Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyDecember 8th, 2009
A collection of religious leaders organized by Faith in the Public Life have issued a statement in opposition to Uganda’s “Kill Gays” bill (pdf).
And, unlike the careful language of some that only seems to sympathize with ex-gay ministries and oppose mandated reporting, this statement seems to find Christian sympathy for the targets of this legislation and is not conditional in its opposition.
Our Christian faith recognizes violence, harassment and unjust treatment of any human being as a betrayal of Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. As followers of the teachings of Christ, we must express profound dismay at a bill currently before the Parliament in Uganda. The “Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2009” would enforce lifetime prison sentences and in some cases the death penalty for homosexual behavior, as well as punish citizens for not reporting their gay and lesbian neighbors to the authorities.
As Americans, some may wonder why we are raising our voices to oppose a measure proposed in a nation so far away from home. We do so to bear witness to our Christian values, and to express our condemnation of an injustice in which groups and leaders within the American Christian community are being implicated. We appeal to all Christian leaders in our own country to speak out against this unjust legislation.
In our efforts to imitate the Good Samaritan, we stand in solidarity with those Ugandans beaten and left abandoned by the side of the road because of hatred, bigotry and fear. Especially during this holy season of Advent, when the global Christian community prepares in hope for the light of Christ to break through the darkness, we pray that they are comforted by God’s love.
Regardless of the diverse theological views of our religious traditions regarding the morality of homosexuality, in our churches, communities and families, we seek to embrace our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters as God’s children worthy of respect and love. Yet we are painfully aware that in our country gays and lesbians still face hostility and violence. We recognize that such treatment degrades the human family, threatens the common good and defies the teachings of our Lord — wherever it occurs.
Click here to see BTB\’s complete coverage of recent anti-gay developments in Uganda.
Thomas P. Melady
Former U.S. Ambassador to Uganda and the Vatican
Ronald J. Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action
Jim Wallis
President
Sojourners
Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Tony Campolo, PhD
President
Evangelical Association to the Promotion of Education
Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D.
President, Catholic Theological Society of America
Associate Professor of Theological Ethics Marquette University
The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin
Incoming President
National Council of Churches of Christ USA
Brian McLaren
author. speaker. Activist
Jim Winkler
General Secretary
United Methodist General Board of Church and Society
Geoffrey Black
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
Rev. Paul de Vries, PhD
President, New York Divinity School
Board Member, National Association of Evangelicals
Chris Korzen
Executive Director
Catholic United
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
And many more.
BTB’s complete coverage of recent anti-gay developments in Uganda:
Dec 11: Uganda Media Centre Removes Op-Ed Questioning “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 10: Ugandan MP Defends “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 10: Vatican Statement about Uganda\’s Proposed Legislation
Dec 10: Rick Warren “Vigorously Condemns” Uganda\’s Anti-Homosexuality Act
Dec 10: Uganda\’s Official Media Centre Publishes Article Suggesting Anti-Homosexuality Act Not Needed
Dec 10: Uganda’s “Kill Gays” Bill Sparks Schism Inside The Family; U.S. Sens. Remain Silent
Dec 9: Time Magazine Covers the Ugandan “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 9: Ugandan Church Leaders Back “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 9: What Did Don Schmierer Know?
Dec 9: Bloomberg: Uganda To Drop Death Penalty, Add Forced “Conversions”
Dec 8: Cohen On Maddow: “Disavows All Relationship” To Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 8: US Christian Leaders Oppose Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 6: What\’s Good For Uganda Is Good For Canada?
Dec 5: Cockroaches
Dec 5: Don Schmierer On Uganda: “What, Me Worry?”
Dec 5: Rachel Maddow: Should US Politicians Try To Stop The “Kill Gays” Bill?
Dec 4: Schori “deeply concerned” about Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 4: State Department Guidance On Uganda
Dec 4: Statement from International Healing Foundation Regarding Uganda
Dec 4: Seven Mountains Theology At the Heart of Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 4: Archbishop of Canterbury In “Private Talks”; Ugandan Pastor Calls “Kill Gays” Bill “Genocide”
Dec 4: Anti-Gay Bill Likely To Pass As Oil Surpasses Donors For Influence In Uganda
Dec 3: Uganda Responds To International Furor Over “Kill Gays” Bill
Dec 3: International Healing Foundation Issues Statement On Uganda
Dec 1: Going Rove In Uganda
Dec 1: Clinton Condemns Criminalization of Homosexuality
Nov 30: Rick Warren refuses to oppose Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” bill
Nov 28: Sweden responds to Uganda\’s proposed “Kill Gays” bill
Nov 28: UK PM Gordon Brown Denounces Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Nov 28: Catholic News Source: Scott Lively Blames Foreign Gays for Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Nov 28: Canada PM To Denounce Uganda’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Nov 27: PEPFAR Coordinator: Don\’t Link Uganda Funding To Anti-Homosexuality Act
Nov 25: Follow The Money: The American Connection to Uganda’s Death Sentence For Gays
Nov 24: HIV/AIDS Envoy: Uganda\’s Chairing Of Commonwealth Meeting “A Mockery of Commonwealth Principles”
Nov 16: Exodus Sends Letter To Uganda President
Nov 14: Anglican’s Communion’s Tangled Connections To Uganda’s Anti-Gay Pogrom
Nov 11: Nigerian calls on Anglican Communion to oppose Ugandan “Kill Gays” bill
Nov 10: Uganda\’s Most Wanted
Nov 9: Uganda’s “Kill Gays” bill is “Providing Leadership to the World”
Nov 9: More American Evangelical Ties To Uganda’s Anti-Gay Politicians
Nov 7: The “Biblical” Worldwide Anglican Communion
Nov 6: Australian Senate Refuses to Oppose Uganda\’s “Kill Gays” Bill
Nov 6: Uganda Women\’s Group: “Kill the Gays”
Nov 2: Throckmorton Appeals to Ugandan Christians
Nov 2: US Reps Condemn Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Nov 2: Uganda Parliament Committee, Religious Leaders Weigh Death Penalty for LGBT People
Oct 28: Uganda Religious Leaders All Calling for Anti-Gay Bill… But Maybe Not Death
Oct 28: A Call for Christian Action in Uganda — A Time to Show the Love
Oct 23: Uganda Civil Rights Coalition Denounces Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Oct 22: Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill Put Off Until 2010
Oct 18: Take Action: Tell Uganda To Respect Human Rights And Dismiss the Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Oct 17: Uganda\’s Daily Monitor: All Ugandans Should Fear Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Oct 16: Does Exodus Support Criminalizing Homosexuality?
Oct 15: Human Rights Watch, Sexual Minorities Uganda Condemn Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Oct 15: Here It Is: The Text of Uganda\’s Proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Oct 14: Uganda Parliament Takes Up Anti-Gay Bill Adding Death Sentence and Bans on Free Speech”
Sep 15: Draft Anti-Gay Bill Circulating In Uganda
Jul 26: Uganda Parliament To Take Up Bill Banning LGBT Free Speech
Jul 6: Sports Figure Latest Victim Of Ugandan Anti-Gay Offensive
Jul 3: Uganda May Ban All LGBT Advocacy
Jun 1: Nazi Comparisons
May 14: Uganda’s Anti-Gay Campaign Snares LGBT People and Rival Pastors, Tabloid Promises More “Outings”
May 4: Uganda Gays Arrested, Blackmail Attempts Reported
Apr 24: Uganda Anti-Gay Activists March, “Storm Parliament”
Apr 20: Alan Chambers Addresses Developments In Uganda
Apr 19: Uganda’s Anti-Gay Vigilante Campaign Is Now In Full Swing
Apr 17: Uganda Government Attacks Human Rights Groups for “Promoting Homosexuality”
Apr 10: Uganda Columnist: “Happy Easter …Irrespective of Sexual Orientation”
Apr 6: Uganda Press Crank Up “Predator” Rhetoric
Apr 3: Uganda to Ban LGBT Advocacy?
Apr 2: Exodus Maintains Month-Long Silence Amid Ugandan Gov’t Calls For LGBT Arrests
Apr 2: Press Release from Ugandan LGBT Advocacy Group
Mar 31: Forced Outings Continue As Uganda LGBT Advocates Allege Oundo Is In It For The Money
Mar 31: Uganda Activist Cites Disbarred “Therapist” As Authority on Homosexuality
Mar 30: Uganda Situation Continues To Deteriorate; Exodus Washes Their Hands
Mar 27: Videos Surface of Ugandan Activist Stirring Anti-Gay Fervor; Fears of Violence Grows
Mar 26: Ugandan Gov’t Poised to Take “Stern Action” Against Gays
Mar 26: The “Ex-Gay” Star of the Uganda Anti-Gay Campaign
Mar 25: More on Uganda Anti-Gay Vigilante Incitement
Mar 25: Another Anti-Gay Vigilante Campaign May Have Begun In Uganda
Mar 23: Schmierer’s & Lively’s Uganda Talks Continue to Reverberate
Mar 17: Lively Defends Forced Therapy Proposal
Mar 16: Commentary: When Good Men Do Nothing
Mar 13: Sanctimony Alert
Mar 13: Scott Lively and Alan Chambers Respond to Questions About Uganda Conference
Mar 13: Exodus Applauds Schmierer\’s Part in Uganda Conference
Mar 12: South African LGBT Advocates Condemn Exodus
Mar 12: Ex-Exodus Minister Condemns Uganda Conference
Mar 12: Ugandan Conference Leaders Call For Another Meeting While Pushing Pedophilia Theme; Exodus Continues Silence
Mar 11: Open Letter To the Exodus International Board of Directors
Mar 10: Scott Lively: The Gay Agenda Is “To Turn The Whole World Gay”
Mar 9: Exodus Removes Link To Scott Lively From Its Web Site
Mar 9: EU Group Condemns Ugandan Conference
Mar 8: Uganda Anti-Gay Conference: Day Three — Gays Blamed For Rwandan Genocide & Pedophilia; More Exodus Ties To Holocaust Revisionism
Mar 6: Uganda Anti-Gay Conference: Day Two
Mar 6: Exodus’ Silence About Uganda: Day Five
Mar 6: Exodus Board Member Participates In Uganda Conference Calling For Forcing Gays Into Conversion Therapy
Mar 5: Anti-Gay Conference Kicks Off In Kampala
Mar 5: Warren Throckmorton Speaks Out Against Uganda Conference
Mar 5: International LGBT Group Expresses Concern About Uganda Conference
Mar 2: Anonymous Ugandan Blogger Wants Answers From American Anti-Gay Activists
Feb 24: Exodus Board Member Joins Nazi Revisionist At Uganda Conference
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GMRinSAN
December 8th, 2009
And from Rick Warren?
Crickets…
SharonB
December 8th, 2009
it’s about frikkin time!
Christopherâ„¢
December 8th, 2009
I don’t understand how Ron Sider can attach himself to this document after signing the Manhattan Declaration.
Does he not see how the claims made in the Manhattan Declaration contribute to the very anti-gay animus expressed in Uganda?
Talk about cognitive dissonance.
Donnchadh
December 8th, 2009
Ron Sider’s incongruous signature on the Manhattan Declaration is looked at by Fred Clark on his blog here
http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2009/11/dont-know-much-about-history.html
and here
http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2009/11/pulling-a-lieberman.html
It’s an interesting read, as often with Clark when talking of the Religious Right.
Priya Lynn
December 8th, 2009
A nice gesture, but I never heard of any of these people.
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