“Family” Leader Reportedly Confirms Opposition to Uganda’s Anti-Gay BIll

Jim Burroway

February 6th, 2010

That’s according to Warren Throckmorton, who spoke with Doug Coe at the National Prayer Breakfast. Coe is the leader of the secretive Evangelical organization known as the Fellowship, or the Family.

Mr. Coe told me in the interview that he believes Jesus loves all people regardless of sexual orientation. He and other Fellowship leaders told me that imposing the death penalty and criminalization of homosexuality is contrary to the principles of love and compassion that Jesus taught and lived and upon whose life and teachings the Fellowship is based. Furthermore, the National Prayer Breakfast movement\’s mission is to build bridges of understanding between all people, religions and beliefs.

Doug Coe

Doug Coe

While I think Warren is a trustworthy source on this, I reserve a great deal of caution about the depth of Coe’s opposition to Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. How committed is he in his opposition? Instead of relying on intermediaries, why hasn’t he made a public appearance or released a statement under his own name to that affect? Is he willing to put at risk his ties to the powerful Ugandan political establishment, including Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni himself, to press his opposition? Or will he moderate his message to something considerably milder — perhaps even with a wink — in order to preserve his ties to Uganda’s powerful elite?

When one asks, “What would Jesus do?” in this Jesus-plus-nothing paradigm that is the heart of Coe’s teaching, the answer should be obvious. Jesus put his entire life at risk when he overturned the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple, and they weren’t even thinking about killing anyone. They were just exercising the free market. But right now, it’s Ugandan citizens who have everything at risk, while Coe and the Fellowship have ventured little. I would however be very thrilled to post whatever direct response Doug Coe would like to give.

Click here to see BTB\’s complete coverage of recent anti-gay developments in Uganda.

penguinsaur

February 6th, 2010

They’ll fly people to Africa to tell government ministers and huge crowds gays are evil sinners who want to rape your children. But opposing gays being jailed isn’t given any more effort than a press release and interviews with blogs.

Kevin Andrews

February 6th, 2010

Coe and his minions are not likely to make any type of anti-hate comment. These Cults of Jesus Inc are entirely dependent upon the demonization and vilification of “the other” to keep pumping money and mindless sheep into their flocks.
That we have the likes of Inhoffe, Grassley, Edwards and Sanford within this fold is enough to mount an investigation for high crimes and treason. That Inhoffe would and has traveled to Uganda to endorse the kind of hate and fear-mongering spewed by the Cults of Jesus Inc and endorse the likes of Scott Lively who bills himself as “America’s number one expert on homosexuality” and is identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center speaks volumes to the real intent of this “Fellowship, the C-Street Family.
TAX THE CHURCH.
Jeff Sharlete’s book “The Family” is just the tip of the iceberg of this Cult of Jesus and it’s politics, manipulation and hate mongering around the globe to feed their flocks of ignorant hate and fear mongers.

Mykelb

February 6th, 2010

I take what these treachorous homophobes say with a grain of salt. They all need to be investigated by the CIA since they have engaged in international treaty breaking and held accountable for their treasonous actions.

Lynn David

February 7th, 2010

Gotta keep hope alive.

It was sorta good to get Coe’s word down on this but I think the person that should have been saying those very same words was James Inhofe. The Oklahoma Senator elected on ‘god, guns and gays’ is the person most often mentioned in the Family/Fellowship to have taken Uganda under his wing. Though it appears that Inhofe was not at that October Ugandan prayer breakfast when Bahati uncovered his bill. Sharlet on Maddow’s show had earlier said he may have been, but told me over at Throckmorton’s that he was not. Even so, I can imagine Inhofe commmiserating with an early Fellowship associate like Bahati about the US no longer having sodomy laws.

However, Sharlet did say that several members of the Fellowship from America had expressed disapproval of the bill as early as that prayer breakfast (or possibly before?). Oddly, enough Bahati believes the opposite. Sharlet quoted him as saying, “I don’t know the reasons why he’s saying he told me that when he didn’t tell me that unless he says he’s telling me now.” Sharlet’s thought are that the Family member may have thought about his objections to the bill at the time but not have voiced an objection until later. Thus remembering their objections all along.

Further Sharlet had this to say about Bob Hunter’s objection:

Bob Hunter says he expressed his opposition to Bahati directly. Bahati says yes, he and Hunter talked; but Hunter only told him about how embarrassing this was for some of their American friends. ” I do not know his personal views on the bill,” Bahati said.

Both these things may be true. Having spoken to Bob several times now, I know that (when he’s not angry!) he’s a gentle speaker who tries to find common ground from which he can make his case. I have no doubt he opposes the bill, and no doubt he expressed that to Bahati in his way; at the same time, having spoken to Bahati several times, understanding a bit about his conversational style — it’s direct — I can believe that he didn’t “hear” Bob saying that.

I guess sometimes it pays to raise your voice and have a little eye twitch going to really get your objections across.

David Blakeselee

February 7th, 2010

Lynn David,

It is important in such communication to match the emotion and the content…people overwhelmingly interpret body language over content…

In therapy, it has been established several times, that a neutral therapist is often viewed as endorsing the client’s insights and assertions.

I would opt for running around the room with my hair on fire…throwing a few “WTF” around.

Wayne Besen

February 8th, 2010

Until Coe gets off his a** and films a Warren-like video, than he supports the bill 100-percent, as far as I’m concerned.

It is great that Warren T. asked and he should be commended. But, Warren is not the New York Times, ABC News or even YouTube.

We need a clear public statement and genuine transparency. Not a clandestine back-room conversation that allegedly took place. A private assurance is essentially meaningless and will do little to thwart the bill in Uganda.

Heck, even Obama and Clinton made a public statement. Is Mr. Coe so self-important and his ego so enormous, that he thinks he’s better than the President and Secretary of State?

Leave A Comment

All comments reflect the opinions of commenters only. They are not necessarily those of anyone associated with Box Turtle Bulletin. Comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

(Required)
(Required, never shared)

PLEASE NOTE: All comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

 

Latest Posts

The Things You Learn from the Internet

"The Intel On This Wasn't 100 Percent"

From Fake News To Real Bullets: This Is The New Normal

NC Gov McCrory Throws In The Towel

Colorado Store Manager Verbally Attacks "Faggot That Voted For Hillary" In Front of 4-Year-Old Son

Associated Press Updates "Alt-Right" Usage Guide

A Challenge for Blue Bubble Democrats

Baptist Churches in Dallas, Austin Expelled Over LGBT-Affirming Stance

Featured Reports

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.

Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate

When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.

Paul Cameron’s World

In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.

From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”

On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.

Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"

The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths

At last, the truth can now be told.

Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!

And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.

Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?

Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.

Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples

Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.

The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.

Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count

Daniel FettyThe FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.