The threads are about the topics, not about you or what you think about the other commenters or assumptions about motives, or prognostications about what someone thinks or comments about what someone used to think.

Alvin McEwen: Scott Lively demonstrates how to throw gasoline on an anti-gay brush fire.

Last week, I wrote a post about how anti-gay activist Scott Lively claimed on ABC News that he didn’t envision Uganda pushing for that draconian anti-gay bill even though he had:

a. visited the country earlier that year during a conference and told negative stories about the gay and lesbian community and

b. had been going to foreign countries as far back as 2007 (i.e. Russia) and advocating that they “criminalize homosexuality.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alvin-mcewen/scott-lively-demonstrates_b_498591.html?ref=fb&src=sp#shared_by=889909

Even when lliberty and lives — and their perception in the world of TRULY caring about gay people — are at stake. Their “agenda” over-rules it. “How DARE those evil homosexual reprobates lecture THEM about “morality”!!! The nerve!!! I think it’s why they ignored the warnings.

At least, that is how is seems to me, and it makes me very, very sad. Disgusted, disappointed and SAD. To think that they could do more and won’t for PRIDE is deeply disappointing. Ultimately, Alan will have to live with his conscience and ultimately answer to God — and so will I.

Early on I had contact with a writer of one of the articles on the government press site [www.mediacentre.go.ug] and he mentioned the research of Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute. Well, I wrote back to him and included links from your work and that of Box Turtle Bulletin concerning the problems with Cameron’s work. Never heard back from him.

I think the point is that if you have the overt homophobic views then you are going to look for that which supports your views. I’m sure that is what they have done. Their attitude towards homosexuals is one of such disdain that they presuppose the worst (thus Ssempa’s comedy of porn) and do not care to witness any possible good. Indeed, there can be no good associated with someone they see as an abomination.

So, no, I don’t think Ugandans need have been influenced in any way by any American Christian sect, although I am sure they could receive affirmation of their views in some and that is rather easy to do in the age of the Internet.

Martin Ssempa continues to say that the bill is about rape and child abuse. This may be what he wants it to be about but it clearly is about more than that. I am wondering if there could be some discussion about what role if any, American ministries which support Dr. Ssempa (e.g., Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas; Oral ROberts U) has in addressing the misrepresentations?

You know, something I tell my kids at school? Focus on what you are doing and less on what others are or are not doing.

If it is important to you must that be of the same importance to others?

I wouldn’t say “must”. I would say, “deeply wish”.

Or do you even consider the difference between news reporting and making organizational statments?

I know that they are different — we need both to fight this.

You seem to confuse everyone’s role with what’s important to you?

I am not confused. Saddened. Angry. I acknowledge, above, that others may have diferent priorities. Here’s why I put so much pressure of Exodus about this:

(1) They the largest program of their kind, having international connections and influence. They claim to love and offer “freedom” to the LGBT community.

(2) I don’t agree that gays need to be freed or fixed — I find that idea as very harmful and morally repugant. But even if they did need it, you cannot “free” or “fix” this by criminalizing or imprisoning gays — or by forcing “treatment” upon them.

(3) They promised they would do more and stated that this deserves all the media possible. The need to keep their word. They need to make their disdain and apology loud, public and clear.