Rich Warren with his wife (left) and President George W. Bush
and Laura Bush
Here's something that seemed to have slipped by the U.S.-based news wires today (at least at this writing): Uganda's legislature is debating a bill whereby homosexual acts would incur lifetime imprisonment. If one of the two people having gay sex is either disabled, HIV-positive, or under the age of eighteen, the sentence would be death. For real: death. You can read the legislation yourself.
OK, so Uganda doesn't have the best record regarding human rights. But what about the United States? Why am I asking about the United States?
I ask because it's U.S. politicians and other anti-gay activists that are behind this legislation. I guess because they're angry that they can't go out and stone lesbians and gay men to death in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, they're going to have to be satisfied to see gay folks lynched in Africa.
Do I overstate my point? I think not. First of all, there's Andrew's Sullivan from the the Atlantic, excoriating Rick Warren — he of the "Purpose-Driven Life" and the Obama inauguration — for his refusal to condemn the actions of the Ugandan government.
And why is Rick Warren responsible? Because it's a friend of his, Martin Ssempe, a Ugandan "clergyman," who is pushing for this bill in the Uganda parliament. As Sullivan points out, Rick Warren is not only friends with Ssempe (although he has distanced himself of late), but Warren is also responsible for distributing AIDS funds in Uganda. Well, I guess he'll give out less money if the people he's supposed to be helping are all dead.
(Just as an aside, by the way, look at Ssempa's Wikipedia page. All the links — or most of them, at least — are dead. I managed to find one link in the Internet Archive that details Warren and Ssempa's relationship.)
Did I mention, by the way, that also involved in this whole affair is The Family — the organization that claims as a member several members of Congress, including Sen. John Ensign of Nevada and Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina? For real! These are men who have exploited their positions of power to pursue extramarital affairs, but I guess that's all fine as long as the people who they sleep with don't have the same genitalia. Otherwise, it's time to lop off heads.
The final, sad link in the chain between the United States and the wrong-headed Ugandans behind this bill is the "anti-gay" movement, including such "conservative" groups as Exodus International, which helps "heal" gay people. Apparently the self-loathing of some people knows no bounds.
It behooves the Obama administration to do two things regarding these developments in Uganda: (1) President Obama must speak out now against this law and seek redress in the United Nations if the law is passed; and (2) He must strip Rick Warren of any responsible for addressing the AIDS crisis in Africa if this is being done with government money. Anything less will send a clear message to Uganda's HIV-AIDS–infected and lesbian and gay communities. Silence, in this case, is very much equal to death.
Comments
The connection to the extremist religious cabal operating in the US government is horrifying.
An all time low.
Even for heterosexuals.
Good proposals, especially, "He [Obama] must strip Rick Warren of any responsibility for addressing the AIDS crisis in Africa if this is being done with government money."
The U.S. Ambassador to Uganda spoke out against it and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown feigned "fury," but feigned is the right word. They're not going to kick Uganda, their proxy for controlling Central African resources, out of the Commonwealth, even if the gay death penalty passes.
I also write for Examiner.com, so, fellow Examiner, let me add that this is good research, analysis, and writing. Snagging all those missing links on Ssempa's Wikipedia page is stellar work. I'm going to become one of your subscribers.
Finally , A country that is willing to fight the the spread of this abomination. Now if only the USA would follow suit,we could rid ourselves of this vile filth.
Please us the following statement to respond to any post you see linking Rick to Martin Sempa in relation to the Ugandan law. Feel free to use both posts I have sent to you. Both are directly atributal to Rick. Please ask if you have any questions.
Thanks
Brett
STATEMENT OF PASTOR RICK & KAY WARREN
REGARDING ACTIVITIES OF MARTIN SSEMPA IN UGANDA
Martin Ssempa does not represent me, my wife Kay, Saddleback Church, nor the Global PEACE Plan strategy. In 2007, we completely severed contact with Mr. Ssempa when we learned that his views and actions were in serious conflict with our own. Our role, and the role of the PEACE Plan, whether in Uganda or any other country, is always pastoral and never political. We vigorously oppose anything that hinders the goals of the PEACE Plan: Promoting reconciliation, Equipping ethical leaders, Assisting the poor, Caring for the sick, and Educating the next generation.
That's right Des, those filthy Christians are an abomination. Aren't they? Mutants who still think like the barbarians they've always been. Obviously not being believers of the theory of evolution -- you don't evolve. That's why Bronze Age solutions seem reasonable to people like you. It's the mutations from all that in-breeding, as I understand it. Correct?
Anyway, thank you for your kind words in the spirit of love and kindness this Solstice Yuletide Holiday Season.
hey Des....really? ...and what would you propose the us of a do here in america? Lets hear it. ..this should be rich.
It's what the RRRW would like to do to LGBT people here in the US but can't any longer (much to their chagrin). So instead they push their agenda in nations where they know they can get barbaric laws passed. Still think they don't hate us? Anyone still believe they're acting out of "Christian love"? If so, you're as naive as they are dangerous.
Kira, do you really this kind of activity couldn't be done in the US? I don't know whether it could get "legislated" but I suspect a lot of gay people and Jews during the Weimar Republic never imagined just a decade later they'd wind up in camps.
Talk2action.org has posted a new report on the parallel activities of Rick Warren and the movement started by his dissertation advisor, a guru of "Church Growth" at Fuller Theological Seminary named C. Peter Wagner. Wagner left Fuller to becoming the "Convening Apostle" of the New Apostolic Reformation, now an international relational network of apostles and prophets which Wagner believes will unify the church and take dominion over the world. These apostles, including Julius Oyet of Uganda, have also played a major role in this legislation. Oyet was recognized as the original bill was read in the Ugandan Parliament. U.S. based apostle Lou Engle heads TheCall, and led the San Diego stadium event for Prop Eight on November 1, 2009.
The report can be viewed at Talk2action.org.
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