Category: Religion

Bryan Fischer too far right for the AFA?

I wondered if this might happen. The AFA now issues a disclaimer that Bryan Fischer’s views are his and not theirs.

This information comes via Right Wing Watch:

And now Fischer’s blog posts on the AFA website, like this new one calling the Cordoba House the “Timothy McVeigh Mosque at Ground Zero,” are carrying this disclaimer:

Unless otherwise noted, the opinions expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.

Last year, the AFA lured Fischer away from the Idaho Values Alliance, named him director of Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy and gave him a two hour daily program on its radio network … but now wants to claim that he in no way represents the views of the organization?

Please. 

But it is quite remarkable that Fischer has become so radical that his own employer is now distancing itself from him. 

Remarkable indeed.

Bryan Fischer: Now let’s ban the mosques

The American Family Association has become scary. There I said it.

At one point, I presented facts to the AFA correcting a report from their information source, OneNewsNow, about the American Psychological Association’s task force report on sexual orientation but their reporter hung up on me. I was allowed to rebut some criticism aimed my way which they published as hearsay, but the damage was done. But these are minor problems compared to where Bryan Fischer has taken the group.

I have discussed Fischer’s views before (biblical law, gay nazis) and I suspect will again. Here is one that is really troubling from a group that claims to uphold religious freedom. From Fischer’s blog post, No More Mosques, Period:

Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America, let alone the monstrosity planned for Ground Zero. This is for one simple reason: each Islamic mosque is dedicated to the overthrow of the American government.

You have to read the rest to grasp the concept. Fischer, fronting an ostensibly Christian group, calls for the coercive power of the state to limit the freedom of expression of Islam. When Islamic nations call for restrictions on Christianity, we rightly criticize them. Well, what about this?

Of course, any group, Islamic, Christian, atheist, gay or straight, who plots rebellion against the government should be investigated and stopped. If there is evidence that a mosque is really a front for terror then make the case and take action. However, in the most obvious of ironies, Fischer wants the government to violate the Constitution with his plan to restrict Islam. Freedoms of religion, association and speech are freedoms we want to protect, right?

Amy Ritter at Hot Air tossed a nurf ball at Fischer and the AFA. She is worried about Fischer declaring his idea in the name of conservatism. I am more concerned about what is coming out of the AFA being considered Christian.

Update: Quickly, I note that another AFA writer criticized Fischer’s stance the next day. That’s nice. However, it still is deeply troubling that someone in leadership at AFA has a platform to call for the undermining of the Constitution in the name of conservatism and Christianity.

Note: Been away for a spell, might be back at it more next week.

American Bible college opens Ugandan branch, discourages “gay culture in Africa”

In the FYI file:

A Life Christian University is starting up in Kampala this month and one its purposes will be to discourage gay culture.

From the Daily Monitor:

A US-based Life Christian University has opened up a branch in Kampala to teach ethics, evangelism and church management, its officials have said. The Academic Dean, Dr. Dennis Sempebwa said the university will apply the American syllabus of evangelism and discourage gay culture in Africa.

“To be a pastor, God calls you but you must be trained. They should have the knowledge on how to handle the church.” The campus director, Dr Steven Kawula said the university will open this month on Bombo Road.

“We developed the idea of expanding to Kampala to access evangelists so that we can save the growing born again churches from getting wasted. We shall also offer other courses to suit businessmen and other academicians,” Mr Sempebwa told journalists in Kampala last week.

A Dennis Sempebwa is also the pastor of Santuary of Life church in East Lenox, IL, near Chicago. I emailed the church to learn if this is the same man who is leading the Kampala campus. I suspect so given that SoL’s pastor is from Uganda. Life Christian University in Florida is the awarder of Dr. Sempebwa’s degree and I suspect the chartering school for the Kampala branch.

Martin Ssempa didn’t like the article on gays in Uganda

Sunday, the Uganda Observer published an article on July 22 titled, “Inside the world of sexual minorities.” The article quotes local physicians with an informative article regarding various terms for sexual minorities. The article seems to make an effort at balance and information rather than opinion and moralizations.

Well, that did not sit well with Martin Ssempa who wrote a letter to the editor published today:

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 17:50

I am responding to the story ‘Inside the world of sexual minorities’ (The Observer, July 22-24, 2010). I view the two pages of extensive research you presented in such a national newspaper as any outcry of sympathy and acceptance of homosexuality and the people involved in the evil practice. It is a betrayal of readers’ loyalty and the family values in Uganda.

Your stories created the impression that:

•Homosexuals are a minority group, which should be accepted in society.

•Families can still survive even after one spouse turns gay, probably with the other spouse getting another lover too and ‘they live happily ever after.’

•The definitions given of the various forms of homosexuality are meant to encourage the young minds to explore the vice.

•The pictures that ran with the story give an impression of happy, blossoming relationships, which is not the actual case with homosexuality.

•It is okay for children to turn to homosexuality and that their parents can just seek counselling and everything will be fine.

On the other hand, the stories missed out the following facts:

•Homosexuals are 100% more likely to contract HIV/AIDS compared to normal heterosexual couples.

•Homosexuality has a negative impact on the body’s external organs and is a health hazard.

•Homosexuals are very depressed people who face gender identity disorders.

Besides, homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda. Therefore, unless you are promoting a crime, I do not see why you presented homosexuality as a scientific normality.

As loyal readers of The Observer and parents, we demand an apology and counter coverage on the pro-family issues.

Dr. Martin Ssempa,

Kampala.

Who knows where Rev. Ssempa gets his statistics. I am not sure what external organs he is referring to but I am sure many readers will take issue with his “facts” as I do. He is however, welcome to provide supporting documentation here if he would like to.

I may be missing some of the article given what Ssempa refers to in his letter. If anyone has a more complete version, if it exists, please let me know.

Kuchus in the news

Not sure if I have used that term before to refer to homosexuals in Uganda but it appears in Huffington Post via an article by Mark Canavera.

The kuchu movement is abuzz in Uganda. Kuchu is a (plural: kuchus) word, apparently of Swahili origin, that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) Ugandans have minted to describe their identities. “We do not use the word ‘queer,'” explains Frank Mugisha, chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda, an umbrella entity that brings together LGBTI organizations for advocacy purposes. “We’ve got our own word that encompasses the whole idea: kuchu.”

I appreciate that Canavera says that “Most American evangelical churches have distanced themselves” from the bill. He also notes that Canyon Ridge Christian Church has not done so. Indeed, Canyon Ridge has added insult to injury by misrepresenting the bill in such a way that their congregants are publicly defending a false picture (see Change.org “be informed” commenter).

Anyway for a brief summary of what is going on in Uganda among opponents of the bill, see Canavera’s article.