Seventh-day Aventists update their statement on the Ugandan legislation

Timothy Kincaid

January 8th, 2010

Yesterday we noted that the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Uganda had endorsed the Anti-Homosexuality bill which, in its current form, would incarcerate for life any gay person that touched another and which had death penalty provisions, including for “repeat offenders”, a very broadly defined category.

We also noted that the response of the church in America to having this brought to their attention was woefully vague. It could have meant most anything, including their endorsement of the bill. Today they have a new statement:

Church leadership noted with concern some statements reportedly made by the Uganda Union Mission Executive Director in connection with the Anti-Homosexuality Bill under consideration in Uganda. These views do not reflect the values of the Church as expressed in published statements on same sex conduct.

Seventh-day Adventists continue to affirm the equal dignity and rights of every person as articulated in the relevant international human rights declarations and Covenants.

–Rajmund Dabrowski, Communication Director

While this is more informative, it is far from an unequivocal opposition to this piece of legislation. And considering that many other Christian voices – including those who do not need to reverse public statements of endorsement – have been clear in their opposition, I think that the church does a disservice to itself by speaking in generalities.

It would well serve the integrity of the church to clearly state that they, as a body, oppose the criminalization of non-coercive same-sex behavior and support the rights of gay persons to live in freedom.

If, indeed, that is what they mean.

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

anteros

January 8th, 2010

…progress! i suspect that BTB’s response to their initial statement contributed to this development. thanks BTB!

i gotta say, their new statement is a lot more assuring than cohen’s letter to ugandan legislators.

i wonder if ssempa will throw another fit on youtube… he listed SDA as a member of his anti- gay hate group in his letter to rick warren. in that letter, i think he wrote “seventh adventists” …i wonder if that was a deliberate error – wouldnt put it past ssempa… or if there’s some kinda breakaway cult in uganda called “seventh adventists” – uganda has hundreds of indigenous and christianist cult groups.

Leonardo Ricardo

January 9th, 2010

Always leaving room to ¨save face¨ for those who would murder…obviously they´ve been unable to communicate their affirmation of ¨the equal dignity and rights of every person as articulated in the relevant international human rights declarations and Covenants.¨

This is exactly where they´ve gone wrong…DEAD wrong and they best review their ¨affirmation to equal dignity¨ with ALL of their overseas missions immediately because there is madness abounding in Uganda!

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