War, of Words.

Wanted to say, Christian Compassion... but, it is up to you to tell me whether it is.

At David's funeral, the Anglican priest who was officiating decided that it was a fitting time to let loose a diatribe against homoseuxuals. He knew lots of us were there. He knew that the man who had been murdered, whose body he had been called to pray for was a self-confessed gay man. And he let loose his diatribe. Christian compassion indeed. The locals did cheer him on.

We were unhappy. We snatched the mic from him, and the police led him away. Where we that unhappy? Well, words have effects. The locals refused to bury David. So, we went ahead and buried him ourselves. We could not countenance such Christian compassion.

Sorry, Christians. Now, to show that I am sorry.

You did hear about the pussy footing of the Archbishop of Cantebury when the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was introduced in the parliament of Uganda, and the Church of Uganda, Anglican, came out in support of this bill?

Well, something happened. David Kato was a nominal anglican. I am given to believe that his dad (now deceased) was a Reverend in the Church. (Which explains the anglican priest at his burial....!) But, Bishop Ssenyonjo was there to correct the hate that was spewed out of the official representative of the church....

Yes, Bishop Ssenyonjo. He kind of represents the other side of the Christian equation. There are those who believe, for show. And those who really believe in the ideals of their religion.

I was talking about the Archbishop of Cantebury.

At about the time of the burial of David Kato, some of the Anglican primates (archbishops) were meeting in Ireland. Archbishop Orombi of Uganda gave it a miss. He cannot sit on the same table as his fellow Primate from the US church. Something to do with the question of homosexuality.....

Bishop Orombi was one of seven Anglican Church leaders who boycotted the Anglican Primates Meeting in Dublin which concluded yesterday, because Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the US Episcopal Church, was attending it.

Anyway, he was not there. Parsing words is for politicians and primates, not me.

The Archbishop of Cantebury came out with a statement. I think, enough is enough in some ways. Even his brother from Uganda needed to be 'reined in', maybe a little, despite the parsing of words!

Here are some of the observations in the Irish Times

He continued that Mr Kato had been “named in this rotten, disgraceful Ugandan publication” – the Rolling Stone newspaper in Kampala – in which “effectively, his murder had been called for.”

It illustrated, he said, that “words have results . . . certainly a lesson all need to learn”.

At the same press conference, in Dublin’s Emmaus Centre, Bishop Bernard Ntahoturi, primate of the Episcopal Church of Burundi, said he deplored “the killing of David as I deplore the killing of any other human being.”

Speaking at Christ Church Cathedral yesterday morning Bishop Jefferts Schori said the primate of Uganda faced “significant challenges”.

She prayed for him and for the soul of David Kato, whose death was a reminder of “the need to treat all human beings with dignity”.

Asked whether precipitous action by the US Episcopal Church had plunged the worldwide Anglican Communion into unnecessary crisis, she said the same-sex issue has been under consideration by the US church “for nearly 50 years”.

Meanwhile a service in Trinity College Dublin was told yesterday that “any church that preaches intolerance is contributing to the very real and deadly consequences of homophobia”.

Canon Giles Goddard, of Inclusive Church England, recalled that David Kato “was bludgeoned to death in his home in Uganda . . . At his funeral, the officiant – who was an Anglican lay reader – ranted against homosexuality.

“And at the end of the service the villagers refused to bury his coffin”.

Anglicans, he stated, “need to find a way out of the absurd stalemate we are in over human sexuality”.

He continued that “here we are in Ireland, close to a living example of what’s possible in extremely complicated issues with flexibility and care.

“I do not believe that something similar isn’t possible within the Anglican Communion. It’s time to find that way.”

55 other archbishops were not to be outdone. Amongst the things they came out with at the end of their meeting, was this statement on David's death.

THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

A statement on the murder of David Kato by the Primates of the Anglican Communion

following their Primates’ Meeting in Dublin, Ireland, between 24th and 30th January,

2011.

We would like to express our support for the statement of The Archbishop of Canterbury in

response to the horrific murder of David Kato in Mukono, Uganda.

We join him in saying that no one should have to live in fear because of the bigotry of others.

We reiterate that ‘the victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections

happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us’ (Primates Meeting

2005).

We reaffirm that ‘any demonising of homosexual persons, or their ill treatment, is totally

against Christian charity and basic principles of pastoral care’ (The Windsor Report).

We call on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual

orientation and condemn irrational fear of gay people (1998 Lambeth Conference).

Yes, it did go that far. And, they were spitting fire.

The church in Uganda may cozen with hatred, preach it, and throw us out. But, the parent church had something else to say about this.

Now, to this 'Church basher', I am in a dilemma.

Should I continue bashing the church? Clearly, these primates people are Orombi's equal. Did I mention that the Bishop of Mukono is supposed to have come out supporting the homophobic preacher at Kato's funeral? And condemning Bishop Ssenyonjo for daring to show some love to us sinners?

Guess I owe some people an apology.

Or, do I?

I will always remain yours truly,

gug