By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Lou Engle, the dominionist evangelist who I briefly discussed when he was at The Cry Vancouver last year, is reportedly planning to stage one of his The Cry events in Uganda later this year.
It will be interesting to see whether he follows through on his plans, and whether he will be asked some frank questions about what he hopes to do, as the recent moves of some Christians there to pass legislation targeted to restrict if not outlaw homosexuality, are proving controversial. Rightly so.
I would ask Engle myself whether he endorses the legislation and hopes to help those behind it. Hopefully a reporter there will be on the ball and ask him about it.
The answer to the question is probably “to do some evangelism.” I’ve only heard of him through your coverage of him, but if he has some redeeming Christian value behind his over-the-top politics, he might actually be looking to save some souls.
On that one bill, I think can count the Americans in favor of the Ugandan bill on one hand and amputate a few fingers; it’s something of an urban legend that it has significant support among American theocons.
I got interested in the Uganda bill during the Commonwealth summit. It’s horrific and if you are interested Warren Warren Throckmorton of Grove City College has the official text online and has done some of the best writing about it I’ve seen.
Engle is rabidly anti gay among other things. (He believes GLBT are possessed)
He is a false prophet.
He is an extremist theologically and politically.
I think he is mentally ill and personally find him spiritually toxic.
His son Jesse did what he could to stir up trouble during the California Prop 8 issue and nearly succeeded.
There are videos of The Call online, and certainly decent exploration of Engles theology and politics from more informed and less biased people such as myself.
Engles is an apostle in good standing with NAR’s International Coalition of Apostles.
You have far more insight into neo-charismatic motives, behaviors and heresies than I do.
Engles embraces and promotes every heresy NAR can serve up.
Manifest Sons of God, extreme sheparding, Joel’s Army, 7 mountain mandate, Latter Rain, Kansas City Prophets.
Uganda is part of the 1990′s Transformation videos btw.
Maybe it has something to do with the G8 that Harper is hosting this year and the third world initiatives…?
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/03/17/harpers-g8-maternal-health-plan/
http://www/vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=2698920&sponsor=
Then again, for the evangelist, Africa is ripe for the harvest. Africans of third world nations want so badly what we in North America have – prosperity, health, abundance, and will eagerly and gladly buy whatever god we want to sell them. That, I believe, combined with the Ugandan bill, will give the Cry a comfortable platform to deliver their pitch from.
Evangelism in Africa has met with ugly results as you can well imagine what happens when you mix African superstition and the prosperity gospel. And it’s been the innocent and most vulnerable who suffer most because of it. When the promises of god do not manifest, or if hardship hits a family, there must be a witch in their midst…Evangelical African pastors get rich off this stuff. http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/?s=africa+child+witches
We can thank the likes of Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke and Peter Youngren who have preached their poison before crowds of thousands of credulous Nigerians, only to leave behind greater despair in the wake of false hope when the desperately needed miracles and promises of god fail to transpire.
Africa doesn’t need the North American gospel. They certainly will not be better off after Lou Engle and the Cry’s visit.
http://www.crusadewatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=10&id=65&Itemid=111
Outlawing homosexuality is horrifying. I cannot imagine anyone who knows Jesus would support such a harsh and self-righteous approach. Though homosexuality turns me off big time, I am so grateful it is legal and supported in the U.S. We so need max freedom for people to do whatever they want. That is how they will in time find God.
@ Rick
While you appear to be a mildly tolerant Christian, I venture to say the GLBT community will not soon be rushing into the fundamentalist churches to “find God”. They might find him/her in the safety and relative acceptance of their own community, and in their own way, but the hostility and bigotry of Christians in general must seriously hinder them in their search (assuming they are even searching).
In case you haven’t been following the news recently, the US military is openly hostile and punitive to gay soldiers, who can be thrown out of the forces for no other reason than their sexual preferences. This is hardly an atmosphere of the ‘legality and acceptance’ which you seem to believe exists. If you cannot imagine anyone who knows Jesus supporting such a “harsh and self-righteous approach” I suggest you read the owners manual where you will find plenty of reasons why Christians adopt this attitude. It comes from the top down. I appreciate your comments and your attempt to be a comfortable, gracious, and accepting Christian, but I wonder what planet you lived on before coming to earth. You obviously have a great deal of work to do here to change the minds of Christians who (sometimes) violently disagree with your “turned off big time” attitude.
Howie & Rick
About why the reactions about GLBT in Uganda and with Lou Engle?
The information below could add pieces to the puzzle
As an Anglican living in the Diocese of New Westminister is around Vancouver British Columbia am all too aware of the Church vs Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgendered persons.
This situation seems to have a certain amount of oxymorons.
A fair amount of persons feel that most people don’t mind the above except for a small group.
At Confirmation, the Priest told us, “In the Anglican Church most members are more in the gray area is in between, with small group of conservatives at one end and a small group of liberals at the other”.
What is also going on in this situation involves groups lobbying for change are Gay Lobby Groups and Conservative Lobby Groups.
Homosexuality in Canada is no longer considered as a mental illness and a criminal offense.
But why is there the reactions towards this situation?
Our former Primate for the Province of Canada of the 80 Million Anglican Communion was Rt Rev Andrew Hutchinson and he said,
“Homosexuality is no longer considered as a mental illness but is to do with human feelings and public reactions is a result of fear of human feelings”
That’s what he said and I found his words to be somewhat insightful.
Rick Hiebert
I really like the research you do
Clicking the 2nd link Engle,The Cry plans to go to Uganda
Read as well as watch and listened to Videos
Felt good viewing The Cry in San Deigo is nice to see lots of young people is fairly common in Charismatic and Pentecostal Streams of Worship too.
But at any of these NAR gatherings the atmosphere is and is not similar to Pentecostal services is something I sense that is a little different
The talk of ‘Casting out Spirit of Homosexuality’ have never read any scriptures in the bible that would mention and or support that statement.
Around 20 years ago on KARI 550 AM a Brother Schambach mentioned, ‘Homosexual Spirit come out in the name of Jesus’