Uganda’s Anti Gay bill was raised in the House of Commons Thursday. Xtra:
Bill Siksay asked about the Uganda issue coming up at the Commonwealth meeting.
Siksay: Mr. Speaker, Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill is reprehensible, vile and hateful. It violates human rights by imposing life in prison on gays and lesbians and a death sentence for those who are gay and have AIDS. It will jail anyone who fails to report people they know to be gay. At the Commonwealth meeting, will the Prime Minister meet face to face with Uganda’s Prime Minister to help stop this bill, and will he make gay, lesbian and trans rights essential to development and educational work supported by Canadian foreign aid in Uganda and elsewhere? Baird: Mr. Speaker, the current legislation before Parliament in Uganda is vile. It is abhorrent. It is offensive. It offends Canadian values. It offends decency. We strongly condemn that and the Prime Minister will make that strong condemnation as well.
John Baird – champion of queer rights abroad. Who knew?
The Anglican Church of Canada has come out against the Uganda bill.
COGS passed a resolution that expressed its dismay and concern over the draft proposed anti-homosexuality bill currently before the parliament of Uganda. COGS resolved to call upon the church of the province of Uganda to oppose this private member’s bill, and called upon the Government of Canada, through the Minister of External Affairs, to convey to the government of Uganda a deep sense of alarm about this fundamental violation of human rights and through diplomatic channels, to press for its withdrawal; and asked the Primate to send this message to the appropriate bodies.
American fundamentalist influences have been noted by Dr. Warren Throckman and Jeff Sharlet on NPR this week.
The Family, The College of Prayer, Rick Warren, Exodus International, Scott Lively, Institute of Religion and Democracy, Â etc.
Here is the text of the bill. To summarize:
- if someone (family, friend) knows that someone is engaging in homosexuality, that person is to report them to the police within twenty-four hours or face fines and/or up to a three year prison sentence
- groups advocating for GLBT will be banned, leadership can be fined and imprisoned for seven years
- homosexuals can face life in prison and in some cases the death penalty
Ugandan gay citizens in a relationship outside the country face extradition from abroad, life imprisonment and the death penalty
Political Research Associates: Globalizing the Culture Wars Africa Report. Richard Bartholomew looks at one of the sponsors who along with the Ugandan president (see links above) Ethics and Integrity Minister,  James Nsaba Buturo, is part of  The Family, the fundamentalist network in the US.
The US, France, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also condemned the bill.
It is bound to be an issue at the Commonwealth summit which begins today.
The controversy is growing because Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is the chairman of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago, which opens on Friday with Stephen Harper joining the leaders of 52 other countries.
If it is raised at the summit, the issue has the potential to divide Commonwealth leaders, who hold deeply polarized views on homosexuality. A number of Commonwealth countries, including Canada and Britain, have liberal views on the subject, but many African and Caribbean nations are socially conservative and maintain laws on their books that criminalize homosexuality.
We are told to ‘judge not lest we be judged’, yet the bible in some ‘part’ is saying that homosexuality is an abomination and should not be allowed. How then when we see this lack of cohesion are we supposed to react with reference to those who are considered ‘not normal’ or worse not worthy.
My response to the judgements of ‘those considered’ to be ‘outside(ers) was to once again to ask the Father for a reference point and to be able to see through his eyes the circumstances of those in two ‘places’ ie: both male and female (trasvestites etc) so that I could understand both him and how he viewed us all. My first question was ‘Lord how do I treat those who others place outside of what is in human terms considered normal. His response was so simple and so shocking to me at that time that I to this day am ashamed of myself when I remember his gift of an answer.
Like a human being.
My next question was how has creation brought this dilemna to us and why.
So that I can seperate the wheat from the chaff and show you just how judgemental man can be when confronted with something he does not desire to understand and to show you those who use others dilemna to hide their own.
Controversy exists because we need it.
Confusion exists for us to separate that which would destroy and that which would lead us into, from that which is to abide in the truth that takes time , faith, hope, and a great patience that man has yet to achieve.
He once said to me on my journey through my own judgements.
Untill you have reached the end and found who is ultimately responsible for your grief and pain never ever judge. LEAVE THAT TO ME.
It took his leading to take mine and mine to take the enemys hope of my heart whilst I sought the Lords. Fifteen years and still that journey is on-going. The grief of the enemy of losing one is not, at the end greater that the Fathers in gaining one, but to go through that grief is grief itself and therefore do we so need him to guide us and keep us close as we go.
Jesus in Acts showed us how when we are so in his heart we can indeed move anothers mountain of grief or judgement or captivity, first though we must, with his help, move our own, only then can he fill the vessel with new wine and be sure that we are his and he is ours.
Daily my life gets closer to his and secure in his place of abiding we can walk in the freedom of his will and not the captivity of the enemys.
LOVE NEVER FAILS if we are prearped to ‘hang on in their’ in the face of others opinions and wait paitiently for HIS answer not those whos judgements never touch them but always others.
Deliver us lord, so that we may also without piety, pomp, arrogance, and judgement go out and also deliver.
The new testament overcame those of the old testament because Jesus was prepared to keep going, even after death. When his spirit left and he went to join the Father he left man and his judgements. SO MUST WE
Amen, hopeome – and so lovely the way you expressed that. Thank you, that is very helpful to me in my walk as well!
On that note, there’s a lovely verse in Rev. 3:10 that begins, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee…” (Rev. 3:10)
I have often pondered why the Nazi’s persecuted homosexuals along with the Jews, Christians and gypsies too – who can fathom the ways of the Lord, but one thing perhaps is that He is always testing the heart and attitudes of man, and exposing the wrong. No-one will be able to accuse the Lord of being unjust on the day of judgment.
It’s very alarming to think what kind of Christianity the west has exported to Uganda, legalistic, devoid of compassion, false gospels…I certainly hope this bill is squelched, I rather think it will – good grief, haven’t they seen enough suffering over there?? I don’t want to think of the witch-hunts this could spark.
I agree.
We must step out of the suffering and wars and begin the road home to the healing heart of the Fathers love. Its tough when the enemys hope is for our hell and yet somehow we overcome. I like to think that we are ‘on hold’ in the Lords garments waiting for him to return and do battle with the principalities and powers that have held us all captive for so long.
Come Lord Jesus come
Therese, The College of Prayer teaches Ugandan MP’s about witches and witchcraft, seeing it as integral in their 3 year course. We know what is occuring in Nigeria in regards to Pentecostal and neo-pentecostal witch hunts. Children are being maimed and killed.
Uganda isn’t called ‘the purpose driven country’ for nothing; it’s been a laboratory for US religious right politics for years.
I didn’t link to some Facebook pages from Uganda, the hatred for GLBT expressed in God’s name is as real as the legislation.
People are going to die.
Peter Kent, (Foreign Affairs) has said, “Our position is that the proposed Uganda law is reprehensible, vile and hateful and it’s appalling that such legislation would be brought to the parliament of a commonwealth democracy.” CP
43 of the 53 Commonwealth nations do not take Canada’s position in regards to GLBT rights.
The Canadian PMO spoke up, Gordon Brown addressed this directly with President Yoweri Museven at the Commonweath summit.
http://tiny.cc/6Ujsr
I don’t think international attention and condemnation will matter, I think the course is set.
…very disturbing and misguided in my view. Also disturbing to think that the religious right had a hand in it…this is dark and evil fruit they are producing, and shows the kind of thing they are capable of when they can get away with it. The sad thing is if they had spent all their resources being real missionaries instead, the AIDS problem over there might well be on it’s way to being solved by now, God’s way. And I guess my hopes were naive – some things are just hard to believe.
We have biological warefare and chemical warefare. I was thinking one day as I was preparing dinner just what the intake was. Eek I frighten’d myself to death. The amount of biological and chemical I had just eaten, it was a wonder I had not exploded. A friend has cancer, why I was asked: Biological warefare I replied. Somewhere along the line his body missed a beat. Africa is missing a beat, of his heart’ It needs re-tuning, why, WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF BEAT.
COME LORD JESUS COME
We are the miracle, when he comes he will refine us all, in the meantime, my friend is being held in his garment, while someone loves him all the way home, whatever manifest that takes:
Is the Fathers will.
Just love him and leave the rest to me, ok Lord you know best.
It hurts to see death, in any form, in the enemys hands. THATS WHY WE NEED LIFE = TO OVERCOME HIS DEATH. Jesus came to give us life after death, and there are many ‘deaths’.
Africa has been held captive just as we have.
Mind if I just add something to the above.
On my birthday one year people in the office gave me a huge cake. I wanted to share it but they said no I should take it home and enjoy it. So I thought ok, its loaded with frosting, its huge, theres only me in the house right now so its going to have to be a small piece every day until I have eaten it, because I didn’t have the heart to throw any away after they had gone to all the trouble to gift it.
So sure enough I did just that, a small piece every day until it was all eatedn. As I was washing the plate truth hit me. Oh my horror I have actually eaten a huge cake, admittedly piece by piece, but still at the end of the day I was confronted with the sum total. It was actually quite shocking. The sum total of who we are and what we are he took that day on the cross. Then when the Father had restored him he sent him to show us what it had all been about. We have all been deceived, me included that day, mostly by myself!, he showed me why. That was an awakening for me and desperately needed after having a mother who’s love was bathed in condemnation only. Its difficult to love when you’ve had little yourself but he shows you how and keeps on and on until you get it ‘right’. My son knows that I get and got it wrong from time to time. The beauty is ‘at the end of the day’ forgiveness. ie: Just don’t dish up sprouts anymore cos I don’t like them ok; ok no problem.
Its simple really, in enemy hands complicated to say the least.
Lord a ‘good lesson’ but please no more frosting on the cakes!
I LOVE YOU he said, I love you too Lord but promise no frosting, Its the but he’s after, so now I take cakes that are low on ! he knows I just love cake but need restraint now and again from their temptation !and gluttony, we’ll get there, just like Africa, we help each other I hope
“We have all been deceived, me included that day, mostly by myself!”
Hopeome, funny you should mention that – deception is a funny thing – we are usually completely blind to our own deception and need ‘outside’ help to shine a light on it once we are willing to give it up, whether that help comes from the word of God itself or through others who care and want to help us out of the danger we are in. When we hold on to a deception I think it’s usually because we are not ready to face giving it up…
…as is the case with my own love affair with sweets. If I don’t have some kind of desert every day, I feel really deprived, and actually suffer – it’s an addiction, but it doesn’t feel wrong, I’m just doing what comes naturally, eating. I absolutely love chocolate, especially the dark and handsome ones that seem to beckon to my tastebuds… Because of God’s word, my brain tells me that it’s gluttony, yet in being honest with myself I have to admit I just don’t want to give up those sweet sensations yet, and I have a multitude of excuses and perfectly reasonable justifications for my wantonness. Everything from, ‘but Lord, it’s the only pleasure I have left in my life’, to ‘but Lord it’s not as bad as committing murder’, and ‘it’s harmless, really, who am I hurting?”. That’s the thing with a deception, we somehow don’t have a conscience in that area, we lack that ruthless plumbline in our life in a particular area, lack the cold light of simple truth, that in no uncertain terms this is askew from the will of God – it is sinful.
Here’s another example: I knew someone quite well who, as an already married woman fell absolutely bonkers, madly and completely in love with a man at work. She was a Christian and although she knew she was in danger and had to somehow stamp out all those wonderful-feeling flames of physical passion, crying out to God for help all the while, she began to realize she did not have a conscience for the emotional feelings and was helpless to overcome emotionally. Like trying to move a paralyzed limb, she had no power to get her feelings under control, how to stop being “in love” (fleeing temptation was not an option in this situation, and she was thrown together with this man quite a lot) – She had all kinds of justification, a very unhappy and unfulfilling marriage for one thing, and this man seemed to her to be everything her husband was not, and she even began to fantasize about the potential of fruitful ministry with this new man, sort of mixing her sin with the “good” that could come out of it “for the Lord”.
But somehow in the back of her mind, no doubt because of the Holy Spirit in her, she knew it had to be wrong somehow, but she really had a hard time getting through to the truth of the Lord’s will in this situation and realized she had to even begin to ask the Lord to give her a conscience, to undeceive her even though she couldn’t see the deception clearly at all where her emotions were concerned. It helped having a friend to confide in who could keep pointing her in the right direction, painful though it was, and pray for her. And praise God, her emotions began to conform themselves to the plumbline of His word – after a long and difficult battle, she was able to wrestle her emotions into submission to the word of God concerning marriage, and she mercifully came back to her senses.
From my observation, it was fear of the Lord and love for the truth in spite of what it would cost her, that was her greatest weapon in this circumstance, and I know I should follow her example and apply these same things to my “sweet” infatuation. One day I hope the Lord will become “jealous” for me and rise up to go to war against this tasty interloper. Praise the Lord, our high priest is able to sympthasize with us in our temptations, whatever they might be, and is not out to condemn us but to help us in our weakness. But just to illustrate how a deception can be difficult to see in ourselves, and difficult, but not impossible, to overcome in the strength and power of Almighty God when are ready to really and truly want to.
And if anyone questions whether she was crazy to give up her “chance for happiness” in this situation, when the gentleman in question made a play for this woman, and she by the Spirit resisted the seduction, out of his mouth came the words, “There’s a wall around you.” – a demon complaining of the wall of protection placed around her by the Lord I believe in answer to her cries for help because she truly did not want to fall into sin. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower” – He truly is a fortress we can run into in our battle against sin in a very literal sense.
…if I may please be indulged just one more minute – in my case, I keep hearing the Lord say, “Without holiness, no one will SEE the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14) What does this mean? “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall SEE him AS HE IS.” (1 John 3:2) We must overcome in order to see Him as He is, in order to become like Him, in order to be sure we are found worshiping the real Jesus and not one our fallen flesh would prefer Him to be, at the time of His appearing. There comes a day when the doors to the ark will be closed….”make haste my beloved”, that day is near.
It is reassuring to read of people’s recognition of the fact that the extremism of America’s religious right has been exported to much of Africa. I’m a Canadian who has lived in both countries , with many wonderful years in San Diego. And commenters online are rightly appalled at the incredibly negative influence of these conservative Christian groups on the attitudes of African people towards homosexual persons. And , yes , people will die.
But many of you may not be aware of actions on behalf of the religious right that constitute a crime against humanity right here at home , on this continent. It will not likely ever be prosecuted , as far too many elements were involved. Let me explain. The last years I lived in southern California corresponded to the earliest years of the AIDS epidemic. And , from the very beginning , religious conservatives successfully opposed the use of any public funds for HIV research. The subsequent delay in acquiring effective treatment options denied thousands even a fighting chance at survival. I know. Through the years I have buried fifty-eight good friends.
If any verification or data is required I can be contacted.
Hugh:
I am sorry for your grief and your loss and given the on-going agenda of the US religious right I have absolutely no reason to doubt you.
We have been slow to wake up to how destructive Christian and Mormon conservative political groups political peddling has been at home and abroad.
Hugh and Bene,
I think if you do research about the Anglican Conference in 1998,
you’ll find mention that the conservative Episcopal bishops of
the US went ahead and intensely lobbied the African bishops
on the matter of same-sex marriage and blessing of
same-sex unions.
Their work(?) successfully derailed the conference and
caused much to-ing and fro-ing among the various
camps and nothing great came from that conference.
All because some Episcopals decided that they didn’t want
to have to kowtow to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
They knew full well they could get the African bishops
to go along with them and “gang up” on the rest of
the Anglican Communion.
And Americans wonder why so many others worry
about how they wish to extend their sovereignty
beyond their borders both politically and in matters
of social policy.
The recent Copenhagen Conference bears that out.