Category: Religion

Exodus International denounces calls for gay executions

Last night, on the organization blog, Exodus International denounced recent statements by Bradlee Dean and You Can Run International regarding the morality of gay executions. The post Randy Thomas begins:

I was alerted to Dr. Warren Throckmorton’s post about Bradlee Dean’s (pictured) public comments saying that Muslim countries who call for homosexuals to be killed are more “moral” than American Christians. I listened to the segment of Mr. Dean’s radio program and was shocked. Click here to visit Warren’s blog and listen to Mr. Dean’s comments.

We called our contacts in Minnesota and apparently Mr. Dean is somewhat known in Christian circles there. They have run into him a couple of times but have not appreciated his strident tone. They were as upset by his statements as we are. I would imagine he will be getting a few phone calls.

What might those phone callers say?

Using Old Testament scriptures to condemn a person to death is not “loving” … it is incomplete theology and powerfully irresponsible. To say that murderous actions are more “moral” than tolerating free will is to completely ignore that Jesus did not call for the deaths of sinners. He died and paid the price for all of our sin, including those of us who have or do struggle with homosexuality.   He paid that transcendent price and still left us with the free will to believe in Him or not. That’s what makes faith in Him authentic and not coerced.

Putting down the stones of condemnation and serving others with humility, dignity and respect is the Christlike response. According to Jesus Himself, selfless sacrifice  has much more moral authority than the false piety of humans judging other humans guilty of breaking the law and deserving of social stigmatization and/or death.

As an aside, homosexuality seems to bring out the inner-Moses in a lot Christians these days. Calls to harshly criminalize homosexuality based on Mosaic law leave lots of questions about what other actions would be included in the long arm of current law (e.g., adultery, parent cursing, bearing false witness).  Thomas goes on to summarize the behavior of Christ toward those who were outcasts in his society and shunned by the Pharisees — any casual reader of the New Testament knows that legislative solutions were not in Christ’s playbook.

On the other hand, the You Can Run folks are hung up on law being the remedy. On their YouTube page, one of the Sons of Liberty (except for people you disagree with) calls for the state of Minnesota to enforce the sodomy law which was set aside by the Supreme Court. This video is consistent with their recent statements, made from the Heritage Foundation, praising African nations for prosecuting homosexuals.

Liberty is not just for people of your faith. Freedom, if it means anything, means the freedom to choose your beliefs and guide your moral life.

Children International has a good deed for you to consider

Garrett Kenyon with Children International wrote to make me aware of a situation that could use some love. I want to let this speak for itself:

César’s story began like millions of others – just another poor kid from the slums, struggling to survive. When he was 3, César and his brothers left an unstable home to live with their grandmother, Elsa, a little woman with a huge heart who’d do anything for “her boys.” The move was good for the brothers. On society’s ragged edge, love shields the young like nothing else can.

As soon as they were old enough, Elsa enrolled the boys in the sponsorship program. Life began to improve gradually. They were even able to attend school, something Elsa couldn’t have afforded without sponsorship. “The program helped a lot,” César remembers, “especially when we started school.”

They needed all the help they could get. Elsa was nearly 60 when she took on the responsibility of raising the three boys. But age wasn’t her only disadvantage. Years earlier, Elsa had lost a leg in a tragic accident. In a country where the disabled are openly shunned and even the healthy struggle to find work, the handicap made finding a job impossible.

So Elsa improvised. She staked out a busy spot in the financial district and began “watching cars.” When people parked in her area, Elsa protected their cars from vandals and thieves. When the drivers returned to find their vehicle unharmed, she hoped they’d give her a small courtesy tip.

But courtesy can be hard to come by when you’re invisible.

For Cesar, things could have been better, but his situation went from bad to worse.

The Grind

That’s when César made a brave decision. Like most teenagers, he dreamt of making a better life. Sponsorship had taught him that the key to success was education, so he studied hard. However, with one brother injured and the other in trade school, César chose to sacrifice his own dreams for his family’s survival. His decision wasn’t uncommon. Millions of reluctant children make the same choice every year.

Eventually, César found work as a bus driver’s assistant. Guatemala City is one of the most dangerous cities in the world, and of all the places to work there, a bus is, by far, one of the most hazardous. The gangs that terrorize the city regularly target bus drivers. When a bus enters a gang’s “turf,” a toll is demanded for safe passage. Some drivers refuse to pay, but the consequences are dire. In 2009 alone, 170 bus drivers were murdered. It’s become an all-too-common tragedy in a city gripped by violence.

But César had no other options. “It was the only job I could get,” he says. Luckily, his driver “always paid.”

An average workday for César started at 4 a.m., washing the bus. An hour later, the bus rolled out of the station, to which it would not return until 10:00 at night. César worked throughout the entire period. “My job was to charge the toll, get change, and ‘pull’ more passengers onto the bus.” He worked the 18-hour days with no complaints, never losing the warm, enthusiastic smile he was known for.

By the end of the day, his voice was hoarse from all the yelling. “Sometimes I’d get sleepy. While the driver ate dinner, I had to keep pulling passengers to fill the bus.” But despite the long hours, César “really liked that job.” He was helping the people he loved, finally pulling his own weight. It was a great feeling.

Becoming Invisible

In the end, it wasn’t a gangster’s bullet that brought César down, but an improbable accident. One morning, while “pulling” last-minute passengers, the bus pulled away from the curb. Normally, César would simply hop in the door before the bus picked up speed. But this time, for some unfathomable reason, his pant-leg got stuck in the bus’ wheel spokes. When the bus pulled away, it dragged him, rolling over his foot and crushing it instantly. Though César was rushed to a hospital, doctors were unable to save his foot. By the time he awoke from the sedatives, they had removed it. Continue reading “Children International has a good deed for you to consider”

Vilification Minnesota style: Bradlee Dean – UPDATED

Last week, the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer gave us an illustration of the verb “to vilify” by saying on his radio show, among other things, that Hitler couldn’t find any straight people to work his evil, he had to find gay people to do it. He followed up with a column where he blamed homosexuality for “six millions dead Jews.” I hesitated to even write that because of the horror of trivializing the holocaust, even in reporting what someone else said. However, he said it and he did it as ammunition in the culture war. He should be ashamed as should the AFA.

There was another illustration of Christians vilifying gays in the name of the culture war last week that is a close second to Fischer. Instead of blaming gays for millions of deaths, this radio personality says Muslim law is better than US law in that it provides death for gays. Watch and listen to Christian rocker, Bradlee Dean and a too enthusiatic female caller discuss sodomy laws in MN and how moral Muslims are compared to Christians. Please note what makes those Muslims so good.

The whole issue may become a part of the Minnesota’s governor’s race and is being followed by Andy Birkey of the Minnesota Independent. Enter Mr. Birkey:

But recent controversial statements by Dean — that Muslim countries calling for the execution of gays and lesbians are “more moral than even the American Christians” — have drawn the ire of some both within and outside the party.

“Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America,” Dean said on YCR’s May 15 radio show on AM 1280 the Patriot. “This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination.”

“If America won’t enforce the laws, God will raise up a foreign enemy to do just that,” Dean continued. “That is what you are seeing in America.”

“The bottom line is this… they [homosexuals] play the victim when they are, in fact, the predator,” Dean said, before going on to make a claim that has no basis in fact: “On average, they molest 117 people before they’re found out. How many kids have been destroyed, how many adults have been destroyed because of crimes against nature?”

The statistic he quotes — 117 children molested — conflates pedophiles and homosexuals. It may not be accurate even about pedophiles. I have tried to find the source of it and the closest I can come is a website and book which sources it to a 1988 NIMH publication (not in newer editions) but with no specific study. Even if the stat has a legitimate source, it relates to pedophiles and not gays. It is possible I suppose that Dean is so misinformed that he believes his rhetoric. One wonders if he would change his position if he could be convinced that his view of gays was wrong.

On the whole, Dean’s radio performance comes across as a rant with little conherence but it is hard to come up with any other understanding of his words than this – he believes Muslim countries who kill gays for being gay have the moral high ground over the USA.

Some of the commenters on the other thread were discussing how this kind of rhetoric represents Christianity. So let’s keep that discussion going. Can’t you just feel the love?

UPDATE: Here is a 2006 Weekly Standard article about Dean’s Junkyard Prophet band. Wow.

UPDATE – 6/1/10 – Broadcasting from the Heritage Foundation (!?), the YCR guys are at it again…this time praising African countries who jail gays.

UPDATE: Exodus International posted a stinging condemnation of Bradlee Dean’s remarks on their blog. I suspect this will be followed by a similar statement from one of the Minnesota church affiliates, Living Word Christian Center.  Exgaywatch is reporting that the You Can Run group was featured there last year at a high school function.

Nothing brings Christians and Muslims together in Uganda like Plan B

This report is a little hard to follow but it sounds like a few Christians met with a large group of Muslims to celebrate Sharia law when it comes to gays.

I have been wondering where Martin Ssempa has been and it appears he was just taking a break. He is here networking with his Islamic brothers to praise the way they do it in Iran and Gambia. I don’t believe I have seen any news reports of this rally. If anyone reading has a report I missed, let me know.

UGANDA: Sheiks Ranch Anti-Homosexuality Campaign

Uganda national sheikhs task force against homosexuality ranched its campaign against homosexuality with help of national Muslim Dawa association of Uganda.

After the advocates for anti gay bill realized it might not succeed, Uganda national sheikh task force against homosexuality ranched a serious campaign against homosexuality in Uganda.

The rally attracted over 300 people mostly Muslims at crock tower stadium on Entebbe road.

Muslims at the anti gay rally held on 23rd may 2010 in Kampala

They had invited various leading politicians like Minister of Ethics Nsaba buturo, the bill mover in parliament Hon .bahati, Inspector general of police Kale Kayihura, religious leaders among others who did not turn up due to pressure from international community. 

Pastor male rubbished the anti gay bill explaining that they had initially requested for commission of inquiry into homosexuality instead bahati and his group hijacked them by introducing the anti gay bill with clauses they knew community and external World will definitely resist and hence rejecting the bill.

Among the articles he mentioned is the death penalty, HIV /Aids testing, compulsory reporting and confidentiality clause which allows the courts of law to hear such cases in camera yet the press has been very instrumental in exposing homosexuality as a vice. He also went on to say that the constitution of Uganda needs amendment since it allows privacy of individuals meaning that it’s very hard to track homosexuals in their houses.

He assured the audience that Uganda has a similar law in the penal code like in Malawi. He praised the Malawi government for imprisonment of the two gay activist. He says it’s instead the government, police and the judiciary to put this in practice like how it happened in Malawi. He attacked police which usually turn against victims and instead harass them on reporting homosexuals and their acts. He cited examples like pastor kayanja’s case.

Among others who attended included sheikh kaketo who reminded the audience how and why Allah created a man and woman.

He called upon the government to enact laws that protect the values in the community for better governance of our country.

Sheikh Mbabari cautioned the audience to desist from acts that will fall them into victims and turn way from religious values.

Pastor sempa defended the anti gay bill in parliament. He called upon the house to debate the bill and see which articles are unnecessary and go ahead to pass it into law. 

He went ahead to explain the four stages how homosexuals penetrate the country.

Tolerance, equal rights, minority right and lastly is special privilege.

He deliberated how many Ugandans flock Dubai as business community yet all are homosexual sex workers. He rubbished the western community and world leaders like obama that Uganda cannot accept such nonsense.

A lot of praise went to president Yaya of Gambia who made it clear that he will slaughter any gay person in public, Authorities in Iran and Sudan who strongly use Muslim teaching against homosexuality.

Reason learnt from today’s rally.

The main focus of the rally depicted that Pastor Male believe the anti gay bill cannot help the community instead it supports homosexuals and pastor Sempa believe parliament will debate the bill, make necessary amendment and make it a law. He called upon the public to pressurize parliament to debate it and pass into law. However both agree to use the Muslim community to be at forefront and use the quoran teaching to fight against homosexuality. 

In conclusion therefore the struggle is not yet over and we call upon the entire LGBTI community to be alert and make necessary follow ups as these people have started on their plan B. 

ATTENDED BY CHAIRMAN SPECTRUM UGANDA SAM GANAFA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Moses Mulindwa

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Courtesy of SPECTRUM UGANDA

Uganda tells Germany it does not support Anti-Homosexuality Bill

The government of Uganda has made a commitment to Germany not to pass any additional penalties on homosexuality. The promise comes in exchange for a German aid. Here is the Earthtimes article referencing a letter from the Ugandan government.

Posted : Fri, 28 May 2010 11:57:27 GMT

Berlin – Uganda has reassured Germany it does not support a bid by one parliamentarian to outlaw homosexual acts, in order to win an extension of existing aid payments, German officials said Friday.

The German development aid ministry said in Berlin it had cleared pledges totalling 120 million euros (148 million dollars) to Uganda over the next three years.

That aid would be conditional on Uganda not passing any legislation imposing new penalties on homosexual acts.

Gay groups protested round the globe last year when a Ugandan legislator, David Bahati, proposed an anti-homosexual bill, calling for life imprisonment for homosexual acts and death for homosexual rape of children.

Uganda’s parliament has studied the bill but not passed it.

Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa sent a written assurance to Hans-Juergen Beerfeltz, state secretary at the German Aid Ministry, saying that the government in Kampala does not support Bahati’s legislation.

“We regard this letter as a positive signal and will continue to insist that the bill does not become law,” said Beerfeltz. He spoke after Ugandan and German officials conferred Wednesday and Thursday on the aid pledges.

The money will be used to fight poverty, stop water wastage and reduce carbon emissions. German Aid Minister Dirk Niebel earlier said he would halt aid to Uganda if the bill were passed.

If accurate, this report seems to be the clearest signal yet that the Ugandan government is now opposed to the Bahati bill. Sam Kutesa was one of the early voices in opposition and this makes it official policy.