent and I think that Exodus and its leadership have been awakened to the inadequacy of their response.

For gay Ugandans, the biggest plus that I can point to is the exposure of the malignant 'Christian' hatred of one Martin Ssempa PhD. We knew of it, but it was good the world was made really aware. [Here, the 'eat da poo poo' remix is norminated for a Grammy!]

I do remember that Ssempa is a Christian pastor. Bahati is a born again Christian, and Scott Lively is a Christian Pastor (so is Steven Langa), and they all believe, preach and want to legislate gay genocide in Uganda. Yes, their philosophy is mainly American right derived, and bodies like the Family Research Council do lobby their legislative bodies to make bills like anti-homosexuality bill to become law in places like Uganda. Yes, it is still true that Christians are to blame for a lot of the anti-gay hate in Africa. Christians inside and outside Africa.

It is Heroes day in Uganda, one of those days that opposition party members complain is tailor made for the rulling party. Hope you have a great day.


gug

11 comments:

spiralx said...

None of the above would know true Christianity if they fell over it on the street - which, I imagine, they do regularly.

And "Heroes Day" - a lot of countries (or rather, their governments)do that. Why? It has never been anything but a propaganda exercise, anywhere it is promoted. A useful one, perhaps, in whipping up the masses - ignorant, underfed, probably unemployed, getting them onside for whatever you want.

But when you have a Heroes Day that values the simple, day-today heroism of normal everyday people doing good, then we will finally have something to celebrate.

Leonard said...

Bishop Ssenyonjo was received at The White House, Washington D.C. last evening and this next Sunday he will preach at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City...St. John the Divine is the HUGE Cathedral where Bishop Ssenyonjo was made a priest...it will be quite a reunion I imagine as now he is a International SPOKESPERSON for the marginalized, OUR demonized LGBT brothers and sisters in Uganda! HORRAY for Bishop Ssenyonjo

Leonard said...

Take a peek, Saint John the Divine, the fourth largest Christian Church in the entire World and the LARGEST ANGLICAN CHURCH anywhere in the World...it´s Gothic Revival architecture and See of The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion Bishop of the diocese of New York, Mark Sisk...this is the church where Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo was ordained decades ago:

http://www.google.es/images?hl=es&rlz=1T4SKPB_esGT367GT367&q=st.+john+the+divine+cathedral&um=1&ie=UTF-
8&source=univ&ei=UtoPTLvJD42mNrbJ6b8M&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CEIQsAQwAw

More History:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Saint_John_the_Divine,_New_York

Leonard said...

BTW, Bishop Christopher will be preaching the homily at the High Mass at 11:OO A.M. (the biggest service of the week)

Anonymous said...

You gays can gloat here for as long as we dont discover who you are. The moment we do,we deal with you decisively. We are making good headway in breaking up yo evil practice in Uganda and we shall get you too.
-P
UaHT

Leonard said...

UPDATE (it appears another fear/hatedriven bigoted criminal has visited in my absense...threats, ANONYMOUS cowards who make threats then attempt to terrorize others because they are UNABLE to face their own despicable real life actions, tarnished circumstances and UNSTABLE self-loathing...who are they REALLY AFRAID OF? It´s not YOU, it´s not me...it´s REALITY!

There is nothing masculine about demented men (sometimes in white sheets with eye holes cut out and/or shaved heads) rushing around trying to defend themselves from their own worst ugly fantasies...because, in fact, they are simply raging lost souls who have no trust in God or anyone else...there is nowhere for them to run, not forever.

Back to my UPDATE: Bishop Christopher was in Washington addressing the Center for American Progress...there is a video at Episcopal Cafe:

Center for American Progress hosts Robinson and Senyonjo: Bishops Gene Robinson of New Hampshire and Christopher Senyonjo of Uganda spoke yesterday in Washington at the Center for American Progress. The event included remarks by Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

The Center for American Progress reports on the event here:

Watch the conversation between Robinson and Senyonjo.

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/episcopal_church/center_for_american_progress_h.html

andy said...

I believe that there are 3 important institutions in the Nation; The Family, The church and The State.
Family being a place of growth where morals are taught, The church is where faith is taught, love of one another, Repentance and forgiveness and then transformation. Then the state being an institution that governs, making laws, enforcing the law and punishing law breakers. Bahati being a member of the Ugandan Parliament has the right to bring up a law. Then I will blem Ssempa, Scott Lively, Steven Langa if they are not preaching love of one another and transformation in their churches.

gayuganda said...

Hey anon P,

What is UaHT?

A new anti-gay group in Uganda?

F said...

@ Anonymous:

Blackmail, murder and aggression are crimes in Uganda. Murder is forbidden by most religions. Attacks on civilians are contrary to military honour codes, formal and informal, and genocide is a crime in international law punishable by the International Criminal Court.

You are a thug, a psychopath, a weakling and a coward, and you bring shame to real men. And if you claim to be a Christian, you are a liar and a blasphemer, and Christ would be insulted that you misappropriate his name.

You need to repent, turn yourself in and get therapy. May God have mercy on your soul, if you have one.

F said...

@andy

"Bahati being a member of the Ugandan Parliament has the right to bring up a law."

Only if the law does not violate Uganda's constitution and international law. No one has the right to violate the human rights of others.

The parliamentary committee that reviewed the original Anti-Homosexuality Bill has said that nearly the entire bill was unconstitutional or redundant.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/world/africa/09uganda.html

While you did not raise them, I might as well address the related arguments that are typically raised in support of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Human rights are not merely a domestic issue. They are rights in international law. They are a domestic only in the sense that Uganda is required by international law to implement them domestically.

Human rights are universal, not cultural. To say that gay Africans have no human rights is tantamount to saying that Africans have only cultural rights, not human rights. If Uganda does not accept that human rights are universal, it should not have signed the Univeral Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
http://www.achpr.org/english/_info/charter_en.html

Uganda has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its First Optional Protocol that allows the UN's Human Rights Committee to rule on complaints filed by individuals against the Ugandan government.

Uganda has also ratified the Genocide Convention and the Convention against Torture. Sexual orientation conversion treatments now proposed by the unspeakably monstrous Scott Lively probably qualify as "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" contrary to that convention. They also do incalculable harm and don't work.

Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders have human rights under the international instruments signed by Uganda, including the rights to non-discrimnation and to security. This is recognized in the Yogyakarta principles.
http://www.yogyakartaprinciples.org/principles_en.htm

Leonard said...

Anonymous, honest, your wish for ¨mercy¨ on our Souls is appreciated, at least by me. I would like to suggest that instead on concentrating on my Soul or gug´s Soul or anyone elses Soul you start looking into your own twisted beliving and acting out against strangers (whom you know nothing about in terms of individual character)...it´s worrisome to me that you are apparently so emotionally and spiritually unstable...please check out the Reverend Jerry Menckers thought on your challenge:

¨...So, any frustration, be it sexual or otherwise, sets the stage for aggression to follow. And, to the degree that homophobic rhetoric is allowed to continue, especially continue by appeal to the Bible and to God by clergy and their followers, we can expect a continuation, or even an increase, in aggression directed against LGBT people.

Emotionally intact and mature people learn to handle life's inevitable frustrations in healthy ways.

Strident homophobes, on the other hand, those who bear false witness and castigate LGBT people, take the coward's way out in dealing with life's inevitable frustrations, and thereby show themselves to lack the emotional and/or sexual intactness necessary to both live an abundant life, as well as contribute to a healthy and civil society.¨ http://christianglbtrights.blogspot.com/2010/06/strident-homophobia-is-born-of.html

Post a Comment