That’s Rick Warren’s homophobia, and the human rights of gay Ugandans who are being targeted with legislation — sponsored by a Ugandan “minister” with whom Warren is friendly — that would punish homosexual relations with life in prison, and would authorize execution for homosexuals who are HIV-positive. The proposed law would also impose stiff penalties for anyone who knows about or suspects homosexual activity and does not report it within 24 hours, as well as for anyone who “defends the rights of gays and lesbians.”
Although Warren claims to have “completely severed contact” with this minister, whose name is Ssempa, in 2007 “when we learned that his views and actions were in serious conflict with our own,” he has refused to condemn this new and current piece of proposed legislation, or Mr. Ssempa for sponsoring it:
A request for a broader reaction to the proposed Ugandan antihomosexual laws generated this response: “The fundamental dignity of every person, our right to be free, and the freedom to make moral choices are gifts endowed by God, our creator. However, it is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations.” On Meet the Press this morning, he reiterated this neutral stance in a different context: “As a pastor, my job is to encourage, to support. I never take sides.” Warren did say he believed that abortion was “a holocaust.” He knows as well as anyone that in a case of great wrong, taking sides is an important thing to do.
As Warren demonstrates here, he certainly does know that:
One can only conclude, then, that he does not believe executing gay or lesbian human beings is a case of great wrong.
Andrew Sulllivan skewers him.
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