More on the Ugandan Crisis

Today I received and update from SOULFORCE, a group of Christ driven GLBT's and straights alike who are at the forefront in the battle for human rights as they relate to our GLBT brothers and sisters. For those of you who do not subscribe to this website, here is the update as presented on the Soulforce website just a few moments ago:

Faith Coalition Mourns the Murder of Ugandan Human Rights Activist and Calls for Action

The Board of Directors, Staff of Soulforce and our Volunteers throughout the world are deeply saddened by the loss our friend and colleague, David Kato, who was murdered in his home this

week in Uganda. David was considered the founder of the gay rights movement in Uganda. He was brilliant, direct, courageous and relentless in his pursuit of justice. He found his Soulforce and lived it out to the last moments of his life.

David conducted his work with dignity and complete understanding of the enormous risks to his life. He understood the forces of conservative religion and politics that were in play in Uganda and being fueled by groups like The Family here in the United States.

In the face of all those who would have gender & sexual minorities imprisoned or executed, we must clearly raise our voice. We ask you to add your name to our short, simple call for decriminalization now.

Conservative Christian groups that espouse antigay beliefs have made great headway throughout the African continent and wield considerable influence. Uganda's minister of ethics and integrity, James Nsaba Buturo, who describes himself as a devout Christian, has said, "Homosexuals can forget about human rights." (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/world/africa/28uganda.html)

As members and friends of Soulforce, we are now compelled to consider our ethical response to David's murder. First, we call upon our colleagues in ministry who have contributed to the rise of homophobia in Uganda and around the world to repent of the kind of preaching and public pronouncement that vilify homosexuality as a sin and that purport to offer "cures" for sexual orientation. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/24/joel-osteen-on-piers-morg_n_813295.html)

These untruths distort family and community relationships, encourage violence and, when unchecked, result in murder.

Second, we renounce the statement by Uganda's minister of ethics that "homosexuals can forget about human rights" and unequivocally assert that the subjugation, harassment and murder of sexual minorities and women are threats to the national security of the United States and threats to the common security of our world. In our roles within spiritual communities, we see how suffering and denial of the rights of human beings and the instability of nations go hand in hand. As faith leaders and citizens of the United States, we want to encourage the leaders of our nation to use the power of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 and our international treaties to express our national concern about the promulgation of oppression.

David was vigorously fighting the Uganda government in its death march progression toward passage of a bill that will criminalize the lives of all gay people and insist on the death penalty for homosexuals. Known as the "Bahati" bill, it is expected to come before the Ugandan Parliament in the spring of 2011.

Before he was killed, David told the world what he needed in order to push back this madness in Uganda. In an interview in Cambridge last year, he said: "We just need some resources to cause awareness...the dialogue is coming up...some of us I know we are going to die. I know. But at least (change for the better) will begin..."

It is up to us to help supply those resources and to encourage people throughout the world to help us do so. The activists on the ground in Uganda are desperate for financial support to establish safe houses, produce publications for education and to create micro-economies to employ sexual minorities who lose their employment after being outed.

Donations can be made in David's memory to bring more legal and human rights work to Uganda, as well as providing safety and sanctuary for other Ugandans facing persecution athttp://stpaulsfoundation.com/Donate.html.

And, we will continue relentless non-violent resistance to those who are contributing to the oppression of sexual minorities.

As many faith leaders prepare to gather in Washington, DC for the National Prayer Breakfast on February 3rd, we call on our colleagues not attending to gather in silent vigil, outside our churches, synagogues and mosques and in front of Ugandan Embassies in solidarity with David and others who are criminalized for simply being gay. We call on those who will be present to make sure David's life and the senselessness of his murder are remembered in prayer.

We call on all our colleagues to join us in urging President Obama to use his presence at the National Prayer Breakfast to mourn our brother and to express his Administration's position on governments who "fail to protect" their LGBT citizens from faith-based and state-sponsored homophobia. You can add your name by visiting www.soulforce.org/decriminalize

If you wish to join a scheduled vigil, please go to GETEQUAL's Facebook event. Soulforce and other LGBT organizations are co-sponsors of this event."

It is time that those of us who profess to be Christian, renounce our own prejudice, exclusion, discrimination, and bigotry, and accept it as complete and total misinterpretation of scriptural readings. Christ presented us with the 11th commandment, also referred to as the "love" commandment, in which it does not specify who, what, why, where or when to love; it simply admonishes us to love. Those who would lead congregations away from this simple concept, in my opinion, in so doing walk away from Christ and all the HE stands for. Beware these false prophets!

HEED the words of Christ! We each have one part of the puzzle of life contained within our selves. Yield to the rights of humankind to be unique or different without living in fear or being killed for who or what they are! Shame on US Christianity, for we well know better.

Hear me preachers and teachers; ministers and priests; Deans and Bishops, rabbi's and imams, all! Teach your children the way of living with love for our neighbor, understanding for their uniqueness and patience for their differences, or surely we will all perish! Rest in peace David Kato. Another gave His life for you so that you may now give your life for us!