Reverend Gideon Byamugisha; Breath of (fresh) good air

 

Reverend Gideon Byamugisha. An interesting man of courage. It is definitely courageous for a Ugandan to come out with a pro-gay attitude. Political correctness in Uganda is to be virulent, emotional, hyper-holy,  anti-homosexuality. And, as a priest in the Church of Uganda, with the bishops and Archbishop of the Church leading the anti-gay crusade in Uganda…, I must say it is courageous of him, penning and having that article published.

True courage. When he first publicly admitted that he was living with HIV, it was at the height of anti-HIV prejudice in the country. The virus was feared, and taken as a curse to the wicked. And here came a Reverend, a man of god, admitting that he was living with the virus. A special kind of courage indeed.

And what does he say about the debate on homosexuality in the country?
I think the most important thing is that he is talking with the gravitas of an elder, and church person, steeped in the Ugandan psych.
Yeah, condescending. But, that kind of tone is the norm in Uganda. His points are stated in a way that resonates, or would resonate with Ugandans. Fact, he is not going to be listened to, because the prejudice is embraced by too many ‘influencers’, religious and otherwise.

 

“I find the moral language used, the emotions generated, and the levels of psychic aggression and spiritual violence generated around this community unreligious and uncultured too”

 

Interesting language. A basic call out to decency. Common decency. The likes of Martin Ssempa of the Pentecostals, Stephen Kaziimba of the Anglicans and Archbishop Ssemogerere of the Catholic Church embrace anti-gay rhetoric as THE confession of their holiness and righteousness. Calling them out, in the face of their continued publicly embraced opinions will exert a price. Because it is accurate, and few would say otherwise. They say it is a matter of African Culture. And our African religion. Bullshit…, but, that is what they embrace. And he is calling them out, as a matter of common decency.

 

“It is not correct to continue glossing over our own spiritual shortcomings, our moral gaps, and our pastoral care failings towards those we unfairly stigmatise and self-righteously ridicule year after year without a deep reflection on how our own individual and collective actions or inactions could have contributed to their unique ‘being’ and ‘experience’.”

 

Blasphemous…, Rev Gideon Byamugisha.
How dare you accuse Uganda’s anti-gay Saints of ‘spiritual shortcomings, moral gaps and pastoral care failings’? How dare you go beyond not joining the anti-Homosexual Crusade, to actually attacking the leaders of the Crusade?!!! Blasphemy… I can imagine Martin Ssempa spitting on your metaphorical grave on live TV. HOW, DARE, YOU?!

A quirky turn of phrase..,

 

“.., equally loveless and non-repentantly self-righteous.”

 

Spot on…, in my clearly biased view. We, Ugandans are the typical, proud Pharisees of the times of the Nazarene… We are actually out-christianing the people who brought the religions in our colonial periods, demanding that they ‘repent’, of the sin of loving homosexuals, of course! More angel than the very angels, indeed!

Oh, Byamugisha doesn’t spare the self-righteous tools of the men, and women of god.., the sneaky politicians.

 

“I pray that in the future, our Members of Parliament should not table and debate laws against minority Ugandans with such deep and toxic levels of personal anger, social prejudice, civic disgust, and spiritual hate.”

 

Come on, Rev Byamugisha. How else would the honourable politicians take advantage of such a popular ‘moral’ issue? How would they deflect from the stealing of mabaati from the desperate Karamojong citizens of Uganda? How would they duck the heady winds of corruption? Good theatre, claiming the moral high ground;  the expression of ‘such deep and toxic levels of personal anger, social prejudice, civic disgust, spiritual hate’. All good politics…, and you want to deny them claim of that rich political capital, in the name of some spurious benefits (with the sins are so ‘self evident’?)
You, Rev Byamugisha, are only one person. They have shade from the influential Bishops, Archbishops and mega pastors!

I am gay, a Ugandan kuchu. I confess that, unreservedly. But, Byamugisha calling out the simply evil ways that anti-gay forces in Uganda operate is interesting. And funny. And a poke in the eyes of influential, powerful others..

 

“When people or certain communities divert most of their energies from innovation and production to spying on, lying about, hunting, and destroying each other; …”

 

Oh yes.., remember the ‘Pastor Wars Saga’, which are continuing, even if low key at the moment.
Am kuchu. It is funny realising that all the sins and evils that I am accused of in Uganda are actually a daily tool of choice by those who are supposedly holy and immaculate in their righteousness.
Byamugisha calls them out.

Will Rev Byamugisha be heeded?
Most probably not. Strike that…, Byamugisha will certainly NOT be heard or even listened to. Too many politicians, of the state and the churches and mosque are invested in anti-gay rhetoric. He will most likely be punished, if not openly, but definitely covertly. He dares to be ‘pro-gay’. Even Archbishop Welby of the Church of England was derided for being a homosexual promoter and demanded repent of the sin, by none other than Archbishop Kaziira of the Church of Uganda, who is Rev Byamugisha’s superior and boss.
But, it is good to have a breath of good air, in the toxic anti-gay smog and fog in Uganda. Byamugisha does the one thing that I fail to do.., speak in language that is understandable to Ugandans.

 

 

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2) The Enduring Hypocrisy by GAFCON on care for the LGBTQ+ individual

 

This is going to be a 3 part examination of the GAFCON tribe of the Anglican Communion. They outed themselves, I am glad to have the data! Part 2.

~~~

So, when Welby, Archbishop and Primate of the Church of England wrote the letter to Kaziimba, Archbishop and Primate of the Church of Uganda. Continuing the saga of my analysis…, had the GAFCON primates promised pastoral care of LGBTQ individuals…?

I doubted it. The homophobia stinks from Kaziimba.., how could he, and the rest agree to that? But then, why are they acting so flustered, when Dr Welby quotes so? Did Dr Welby actually lie? What reason would he have to lie? This is what he said.

“the Primates of the Anglican Communion "condemned homophobic prejudice and violence and resolved to work together to offer pastoral care and loving service irrespective of sexual orientation."
We affirmed that this conviction arises out of our discipleship of Jesus Christ. We also “reaffirmed our rejection of criminal sanctions against same-sex attracted people” – and stated that “God's love for every human being is the same, regardless of their sexuality, and that the church should never by its actions give any other impression.””

I have gone through how Archbishop Kaziimba tries to lie and obfuscate, playing down the seriousness of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. Yeah, in answer to Archbishop Welby, Archbishop Kaziimba plain out defaults to the usual lies. Apparently, homosexuality was already criminal, and this act that the Church of Uganda supports with all their all didn’t do much…, except maybe .., criminalise the promotion of homosexuality.

“seem to think that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 criminalizes homosexuality. It does not.
Homosexuality was already criminalized; it simply reaffirms what was already in the colonial-era penal code,”

He continues

“What is new is specifically outlawing the promotion of homosexuality”

Let us fact check the Righteous ‘Man of God’.
This is what Archbishop Kaziimba cheered on to the finish line; this is what ‘promotion of homosexuality’ must look like from Archbishop Kaziimba’s point of view: sending children to prison for having sex; life in prison, no parole for adults, the unrepentant homosexuals that Rev Laurent Mbanda cheers on; neighbour to report neighbour to the police with the reporting mandate, and of course the Death Penalty for us unrepentant homosexuals. Maybe the church will play a big part in ‘healing us’ as the state now empowers ‘rehabilitating the homosexual’.

Those links above get to the text of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. I dislike lies and obfuscation (unless am telling them). I don’t like presumed religious leaders telling lies.., acting like politicians.

Those are the beautiful things that Archbishop Kaziimba is defending and Rev Laurent Mbanda of GAFCON is co-defending. No wonder Dr Welby is daring to call him out, and GAFCON is playing the ‘colonialism’ card.

Amazing indeed. Dr Welby, just understand that revealing these things is not a good thing. We …, are…, incapable of admitting how correct you might be. We shall play the Colonialism card again. It is easy, it is within reach, and it obfuscates stuff that we don’t want to think about… We shall hold the Race Card close, ready to deal, anytime, any way. The Bible card.., well, always in play.

Sigh.., just wondering. What would the Nazarene have done? Food for thought, this week. What would the Nazarene have done?

 

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1) The Enduring Hypocrisy by GAFCON on care for the LGBTQ+ individual

 

This is going to be a 3 part examination of the GAFCON tribe of the Anglican Communion. They outed themselves, I am glad to have the data! Part 1.

~~~

Yes, I intentionally misspoke the title. Gafcon is the sub-tribe of Anglicans breaking from the Church of England and Wales. They claim they have 85% of all Anglicans, though the latter is the ‘Mother Church’.
Church politics. I would have zero interest in it.., except that I am kuchu, an LGBTQ+ individual, residing in a place they claim as their own. And, they are very, very powerful, temporally.

One of the GAFCON tribe, Archbishop Kaziinda, engineered the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in Uganda. After it became law, with his enthusiastic support, the Church of England Primate, Archbishop Webley wrote a letter decrying the whole business. According to Archbishop Webley, this was not what they had agreed on, with regards to pastoral care of LGBTQ+ (Kuchu) individuals.

The GAFCON people hit back in a couple of letters. From the Primate of Uganda, Archbishop Kaziira who had engineered the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, and from The Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, Chair of the Gafcon Primates Council.
No. They emphasized. They are NOT, and didn’t plan to be, Homosexual activists, or to promote LGBTQ+ rights.

Seems like a most embarrassing assertion, that the GAFCON primates would have a (pastoral) care for LGBTQ+ individuals..!
The tone of letters was interesting. And revelatory of what the GAFCON primates think.

Laurent Mbanda peppered the letter with scripture quotes. A most bible learned person. Fundamentalist, I must believe. Remember when the Nazarene cautioned to beware of those who pray loud in the public square to be seen and heard?

And he unhesitatingly pulled out the ‘Colonialism’ card.
Now, that is nasty.
And telling.

See, am an African. Colonialism, for most of us, was 60 years and more in the past. We have been independent and self governing over that time, only our elders actually remember the colonial times. We tend to bring out that particular card as a red herring and distraction.., our answers (we feel) will be lacking substance. It is a card played in near desperation..! In actual fact, when I saw that particular card, I went back to Dr Welby’s letter. It must have some clue. I accessed it, and read it for answers.
Is it possible that the substance of what he wrote was true? Did the GAFCON primates actually consent to these things?

“Anglicans around the world have long been united in our opposition to the criminalisation of homosexuality and LGBTQ+ people. Supporting such legislation is a fundamental departure from our commitment to uphold the freedom and dignity of all people. There is no justification for any province of the Anglican Communion to support such laws: not in our resolutions, not in our teachings, and not in the Gospel we share.”

The very defensiveness from GAFCON seems to imply there is something there. Still, it is amazing.
The Church of Uganda has rabidly painted itself the most homophobic entity in Uganda. Last time, in 2014, we had Martin Ssempa, leading demonstrations on the streets of Kampala, Jjinja, Mbarara, showing gay porn in church and other public venues. He was the face of the religious anti-gay thrust.

This time, 2023, it was the Rt. Rev. Dr. Steven Kaziimba, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, who hands down takes the title chief homophobe. Did he really accept a document that would necessitate giving a little bit of love and pastoral care to the Kuchu?

Unbelievable? Yes. Unbelievable.

But, apparently Dr Welby has the data and ink. And the GAFCON people’s defensiveness is instructive.

 

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Ugandan Sleight of Hand.

 

Okay, I will be blunt. We Ugandans have mastered the trick of lying to your face…, and, it is so blunt and blatant that you have to go back and say, did I really hear what he or she said right?

Oh we know exactly what we are saying. But, as every politician knows, shout a lie loud enough, and it becomes fact. That was Hitler’s Goebbel on The Big Lie, I believe.

Case in point, you think you know that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 criminalises homosexuality in Uganda? Think again. It absolutely does not.
I have that piece of utter lie from a most esteemed source. The Rt. Reverand Stephen Kaziimba, Archbishop and Primate of the Church of Uganda

“He (Webley) and many other Western leaders seem to think that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 criminalizes homosexuality. It does not. Homosexuality was already criminalized”

And, before you try to shade a little and claim that the poor African is having a problem with plain English language, a second language for him, I will point out that the Rt Rev. has a PhD from a private college in the US. No, he knows the language. He knows exactly what he is saying.

It serves him well to parse the language. After all, what will Webley do? The All England Primate has shown a decided distaste for the public fight…!

Ugandan leaders use that big lie a lot. No one will call them out…, except on an obscure blog like this. And of course I am handily breaking the Anti-Homosexuality Act, and quite a few other Ugandan laws…! But, since my life was already forfeit, I will not die more than once, will I?

Stephen Kaziimba goes on to utter some other naked lies. On what he believes the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 does. On how strigently the Church of Uganda opposes the Death Penalty (Maybe in whispered words, but not for homosexuals, of course),  an implication that kuchus in Uganda where already subject to the death penalty (new knowledge to me, suspect source). And that the only new thing in the Anti-Homosexuality Act is ‘promotion of homosexuality’. This is his statement, so help me deities.

“What is new is specifically outlawing the promotion of homosexuality and same sex relationships as a moral alternative to God’s natural design for marriage between one man and one woman.”

Very interesting. So, ‘promotion of homosexuality’ covers sending children to prison for sex acts, covers the Death Penalty for the homosexual, covers Life in Prison, no parole, covers the mandate to report Kuchus to police. Amazing, amazing, amazing indeed.

And, another lie above. LGBTQ+ marriage was already forbidden in the Constitution of Uganda.., A constitutional amendment signed on 1^st September 2005 (Clause 2a of Section 31).

Why lie so blatantly?

Well, somehow, I don’t think Stephen Kaziimba is going to be fact checked in Uganda. And, he cares very little with what the rest of the world believes. And, he is firm that his beliefs in his god are the only one to be questioned. Biblical. Scriptural. And who knows that he is lying? Well, the whole world…, but, it means something that lie? Not to him!

A very great example of the Big Lie in Uganda. He is a church person.., but, many politicians in Uganda subscribe to the Big Lie…! This is one of the reasons I insist on showing where you can pick up your copy of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023…,

 

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Schism Politics of the Anglican Communion on Homosexuality

 Oh yeah, the politics of schism in the Anglican Communion. Spilt out exposed- with my sexuality the apparent catalyst.

But, the vitriol flying is deafening. Surely these people don’t really mind that I slept with a man like myself last night? Well, the sex was good.., how the hell does it concern…,

Sorry. I also slide off the path. Frequently.

So, apparently the ‘Anglican Communion’ is split. Those in England side want to bless (LGBTQ+) kuchu unions. Those in Uganda, in the clan called GAFCON, are not willing to bless kuchu unions.
I wish it was that simple, but even to an observer on the outside, blessing kuchu unions seems to be only the catalyst. For the wrath, rage, fire and spit flying in public. Lots of repressed anger there.

So, with the Primate (Archbishop) of the Church of Uganda enthusiastically championing Life Imprisonment and Death for the homosexual in Uganda, the Primate of All England issued a rebuke. Apparently first in private, and then in public.
The Primate England (Archbishop Webley) was concerned about support of Anglicans for further criminalisation and death penalty for homosexuals. That was not Anglican…, apparently they had had a resolution, [Lambeth 1.1 or something like that], against criminalisation. That Kaziimba Mugalu openly thought that rubbish was a pain, said his brother Anglican Wezley.

Vitriol flew:

“Stupid”, [my paraphrase], says Kaziimba Mugalu. You don’t know anything about what you are saying, you Primate of England.
[Eiissshh…, anyone who doesn’t know what is happening with the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 must be living in heaven…, or hell? It is 2023.., and the debate in Uganda and outside Uganda has been LOUD!]

‘The Death penalty was in the Penal Code before’, says Kaziimba Mugalu.
[I think that is a lie…, we homosexuals were not being sentenced to life in prison, let alone death for the crime of loving each other. But, he is ‘Man of God’, surely he doesn’t lie so openly? Oh yes, he does lie, the Archbishop]

‘The Criminalisation was there from colonial times’, shouts Kaziimba Mugalu.
Seems kind of contradictory. It was there, yes? From more than half a century ago, a colonial legacy you point out…, don’t you think it is time to stand on your feet, Uganda? Own it, like you did in the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.

Repent…,! Repent Webley, Repent of the sin of advocacy for homosexuals. [He must have been seething in Namirembe?!!] Repent
Webley ‘must repent for not supporting the criminalisation of LGBTQ+ people.” quotes South African MambaOnline.., cheeky, but accurate.

‘Colonialism’, shouts Kaziimba Mugalu.
Hey, I told you this was a brawl, on the internet. Okay, from the GAFCON clan side. The Primate of Rwanda is apparently the spokesperson for the GAFCON clan. And he supported his friend in Uganda.  It seems as if Webley of England cast a stone and the bonfire erupted. Tinder dry, it was waiting, and every nasty name was ready.
Apparently, when concern and advice comes from England, it is ‘colonial’. When the advice comes from Uganda, shouted to ‘repent’ and turn to god, well, it is pure loving concern…!

And the ultimate. ‘You don’t have the right’ !!! We broke up, we are no longer with you…’
Okay.., okay, okay brothers. Chill, a little, please. We understand, we understand. When there is a break up in the family, the emotions can fly high. We don’t need to have all the dirty laundry out to dry.
It is supremely educative and embarrassing and eye opening.

We suspected before…, it is not that I love men, and have sex with them. Yeah, of course I was not naïve to think it was just me…, but, a sense of err, decency?

And, with the huge fight of the elephants in the room, we the grass who will rot and die in prison as gallows food…, err, is it possible to slip in a word that you are supposedly ‘Christian’? I mean, the world might doubt that, if they don’t already…, ahem, ahem.

 

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Un-christ-like Christians, Death Penalty Hypocrisy

Un-Christ-like ‘Christians’ indeed. Well, though I have to assert that I am not a Christian, I grew up with bible lore.., and it is hard to think the Nazarene who taught ‘love your neighbour as you love yourself’ would wink and nod at the Death penalty and life in prison, no parole for my sinful heart. I have a feeling the Nazarene would actually be washing my sinner’s feet. But, that is me.

The Primate of the Anglican church in Uganda, the Most Rev Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda to give him his full titles is in a political fight with his Church of All England brother. It has been below the surface, the enmity one of the main drivers of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 motivation. But, it was all sort of below the surface, known, unacknowledged.

Last week, everything spilt out, in all-out war, naked, for us to see the ugly insides of the Schism in the Anglican Communion.

In the spill occurring, a curious fact emerged. The Primate of All England challenged the Ugandan Primate about the Death Penalty support. Apparently the Anglicans had decided not to support the Death Penalty.., and colour me surprised that Church of Uganda (nominally) doesn’t support the Death Penalty

But, in actual fact, Kaziimba Mugalu and the Church of Uganda support the death penalty. Especially for ‘homosexuals’. Their non-support is just a matter of words; and they are apologists for the death penalty.
The contortions through which they have gone through to justify the Death Penalty in the Anti-Homosexual Act 2023 are fit for a politician…, not a church man, in my biased opinion, of course.

Kaziimba Mugalu says that the death penalty was in the old penal code for sodomy…, I think that is a lie. [See, Kaziimba believes he will not be fact checked.] . But hey, I am a Ugandan homosexual, I am an interested party.., so, check and see.

The Primate of the Church of Uganda says they don’t support the Death Penalty “but”.
There is the “but”.

He is a Death Penalty apologist. He believes that since he thinks it was in the old penal code of colonial descent, it should naturally make its way into the current Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. More than 60 years post independence. This is the guy who is raging and gnashing and shouting about the All England Primate acting like colonialism has never ended. Clear double standards, the hypocrisy is breath-taking.

Kaziimba Mugalu, through leadership of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, personally was involved in the introduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 in Uganda’s parliament. Admittedly the bill didn’t have the Death Penalty provision, but his actions afterwards showed his true colours.

From the time that Uganda’s Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality bill, to the time that the President signed it into law, Kaziimba Mugalu was at the forefront of the pressure to have the Death Penalty Bill into law. Oh yes, he definitely knew then that it was a Death Penalty Bill.
Sundays in the pulpit over the Easter season, he begged, cried, shouted and literally did his all, pressuring for the Presidential signature on the bill.

And once it was an Act of the Law, Kaziimba’s fawning thanks to the President have been noted. Fawning thanks.
Which begs the question, what has been so personal about this for him? I think it is leadership of the schismatic Anglican Communion. Not sure, but…! A fight this tough premises selfish political gains, almost always!

So, challenged by the Church of All England Primate, Kaziimba Mugalu, as a literal aside, says the Church of Uganda doesn’t support the Death Penalty…, and as a true apologist, there was the “but”.

Un-Christ-like indeed. If that is love, what is the definition of hate?
Being an unbeliever, I define the person who wants death and prison for life for me and mine as a hater. And, I doubt anyone else would reasonably challenge that definition. Church of Uganda; un-christ-like ‘Christians’ indeed.

 

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