Kato Mivule | December 25, 2009
Many Ugandan Christians are confused but still in support of the Ugandan “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” that still includes provision to have Homosexuals executed for “aggravated homosexuality”.
At the same time many Ugandan Christians view the outrage and protests from the West as a bully and an imposing of Western Culture and morals on Uganda and Africa at large. The protest from Western Countries against the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” has only exacerbated counter angry protects and outrage from Uganda’s population that read Western protests as a control, bully, and imposing of a Western Culture on Uganda.
Yet still, Uganda’s Population is right to a point to be suspicious of Western Demands that are always hypocritical and tied to provisions. Western Nations for instance are threatening to cut off Financial Aid to Poor Uganda should Uganda’s Government go ahead and implement the Bill into Law.
Ugandan Christians have also responded with outrage against Western Pastors and Christian Leaders who are calling for Ugandan Christians not to support the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill”.
For instance Rick Warren of The Purpose Driven Movement was pressured by Western Media outlets to break ties with Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of Uganda’s most outspoken critics against the Homosexual/Lesbian Movements in Uganda. Rick Warren then used his Media power, to write a letter and a YouTube Video to Ugandan Pastors telling them that they should not support the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill”. Rick Warren also disassociated him self from Pastor Martin Ssempa and made sure he kept his “P.E.A.C.E” plan intact from “contamination” of Ugandan anti gay Pastors. On reading the Rick Warren Letter, it was as if Rick Warren was lecturing young kids, and just issuing commands so as to keep his Purpose Driven PEACE Plan moving. In other words, the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” was an embarrassment to Rick Warren’s Image and Establishment in the West.
It was as if Rick Warren was simply summoning his African Pastor Pets to tow the line and keep pushing is Purpose Driven PEACE Plan in Africa while caring nothing about the rampant Sodomy and Pedophilia cases in Ugandan Evangelical Churches.
The Young boys who have been sexually molested are not even mentioned in Rick Warren’s Letter. The Pastors who are guilty of Pedophilia and Sodomy (Aggravated Homosexual Sex) are not mentioned at all. Rick Warren’s lack of concern for these pressing issues in Uganda’s Evangelical Church shows how much ignorant and naïve Rick Warren is concerning the spiritual status of East Africa’s Evangelical Church.
Rick Warren yet boasts in his letter about how he is a leader and provides guidance to Pastors around the world (that these Pastors look to him for guidance). Those Pastors must be solidly disappointed as Rick Warren’s letter exposed his arrogance, ignorance, and naivety concerning the spiritual status of Africa’s Church. The Letter only shows that Rick Warren is concerned about his Image and Establishment in the West. This time around Rick Warren should learn a thing or two from the African Pastors.
Rick Warren did not so much care to at least provide New Testament scriptures to back his position except for a few instances, nor did he provide any solid biblical guidance to Ugandan Pastors "who look to him for guidance" as to why they should not support the “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill”.
This kind of hypocrisy was clear in the Rick Warren letter to Ugandan Pastors…the letter did not do any good but rather exposed the Hypocrisy and Bully attitudes of some Western Christian Leaders towards African and Poor Christians. In other words, they (Western Christian Leaders) have the power, and can call the shorts, since they have the money.
Rick Warren’s failure to understand African Christians and their cultural context in determining social issues is endemic among some Western missionaries who traverse Africa and other Poor Nations on a Bully Pulpit.
Pastor Martin Ssempa was right in stating that Rick Warren used his Purpose Driven Bully Pulpit in his Letter to Ugandan Pastors to Bully Ugandan Christians. It seems all Rick Warren was concerned about was his Image and Reputation, no wonder, Rick Warren kept mentioning His PEACE Plans …even mentioning to Ugandan Pastors the need to preach the gospel as if Ugandan Pastors have not been doing just that…real bullying… Yet despite Rick Warren’s motives and Western bossy attitudes, he still has a point, Uganda’s “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” is not the right way for Ugandan Christians to fight against “the spread of homosexuality” in Uganda as Pastor Martin Ssempa puts it in his Response to Rick Warren.
Two issues are still being confused and merged together…there are those Homosexuals just like Heterosexuals who engage in aggravated sexual crimes like rape, sex with minors - pedophilia, forced sex with males, sexual molestation, etc, and it is this group that should be charged according to Ugandan Laws as in any country including the United States.
However, there is the second group of Adult Consenting Homosexuals just as there is an Adult Consenting Heterosexual Adulterers. These folks have made a Moral choice to do what they want to do with other adults in consent. It is like most Ugandan MPs (Members of Parliament – US Equivalent to Senators) have more than one wife and consistently commit adultery with young University Girls in Universities around Kampala. Yet no laws exist to put these adultery MPs to death for consistently committing adultery with young University Girls, this is what I find disturbing with Pastor Martin Ssempa’s rebuttal to Rick Warren’ s Letter to Ugandan Pastors.
There is no way to legislate Christian Morality for one moral Crime while ignoring other moral Crimes. You cannot force adults to stop making moral choices whether right or wrong. This is the reason we preach The Gospel warning mankind that there is a day of reckoning before God Almighty for the moral choices we make whether right or wrong. It is reason why we preach the Gospel of Repentance so every Man and Woman can make a choice to both turn away from sins and follow Jesus Christ or refuse.
WE CANNOT FORCE PEOPLE TO REPENT THROUGH LEGISLATING MORALITY.
It is my hope that Pastor Martin Ssempa and Team will discern the difference and choose to engage in Preaching the Gospel of Repentance rather than seeking to enforce Moral Choices on people through Legislation. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did not at any time go to courts of law to legislate Repentance. In His Time on Earth, the Jews in Judea had enough laws legislated yet still mankind continued to sin and make immoral choices.
Jesus Christ did not at anytime call for the death penalty of sinners, rather Jesus Christ took our Death Penalty on the Cross when He died for all sinners including me and you. When approached by Pharisees to stone a woman to death for committing adultery, Jesus Christ gave a response that we Christians must emulate…none of the Woman’s accusers stayed because they realized they too were sinners. Jesus Christ Preached Forgiveness rather than retribution and vengeance…
It is at this point that Pastor Martin Ssempa and the Christian “2009 Anti-Homosexual Bill” supporters fall short…and yes, Rick Warren has a point even though I disagree with his Western bully and imperialistic attitude expressed in his letter towards Ugandan Pastors.
Jesus Christ for instance said that a man commits adultery if they look at a woman with lust as in to desire to sleep and have sex with her. How many men fall into this category? How many Ugandan MPs fall in this category as they drive their posh SUVs on University Campuses in Kampala to engage in sex with young University girls while leaving their wives at home? Is this not why the Ministry of Health in Uganda put up all those Billboard Advertisements against “Cross-Generation Sex” warning young adult girls not to engage in sex with old grownup men in Kampala? Pastor Martin Ssempa was part of the Anti-Cross Generation Sex Movement yet no legislation was tabled in Uganda’s Parliament to criminalize the MPs who consistently have sex with young university girls. Is this not hypocrisy?
If you are going to legislate Morality, then laws should be passed to criminalize all who lust after other women or after other men’s wives, since Jesus Christ clearly stated that all who engage in thoughts of lust towards other women are guilty of adultery.
Secondly Ugandan Christians must avoid the fallacies of some Western Christians who engage in Politics so as to “Take Over” Nations and impose a Christian Legal System. Many of these Christians from America’s Religious Right and Evangelical Political Organizations have miserably failed in their undertakings to legislate Morality in the America and are trying to ‘use’ African Christians to undertake their failed experiments.
Reports have surfaced of Uganda’s President, Museveni and MP Bahati who happens to spearhead the 2009 Anti- Homosexuality Bill, all connected to ‘The Family’, a Christian Political Cult based in Washington DC, USA. ‘The Family’ cult is deeply engaged in Dominionism and the spread of a Political Christian Utopia around the world. Brethren, ‘The Family’ are not a real Christian Movement but a group that uses Christianity to spread its political agenda which include things like legislation of Morality.
Yet still importantly is the issue of what the 2009 Anti Homosexuality Bill will do in the future. This bill among other things creates a ‘Police State’ in which Ugandans for example have to report to authorities anyone who has a relative who happens to be a homosexual. Pastors have to report their conversations with homosexuals to authorities. Brethren, this law will come back to bite you. Suppose your own sons or daughters get caught up in a homosexual lifestyle and you want to help them from a Christian Perspective what will you do? This bill makes you a criminal and you will have to pay a price just because your adult son made a moral (immoral) choice to live a Gay Lifestyle...you get punished and criminalized for your son's 'sins'.
This bill is not “Godly”, “Christian”, or even morally just but totally Totalitarian, evil, and Fascist in nature. It is no different than what Hitler and his team did when they placed all the “unwanted” in death camps. The “unwanted” included Jews, Disabled, Homosexuals, among others.
I pray that Ugandan Pastors including Pastor Martin Ssempa who seems to be most ‘enlightened’ among Ugandan Pastors, to wake up and not support this Hitler-like Bill. Yes, there is nothing wrong with strengthening laws to protect minors and people from aggravated sexual crimes committed by both Homosexuals and Heterosexuals.
Yet still I disagree with the Death Penalty as a Christian. I believe in Life and therefore, personally I cannot be anti-abortion and then be pro-Death Penalty…it is a contradiction, I do not believe in the so-called Death Penalty Laws (my personal opinion).
Yes, there is a growing Adult Consenting Homosexual group in Uganda but our response to all these social developments (or realizations) should be based on Teachings of Jesus Christ and the New Testament.
Christians in the New Testament lived at a time when morality was at a high time low under the Roman Empire from a Christian Perspective. Yet Paul the Apostle in his letter never champions Moral Legislation against Homosexuality. He never calls for legislation of laws to curtail adultery. What Paul the Apostle and the early Church did was to preach the Gospel of Repentance and yes, they spoke out against immorality in their time but called for people to repent and provided a spiritual remedy and allowed for every man and woman to make a choice.
When we read the book of Romans we see that this was true and even though Paul speaks out against Homosexuality among other sins, he did not call for Moral Legislation against Homosexuality in the Roman Empire. Paul the apostle and other early Christians did not seek Caesar’s favors nor lobbied the Roman Senate to pass laws to fight against Homosexuality in the Roman Empire.
The early Christians did not seek to “cleanse” Rome of all Homosexuals, they simply provided a spiritual remedy by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ of repentance and doing good works; hopefully this is what Ugandan Evangelicals will emulate.
Kato Mivule
=====================================================================================
RICK WARREN'S RESPONSE TO PASTOR MARTIN SSEMPA AND UGANDA'S 2009 ANTI-HOMOSEXUAL BILL
=====================================================================================
LETTER TO THE PASTORS OF UGANDA From Dr. Rick Warren
Pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
Christmas 2009
http://www.rickwarren.com/
Dear fellow pastors in Uganda,
I greet you in the name and love of Jesus Christ as I send this encyclical video to the pastors of the churches of Uganda with greetings from your fellow pastors around the world. May grace and peace be with you this Christmas season.
We are all familiar with Edmund Burke's insight that, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." That is why I'm sharing my heart with you today. As an American pastor, it is not my role to interfere with the politics of other nations, but it IS my role to speak out on moral issues. It is my role to shepherd other pastors who look to me for guidance, and it is my role to correct lies, errors, and false reports when others associate my name with a law that I had nothing to do with, completely oppose, and vigorously condemn. I am referring to the pending law under consideration by the Ugandan Parliament, known as the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
As a pastor, I've found the most effective way to build consensus for social change is usually through direct quiet diplomacy and behind the scenes dialogue, rather than through media. But because I didn't rush to make a public statement, some erroneously concluded that I supported this terrible bill, and some even claimed I was a sponsor of the bill. You in Uganda know that is untrue.
I am releasing this video to you and your congregations to correct these untruths and to urge you to make a positive difference at this critical point in your nation.
While we can never deny or water down what God's Word clearly teaches about sexuality, at the same time the church must stand to protect the dignity of all individuals -- as Jesus did and commanded all of us to do.
Let me be clear that God's Word states that all sex outside of marriage is not what God intends. Jesus reaffirmed what Moses wrote that marriage is intended to be between one man and one woman committed to each other for life. Jesus also taught us that the greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Since God created all, and Jesus suffered and died for all, then we are to treat all with respect. The Great Commandment has been the centerpiece of my life and ministry for over 35 years.
Of course, there are thousands of evil laws enacted around the world and I cannot speak to pastors about every one of them, but I am taking the extraordinary step of speaking to you -- the pastors of Uganda and spiritual leaders of your nation -- for five reasons:
First, the potential law is unjust, extreme and un-Christian toward homosexuals, requiring the death penalty in some cases. If I am reading the proposed bill correctly, this law would also imprison anyone convicted of homosexual practice.
Second, the law would force pastors to report their pastoral conversations with homosexuals to authorities.
Third, it would have a chilling effect on your ministry to the hurting. As you know, in Africa, it is the churches that are bearing the primary burden of providing care for people infected with HIV/AIDS. If this bill passed, homosexuals who are HIV positive will be reluctant to seek or receive care, comfort and compassion from our churches out of fear of being reported. You and I know that the churches of Uganda are the truly caring communities where people receive hope and help, not condemnation.
Fourth, ALL life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God. My wife Kay and I have devoted our lives and our ministry to saving the lives of people, including homosexuals, who are HIV positive. It would be inconsistent to save some lives and wish death on others. We're not just pro-life. We are whole life.
Finally, the freedom to make moral choices, and our right to free expression are gifts endowed by God. Uganda is a democratic country with a remarkable and wise people, and in a democracy everyone has a right to speak up. For these reasons, I urge you, the pastors of Uganda, to speak out against the proposed law.
My role, and the role of the PEACE Plan, whether in Uganda or any other country, is always pastoral, not political. I 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, which includes the protection of children.
Please know that you and the people of Uganda are in my constant prayers. This Christmas season I pray you will experience the three purposes of Christmas as announced by the angel at the birth of Christ. First, the angel said, "I bring you good news of great joy." Christmas is a time of celebration -- Jesus is the Good News for the whole world. God came to earth to be with us! Next, the angel said, "For unto us is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!" Christmas is a time for salvation. If we didn't need a Savior, God would not have sent one. Finally, the angel said, "Peace on earth, good will toward men." Christmas is a time for reconciliation. The message of Christmas is good cheer, good news, and good will for the whole world.
It is my prayer that the churches and people of Uganda will experience all three of these this season. May God bless you; and may God bless the nation of Uganda.
Christmas 2009
Key Facts Concerning Recent Media
and Blog Reports on Rick Warren’s
Position on Uganda
1. Do you support the death penalty for homosexuals?
Absolutely not. ALL life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God. My wife, Kay, and I have devoted our lives and our ministry to saving the lives of people, including homosexuals, who are HIV positive. It would be inconsistent to save some lives and wish death on others. We’re not just pro-life. We are whole life.
2. Do you support life imprisonment for homosexuality?
Of course not. I oppose the criminalization of homosexuality. The freedom to make moral choices is endowed by God. Since God gives us that freedom, we must protect it for all, even when we disagree with their choices.
3. Are you a friend of the President of Uganda? No.
I’ve never met him, and never had any kind of communications with him, or with any member of the Ugandan Parliament.
4. Did the President of Uganda say he wanted his country to be Purpose Driven?
No, he didn’t. That was said by the President of RWANDA, not Uganda, at a national rally in Rwanda in 2005. Years later, the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda made a similar comment so people are confusing Uganda with Rwanda, the country next to Uganda. While we have just begun to train pastors in Uganda, we are very involved in Rwanda, creating a nationwide P.E.A.C.E. plan at the invitation of the churches there. Over 1,000 Saddleback members have served on humanitarian projects in Rwanda.
5. What did you do when you heard about the proposed Ugandan law?
I wrote to the most influential leader I knew in that country, the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, and shared my opposition and concern. He wrote me back, saying that he, too, was opposed to the death penalty for homosexuals. There are thousands of evil laws enacted around the world that kill people (For instance, last year, 146,000 Christians around the world were killed because of their faith). In this case, I knew the Archbishop in Uganda, so I did what I could, but my influence in that nation has been greatly exaggerated by the media.
6. Is Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa an associate who represents you?
Not at all. At each of our Global Summits on AIDS (on World AIDS Day) we’ve invited speakers from a wide spectrum of religions, beliefs, political views, and health care expertise. We’ve had believers and atheists, liberals and conservatives, gays and straights. Ssempa was just one of over 200 speakers we’ve invited. At each Summit we make it clear that no speaker represents us, and that we don’t control, endorse, or agree with all that is said. Our desire is to encourage everyone to work together in ending AIDS and caring for those infected and affected. Ssempa was one of many speakers in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, when we learned that Ssempa’s beliefs and actions were vastly different than ours, we disassociated ourselves from him.
7. Did you say that homosexuality is not a human right?
Absolutely not. What I said in an interview in Uganda was that there is no civil right to gay marriage guaranteed by the United States Constitution. All Americans, and I believe all people, are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” as spoken by the United States Declaration of Independence.
8. Do you know Scott Lively?
No. I do not know Scott Lively and have had no contact with him regarding Uganda or any other issue. I would certainly not associate with anyone who denies the Holocaust, one of the greatest tragedies in human history.
9. Are you and Peter Wagner attempting to rid the world of homosexuals?
Absolutely not. Peter Wagner was a seminary professor of mine, but not my doctoral dissertation advisor. I have not had contact with Peter Wagner for many years and am certainly not conspiring with him for any purpose. Additionally, the event chronicled at Angels Stadium in 2005 has been grossly misrepresented. I was simply arguing that Christians could have a tremendous effect for good in the world if they had the same dedication as the followers of Mao. I would never argue that anyone should emulate or espouse the views of Mao, Hitler or Lenin.
=============================================================
PASTOR MARTIN SSEMPA'S RESPONSE TO RICK WARREN
=============================================================
UGANDA NATIONAL PASTORS TASK FORCE AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY
Task-force Chair: Martin Ssempa PhD
http://www.martinssempa.com/warren-response.html
The taskforce represents
* The National Fellowship of Born again Churches
* The Seventh Adventists Church
* The Uganda Joint Christian Council which also represents:
* The Orthodox Church in Uganda.
* The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda
* The Islamiic Office of Social Welfare in Uganda
* Born Again Faith Federation
* This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Dear Rick Warren,
Christmas greetings from the Pro Faith, Family, and Human Rights Leaders here in Uganda. We acknowledge receipt of a letter from you in which you called on us (Ugandan Pastors) to “speak out” against the proposed “Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009” which is currently before our parliament. This bill has been greatly misrepresented by some homosexual activists causing hysteria and we take this opportunity to give you the background, facts and response to the concerns you raised. A special meeting of 20 denominational heads met on Thursday 17th Dec in the offices of the minister of Ethics and Integrity, examined your letter and formed a joint task force to respond to you as well as help support the parliament in the passage of this bill. We are further distressed by your unwarranted abuse of our duly elected officials who are in the process of making laws in the fulfillment of their mission and make demand that you biblically issue an apology for having wronged us as demonstrated by the facts of this letter.
Developments underlying the Bill
Several developments in Uganda and around the world constitute the compelling circumstances that have necessitated the Anti-homosexuality Bill. These include:
1. Increasing incidents of homosexual abuse of children and youth by people exercising power and influence over them like teachers, pastors, parents etc. A recent report shows this. Uganda: Child Abuse rampant.;
2. Recruitment of youth into homosexual practice with inducements including money. (Homosexual admits recruiting students). While we have a law that currently prohibits “acts against the order of nature”, this law is not comprehensive enough to cover the promoters of these acts. The draft law seeks to stop promotion and further recruitment of unsuspecting children and youth into homosexuality.
3. Promotion of homosexuality by some organizations, including a pro-gay book by UNICEF circulated in schools without seeking permission of the Ministry of Education; (UNICEF Book supports teen homosexuality
4. Creation of organizations whose sole purpose is to promote homosexuality in Uganda; (e.g. (Sexual Minorities Uganda); (Gay Uganda); (Integrity Uganda)
5. Government-led campaigns at the UN led by some countries like France and Brazil to secure a UN General Assembly resolution imposing homosexuality as an internationally protected human right. For example, on November 18th 2008, France and Netherlands initiated a law which seeks to use the UN to push homosexuality on other nations of the world. This explains provisions in the Bill preventing ratification of treaties and conventions affirming homosexuality and related practices.
6. Un-believable growth in the power of the homosexual lobby in western countries, clearly seen since this Bill was proposed in Uganda – entire governments in Europe and America have used their diplomatic offices on an issue that should be freely debated and dealt with by their citizens at civil society level.
7. The mistake in western society, where the issue of homosexuality was treated with kid-gloves as a minor, private issue, but these societies are waking up too late on realizing that the matter affects how their entire society is ran, what children are taught at school and literally what everybody “must believe and practice”. This waking-up is for example seen in anti-gay-marriage campaigns in United States, where US citizens are fighting to retain family values against stiff competition from gay-activists in 31 states where the matter has come up for a referendum vote, winning such battles by the skin of their teeth. These countries are stuck with a huge population of their citizens that has been recruited into homosexual practice over decades of lax attitude that has seen the rise of powerful, well-funded organizations that misinform children and youth about homosexuality and daily recruit them into their ranks. This discontented population is angry, a threat to public order and is demanding equality for self-evident disordered and harmful behavior. This represents a mismanagement of human behavior by public institutions, because legal safeguards were not put in place in time to prevent the spread of homosexuality and related practices.
8. The take-over by homosexuals of western institutions that should have remained as defenders and protectors of moral integrity in society, particularly the church, to the extent that even evangelical church leaders in America no longer protest when a practicing homosexual is appointed into pastoral leadership in the church (e.g. the election to the office of Bishop of Mary Glasspool in your state of California last week and Gene Robinson in New Hampshire before her). This institutional takeover by homosexuals has been systematic and planned, to the extent that other bodies like the UN, national governments, financial institutions, private companies, NGOs, etc. have become spokespersons of the gay movement and daily use official resources to promote the gay agenda and to arm-twist anyone who opposes this agenda. In a globalized world, this western takeover of institutions by homosexuals has turned into international promotion of homosexuality and of other vices like abortion and pornography in other countries.
9. Some members of Parliament in Uganda have looked at all these developments as a threat to strongly held family values in Uganda and everywhere and have sought to use their mandate as people’s representatives to seek remedies before it is too late. The Anti-homosexuality Bill, 2009, therefore, while acknowledging that homosexuality is not an innate condition, states as its object: "to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting (1) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and (2) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non-governmental organization inside or outside the country".
What’s the death penalty all about?
Some people have asked about the rationale of a death penalty mentioned in the Bill. There has been a lot of misinformation about this matter with headlines such as: “Gays face death penalty in Uganda”. These headlines are deliberately misleading. This penalty applies only in special cases termed “aggravated homosexuality”, which include, those convicted of unlawful homosexual rape of a child or handicapped invalid; This is a conviction of paedophilles! As highlighted in the problem of “virgin rape cures HIV/AIDS” the offender can be a person living with HIV; a parent or guardian of the victim where there is abuse of authority! Finally is the use of drugs to stupefy the child so that they can rape them!. Clearly, the intent of this penalty is to protect weaker members of society from being victimized. Please note that for over 15 years Uganda has had the same penalty for persons who have carnal knowledge of minors heterosexually, mainly to protect against sexual abuse of girls by men. This time, this provision intends to provide equal protection of boys, among others.
In the early 1990s, at the height of the HIV Crisis, Uganda sought to protect children, principally girls, from sexual abuse by adults and infection with HIV. There was troubling concern over some people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA) who raped and infect girls with HIV/AIDS in a grotesque belief of a “virgin sex cure” prescribed by some witchdoctors. Since 1997, Section 123 of the Penal Code only provided protection against defilement (sexual abuse) of girls under 18 years of age. Section 123(1) states that: - “Any person who unlawfully has sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of eighteen years is guilty of an offense and is liable to suffer death." Sub-section 2 of Section 123 of the Penal Code provides for attempts to defile a girl under the age of eighteen years. It states that: "Any person who attempts to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of eighteen years is guilty of an offense and is liable to imprisonment for eighteen years with or without corporal punishment". This has and continues to be the law which no one has complained that it is unchristian or a human right violation. Many boys have been violated without legal protection leaving their evil oppressors to get away with no law enforcement protection. The current draft law, simply aims at providing equal protection of the boy child and other vulnerable persons, as currently exists for the girl child. The question for you is this; does the sexual abuse of a boy constitute a lesser crime than the rape of a girl?
The question of human rights and privacy:
Some people have asked whether this law raises questions of human rights infringement. Some have asked whether it infringes the right to privacy, for example, asking what legitimate interest the state has in what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms? But not all things done in private are free of negative consequences on the public. Most harmful behavior occurs in private: corruption, bribery, abortion, murder, rape, etc. Many laws prohibit these private practices. Practices like homosexuality and bisexuality are associated with serious, yet preventable public-health risks. The risk of HIV transmission in male homosexuality is for example about 10 times that of heterosexual sex, simply due to use of parts of the body for inappropriate functions. Other diseases and medical complications are also associated with these practices. Secondly, by its nature, behavior spreads in the population through experimentation, modeling and social affirmation. Increase in homosexual and bisexual practice could thus rapidly reverse Uganda’s success against HIV/AIDS. The state’s interest in public health requires that it takes action on these preventable health risks, not only through education, but also legal deterrents for those who misinform and mislead the public.
An organization recruiting and encouraging people to continue in homosexual practice lacks justification but one dealing in counseling and helping people with behavior management is justified. The clause requiring mandatory reporting of known offenses may therefore need an amendment to exempt disclosure made in counseling situations.
Our Historical Struggle:
When you-(Rick Warren) came to Uganda on Thursday, 27 March 2008, and expressed support to the Church of Uganda’s boycott of the pro-homosexual Church of England, you stated; “The Church of England is wrong, and I support the Church of Uganda”. You are further remembered to say, “homosexuality is not a natural way of life and thus (its) not a human right. We shall not tolerate this aspect at all”. (Gay Row-US Pastor supports country on boycott) He was indeed affirming Uganda’s long historical struggle against institutionalized homosexuality. This recent boycott was not the beginning of the struggle. In fact on June 3rd 1886, 26 Ugandan Christian converts to were martyred for their stand against a deviant king who had taken to the practice of sodomy. Their faith in Christ emboldened them to stand against homosexuality, resisting even up to death. Today we honor them, and June 3rd is a national holiday where millions of Ugandan believers converge to remember and renew their strength.(When faith, state and state inspired homosexuality clash). As you yourself have said, “..the Bible says evil has to be opposed. Evil has to be stopped. The Bible does not say negotiate with evil. It says stop it. Stop evil”. (12/2007) Since homosexuality is evil, you cannot possibly be against a law that seeks to stop it unless you have misunderstood it.
Clarification on the spirit of the Mandatory reporting clause 14:
Finally, sexual abuse of children takes place in institutions such as boarding schools, churches etc. Research by ACFODE, “The situational review of rape, sexual harassment and defilement 2005” in three districts found unusually high levels of coercive heterosexual/homosexual rape and harassment especially in single-sex schools. Unfortunately the school officials and some police officers, maintain a conspiracy of silence, ignoring the pleas of the children and victims who report these crimes. They value the reputation of the school or other institution above the welfare of the children and adults in their custody. This is the reason for section 14, of mandatory reporting of the offenses within 24 hours.
This reporting is similar to the mandatory reporting of all “unlawful sexual intercourse” in the state of California in Penal Code 11165 which includes, - rape (261), incest (285), sodomy (286), child molestation (647.6), and statutory rape (261.5). California Penal Code 11166; 11165.7 requires that Teachers, Social workers, District attorneys, Doctors, Psychologists, marriage and family counselors, clergy members and state or county public health employees are required by law to report “unlawful sexual intercourse” as defined by the state of California. If mandatory reporting has been deemed necessary in other in America on sexual offenses, Uganda could use the same measure in specified situations.
What has been our recommendation on the law?
At a special sitting of the Uganda Joint Christian Council a taskforce sat and reviewed the bill to make comments. We resolved to support the bill with some amendments which included the following:
1. We suggested reduction of the sentence to 20 years instead of the death penalty for the offense of aggravated homosexuality.
2. We suggested the inclusion of regulations in the law to govern provision of counseling and rehabilitation to persons experiencing homosexual temptations. The churches are willing to provide the necessary help for those seeking counseling and rehabilitation.
3. Even with the provision for counseling and rehabilitation in the law, homosexuality should remain a punishable offense to control its spread.
Warning of a widening shift.
We note with sadness the increasing levells of accepting of the evil of homosexuality. The ordination of Mary Glasspool a Lesbian as a bishop in Los Angeles without any condemnation from you, has increased the widening gap between the global south church in Africa and the global north church in Europe and America. In these increasingly dark days, we encourage you not to give into the temptation to water down what the bible says so as not to offend people. Jesus’s gospel is a stumbling block, and a rock of offense. Rick you are our friend, we have bought many of your books and have been blessed by them. Do not let the pressure of bloggers and popular media intimidate you into becoming a negotiator for homosexual paedophillia rights in Africa. As you yourself say about evil, – “the Bible says evil has to be opposed. Evil has to be stopped. The Bible does not say negotiate with evil. It says stop it. Stop evil."(RW-12/2007) Since the bible says that the giant of homosexuality is an “abomination” or a great evil, you cannot achieve the peace plan without a purpose driven confrontation with evil.
Ugandan Clergy Demand for your apology within:
Please note that on Friday 11th December, more than 200 of Uganda’s top religious leaders met and supported the legislators in strengthening the law against homosexuality. (Church leaders back anti-gay bill.) The issue is, we all want the law on homosexuality, the only debate is on what penalties are appropriate.
Your letter has caused great distress and the pastors are demanding that you issue a formal apology for insulting the people of Africa by your very inapropriate bully use of your church and purpose driven pulpits to coerse us into the “evil” of Sodomy and Gaymorrah. This is expected within seven days from this date.
Sincerely Yours,
Martin Ssempa, Phd
Bishop David Kiganda
Pastor Ssozi Peter
Prof. Peter Claver Matovu
Seventh Day Church Representative.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
PS: A video Youtube response will be sent as possible.
The taskforce represents
The National Fellowship of Born again Churches
The Seventh Adventists Church
The Uganda Joint Christian Council which also represents:
The Orthodox Church in Uganda.
The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda
The Islamiic Office of Social Welfare in Uganda
