I'm glad to see a somewhat stronger statement from the Adventist church, although I still think we need to more explicitly condemn the anti-homosexuality legislation that is being considered by the Ugandan parliament. Some of the readers of this site know that my husband and I are producing a documentary about gay Adventists (www.sgamovie.com). We had the privilege this fall to travel all around the country interviewing GLBT individuals and listen to their stories.

We also talked to many church leaders, scholars, and pastors. I know from these conversations that this sort of un-Christian, draconian law is absolutely abhorrent to the vast, vast majority of the church's leadership, and yet we equivocate on whether or not to boldly state that this legislation is mis-guided, based on shoddy or completely discredited "science", and that the real "foreigners" who are preying on Ugandans are the extremist evangelicals who are using Uganda as some sort of shadow puppet for the cultural wars they feel aren't going their way here at home.

One of the thought leaders that we talked to told me an interesting anecdote from one of Tony Campolo's books. He talked about hearing Mother Teresa speak to a huge audience of thousands in the U.S. She chose to speak about abortion, something she felt was one of the greatest "destroyers of love and peace." Campolo recognized someone in attendance who was a well-known abortion-rights activist. He asked her why she was listening to Mother Teresa speak on this topic. She answered, "Because she has earned the right to speak."

The leader I was talking to wondered aloud what the Adventist church is doing to "earn the right" to speak about homosexuality. It's a very good question, and one that I truly appreciate. I feel that this is a prime opportunity to step up to the plate and articulate a clear and passionate position on this legislation. The burden is on us to prove that Uganda isn't the logical end of the "love the sinner, hate the sin" position. Now is the time to widely and loudly broadcast our emphasis on love.

I'm glad to see that some of the church leadership are apparently responsive to the outcry here and elsewhere, but oh, how I wish we could see real moral courage to stand and be counted, rather than cautious, careful, timid statements!

I apologize if this has already been done and I have missed it; however, as soon as possible I think it a very high priority to put on the Internet a statement that SDAs all around the world can "sign" in protest of this proposed legislation like "Adventists Against Propostion 8" did.

I believe that this statement should explicitly state that those who sign it have many different convictions among themselves about a whole range of controversial scientific, religious and political issues surrounding homosexuality but that they are united in their condemnation of this barbaric proposed legislation and that they explicitly disagree with any spoken or written support of it by a Seventh-day Adventist or anyone else.

I do not think that this should be framed as a religious liberty issue. Rather it should framed as a violation of the basic human rights that all SDAS around the world ought to defend.

Again, I apologize if this has already been done. If it has, might someone tell me where to go on the Internet so that I can also sign it?

Thank you!

Dave

From www.boxturtlebulletin,com:

Uganda Cabinet Member Says Anti-Gay Bill May Be Withdrawn

Jim Burroway
January 7th, 2010

Uganda’s largest independent newspaper The Monitor is reporting that governmental officials are looking for a way out on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. According to The Monitor:

The State Minister for Investments, Mr Aston Kajara, yesterday said the government was looking at the Bill with the possibility of withdrawing it. “The government’s official position is that we have enough laws to cover homosexuality acts,” Mr Kajara said. “Government did not sponsor this Bill. It is a private member’s Bill. The government is studying it and we may talk to the honourable Member of Parliament (David Bahati) to consider withdrawing it.”

On December 11, a senior adviser to President Yoweri Museveni published an 0p-ed in the state-owned New Vision calling on Parliament to drop the bill. At the time, we considered that a very encouraging sign, since nothing gets printed in New Vision unless it has some backing from within the government. That followed an op-ed posted just a few days earlier on the Uganda Media Centre web site, which normally operates as an official governmental clearing house for press statements. That op-ed said that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was not needed and that Parliament had other more important things to worry about.

Which church leadership was that? And which views in particular do not reflect the values of the Church?

Could this statement be more vague? Who castrated our communication director?

Seriously, folks, how politically dangerous is it to say outright that the Adventist Church condemns any legislation calling for the life imprisonment or death of homosexuals or those that treat homosexuals with dignity? What is there to tiptoe around?

I understand that we as individuals can make a difference by writing Pastor Kakembo. However, he needs to hear a loud and clear message from his superiors as well. The above statement is merely a couple of steps from a vanilla, non-committal comment.

What would the official response be if Kakembo were supporting a proposed imprisonment for serial heterosexual behavior, polygamy, or plain adultery? As has been already said, the Bible seems to make no differentiation between these behaviors. Certainly, the OT offers no differences in penalty. I would venture that the official response would be far stronger and more pointed in condemning Kakembo's public stance, if heterosexuals and such heterosexual behavior was targeted.

I want to know if the GC president has gotten on the phone with him and strongly urged him to withdraw his support. The irony is that if a prominent administrator openly questioned the sanctuary doctrine or 1844 dating, you can bet quick action would be taken. But public support for an immoral piece of legislation? A weak and generalized reiteration of "official church policy."

It's disgusting.

Thanks...

Frank

I think the headline was far stronger than the actual statement.
"General Conference Affirms Human Dignity,
Opposes Uganda Bill"

The SDA Church leadership is clearly trying to put its head in the sand and avoid more bad press regarding the Uganda Union President's outrageous endorsement of the "Kill Gays" bill in Uganda. Unfortunately, the church's statement is sadly lacking.

Shame on the church leadership for failing to clearly state that it opposes killing or imposing life prison sentences on gays and lesbians and for failing to fire the Uganda Union president.

It's called "straddling the fence" which is usually an uncomfortable situation if long held.

Does anyone know an official statement or declaration of the Seventh-day Adventist church in view of death penalty? Or even a recent article on the church's position on death penalty. If you would be pleased to get your feedback. Thank You!

I am an Adventist and a trained Pastor from Uganda. Most of you people who make statements carelessly about Uganda Union position on the gays are misguided and have lost your way. The GC response is not only hypocritical but compromising the very 1999 statement. I recognize that the Church in the US lives in a hostile environment and so it has lost its direction on matters upon which the state has protected like the "gay rights". But you better realize that these things will not work in Uganda. Adventist in Uganda believe in the Bible and Bible alone. Those statements made by the GC will not have authority in Uganda. Time is coming when we must now sensitize our people to be prepared for separation from the GC.

The Adventist Church through out its history has failed to maintain any given position. In south Africa during the Apartheid era, it moved with the crowd!! She never pronounced her self on this issue in a meaningful way. Now under pressure, she is condemning Pr.John Kakembo whose position on the gays is clearly taught in the word of God. What does Romans 1.18-31mean to you?

We may not share the unity on the word of God but at least you must respect our Culture which actually agrees with the revealed will of God. Our situation in Uganda and in most Africa is very different from that in America and Europe. Some of those things you call human rights are sins and perversion. Leave Uganda alone. Homosexuality is simply a result of ungodliness. When people choose to live independent of God, the result is wickedness.

The GC statement pretends to want to exercise patience and love towards the gays; how come you do not show the same love and patience to those who have dissenting theological views? Did the GC not treat Dr. Desmond Ford with such hate yet his only crime is that he lifted up the Christ, the cross, the Gospel and he challenged false hood in some of our Church teachings? Shame on you!!

I believe the homosexuals need not be subjected to hatred of an sort. They should rather be given the Gospel of Jesus who alone can set them free from the slavery to this sin and others. In fact, the reason why we have many people learning these habits is because the Gospel of Jesus has been trampled in the dust of religious oddities. Let the Bible speak.

If we are to respect the culture of other countries, that works both ways: It was the third world countries that were adamantly opposed to women's ordination, and the G.C. bowed to their wishes. To state that "our culture agrees with the word of God" is to infer that those positions have God's blessing when in reality, every position is interpreted through humans, else there would never be disagreement.

The "hostile environment" which is attributed to the U.S. is no less hostile than your country's environment would be seen by Americans. In the NT, the apostles made a wise decision not to enforce everyone to practice all the same rules. The command was not to discriminate between Jew and Greek, slave and free, and men and women. There should be allowance for different practices, but to claim that those that have been chosen have "God's blessing" is to be God, something that was the beginning of Satan's fall. Humans are not infallible.

K. David

When has the state taken upon itself to define and act against sin in a capital degree? If sin, then the problem is between the sinner and his/her God.

In Georgia the state constitution was changed to indicate that sex between consenting adults was no longer a crime. Rape remains a crime regardless of age or sex.

When the state takes on the perogratives of God--we are back in the Middle Ages. John was told that type of governmental behavior is beast-like--in both hand and mind. Tom Z.

Elaine

Yes, gay males do attempt to turn even force another male into same sex relationship. As a young SDA in the army who didn't whore around, I was a target on three occasions all three professed being SDA's. One was dishonorably discharged from the army and enrolled at PUC. Later I had several graduates of PUC as graduate students at LLU and they told some of the sordid history of that fellow at PUC prior to being dismissed.

None of the above warrants abuse of such persons. But denial of its existance is no help either.

Tom Z

Tom, rape is not limited to males with females. Forced rape is not limited to one's sex. The incidents you describe were rape, not attempts to change your sexual orientation. Forcible rape is abhorent regardless of the sex of the rapist.

Tom,
I think you need to understand yourself and get help for your trauma, that occurred to you sometime back.
Elaine has hinted at that and I think her advice is good.

Africa is very different to the rest of the world in its treatment of human rights.
It is a very hard place to live for anyone.
On the surface Adventists have changed things, but like the South Pacific, things just keep the same underneath.

The Adventists church as a whole has never been good with human rights for all.

Seeing that the Adventist church is big in Uganda and has a big sway, its statement is lukewarm.
Cold in fact.

Do Gay people trust this church to do the right thing by them, I don't thing so.
History tells us this.

There are groups in Australia that are mounting a petition ( have done)and Amnesty International is very much part of this.

If you want to help you need to speak to your head of your division to get change done.

Human Rights are every one's rights. Not just Homosexuals!!

Thanks brother David Kayumba for defending the Uganda Union's President on His stand about the Anti-Gay Bill, and actually that is the stand our the church. There is no bible proof that supports the rights of Gays. Whatever arguments may be put forward the truth always remains the truth according to the bible homosexuality and whatever is a sin.

Thank you for this David!
Let God's light shine in the darkness of the world. Darkness trembles in His Holy light.
Kente
Uganda

Actually, Kayumba David and Kente, if Jesus was on this earth today, it is highly unlikely that he would support the "Kill Gays" bill.

If you believe the Bible as you claim to, you should read and prayerfully consider the words of Jesus in John 8:7: " "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone..." Suporting legislation that would make simply being gay a crime punishable by death is definitely NOT consistent with the words of Jesus.