[A]s a pastor, my goal is to, to encourage, to support. I never take sides.
—Rick Warren on Meet the Press, Nov. 29, 2009
Uganda is currently contemplating anti-gay legislation so extreme that some of the most homophobic figures on the American religious right have criticized it. Homosexual activity is already illegal in Uganda, but under the new law “repeat offenders” and those having sex with HIV-positive individuals could be sentenced to death; citizens would be required to inform on those they suspect of homosexuality, or face imprisonment themselves.
“Christian ministries are speaking out against a Ugandan bill that would levy harsh penalties for homosexuals, saying it will make Christian ministry to homosexuals impossible,” began a recent article in the conservative evangelical World Magazine. Even Scott Lively, activist and author of The Pink Swastika, which compares homosexuality to Nazism, is quoted saying he wants Uganda to liberalize the measure.
This is all very salutary—anyone who wants to join a coalition against this abominable measure should be welcomed. But as a timely new report from the think tank Political Research Associates makes clear, the American religious right can’t evade responsibility for the homophobic mania that’s seized several African countries. Anti-gay activists in the United States may think the Uganda measure goes too far, but they laid the groundwork for it.
PRA’s report, “Globalizing the Culture Wars: U.S. Conservatives, African Churches, & Homophobia,” fills an important void in our understanding of the religious right’s transnational activities. Lead writer Kapya Kaoma, himself an Anglican priest from Zambia, shows how the American right has recruited African proxies to aid in their domestic anti-gay activism, in the process turning African sexual minorities into “a kind of ‘collateral damage’ in the US culture wars.” [Read RD’s interview with Kapya Kaoma, “The Anti-Gay Highway.”]
It’s no secret, of course, that there are strong and growing links between American and African conservatives. Rick Warren has been deeply involved in planting churches in Africa and mentoring African preachers. Breakaway factions of American mainline denominations, objecting to the ordination of gay priests and the sanctioning of gay unions, have put themselves under the authority of conservative African clerics. Few can forget the spectacle of Sarah Palin’s anointing at the hands of Thomas Muthee, a Kenyan Pentecostal and witch-hunter who has boasted of driving a woman with evil powers from her Nairobi suburb.
Meanwhile, African leaders—including many politicians—have adopted some of the American right’s most viciously homophobic rhetoric. And Uganda isn’t the first African country to step up persecution of gay people. “Since the late 1990s, the Anglican archbishops of Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria, and presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Sam Nujoma of Namibia have all used homosexuality to distract people from the issues facing their countries and churches by claiming that homosexuals are responsible for moral decay in Africa,” writes Kaoma. Earlier this year, Burundi made homosexuality a criminal offense punishable by up to two years in prison.
Even though many are aware of these trends, Political Research Associates is among the first to investigate them in a systematic way, and to provide a coherent narrative to help us understand what’s happening. No organization in the United States studies the religious right with as much rigor and depth as Political Research Associates (full disclosure—I’ve consulted for them in the past). Kaoma’s report is particularly interesting in noting the financial incentives for African preachers to foreground homophobia:
Funding from conservatives is highly personal—only bishops with US connections receive it—and unrestricted, unlike that of mainline churches, which demand strict accountability from African churches for all the money they receive.
Under the Bush administration, anti-gay religious organizations in Africa were further fortified with funds from PEPFAR, the United States’ AIDS program.
There is, of course, a fundamental irony in these arrangements. American conservatives have convinced their African peers that collaborating with them somehow represents a kind of anti-colonial resistance. One is almost tempted to applaud the American right’s audacity. After all, it generally opposed Africa’s national liberation movements, and often smeared the progressive churches that supported them. Now, by presenting homosexuality as the corrupt imposition of a decadent, dying West, American Christian conservatives have positioned themselves as champions of the developing world’s cultural authenticity. Meanwhile, African leaders purport to fight Americanization by aligning with some of the most powerful and chauvinistic of American religious leaders, and even taking US government money.
Tags: aids, aids/hiv, death penalty, hiv, kapya kaoma, lgbt, martin ssempa, museveni, political research associates, protocols of the elders of zion, rick warren, sharia, uganda
"I never take sides." —Rick Warren on Meet the Press, Nov. 29, 2009
In the same interview, Warren has also been quoted as saying it is not his job to meddle in the affairs of foreign governments.
What baloney. Didn't he take sides in the genocide in Darfur? Oh, right, that was *Christians* being slaughtered. Gay folks threatened with the same thing cannot possible merit taking sides. Just for context here are some of the things he said about Darfur:
" In the Old Testament, it says that if you have the power to do something good, then you have to do it. You’re not to avoid helping somebody in their time of need."
"The answer is, we must do all we can. People say America is not the policeman of the world. We may not be, but the Bible says, if you have been blessed, then you are to care for people who can’t care for themselves, you are to speak up for people who can’t speak for themselves, and to defend the defenseless."
quoted from http://tinyurl.com/yggjuxa
Rick Warren is hiding behind a false veneer of neutrality to avoid having to stand up for the rights [here, the very lives] of gay people. Any death, abuse or harassment that results from this law will rest on his conscience. There are clearly things he could do to help the defenseless in their time of need here and he is sitting on the sidelines.
I feel real grief over the damage our Christian leaders do with their shallow thinking. Unfortunately, many of our pastors don't really think that what James says applies to them. They think it applies to somebody else.
"The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.... No one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness," (James 2:6,8-9).
Some sermons are set on fire by hell.
Some sermons are filled with deadly poison.
Some sermons are an actual curse upon other human being created in the Imago Dei.
Bullying is not just a problem in the public schools. We have an ingrained habit of bullying in the species, but I'm not responsible for the species. I do, however, have something to say about what goes on in my own tribe.
The churches, having lost their ability to bully even most of their own members about their personal lives (e.g. divorce, cohabitation, etc.), have turned to the only playground victim they can find: gays and lesbians.
I remember the worst epithet kids used from elementary school through high school: "cock sucker." It's still popular, but the sanitized, polite version is more popular in the churches. That happens in the hymnal sometimes: Different lyrics, but the same tune.
So, we graduate from being playground bullies to our bully pulpits, and from there (if we are successful) we can become bona fide world bullies, right up there with our counterparts in the intelligence community and the military. Now is that cool, or what! What a rush.
Sing with me everybody! "I'm a big kid now!"
It's interesting that God has something to say about bullies.
This is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: "See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another," (Ezekiel 34:20-24).
God really is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
I have a new slogan for you: "God Hates Bullies."
God does not hate people he may hate behavior. Could the slogan be "God Hates Bullying" ?
Sure, Roy, why not!
Although you've heard "Turnabout's fair play" and "What's good for the goose is good for the gander"?
Yes I have. Those of us who are Christian have a hard enough time with people pinning things on God. Hatred for any person is not of God. The to you list above, I can not subscribe to personally, but have no problem with if others use them. At least they are not assigning to God something that is unsupportable, but I do agree that God does hate certain behaviors and Jesus said so.
I am gay and have had a hard (in relative terms) life because of the ignorance of good people in the Church. My faith in God however has allowed me to have a better life than if I was bitter about the unfair ways I have been treated. I was lucky because my parents were people who lived the Love that God asked. IT seems you son is also lucky in that way. There is a tendency to want retribution for those that do us wrong, but that is not God's will for us.
A lot is made about Jesus dying on the cross for us, but what Jesus pattered there was not just dying but Loving those who killed them. One of his last statements was forgiveness for those who tortured and killed him. That is the example we have to live up to.
St Francis of Assisi said to witness God's Love at all time, using words when needed. Love is witnessed not by saying you Love, but by Loving.
Totally agree with everything you say gentlemen
May i please apologize for terrible, unchristian, pathetic behaivor of my fellow christians.They act like swine and give the rest of us bad name.
I'd like to ask something (while a proud christian, straight but with one relative and many friends who are gay, i am pretty new to western church culture):
"The churches, having lost their ability to bully even most of their own members about their personal lives (e.g. divorce, cohabitation, etc.), have turned to the only playground victim they can find: gays and lesbians."- why is that so?
Becasue there are a lot of divorces and cohabitators among churchgoers? So, logically we can suggest that if there were as many gays then that would be just as accepted ? ;)
Beloved Odeliya! You are so right about the misuse of spirituality for Power and Control. I will share your comments with two gay colleagues of mine at the seminary where I study. I recently wrote on the topic of recognition of gay marriage as acknowledging Love. Their comment was that perhaps they should not be adopting the marriage tradition and could create something unique to express their love.
I love your sense of humor. ;)
Please do not find a joke I made to relieve stress on the topic of marriage to be offensive. I am also a lawyer having handled many family law issues involving secular (non-spiritual) marriages. "We shouldn't object to gay marriage. The heterosexuals don't want it." If I have offended anyone, please forgive me. There is a Jesuit priest in Iowa who will only perform marriages if the couple does not get a marriage certificate (secular validation of a spiritual union.) Peace and Joy, WWWST
The sad thing is that even in the most liberal and enlightened Churches there is still a hesitance to minister positively to Gays. Gays remain largely outside the Christian faith and pretty much any other faith.
We are to be an example. We can hardly fault the Ugandans for acting on what we harbor in our hearts.
Rick Warren treads a dangerous path, one that easily could blow up in his face.
The Lord's Prayer
(in the original Aramaic)
Abwûn
"Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes,
d'bwaschmâja
who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
Nethkâdasch schmach
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
Têtê malkuthach.
Your Heavenly Domain approaches.
Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d'bwaschmâja af b'arha.
Let Your will come true - in the universe (all that vibrates)
just as on earth (that is material and dense).
Hawvlân lachma d'sûnkanân jaomâna.
Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need,
Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna
daf chnân schwoken l'chaijabên.
detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma)
like we let go the guilt of others.
Wela tachlân l'nesjuna
Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations),
ela patzân min bischa.
but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose.
Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l'ahlâm almîn.
From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.
Amên.
Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
(I confirm with my entire being)
That is truly beautiful WWWST.
Not that I doubt your seal, trust, faith or being... but do you have a reference for this translation?
I would love to share with folks who may be a bit more scholastically rigorous than I.
Dearest Mikhastur, I have prayed for years that I would be able to see the original Aramaic words in the Lord's Prayer with an accurate English translation. It was given to me through the internet when I was desperate to find it for once of my colleagues. I first saw the Aramaic version of the Lord's Prayer at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, connected to a painting in an art exhibit there. It translated "giver of the breath of life" as our "Birther." My colleague is fluent in Greek and Hebrew (and English and German) but another colleague is Native American and points students of scripture to the language in which Jesus would have spoken. There are strong movements in Christian scholarship to find the truest translation and to identify the Divine Feminine. I am working on a paper on that latter topic at this time. Mary Baker Eddy (founder of the Church of Christ Scientist) identified the Divine Feminine in her church's liturgy by starting the Lord's Prayer, "Dear Father/Mother God." If we recognize the Divine in the masculine and feminine contexts, long standing fears, including those related to sexuality, might finally be overcome and the meaning of Love will be written on our hearts as the merciful Messiah intended.
This I pray.
P.S. The "Amen" translation at the end of the Aramaic Lord's Prayer is not mine. It is the Aramaic meaning of "Amen" according to the translation.
Dear Mikhastur, Thank you for the excellent scholarly request for my source of the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic. Here is the web address from which I found my favorite version of the Aramaic Lord’s Prayer:
http://www.thenazareneway.com/lords_prayer.htm
The tranlator(s) is/are anonymous, but the original pronunication has been transliterated into English are give for all to rigorously examine and translate for ourselves.
See also, from the website below, another version of the Aramaic Translation.
THE ARAMAIC PRAYER OF JESUS
as translated from Aramaic by Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz of the Sufi Order of the West
O, Birther of the Cosmos, focus your light within us -- make it useful
Create your reign of unity now
Your one desire then acts with ours,
As in all light,
So in all forms,
Grant us what we need each day in bread and insight:
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
As we release the strands we hold of other's guilt.
Don't let surface things delude us,
But free us from what holds us back.
From you is born all ruling will,
The power and the life to do,
The song that beautifies all,
From age to age it renews.
I affirm this with my whole being.
http://www.spiritheart.org/chapel/lordpryr.htm#klotz_aramaic
At the second web address you will also see the Hebraic translation of the Lord's Prayer. It is so similar to the translation from the Greek that I wonder if the translators were translating from the Greek to the Hebrew. In any event, it is not reasonable to consider that Jesus was speaking Hebrew (or Greek) to the inhabitants of that location and time.
I think the Lord's Prayer wasn't able to accomplish its intended purpose. Jesus was trying to say, make prayer real communication, not just reciting a script. Then it became the ultimate script to recite.
Well said, Jim Reed, but it need not be so. Each of us have the ability to connect directly to the Creators and each of us are connected directly to the Creators. The "script" of the Lord's Prayer is far from the worst that "Christian" dogma and doctrine have done to our spiritual oneness and all-ness.
Blessing of Love and Life Eternal,
WWWST
"The churches, having lost their ability to bully even most of their own members about their personal lives (e.g. divorce, cohabitation, etc.), have turned to the only playground victim they can find: gays and lesbians."--Ronald Goetz. This is a very good point. Ron Sidder, generally a clear thinker has stated that opposing Gay Marriage is one thing for the Fundametalists to be proud of. It is easy to give yourself a warm feeling of righteousness condemning people for "sins" you are unlikely to commit and be lenient on divorce even though Christ condemns it, yet says nothing on Gay relationships. I doubt if Rick Warren's conscience will cause him to loose any sleep over the execution of a Gay Ugandan. His own logic of having done his duty by being neutral will salve this.
As a member of the Board of Directors for Global Ministry here is our response. I encourage all of us to have our Faith Groups state a clear response in writing as well as other efforts. "No Justice, No Peace"
To view our response go to globalministries.org/news/africa/sexual-discrimination.html
I do not support the death penalty period! and i think that all Human rights organisations both in Uganda and in the world should viciously come to the defense of those whose rights are being violated.
With that in mind, I am a Ugandan and i believe that there is "no smoke without a fire". I can't help but wonder why Ugandan leaders ( or for that matter leaders of countries that are secretly anti-gay) would come up with something as volatile as this considering the fact they know the consequences of indirectly cutting off the hand that feeds you, which is basically foreign aid especially from America.
The concept of Homosexuality is new to so many. It is amazing how a country that may have never heard of it or have very little understanding of it, suddenly have hundreds or even thousands of their young generation say that they are gay and are beginning to outwardly display their choice.
The world is watching and Ugandans have seen what they call a new phenomenon go further into the legalisation of same sex marriages in certain states in America. And many in the world are silently angry and worried about this 'slippery slope'
Ugandans and so many see this as something that strikes at the heart of the product of heterosexual relationships, and therefore an attack on the family ,the nucleus of the society, and marriage which is still revered by many despite its problems,and in the long run the entire nation. Isn't that an honest concern?
While America is calling it freedom , Ugandans and the majority of Africans think it is simply the spread of moral decadence, or immoralty and yes westernisation. This should not be confused with colonialism or oppression.
The ban on previously legalised gay marriage in California doesn't make it any easier. That means that even the people in the USA are finding it difficult to come in terms with it. Just as some States in America have been left to deal with this issue, African nations should also be left to do so.
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