Rehabilitation of the Ugandan Homosexual Offender

 

In spite of supremely hypocritical cries of ‘blackmail’, ‘sovereignty’ etc, etc from anti-gay activists like Bahati and Ssempa, Basalirwa and others, the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 has distinct influence from far right Anti-gay Activists from the USA. The likes of Family Watch International. Their love of ‘converting the homosexual’ crept in.

Make no mistake, my country mates are hate filled nincompoops. They are being led like sheep, all parroting the same nonsense, and not even TRYING to think through what they are doing.

But, I have to recognise the Fundamentalist Christian Right coming from the US. And their poodles in Africa, of course.

I digress.

In a ‘Christian’ show of compassion, the homosexual is given a chance to repent and convert from their evil ways. Not from outside prison, of course. Prison is the big stick to effect the ‘conversion’, in God’s Name, of course.

Where is this stated? Hold on to your seat, here is Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.

 

“16.  Rehabilitation of homosexual

(1)       The court may, upon convicting a person of the offence of homosexuality, order the provision of social services for purposes of rehabilitating the convicted person.

(2)       The services referred to in subsection (1) may be provided by the prisons service or by a probation, social and welfare officer or of the area where the convicted person is serving his or her sentence.”

 

I think this was a darling pet pevee of the current Primate of the Anglican Church. He has been frothing at the mouth, trying to prove to the broken Anglican communion that he is the most Anti-Homosexual of all the GASCON group, the Anglicans defecting from the Church of England’s Communion.

I am informed his mates were kind of worried about his bloodthirstiness in advocating for Death and Prison to the homosexual. So, some sort of ‘rehabilitation.’

Notice; it is involuntary. It is in prison. Court orders it.

What else are they going to order? A reminder of the horrors that have passed for Homosexual Conversion therapy in the past.

“These so-called therapies, which are known to be performed in more than 60 countries, include counselling (some with verbal abuse and humiliation), prayers, psychiatric medications, hormone injections, aversion therapies where nausea-inducing medications are given alongside presentation of homoerotic stimuli, and application of electric shock to the brain, or to the hands and genitals. Other methods include exorcism, ritual cleansing through beating the patient, force-feeding or food deprivation, forced nudity, solitary confinement, hypnosis, and “corrective” rape.

Besides lack of medical and scientific validity, so-called conversion therapy has potentially harmful physical and psychological consequences. It is inhuman, cruel, degrading and completely unjustifiable “treatment” that has absolutely no place in the ethical practice of medicine, or in Christian life or civilised society in general.”

Truly, a fervent prayer. The gods, all the gods help the LGBTQ+ Ugandan caught in the net of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.
Society, the religions, the state have all teemed up to make sure you are straight. The deities have mercy on your sanity.

 

gug

Gay Believers.... Islam, Christianity

We recently had an election. For a President that had been elected by a majority of 68%, the silence on the streets of Kampala was, to say the least, deafening....

Maybe it was the 'security' that stopped people from rejoicing as they should have?....[shake of the head.]

Anyway, maybe Ugandans only celebrate the win of the president when there are cameras around..... Sorry, I am still trying to figure out the apparent incongruency.

Ok. Let me deal with another matter. The atmosphere of homophobia in the country, in Uganda. Now, a caveat, I am a gay Ugandan. I have grown up here. So, what is 'abnormal' for me, would be a lack of homophobia... maybe.
I have been following some of the reaction to the BBC documentary, 'The Worst Place to be Gay', and, here is one of the comments that struck me. From a person who is a Christian, and, is admittedly not gay friendly, from their own admission.

HOMOSEXUALS IN UGANDA.
I watched a documentary the other night about homosexuality in Uganda.  Nearly everyone who was interviewed said that they should, at they very least, be put in prison.Many Christians and Ministers said they should be killed.
Whilst I do not agree with the 'act', I was horrified that so many so-called s have them put to death.
Did anyone else see this programme?

Well, as a matter of fact, I have not 'seen' that programme. But, I live it on a day to day basis.... it has sort of become invisible, you understand? And, I thought that that is the official position of all Christians?

LOL, I am having some fun with the commentary. I mean, that is normal in my part of the world. But, it is distressing to other Christians. Some time ago, that would have been a chance to go Christian bashing. Well, now I at least know that Christians are not all like Pastor Dr. Martin 'eat da poo poo' Ssempa.

But, Christians, you will have to stand up and say that you are not like so....... !

Religion.... Ok, fact is, I decided to stand on the fence, with regards to religion. Safer to think that way. But, because so many of my friends, going through the same issues as me are so much in love with faith, (and the fact that, I cannot but acknowledge that even gay people have a spiritual desire and need), I have resigned myself to having to seek out a compromise. Even when there are those ready to bash me because of my sexuality.
They say that I cannot be spiritual, or religious, because of my sexuality.

Not so, some other gay people say. Here is the inspiring testimony of the Pink Imam

South African Muhsin Hendricks is an Islamic cleric and a gay man.
He runs a foundation called The Inner Circle, which helps Muslims, who are struggling to accept their sexuality. He has come to the Netherlands to spread a simple message: “It’s okay to be Muslim and gay!”
It’s a message not everyone agrees with and the reason why Mr Hendricks is no longer officially a cleric.
Muhsin Hendricks looks a little tired. He is in the Netherlands at the invitation of the Amsterdam branch of gay rights organisation COC and he’s on a punishing schedule. There is enormous public interest in the “pink imam”, as he’s been dubbed.
Sin
But every trace of fatigue vanishes as Mushin Hendricks talks about his faith and his sexuality.
“Being Muslim and being gay are both strong identities. And I think that they are both innate identities for me. So somewhere along the line I had to reconcile the two.”
This was far from easy for Muhsin Hendricks. He was born into an orthodox Muslim family in South Africa. His grandfather was a cleric in one of Cape Town’s most prominent mosques. Mushin discovered at an early age that he was different. He played with dolls rather than cars. He was seen as being feminine and was teased as a result. All this was long before he even knew there was such a thing as homosexuality

That testimony energises me. Positively. Yes, it does. Here is a man who is going against the current, and swimming strongly. You go, Man, you go! Read it to the full. It is beautiful.

And, talking of gay Moslems, here is how one loving couple in Britain dealt with their problem. Yes, we are gay, but, that does not stop us from being spiritual.

"We met about three years ago, at an iftar - a breaking of fast during Ramadan.
"I think a lot of Muslims find that time of year very spiritual and very enlightening, and so I think that's why our relationship developed, because we spoke about our faith."
"Eventually we went on a date."
Asra recalls the first time she met her partner, Sarah, three years ago. The gay couple, who are also Muslim, are one of a growing number of gay, British Muslims who have cemented their relationship with marriage - Islamic marriage.
Asra fondly remembers the moment Sarah proposed to her.
"After the first date, which was about an hour, Sarah casually asked me to marry her."
Sarah interjects.
"I think it was more like four hours, after dinner, coffee and walking. I didn't really plan it, but it just really seemed like the way it was between us, I should try and keep it as pure as possible.
"That may sound strange being lesbians, but it felt like we should do it the most honourable way we could."
The Muslim way
Asra and Sarah decided upon a 'nikah' - a Muslim matrimonial contract. Whilst nikahs have traditionally been the reserve of heterosexual Muslims, Asra and Sarah were aware that other gay Muslims had followed this route and the couple decided to investigate further.
It's still very difficult for me to tell my family about my life being a lesbian. They know I am a believer, they know I am religious, but going as far as saying I am a lesbian is quite hard”
"A few friends said you don't really have to have an official Imam, but you need someone who is knowledgeable enough about the Qur'an to do it. Fortunately, one of our friends was, and she offered to do it. She's a lesbian herself, and she said we could do it in her home."
Three months after the proposal, the big day came. Asra wore a white shalwar kameez - a traditional Pakistani outfit - and Sarah a pink dress.
"I wanted to wear leather, but Asra wouldn't let me," she sighs

I love this testimony. I really, really love it. It speaks to me.

We are, and will always remain, very ordinary people. The fact that we are gay does not change our very ordinariness. The thirst for faith is something that makes us similar to every other Jack, Dick and Harry. We are just too ordinary.

But, we have to rise above being ordinary. In the face of opposition from all those around us, we have to come face to face with who we are, accept ourselves, and then rise above that to be completely whole, as believing humans.

No. I am not revising my personal 'no faith' position. But, I am deeply impressed by the courage which we can find in our ordinariness. In embracing that which we are.

And, you know what? We continue to shame those who will demonise us........ Because we shall remain very ordinary, and extraordinary because we are so.

You go, People!


gug

True Religion

What is true religion?

[And, why do I write so much about religion? Grumble, grumble...]

It is because I am a human being. It is because, as a person, I am a spiritual being...

No. I don't go into the mysticism. But, it is something that I cannot run away from in my country. Truth to tell, most human beings cannot run away from it.

A colleague of mine at work asks, apropos of nothing. 'Are you a Catholic?' Answer? No. And, he continued. Protestant (anglican)? No. SDA? No. Moslem? No.

Then, frustrated, 'What religion are you?', and cheeky me, 'None of the above.'

I choose to think that religion doesnt define my humanity. And, I choose not to choose any of the labels. But they are very important to us as human beings.

Because I say that, some point at me and say this is an anti-Christian blog. (Uh, that was Ssempa, you guessed.)

But, I strongly believe in a person's right to define their faith. I will not proselytize my lack of faith. And, I will look on in bemusement if anyone tries to proselytize me. Might make for an interesting conversation.

And, I will also stand for the right of a gay African to have a faith life.

Some believe that since we are gay, we cant be Christian, or Muslim, or whatever religion. I think they err. And, though I am none of those, I believe that a gay Ugandan, a gay African is also a human being. They, and we have the same right to religion as all other human beings.

Yes, I might have a problem with the logics of reconciling the faiths. But then, why do we call them faiths? Because they are faiths.

Even when others use their faith to hit out at us, demonise us, call us anti-Christ, kaffirs, anti-God, etc, just because we have a different sexuality, I still stand and say that we are human beings. And, a gay human being can be a Christian.

And, can be a Moslem.

And, I may actually find the words to debate one who says I cant be a Christian (or Moslem) and gay at the same time. Because that person is denying my humanity. That is my convoluted thinking.

I would really love it if religious people would stop defining their religiousness with anti-gay rhetoric.

I mean, in Uganda, Ssempa is the epitome of a Christian. Because of his anti-gay rhetoric, which is considered the very spirit and soul of Christianity. The Anglicans in Uganda.... well, it is all the same. That is why they excommunicated Bishop Ssenyonjo. He was not anti-gay enough. In fact, he was pro-gay.

I know. For the Catholics, it is the contraception thing, but the anti-gay thing also comes in.

Bahati... well. He says that it is his heartfelt wish to pass the 'Kill the Gay' bill. Make it law. Of course, for him it is defining something called the family, or traditional family. And, he still has hopes of it becoming law.

So, what is true religiousness? Why does my sexuality have to be used to define spirituality?

I have no answers for you. The only ones I have are for me, thank you.

Gug

Now this post was inspired by this post here. Who are the Real Christians? And, in my book, Desmond Tutu is a real Christian....!

Sane Christianity

Know what, once upon a time, on this very blog, I used to be pretty bitter, angry on the subject of religion. Especially Christianity.

Hey, I was burnt. I had had it to the neck with un-Christian witness from Christians. The likes of Ssempa, Orombi, Male, and the rest of the ilk. People who believe that I am less that I should be, simply because I am gay.

Once upon a time, I was a Christian. Anglican.

Actually, far as I could find out, it was my paternal grandpa who was the first Christian in my family. So, very new faith, as for most Ugandans. But, he became one of the hard core 'savedees' after the East African revival of the 1940s. My father grew up in that home, and, for him I was a Christian because he gave me his Christian first name.

Yeah, and once, I made the choice of being saved, becoming an evangelical... like my elder brother, who is a pastor.

Well, I became bitter, and embittered, and later enraged by the seeming disconnect between reality and faith as I saw it. Now, I joy in standing on the fence... something which puzzles my bro, but, we all make our decisions. He is trying to woo me back to the safe fold. I am not convinced!

Well, I am also proudly gay. I am a homosexual.

So, living in Uganda, I have listened to the Church, Catholic, Anglican, Evangelical come out and lash at us with all their might, hold rallies, condemn us from the pulpit and pray for our death and destruction. Got to the point that my apathy had turned into a roaring, consuming anger. Against all things Christian.

But, like all hatreds, there have been a few people that have stood up to challenge my hatred. Christians. There is Desmond Tutu, of South Africa, and Christopher Ssenyonjo of Uganda, Bishops in the Anglican church. I find myself very much surprised by their fulsome embrace of what I am. No, I still respectfully decline the request to believe. Guess it is nothing but me responding to love, as opposed to hypocrisy and hate.

I have always followed the people at Exodus International. I am gay. Grew up in an environment when I was constantly bombarded with the wrongness of myself. I am glad I didnt embrace that kind of self deception. But, I do understand them, or, at least I think I do. After all, they are homosexual like I am... even when they deny it. What I don't understand is their apparent desire to hurt others, especially youths who are questioning. I know, it is deeply held convictions... so, maybe I understand. But, I am very glad that they can reverse themselves. Like they did in their support of their board member who came to preach Anti-homosexuality in Uganda. And, like they have done now, acknowledging that the 'Day of Truth' in opposition to the 'Day of Silence' was actually a promotion of hatred. Covert, misguided, and, in truth hurtful.

Sane Christians. Not like the Vatican, (forgive me partner), which fights tooth and nail to uphold doctrine over love....

And, there's Throckmorton. Very interesting guy. Yes, he is one of those sane Christians, for whom ideology doesnt seem to triumph over simple humanity. And he kind of finds that inspiration from the Bible that Ssempa, Orombi and co use to bash me.... hey, that is life!

Guess we are all different. No convenient thinking straight jackets, until we dress ourselves in them.

Take away lesson? Stereotypes, of any kind, never stand the light of examination.

What set me off? Younger bro. He was with me, trying to impress me with his 'nationalism'. Guess I was not impressed...!

gug

Lies. In the name of God

Remember the time that I used to rant that Ssempa lies?

I know. I am gay, and I am not really silent about that fact. In Uganda, since I am gay, few believe that I can be a moral person.  That is why a person like Pastor Dr. Martin Ssempa was able to use his charisma, and his standing before the community and start telling lies about us gay people. When the anti homosexuality bill came out and Christians outside Uganda who had read the bill recoiled in disgust, Ssempa, Bahati and others justifying the bill in the name of their god took up arms to tell lies.

That the bill did not want death for gay people. It does. Read its text...

That we gay people where whinging and lying about the good Christians of Uganda....

That we gay Ugandans were hateful and recruiting and... etc, etc.

We are gay. translation= evil.

Well, we were lucky that Ssempa, the chief supporter of the bill was caught out in his lies. Yes, they were, and are lies. But, like a good politician, he never turned them back until we started telling everyone to get a copy of the bill, to read it and find the facts.
Now, I know that one of the characteristics of religious fundamentalism is a siege mentality. You must be the one blessed with truth. Not anyone outside your group. No one sees like you do. No one.
For that reason, it took some time before people could actually believe that Ssempa et al were actually lying through their teeth to have the bill become law. But, with lots of help from friends inside and outside the country, the lies and gimmicks seemed to catch up with them.

It is a matter of fact. The extreme homophobia and hate speech in Uganda was, and remains, a Christian phenomenon. Christians were, and continue to preach HATRED. Ugly hatred.
This has nothing about the politics climate. But, a seething, purulent, ugliness that was revealed as deep seated, and malignant.

Anyway, Ssempa revealed lost lots of friends. And, one of the positive effects was soul searching on the part of many Christians outside (and maybe inside the country)
But, there are still others- many who hold to the myopia. They cannot believe that, because we are gay, and are crying wolf about the hatred and lies that their Christian brothers preach in the name of god... even at this point in time, they still believe we are lying... and they cannot believe what we say. Or even what others, fellow Christians say. Because, if one has compassion for homosexuals, can that person be really Christian?

Am mad.... angry, arent I? Rather, it is the reality of our being. Values, Christian values seem to be very good... till you remember that they are just values.

[Parallel, but illustrative case, when the Catholic church was lambasted for its connivance to hide sexual abuse cases, the initial cry was- they are homosexuals. they want to stain the church]

Anyway, there is a mega church in the US which has been highlighted as supporting Ssempa. And, why does it support him? Because who can believe what comes out of the mouths of homosexualists and the liberal media? We, of course want to tarnish the name of the good Christian brothers and sisters.

Well, this article about Ssempa and the US Church that supports him is from a Christian who has refused to believe the naked lies in the name of God.

Pressure is mounting on a Nevada megachurch to end its financial support of one of the key backers of Uganda's notorious "kill the gays" bill. But so far, the Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas is standing by Martin Ssempa, who has said that gays like to "eat da poo poo" and boasted of his efforts to "make sure that sodomy and homosexuality never sees the light of legality in this land of the pearl of Africa."

Canyon Ridge's resistance comes even as the Willow Creek Association, a massive global network of evangelical churches that includes Canyon Ridge, distances itself from Ssempa. The WCA bestowed a "Courageous Leadership" award on Ssempa's Kampala-based Makerere Community Church in 2007, but on Thursday, the group said that it no longer has a relationship with Ssempa and that it wouldn't have honored his church had it been more fully aware of his views.

But Canyon Ridge, which considers Ssempa a "mission partner" and helps pay for staff at his Kampala church, is digging in its heels. After promising in early June to review Ssempa's involvement in Uganda's anti-gay movement, pastors Mitch Harrison and Kevin Odor said last week that they "do not believe Martin Ssempa to be the man the media and others have portrayed him to be."

It is actually very sober reading. Go through the whole of it. And then follow it up with this post from Box Turtle Bulletin which clinically details all the available evidence which has to be forced down the throats of these Christian brothers and sisters.....

Fact. Sometimes, many times, the very siege mentality and blind faith in ourselves that make us pigheaded enough to chase ideals make us forget the sanctity of the very ideals that we face.

So, I, a non believer truthfully call out the lies and hypocrisy of Christian leaders and pastors..... What beautiful Christian witness they are burdened with....!

Of course I am not perfect. Of course...
Yet in the frailty of my imperfection, the very stains which I am accused of having seem to pale in the face of Christian hypocrisy....

Uh, Jesus had a simple, telling, compelling comparison. Pharisees.



gug

Anti-gay Credentials.

Sex is always about politics. Or politics is about sex? Or the politics of sex?

One of those ‘teachable moments’ from a feminist. But, there is one thing that I had not appreciated- and that is how much MY sexuality is such a huge political tool.

In Uganda, it is a given. Be a politician, you must be anti-gay. Of course you remember what happened in Zimbabwe, where the opposition has had, per-force to come out gay bashing, because that is what is politically correct. [Latest from Zimbabwe, we are waiting for the trial. You know, I think those guys are going to be 'convicted' and then given a huge sentence so that Mugabe glories in thumbing his nose at the west. Sigh...!]

What really nauseates is the way being religious is by definition, being anti-gay.

No. I am not religious.

But that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the theory that being 'religious' one has to brush up on anti-gay credentials. Ssempa was accusing Kayanja of not being anti-gay enough soon before he came out with his ‘Kayanja is gay’ pastor wars. Orombi and the Church of Uganda drove out Bishop Ssenyonjo because he was pro-gay. Now, I have been following some of the Christian right of America… Engel of TheCall. The story is fascinating, simply because it is a microsm of the whole anti-gay ‘good Christian’ politics of America. And Uganda of course. It’s a deadly mixture. Politics. Religion. Sex. It is volatile, very.

Seems as if no one can be on the side. One cannot be a Christian, and be gay, or gay loving. No, Jesus loved all sinners but homosexuals. That seems to be the underlying theme. And gay hate is love… it is Christian love, however much gay people try to assert that Jesus’ love also included them as members of the human race.

Very interesting, and eye opening.

Why does it concern me? Because this ideaological struggle being played out on a continent thousands of miles away from me, is affecting me in ways that I would not have thought possible. Kind of funny. Thousands of miles apart, culture and politics separating us… yet our destinies intertwined because of ideaologies that concern my sexuality. I would have loved it to be just something between me and my lover…. But seems that that will not be so.

Sigh….!

Talking about Engel, it is kind of tough to say you would want me in prison because I am gay when you are a Christian (professional Christian, I call it), but Engel does articulate that point. 

Influential Right Wing Evangelist Supports Uganda’s ‘Principled Stand’ on Executing Gays.

Far right evangelist Lou Engle is highly influential among the social conservative wing of the GOP (which is pretty much the entire GOP); he has hosted “prayercasts” attended by top Republican politicians including former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, and is involved in many other high profile political activities.

And this “man of God” who has the ear of the GOP leadership believes homosexuality should be criminalized; the nation he admires for their “principled stand” is Uganda. 

Of course, that is the Ssempa, Bahati, and Nsaba-Buturo point of view. No wonder he was really happy to meet them in Uganda when he came. 

As we show in Vanguard's "Missionaries of Hate," during TheCall Uganda, Engle surrounded himself with some of the key backers of Uganda's anti-gay legislation, including Pastor Julius Oyet, Minister of Ethics and Integrity Nsaba Buturo and the bill's author, MP David Bahati.

My musings aside, the Ssempa videos continue to get a reaction from the world. They are interesting, and infuriating. Someone gets to the point of writing an X-rated letter to Martin Ssempa. Is funny to read, and hits some points

Dr Ssempa

I cannot begin to tell you how frightening it is to know that someone like you is "fighting" HIV/AIDS with your bigotry and ignorance. I've just watched your hate filled approach here. among other clips available to the equally ignorant. The downside for you is that people like me also have access to this trash and the passion take you on personally.

I note that you hate what homosexuals do in their own homes so intently that you just couldn't help but to research it, view it and display it. Come on now, admit that it turned you on just a little bit. Because if it hadn't, you wouldn't be so eager to tell everyone about it.

Well, someone is really unhappy about Dr Ssempa’s HIV fighting credentials!!!!

Have a good day. Just watching England try to salvage some pride in the World Cup. Must say it is more interesting than the French debacle…. Was really fun to watch that world class soap opera.

gug

Christian Support

For the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda. Here.

Wales: ‘Christian Voice’ Supports Ugandan Antigay Death Penalty Laws

Posted by: Craig Young

In Wales, militant fundamentalist Stephen Green of the extremist Christian Voice antigay pressure group has endorsed capital punishment for lesbians and gay men, one month after Uganda proposed its infamous Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which endorses the same.

Green claims that:

* Gay people who have sex knowing they are HIV positive should be given the death penalty because they have “committed murder”;

* Capital punishment is “acceptable” because it is “ordained by God” in the Bible;

*Britain’s laws “promote perversion” because they do not make homosexuality a criminal offence.

In Pen-y-Bont, a small Welsh village near Carmarthen, Green said: “As a Christian I agree with the death penalty and I don’t see why infecting someone with HIV should be treated in any other way than if you killed someone with a knife. It is extraordinary to think it is OK to infect someone else with HIV and get away with it.”

Christian Voice wants other fundamentalists to “support the Ugandan people in their determination to rid their nation of foreign homosexual proselytisation”.

Green claims LGBT westerners are travelling to Uganda to “convert” Ugandans. [And fundamentalist westerners aren’t?!!-C] “This law is an understandable reaction to the pressure from human rights activists and homosexuals who are coming to the country as sex tourists.”

------

well, it might not be the kind of support that Ssempa wants, but, he is having a problem attracting Christian support for the bill in the west. But, he doesnt need it. Not really. All he needs is Christian support in Uganda. And, of that he has more than enough.

It is very easy to demonise a human being. I dont like Ssempa. [shrug], he doesnt like me. Me, I point out that I have no moral obligation to like him.

But, I always think that it is important to know a person as powerful as Ssempa. Check out this laudatory article in the New Vision.

And, hope your day was good.

gug

PS. Just read this article. It is a personal story of being gay and not being able to acknowledge it. It is a story of personal anguish, fight, fear, and, ultimately, triumph. The story of British Lions' Rugby legend Gareth Thomas. Well, kudos to him. He did do it, turn around his life, and live up to the truth in it.
Its a very beautiful, very personal story. No, I didnt know anything about the guy before. Dont, even now. What I know is that, his story could have been mine. Or, that of many gay people in Uganda. Except that we never,  ever have the option of coming out.

Church to the Rescue

I think it is high time!

Yes. What I mean is that, the Church in Africa has been doing a lot of hate peddling and persecution of us gay Africans, in the name of Christ. In the name of 'biblical Christianity'. Christians from outside Africa have traditionaly used kids gloves to tackle these issues because they dont want to be accused of 'colonialism' or neo-colonialism.

I would have no problem with that. Except that, I and my own are the ones hurting, as the African 'Christians' go on rampage, following their own version of 'biblical' Christianity, vieing with each other to be more 'biblical' than others.

So Christians, take back your Church. Please. Reclaim what it means to be Christian, because the likes of Pastor Martin Ssempa are claiming that they are doing dastardly things in the name of Christ. High time you as Christians stood up and said enough is enough. Listening to him, again, on Premier Radio, I kind of felt, wow, is this man a Christian? And my gut answer was NO.

And, I am glad Christians are starting to reclaim their church! Very glad.

Here are some articles on the same.

Anglicanism's Uganda moment of truth

Anti-gay bill tests core Christian Witness

In Church times, a re-hash of what has been happening.

And, Davis MacIyala, a Nigerian who had to seek refuge in the UK because of persecution in Nigeria, and has since made it his cause to promote LGBTI inclusivity in Christianity (imagine, he was doing that in Nigeria, with the likes of Akinola breathing down his neck!).
He has an open letter in the Guardian, challenging Christians specifically the Primates. "the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Anglican primates to speak out against the bill, whatever their views on “homosexuality as a moral issue”"


Yes, speak out. And stop this persecution of LGBTI Africans. It is time you stood up to some of these guys and said that that is not Christian.


And this bill is not Christian. No. It is not.


It is not Christian, nor Moslem, nor any other Compassionate religion. It may have been written by Hitler as a Final Solution, to rid Uganda of homosexuality, as it succintly states in the preamble. But, you have to come out and say, no. IT IS NOT CHRISTIAN.


Because in Uganda and Africa, it is being promoted as the finest Christian witness. 


So, stand up and reclaim your religion!




gug


PS;
Guess the Church is made of human beings. Here is the Catholic Church threatening not to do its Christian Charity duty if Washington DC dares to pass a Gay equality, marriage bill.


To DC, please, call their bluff. They are Christians. Or, at least they call themselves that. Call their bluff!

Why Does Ssempa lie?

I ask the question because Ssempa is a liar. And he continues to lie, very consistently and specifically. For a ‘man of God’, there seems no need for him to take anything but a principled stand. He just has to do that. But, why doesn’t he? Why does he have to resort to the lies?

I have been listening to him.

Well, a radio got him, and put him on. They wanted to have him debate the Bahati Bill. Premier Radio, a Christian radio in UK.

You can listen to the guy here. Warren Throckmorton was the other point of view.

Ssempa has a clear, strong voice. And he knows how to use it. You can feel the heat with which he speaks. And, you can also feel the shock in one of the presenters voice at the ‘intemperance’ of words.

He calls homosexuals all sorts of things. Something which the presenter has to kind of apologize for. Well, he is a cultured man. He will not spit on your radio. Only on those in Uganda, and on TV while he is expressing his distaste for homosexuality!

No, they were spared spitting.

But little else. His strong, clear voice. His calling gay people all kinds of names, and wielding the Bible as a hammer, to hammer, and hammer, and hammer. And his selective acquitance with the scripture.

It is interesting when a professional churchman quotes the scripture to spew hate, and the presenter has to kind of bring back the focus to something that is less like hate. More like debate. A different point of view.

Hey guys, listening to this, I say, welcome to our world of gay bashing. That is how they do it in Uganda. That is what I as a gay man have had to endure for years and years. I know, you will be shocked at the different meanings that we have for the word ‘Christian’. And of course, the fact that us Ugandan Christians are the real, biblical Christians. Not the ones that are in the west.

Warren, I would love to hear in confidence how you felt as you heard the guy speak….. ha! I am used to him. If that is the first time that you got to hear him speak, … well, were you kinda overwhelmed by the fervency of some of us Christians in Uganda?

Matter of fact, I could actually make common cause with those who say that the kind of Christianity that Ssempa represents is something that would be anathema to Christ. But, I am not the one to say such things.

But why does Ssempa have to lie? He doesn’t have to.

He is a politician, you have to take a ‘truth-o-meter’ to him.

• He justifies the death penalty because of ‘protecting the boy child’.
  This is a very, very ironical thing. The laws which were championed by women activisits in Uganda to bridge the gap that was, and is still there between men and women are being used by Ssempa to justify the monstrocity that he proposes. And he supports in full. It is like saying, (pardon me, I know this is touchy material), that a law is made against discrimination of the white male in America.
  
  
• He then says the whole bill is towards this.
  Fact, there is only one line in the bill that talks about under age sex. For Ssempa, who I take to be a person who can read the English, even when not a lawyer, to use that single line to justify everything else is lies. He doesn’t have to. I have reason to believe he actually sent Warren a copy of the bill as it was presented to parliament.
  
  
• The bill, very very clearly demands the death penalty for sex with a minor, and for
• Sex with a disabled companion, with or without consent
• Gay sex if I am HIV positive.
• As a serial offender. Which means, if I have one prior conviction for gay sex.
  
  
• He blames us for sex in schools. Gay sex in schools. As if there is no ‘straight sex’ in schools. The idea is to create the atmosphere that there is a whole cabal and force out there that is forcing schools to go onto a homosexual rampage.
  
  
• He blames the west for the Homosexual Agenda, and recruitment. Gosh! He doesn’t have to… except that he betrays his embrace of Scott Lively’s teaching.
  
  
• Oh, have I mentioned that gay people are blamed for HIV? And this from a 'noted' HIV activist????

Kind of lies and half truths that are totally unnecessary from a fairly well read man. So, why does he do it? 

He will not talk about the mandantory life imprisonment. That is besides the point of course. He will not talk about the virtual ban on all information on sexuality that is not approved by the Minister of Ethics and Integrity, (currently the honoured Nsaba Buturo). When it comes to the sticky point as to why him as a pastor and Christian leader is so ‘unChristian’ and forgets things like Compassion….

Well, that is vintage Ssempa!

It is kind of funny to hear him crow like this. He does that. I bet Rick Warren would run faster, and faster…! Ssempa sells only himself. Just so!

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Another Christian speaks out.

You are asking yourself what I am doing? Trying to prove to myself that not all Christians are bad, and hateful, and bad.

I am trying to prove to myself that not all Christians hate me like those that are in Uganda

PS, the comments are illuminating....

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A new homophobic law in Uganda

Uganda's draconian anti-homosexuality bill has the potential to destroy thousands of lives.

Savitri Hensman

guardian.co.uk,           Tuesday 27 October 2009 14.00 GMT

Every day millions of Christians pray to be spared from being put to the test. For some in Uganda, where an anti-homosexuality bill (pdf) is being put to parliament, this prayer may be especially deeply felt. This extremely unpleasant proposed law targets not only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people but also human rights and Aids prevention activists and people in positions of trust. While some in the church are backing the bill, other Christians face a challenge to the principles at the heart of their faith.

Seventeen local and international human rights groups, including Sexual Minorities Uganda, have condemned the move. "This draft bill is clearly an attempt to divide and weaken civil society by striking at one of its most marginalised groups. The government may be starting here, but who will be next?" said Scott Long of Human Rights Watch. Gay sex is already illegal in Uganda, and can result in long prison sentences. The bill broadens the definition to include any form of sexual relations between people of the same sex, which could result in life imprisonment, and threatens those guilty of "promotion of homosexuality" with up to seven years in prison, an attack on freedom of expression which would also damage Aids prevention efforts.

A new offence of "aggravated homosexuality" would carry the death penalty, covering sex with someone under 18 or who is disabled or in the case of a "serial offender". This also undermines the right of disabled adults capable of informed consent to enjoy intimate relationships, insultingly reducing them to the status of "victims". Any "person in authority" aware of an offence under the new law who did not report it to the authorities could face three years' imprisonment, including anyone who exercises "religious, political, economic or social authority". So a pastor who found out that someone in his congregation or community was gay or lesbian would be required to betray that person to possible imprisonment or death, or risk his own freedom. The bill would not only destroy LGBT people but also undermine others' integrity and humanity.

The law would apply not only within Uganda but also to Ugandans abroad. Some commentators believe it is being used to divert attention from ongoing social problems and intensify repression in the run-up to the next elections.

The bill is a particular challenge for Christians because clergy have helped to whip up fear and hatred and undermine respect for human rights. Nicodemus Okille, Dean of the Province of Uganda, in his Christmas sermon in 2007 as Bishop of Bukedi, reportedly condemned advocates of gay rights as having no place in the kingdom of God. "The team of homosexuals is very rich," claimed Archbishop Henry Orombi in 2008. "They have money and will do whatever it takes to make sure that this vice penetrates Africa. We have to stand out and say no to them." However Anglican Bishop Stanley Ntagali of Masindi-Kitara diocese has recently spoken out against the death penalty for homosexuality, while supporting imprisonment.

The bill also poses a challenge to those throughout the world with economic, social or political links to Uganda. This includes Christian leaders overseas who have helped to give credibility to homophobic Ugandan bishops and pastors while supposedly proclaiming a message of love and justice for all. Some US evangelists have endorsed Pastor Martin Ssempa, an anti-LGBT crusader. Anglican leaders such as the Archbishop of Canterbury have avoided challenging their Ugandan associates' complicity in anti-LGBT abuses while soundly condemning Anglican provinces moving towards equality for all.

Sixty years ago, the Anglican Communion was at the forefront of the drive for universal human rights. Though commitment to rights for all, including LGBT people, has been repeatedly endorsed at international gatherings, and many churches are passionately committed, it now tends to be referred to in vague terms by top leaders. But they will have to decide how to respond to this legislation, especially since their own Ugandan-born clergy and parishioners will be affected. What they do, or fail to do, will affect their ability to witness to a God who does not abandon the abused and exploited. These are testing times.

Lively's letter

I am as prejudiced as the rest.

I have been following the demonisation of the guys who came to Uganda to preach an anti-gay agenda. On the one hand, it served my political purposes. I mean, these guys did come to Uganda to bless us with an understanding of their anti-gay agenda. But, though I was here, I couldnt exactly blame them for what Ssempa and Nsaba-Buturo have been pushing for, for a long time.

That is, I couldnt blame them so much, till I got to see a letter that Scott Lively wrote from Uganda. It is here.

He came, to a deeply homophobic country.

He preached a homophobic religion.

And, in his own words, he had such a good time here that.... Well, I am feeling the after effects.

Scott Lively, you gross, interfering man. With all your education, and your allegiance to Christianity, I wish I could absolve you of complicity and guilt in making the Bahati bill. Yes, I do blame my countrymates, for being such ignorant nicompomps. But, from your own letter, you laid the groundwork for the genocide of a people, because they are gay, homosexuals.

You believe in Christ? Well then, I will not curse or abuse you, however angry I feel. Let me just hope that your God richly blesses you for all the good things that you did in Uganda. We should leave him to be the judge of that, shouldn't we?


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South Africa and Gay Christians

Following the lead of the Americans, other churches are stepping up on the challenge of gay laity.


I am aware that the Methodists did not want a gay related measure, but the Episcopalians have led the way, and the Lutherans have also gone their way. Despite the opposition from within the congregations. Yeah, for the methodists, you cannot be Gay and Christian. Or Methodist. What would Christ say about that???


But, and a big but, here is something that is happening in South Africa. Part of the Anglican Communion, this in Africa, is starting to do something about gay sheep. The other sheep, indeed!


Here is the article

Church makes key decision on gay couples

August 23 2009 at 10:52PM

By Staff Reporter

The Anglican Church in the southern part of Africa has taken a small step towards accepting gay people in "faithful, committed relationships" - although civil marriage between same sexes is not legal in any of these countries other than South Africa.

The Anglican Diocese of Cape Town, which includes Anglican bishops from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Namibia, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Angola, passed a resolution at the weekend asking the church's bishops to provide pastoral guidelines for gay parishioners living in "covenanted partnerships".

The resolution was proposed by St George's Cathedral clergy, as they said the parish had come to be seen as a "safe space" for gay Christians in Cape Town.

The Cathedral needed guidelines to help it provide pastoral care to gay parishioners in same-sex relationships.

Globally, the Anglican Church does not accept same-sex marriages. The Anglican Consultative Council, which represents Anglican Churches around the world, has put a moratorium on the "authorisation of public rites of blessing for same-sex unions".

On Sunday, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said the synod's resolution might be seen as tame, but he saw it as "an important first step to saying: 'Lord, how do we do ministry in this context?'"

"I'm a developmental person. I don't believe in big bangs. If you throw a little pebble into water, it sends out concentric circles and hopefully that way change comes from that," he said.

He said the issue of same-sex partnerships has led to a schism in the Anglican Church in the United States. He wanted to avoid the issue becoming a source of division in the Anglican Church in southern Africa.

"In South Africa we have laws that approve a civil union in this context, but not in the other countries within our province. In central Africa and north Africa, both the Anglican Church and the state say 'no'.

'I am not one for numbers'

"The reason for this resolution was because we have these parishioners, and the law provides for them to be in that state, so how do we pastorally respond to that?" Makgoba said.

Asked how close the voting was, Makgoba replied: "I am not one for numbers, but for the quality of the debate."

Amazing Lutherans

In Uganda, in most of Africa, they would consider that the world has ended for something like this to happen. It is so amazing to find that a person of my sexuality is affirmed like so, by people who are not of the same sexuality. That they would risk ‘communion’ with those of their denomination to have me included.

I actually feel overwhelmed by such a thing. Why?

Because, from what our country mates believe, shout, say, we so often believe that we are less than equal, because they say we are. But here is a church which has had the guts, through a democratic process, that is described as long, and tough, and gut wrenching, to come to a momentous, significant decision. To include such as me and mine in Church. Yes, I feel amazed, and humbled, by their faith in such as me.

I wonder, what would Orombi say, of these Christians, of those of his own Church? What would Ssempa say? Most likely that they are not Christians. That they dont have Christ in them. How ironic.

Here is the full article

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'Monogamous' Gays Can Serve in ELCA
Largest Lutheran Denomination in U.S. Split on Divisive Issue

By Jacqueline L. Salmon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 22, 2009

Leaders of the nation's biggest Lutheran denomination voted Friday to allow gays in committed relationships to serve as clergy in the church -- making it one of the largest Christian denominations in the country to significantly open the pulpit to gays.

Previously, only celibate gays were permitted to serve as clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a denomination of 4.8 million members. But delegates to a church assembly voted 559-451 to allow gays in "life-long, monogamous" relationships to serve as clergy and professional lay leaders in the church.

The vote is the culmination of a years-long process in the ELCA, and was accompanied by plenty of emotion at the convention in Minneapolis. After standing in long lines to reach microphones during debates that extended all day, some delegates shook and others cried as they expressed their opposition or support of the measure.

Quoting the Bible and denomination founder Martin Luther, delegates sought to place the decision within their interpretation of their Lutheran faith.

"We live today with an understanding of homosexuality that did not exist in Jesus' time and culture," Tim Mumm, a lay delegate from Wisconsin and supporter of Lutherans Concerned, an gay-rights organization, said during the debate. "We are responding to something that the writers of Scripture could not have understood."


But other said the recommendations weaken the Biblical standards of the church.

"As Luther taught us, Scripture does not have a wax nose," said the Rev. Ryan Mills, a delegate representing Texas and Louisana. "It cannot be twisted into anything we want it to say. But that's just what we're doing with these following recommendations."

Conservatives tried to derail the vote, losing a ballot that would have required a supermajority of two-thirds to approve the proposal. They lost a similar vote earlier in the week.

Some critics of the proposal predicted its passage could cause individual congregations to leave the ELCA, which is what occurred to the 2 million-member Episcopal Church when it consecrated an openly gay bishop in 2003. Last month, Episcopalians voted to make gays eligible for any ordained ministry.

Most mainline Protestant churches are struggling to balance what many view as Biblical injunctions against the practice of homosexuality with the country's burgeoning gay-rights movement. Among the major mainline denominations, leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA) recently defeated a proposal to ordain openly gay pastors, but with a much narrower margin than in previous votes. And United Methodist church leaders faced an emotional debate last year when they upheld their ban on openly gay clergy.

"I really believe . . . what we are about to do will split the church," said ELCA delegate John Sang of Ohio during the debate.

Delegate Terri Stagner-Collier wept as she predicted that opponents would be "ripped away" from the church if the measure were approved. "I urge you not to do this -- not to do this at all," she said, "[for] these people in the pews and in my family."

In essence, the vote puts gays under the same set of rules that have govern heterosexual clergy. They are required to be monogamous if married and to abstain from sexual relations if they are single. Individual congregations would not be compelled to take on pastors who are in same-sex relationships.

The ELCA was formed in 1988 by the merger of three Lutheran organizations, and it has 10,500 churches in the United States, including 80 in the Washington area. It is generally considered the least conservative of the three major present-day Lutheran denominations, although it has a sizable conservative minority.

There is something touching about Christians coming out and standing against overt homophobia that is disguised as ‘God’s Love’.

It is a better ministry than we un-believers shouting our heads off about the huge log in Christian eyes.

 

Uh! Got you…

 

So, what has made me to start channeling charity to Christians? This article.

Christians must reflect after UK bars U.S. anti-gay preacher

Posted by: Avril Ormsby

The British government has done its bit and barred an American anti-gay Christian preacher and his daughter from entering the country - now it’s up to churches to do theirs, a group of evangelical Christians says.

The Reverend Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper, were barred from entering Britain after it emerged they planned to protest against a play about the murder of a gay man.

The reverend picketed the funeral of the student in the U.S. declaring he was “burning in hell” and has staged protests outside theatres.

Phelps believes the U.S. is doomed for tolerating homosexuals. The government last week said the pair were anticipated to spread “extremism and hatred”.

Six major British Christian groups, among them the Evangelical Alliance and the Baptist Union (which is not associated with Phelps’ church), issued a statement condemning the proposed visit.

 

“We do not share their hatred of lesbian and gay people,” they said.

“We believe that God loves all, irrespective of sexual orientation, and we unreservedly stand against their message of hate toward those communities.”

But a group of evangelical groups said Christians had to do more than just condemn with words. They had to face up to their own discriminatory policies and behaviour.

 

“The real challenge to evangelicals is to face the need for change themselves,” a group which includes Accepting Evangelicals, Courage and the Network of Baptists Affirming Lesbian and Gay Christians, says.

“This means: engaging more fully and openly with lesbian and gay Christians and accepting them as equal under God; examining the way prejudice against gay people has distorted biblical understanding; prayerfully re-thinking church policies of exclusion and acknowledging the harm they cause; and recognising the growing number of evangelicals who have had a heart-change and now affirm faithful gay relationships.”

Others signing the joint statement are the Evangelical Fellowship for Lesbian and Gay Christians and the Christian think-tank Ekklesia.

 

They said they recognised a growing trend, nationally and internationally, among evangelicals to challenge “what has been a hardline stance against gay people from within that global segment of Christianity”.

They cited a recent case where the deputy head of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in the U.S. resigned after criticism because he was moving to an “affirming” position on faithful lesbian and gay relationships.

“We would now call upon these groups to reflect on their own attitudes and prayerfully consider what their “hate the sin, love the sinner” teaching does to the minds and souls of faithful Christians who are gay,” they add.

“In the Gospels, Jesus warns his followers not to avoid their own failings by pointing to the failings of others - even if they are much larger. Westboro Baptist Church operates as a hate group and is an easy target. The real challenge to evangelicals is to face the need for change themselves.”

 It is from a Reuters blog. Dont read the comments. Sigh...! Ideology seems to be the very root of hate.

I think I understand a little why Jesus did rant so much against the Pharisees.

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