Preacher from US headed to Uganda to Spread Hatred of Gays

by Rhonda J Mangus | April 23, 2010 at 12:35 am

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Stop TheCall to Violence in Uganda

Kansas City, Missouri preacher Lou Engle is headed to Uganda to spread a message of hatred of gays.

Lou Engle, a radically anti-gay and anti-abortion evangelical, is scheduled to hold an all-day anti-gay stadium event, TheCall Uganda Rally, on May 2nd, at Makerere University Sports Field, Kampala, Uganda. If both Engle and TheCall sound familiar, it's because a similar event, a 12-hour rally to boost support for Yes on 8, was held in San Diego's Qualcomm stadium during the Prop 8 battle in California.

US Evangelicals Have History of Spreading Anti-Gay Rhetoric in Uganda

Lou Engle is not the first American Evangelical to go to Uganda to spread a message of hatred of gays. Three Evangelicals from the United States - Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, and Don Schmierer - held a three day conference on homosexuality in Kampala, Uganda, in March 2009. It's apparent goal was to unleash anti-gay vigilantism in Uganda.

The Reverend Rick Warren, who delivered the invocation at President Obama's inauguration, is also suspect for his relationship with Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa. Ssempa is one of the driving forces behind the growing anti-gay sentiment in Uganda, who not only has a close relationship with Warren, but allegedly has connections with the secretive political religious group, The Family, a US fundamentalist group at the heart of Uganda's anti-gay law.

Danger of TheCall Uganda and Lou Engle

The web site for "TheCall Uganda" announces the stadium rally and encourages those attending to fast for twenty-one days before the massive rally in Kampala. Their goals are to wage war against:

Witchcraft and human sacrifice
Homosexuality and increased immorality
Disasters and the resultant suffering of the people
The decay of morals and infrastructure of our city Kampala

Engle's Plan Holds Common Theme, Incites Violence, Spreads Fear

The LGBT/SOGI Human Rights Program at the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office indicates that Engle's plan is to scapegoat LGBT people for all the ills described above, a common theme that Ugandan pastors like Martin Ssempa have picked up on used to increase support for violence against LGBT people.

With the Anti-Homosexuality Bill under consideration, "TheCall: Uganda" threatens to export homophobia at a time when it could have deadly consequences. Threats and violence against LGBT people are already increasing. Many have had their photos in Ugandan newspapers with headlines describing them as "Top Homos."

Frank Mugisha, president Sexual Minorities of Uganda, said, "Gay people are already fleeing their homes and have to move from house to house because of threats to their lives. Americans need to stop Lou Engle from coming to Uganda."

UK considers banning Ugandan MP if "kill the gays" bill succeeds

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) Plea

Sexual Minorities Uganda calls on all human rights defenders, organizations, religious communities and leaders, governments, and civil society, globally to take action to ensure that Lou Engle and his associates do not set foot in Uganda and that the Call Uganda does not proceed with this inflammatory and hate-inducing plan. While Sexual Minorities Uganda supports freedom of worship, we recognize the need for restriction on any speech that incites hatred and violence against a minority group. If a prayer event is to be held in Uganda, it should be done in a manner which encourages Christ-like love and acceptance and does not incite hatred and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people.

Take Action

Join the Campaign to Stop TheCall on Facebook. Follow the Campaign to Stop TheCall on Twitter. Call and/or write Letters of Protest to TheCall Ministries and ask them to stop exporting homophobia to Uganda.

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Karen Hatter

at 08:02 on April 23rd, 2010

Lou Engel could be classed as a typical Evangelical, with fiery rhetoric offered against abortion as well.

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at 08:16 on April 23rd, 2010

Great informative blog post....Thank you for the post...

Simple Logic People (not verified)

at 10:25 on April 23rd, 2010

So if it was ok for everyone to be a homosexual, then how would we as a species reproduce? You might suggest such measures as invitro-fertilization, but that goes against the very laws of nature that have been set in place for us. The only reason you see homosexuality in the animal kingdom (which is where most of you Babylonian loving people get your reasoning for this unnatural act) is because animals are controlled merely by instinct and if they want to get laid, which are natural urges and desires, then they will seek out the nearest member of the same species regardless of sex and proceed to satisfy their instinctive wants. If we are to follow the lusts of our "heart" and not the simple logics of the brain, then we are bound to do the things that are purely controlled by pleasure. Thus you will argue on your own behalf because you "feel" it is right whether it IS right or not. This is creating justification for ourselves and therefore it is purely subjective (what you want) and not objective (what is). Let me put it this way, the subjective truth is based upon desire (ie I do not want to be a liar), but the objective truth is based upon right and wrong (ie I am not going to be a liar because it is the right thing to do whether I like it or not). This means that you are basing homosexuality to be a rightful cause because you "feel" it is right, even though the natural reproduction cycle is clearly evident in the world today. I do not argue against homosexuality because I feel it to be right or wrong, but I argue against it because it is obviously wrong according to the order of life set as an example in all species that we see today. I could go on for hours about the logistics of our lives and why things are right and wrong. I'll leave you with this, if homosexuality is in fact right (because all choices in this world are either right or they are wrong, no double-minded answers) then you have the right to choose whether you wish to be a gay or not even though that conflicts with someone elses moral code, then what is to stop me from following the ways of Stalin because it is my freedom of choice even though it goes against your moral code or agenda? I couldnt be wrong for being a Stalinist because if I am wrong, then you are wrong and therefore you contradict your very own logic.

Grace H

at 16:21 on April 23rd, 2010

Everything is either right or wrong? I do indeed hope you dont believe that.

Im sorry what logic? Ive taken a logic class and yours is lacking something.

Is the end all be all point of life to procreate? How could anyone know? If so we would be in a state of euphoria at the birth of our first child. That is most certainly not the case. You could argue for such a thing due to vicarious living, but that course of action is naive and detrimental.

We have been answering (well attempting for that matter) the three questions of the human condition since before recorded history. There is no definite answer. There never will be.

Grace H

at 16:25 on April 23rd, 2010

How any religious person could in good conscious spew any hateful rhetoric is beyond me. Whats even more astounding and disturbing is that for all of the billions of Christians out there, not one has the audacity or compassion to with clout say to this man "you are wrong, you are ass backwards."

Ive never once heard of Jesus being described as hateful, vengeful, spiteful etc and et all. Why then are His Christians? Why then is His Church?

And do not tell me this is is just another isolated incident. Alot of isolated incidents would surely mean theyre not exactly isolated.

mayanasri

at 21:28 on April 23rd, 2010

All these members of The Family, and these other zealot hypocrite Evangelists are guilty of crimes against humanity...were as these Ugandan Death Panels are concerned, they should be charged for such in the International Court, Stupak and Pitts and Inhofe especially...

http://www.hunt4tunes.com/