Rev. Michael Kimindu of Metropolitan Community Church and Coordinator for Other Sheep East Africa speaks on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)'s weekly morning family talk show.
Article by Ken Were (BTM) Correspondent
June 6, 2010 at 5:10am
Courtesy: Mask Newline.
Religious Organizations in Kenya have been urged to promote human rights and embrace lesbians, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people who are part of religious groups.
This, according to reverend Michael Kimundu of Metropolitan Community Church, will not be promoting gay marriages or homosexuality, but will be advancing awareness on sexual orientation, human dignity and rights amongst Christians and Muslims.
Speaking on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)'s weekly morning family talk show, the Kimindu, also coordinator of Other Sheep East Africa, called on Churches to talk with zeal and openness about fundamental human rights and not use the bible to demonize members of the LGBTI community who are members of their churches.
Kimindu, challenged clergymen to accept realities of sexual orientation and its diversity in human beings.
"The bible or God did not discriminate any one. It talks of love, care and peace for all. This is the point my organization is trying to tell fellow clergymen and Christians and Muslims across the country that it is against the biblical teachings to chase away, isolate , hate and discriminate a member of the LGBTI community based on their sexual orientation ", Kimindu told the audience.
He also revealed that he has initiated an outreach mission to meet Church leaders with a view to provide civic education on human sexuality and sexual orientation in relationship to Christianity and the gospel.
He added that many clergymen in Kenya are in support of the course but are reluctant to speak publicly about the topic in their churches for fear of being sacked or excommunicated.
Rev. Kimundu, who was a senior clergy at the Anglican Church of Kenya in Nairobi, was excommunicated from the communion more than five years ago for openly supporting rights of LGBTI people in the Church.
"We are calling on church pastors, leaders and Imams in Mosques to help root out stigma directed at LGBTI members in their faith organizations. This is how the church can promote equality and human rights as is written in the holy scripture and the Koran that all human beings are the same in the eyes of God", Kimindu concluded.
Article by Ken Were (BTM) Correspondent
Showing posts with label Michael Kimindu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Kimindu. Show all posts
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Kenya leads the way in Evangelical - LGBT discussion
"Other Sheep Kenya held a discussion with Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School Apologetics class on human sexuality, gender identity and Christianity on May 27, 2010."
A remarkable, timely, historic meeting in East Africa
by Rev. John Makokha, Coordinator for Other Sheep Kenya, NAIROBI, Kenya
May 28, 2010.
Editor's note: There may be other formal discussions between evangelicals and the LGBT community happening in East Africa at this time, especially in light of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Uganda, however, Other Sheep is not aware of any. This remarkable event between Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School and Other Sheep Kenya needs to be heralded as an example of what needs to take place between the Evangelical community and the LGBT community worldwide. -Rev. Steve Parelli, Executive Director, Other Sheep
Other Sheep Kenya held a discussion with Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School Apologetics class on human sexuality, gender identity and Christianity on May 27. The 15-member class was accompanied by their lecturer, Prof. Bill Black.
Rev. Michael Kimindu [Other Sheep East Africa Coordinator] gave his personal story in view of human sexuality and development. He recalled how he discovered his sexuality through socialization with his peers and not just acquiring it. He encouraged theological students in Africa to take education on human sexuality and identity seriously since ignorance has no place in the church and society.
David Kuria [General Manager, GALCK] said there is a lot of hate and spiritual violence in the church against sexual minorities. He noted that love is missing in the church and the same love can now be found outside the walls of the church. He gave an example of an ugly incident in Mtwapa, a coastal town of Mombasa where some Christian and Muslim religious leaders led mobs to stone to death suspected gays. He said that a suspected gay young man missed lynching by a close shave after being saved by a prostitute who embraced him and restrained the mob's action. "I am persuaded to think this female prostitute was a Good Samaritan", said Kuria.
Rev. John Makokha went through some of the clobber passages in the Bible [Leviticus 18-20, Romans 1: 26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 6: 9-11 and Jude 7] and said he is strongly persuaded that none of these biblical texts speak of homosexuality as a sexual orientation the way we understand it today.
He said that these biblical texts speak of creation narrative and the origin of humanity where there was no gender differentiation between man and woman, and there was no distinction between their sexuality [Genesis 1].
He noted that according to his understanding the second clobber passage talks about attempted gang rape, inhospitality, greed and lack of compassion to the poor and vulnerable households and not homosexuality [Genesis 19]. Prophet Ezekiel [16: 48-50] and even Jesus [Mathew 10: 14-15] himself make reference to inhospitality and greed as reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He said that the third clobber passage reflects the holiness code that comprises of cultural rituals of Israelites in their effort to be a distinct race and divinely favored race of people in their environment. The Levitical rules were meant for the Jewish people. Some of these holiness codes are cultic, cultural and criminal, and even modern Jewish people do not practice them. He asked, "How come the church is not practicing all the more than 613 holiness codes/rules, leave alone all the Ten Commandments?"
He noted that Paul speaks about pederasty, temple prostitution and idolatry. The people broke away from their natural sexual orientation, engaging in sexual infidelity with anyone [Romans 1: 26-27, I Corinthians 6: 9-10, 1 Timothy 6: 9-11]. Paul was addressing the model of homosexual behavior associated with idol worship, and religious rituals associated with their idolatry of his time and not homosexuality as sexual orientation the way we understand it today.
He said that he is strongly persuaded that Jude 7 speaks about heterosexual sex between male angels and human women, and not homosexual sex between humans.
He blamed the early fundamental evangelical Christian missionaries who brought the gospel wrapped up in homophobic and trans phobic attire. The same has happened to the established theological colleges in curricula design, planning, implementation, translation and interpretation of various bible versions.
Anne Baraza [CEO, Riruta United Women Empowerment Programme and LGBTI Counselor] said science rightly interpreted has much to offer when it comes to questions on human sexuality and gender identity. Scientific findings may today inform the church and society on sexual orientation issues. "I am aware that science can't resolve all our value questions but we need to regard homosexual orientation as a normal variation as we did with left handedness", she said.
She said that research has shown that environment influences sexual behavior and not sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is innate, discovered and not a choice as many people tend to think.
Baraza said empirical evidence has indicated brain anatomy influences one's sexual orientation. The research done by Simon Le Vay showed that brain cluster cells were larger in heterosexuals and smaller in homosexuals. Gay men simply don't have brain cells to be sexually and emotionally attracted to women. Lesbians may have more of a typical male anatomy and this could explain why they are attracted to fellow women.
Fabian Wangare [Other Sheep Kenya, MSM HIV/AIDS Initiative Officer] said that he is living positively with HIV as a gay man and pleaded with the church leaders to initiate HIV/AIDS programs with a focus on sexual minorities in their respective denominations. Stigma and discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual persons is increasing the spread of new infections of AIDS in Kenya at the rate 15.2%. He said "I stopped going to all churches due to stigma and discrimination by the clergy, but after several counseling sessions, I now attend an affirming and welcoming church."
One NEGST student said that they had learned a lesson on sexual orientation for the first time in their academic life. They requested more resource materials so that they can study further since they were still digesting what they had acquired from the fruitful discussion. This served as an eye opener to them.
A remarkable, timely, historic meeting in East Africa
by Rev. John Makokha, Coordinator for Other Sheep Kenya, NAIROBI, Kenya
May 28, 2010.
Editor's note: There may be other formal discussions between evangelicals and the LGBT community happening in East Africa at this time, especially in light of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Uganda, however, Other Sheep is not aware of any. This remarkable event between Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School and Other Sheep Kenya needs to be heralded as an example of what needs to take place between the Evangelical community and the LGBT community worldwide. -Rev. Steve Parelli, Executive Director, Other Sheep
Other Sheep Kenya held a discussion with Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School Apologetics class on human sexuality, gender identity and Christianity on May 27. The 15-member class was accompanied by their lecturer, Prof. Bill Black.
Rev. Michael Kimindu [Other Sheep East Africa Coordinator] gave his personal story in view of human sexuality and development. He recalled how he discovered his sexuality through socialization with his peers and not just acquiring it. He encouraged theological students in Africa to take education on human sexuality and identity seriously since ignorance has no place in the church and society.
David Kuria [General Manager, GALCK] said there is a lot of hate and spiritual violence in the church against sexual minorities. He noted that love is missing in the church and the same love can now be found outside the walls of the church. He gave an example of an ugly incident in Mtwapa, a coastal town of Mombasa where some Christian and Muslim religious leaders led mobs to stone to death suspected gays. He said that a suspected gay young man missed lynching by a close shave after being saved by a prostitute who embraced him and restrained the mob's action. "I am persuaded to think this female prostitute was a Good Samaritan", said Kuria.
Rev. John Makokha went through some of the clobber passages in the Bible [Leviticus 18-20, Romans 1: 26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 6: 9-11 and Jude 7] and said he is strongly persuaded that none of these biblical texts speak of homosexuality as a sexual orientation the way we understand it today.
He said that these biblical texts speak of creation narrative and the origin of humanity where there was no gender differentiation between man and woman, and there was no distinction between their sexuality [Genesis 1].
He noted that according to his understanding the second clobber passage talks about attempted gang rape, inhospitality, greed and lack of compassion to the poor and vulnerable households and not homosexuality [Genesis 19]. Prophet Ezekiel [16: 48-50] and even Jesus [Mathew 10: 14-15] himself make reference to inhospitality and greed as reasons for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He said that the third clobber passage reflects the holiness code that comprises of cultural rituals of Israelites in their effort to be a distinct race and divinely favored race of people in their environment. The Levitical rules were meant for the Jewish people. Some of these holiness codes are cultic, cultural and criminal, and even modern Jewish people do not practice them. He asked, "How come the church is not practicing all the more than 613 holiness codes/rules, leave alone all the Ten Commandments?"
He noted that Paul speaks about pederasty, temple prostitution and idolatry. The people broke away from their natural sexual orientation, engaging in sexual infidelity with anyone [Romans 1: 26-27, I Corinthians 6: 9-10, 1 Timothy 6: 9-11]. Paul was addressing the model of homosexual behavior associated with idol worship, and religious rituals associated with their idolatry of his time and not homosexuality as sexual orientation the way we understand it today.
He said that he is strongly persuaded that Jude 7 speaks about heterosexual sex between male angels and human women, and not homosexual sex between humans.
He blamed the early fundamental evangelical Christian missionaries who brought the gospel wrapped up in homophobic and trans phobic attire. The same has happened to the established theological colleges in curricula design, planning, implementation, translation and interpretation of various bible versions.
Anne Baraza [CEO, Riruta United Women Empowerment Programme and LGBTI Counselor] said science rightly interpreted has much to offer when it comes to questions on human sexuality and gender identity. Scientific findings may today inform the church and society on sexual orientation issues. "I am aware that science can't resolve all our value questions but we need to regard homosexual orientation as a normal variation as we did with left handedness", she said.
She said that research has shown that environment influences sexual behavior and not sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is innate, discovered and not a choice as many people tend to think.
Baraza said empirical evidence has indicated brain anatomy influences one's sexual orientation. The research done by Simon Le Vay showed that brain cluster cells were larger in heterosexuals and smaller in homosexuals. Gay men simply don't have brain cells to be sexually and emotionally attracted to women. Lesbians may have more of a typical male anatomy and this could explain why they are attracted to fellow women.
Fabian Wangare [Other Sheep Kenya, MSM HIV/AIDS Initiative Officer] said that he is living positively with HIV as a gay man and pleaded with the church leaders to initiate HIV/AIDS programs with a focus on sexual minorities in their respective denominations. Stigma and discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual persons is increasing the spread of new infections of AIDS in Kenya at the rate 15.2%. He said "I stopped going to all churches due to stigma and discrimination by the clergy, but after several counseling sessions, I now attend an affirming and welcoming church."
One NEGST student said that they had learned a lesson on sexual orientation for the first time in their academic life. They requested more resource materials so that they can study further since they were still digesting what they had acquired from the fruitful discussion. This served as an eye opener to them.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Faith-based hate-speech posted on the Daily Nation website against gays, Rev. Kimindu and his call for discussion on gay rights; and How the evangelical Africa Bible Commentary evidences and endorses the deep seated African faith-based anti-gay hate-speech.
Also: Mark A. Noll, in his new book The New Shape of World Christianity, says Ugandan President Museveni was "deeply touched" by the historic East African Revival, and that "his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes." The following article, in part, discusses the question: Does President Museveni and his wife's Christian beliefs justify, for him, his criminal hate-acts against homosexuals?
By Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, Bronx, NY, sparelli2002@yahoo.com
On the Kenyan Daily Nation website, three individuals, as of this writing, have posted their for-or-against comments on Rev. Michael Kimindu's November 20th (2009) interview with Daily Nation in which he objected to the fact that gay rights were not included in the Kenyan draft constitution for discussion.
Two, of the three postings, solidly oppose Kimindu. The objectors both based their strong anti-gay remarks solely on their understanding of what the Bible says, speaking with absolute authority, as if their voice were the voice of God. Their comments reveal that their religious viewpoint is of the evangelical stripe: authoritative, final, and "Biblical."
Evangelical as they may be, their remarks fail to show any sings of "graciousness" such as is claimed in the American-evangelical ill-suited statement "love the sinner, hate the sin." ("Love the sinner, hate the sin" is the notorious failed-attempt of evangelicals in America to show love to the gay community; just ask any LGBT person.)
Actually, these two East Africans – I assume they are East Africans, and most likely Kenyans – have, by their sugar-free remarks, shortened this American pet-evangelical saying to simply "hate the sinner." African evangelicals, to their credit, haven't learned the American evangelical art of telling one's self that he or she is acting in love when the act is clearly one of oppression. Evangelicals, here in America, call their oppressive opposition to gay rights and to gay individuals who have at times taken their own lives because of the abject rejection of evangelical parents and churches, as "loving the sinner." (The word "sinner" should be a clue here as to how much love – or should I say, how little love – is actually being communicated by evangelicals.)
But, back to the Daily Nation postings. The first individual posted the following: "Are you gays trying to tell us the Almighty is wrong or was wrong? Did you guys hear about Sodom and Gomorrah? You deserve punishment in this world and hereafter" (emphasis mine). Note the link between Sodom and Gomorrah and deserved punishment now. The second out-of-sorts individual posted: "The said Reverend [Kimindu] will find out while in Hell, that what he did on earth . . .; and he will be among those to be immersed into the blackest of the blackest of Hell . . .; the cheap minded sheep, woe unto them, they are on their way to sheol." Not exactly a model for what some have called "friendship evangelism" or, how to win others over to your point of view.
The tragedy runs deeper than just two overly-religious comments posted on the Daily Nation website. The problem is this: how can we expect better of the African evangelical in the pew and in the pulpit when the evangelical leaders of Africa are crying out against LGBT people in very much the same manner as these two postings. Take for instance the now infamous article entitled "Homosexuality" in the 2006 Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary. (I saw my first copy of this misguided single volume commentary while visiting the Nairobi All Saints Anglican Cathedral in 2008). Yusufu Turaki, an evangelical Nigerian Bible scholar and author of the article, writes without criticism that "some [African] politicians" say "homosexuals are worst than beasts." And, as if to sustain the African politicians' bigotry, Turaki cites, again without criticism, the fact that "Anglican churches across the continent" have outright rejected Tutu's call for toleration and acceptance of LGBT people. Turaki's hate-speech article featured in this "landmark" (John Stott) volume authored by 70 African evangelicals sounds very much like the two who posted their hate-statements against Rev. Kimindu. Turaki's zero toleration and "worst than beasts" quotes put him right up there with the two anonymous postings.
The Africa Bible Commentary was a project/publication of Zondervan and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA). Recently, I received an email from an individual listed by name on the AEA website. He is officially in fellowship with the AEA. Speaking for himself only, he wrote me to tell me he is in full support of the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Ugandan which calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment of homosexuals who meet certain conditions. Is his evangelical Sodom-and-Gomorrah-bring-down-brimstone faith representative of the AEA (Association of Evangelicals in Africa)? Does he represent what is to be found in the average pew and pulpit of evangelical churches in Africa? Do most African evangelicals really believe that "homosexuals should be punished in this life" as was posted on the Daily Nation website and as evidenced by the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Uganda?
Mark A Noll, in his new book The Shape of World Christianity, has a chapter on "The East African Revival" in which he states "the current Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni was deeply touched as a young man by the East African revival, and his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes" [page 182].
It can now be said, that in Uganda at least, "revival" and "evangelical causes" equate the death sentence for homosexuals who meet certain conditions, unless the president of Uganda and his wife go on record as denouncing the bill. Not likely. Museveni has a long record of hate-speech against LGBT people.
As early as 1998, "President Yoweri Museveni made several strong antihomosexuality public statements." Again, in 1999, he "spoke out strongly, calling for the police to find and arrest, and jail homosexuals" [Anglican Communion in Crisis, by Miranda K. Hassett, page 84, 85; interestingly enough, the author further states on page 85 that "The Anglican archbishop of Uganda proclaimed his full support for Museveni's antigay position."].
I've often asked myself if the Old Testament stories from the King James Bible may have shaped Museveni's image of himself as president of Uganda. Is he modeling himself after the Old Testament king who, heroically and unlike his father-king before him, "took out of the land" "the remnant of the sodomites"? [Sodomites is an unfortunate abusive rendering of the Hebrew text here which should more accurately be translated 'male or female temple prostitute;' the Hebrew word sodomite is not in the text (I Kings 22:46, KJV).] Does Museveni emulate this heroic Biblical king who put-out-of-the-land-the-sodomites [i.e., temple prostitutes] as an example to follow?
It could easily be so, after all, President Yoweri Museveni "was deeply touched" by the East African revival and his wife "remains identified with evangelical causes" (Mark A. Noll). Evangelicalism and the literal reading and high veneration of the Bible, such as daily Bible readings, scripture memorization, and Bible preaching, are one and the same. This evangelical excessive love for the Word of God can border on bibliolatry which is the worship of the Bible (although evangelicals would deny they ever worship the Bible). When this is the case (which happens, at times, with evangelicals on a subconscious level, I would argue), instead of a Trinity, an evangelical would now have a Quad-unity, with the Bible as the fourth person of the Godhead. I would suggest that this is the present probable evangelical spirit in Uganda where the spirit of love and toleration towards a people-group defined by a different sexual orientation is axed by a spirit of hate and legalism which are justified enough, for religious Ugandans, by the reduction of the Bible to mere black ink on white paper (for example, "the Bible clearly says"), and thus, ironically, the elevation of the Bible to the status of a god (bibliolatry, by which one can now justify the execution of homosexuals). All this hate, grounded in a type of idolatry as I have opinioned, is the by-product of the work of zealous Bible-believing evangelical missionaries and the historic East African revival.
The sad part – in the supposed case of President Museveni modeling his presidency after the afore mentioned Old Testament king – is this: the King James Bible (if that is the version he uses, which was, no doubt, the version originally brought to Uganda) utterly fails him here by its erroneous translation. (In Rwanda, during our 2008 seminar, where we had the Bible in the language of the people, the same error in translation was noted. Evidently, in the Rwandan language, the translation was brought over from the King James Bible word sodomite and not from the Hebrew text temple prostitute.)
Now, let us return to the evangelical American pet-phrase of "hate the sin, but love the sinner" and ask again how this may or may not be an acceptable mode for evangelical Africans as a valid response toward homosexuals. I've stated that African evangelicals simply "hate the sinner." Our answer does not have to come by way of the anonymous hate-post mentioned earlier, i.e., "You [gays] deserve punishment in this world and hereafter." Instead, our answer comes right from Yusufu Turaki and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) themselves. Turaki, in his hate-speech article cited above (from the Africa Bible Commentary), says "It is . . . academic to try to make a distinction between a homosexual person and a homosexual act, as if the latter is sinful and the former is not. Both are sinful."
The CISA (Catholic Information Service for Africa) condemns Turaki's article: "The Africa Bible Commentary (ABC) conflicts with certain Roman Catholic teachings . . . [For one], the commentary's views on homosexuality . . . [is] unacceptable to the Catholic Church. The Bible defines homosexuality as a sin, the commentary says." In support, the CISA cites Turaki's full statement on "Both are sinful," which quote is stated above in the final sentence of the preceding paragraph. According to the CISA, the Catholic Church, unlike the Africa Bible Commentary, makes an important distinction between a homosexual act and a homosexual person. (Source: article by Henry Makori entitled "CISA: Kenya Catholic Church rejects new Bible Commentary")
But this isn't just a Catholic objection to the Africa Bible Commentary, the evangelical "ex-gay" writers that I have read would agree with the CISA and would, for the most part, completely disown the Africa Bible Commentary article. Evangelical "ex-gay" proponents would disagree with Turaki's following uncritical statements: that homosexuals are "worst than beasts," that there should be zero toleration for homosexuals, and that homosexuality is sin [or that sexual orientation, when it is same-sex oriented, is sin].
So, the Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary apparently stands alone in the religious world when it says there is no distinction between the same-sex acts of gay people and the homosexual person himself [sexual orientation]. It appears, then, that if the evangelical in Africa hates the act ("the sin"), he also must hate the person who enters in upon the act ("the sinner"), for "both are sinful" says Turaki. This hate-the-sin/hate-the-sinner is exactly what is presently being played out in the parliament of Uganda where the Anti-Homosexuality bill is being considered. Therefore, in view of this East African evangelicalism of Bible-believing gay-hatred and legalized gay-bashing with religious sanctioning by evangelicals, the historic East Africa Revival and the present-day Ugandan "evangelical causes" – upheld by the wife of the president of Uganda – are now seen to have a very dark underside, where light and love are, ironically, lost to religion - not just to religion in Uganda but lost to religion wherever evangelicals will not speak out in utter horror of their brethren in Uganda. This light and love, now apparently crucified-a-new in Ugandan churches, are urgently in need of being resurrected by some miraculous, timely supernatural intervention, before innocent Ugandan lives are literally snuffed out in the name of God and country.
Finally, on a happier note, what about the third individual who posted a comment about Rev. Kimindu's appeal for discussion on gay rights? There is hope! The third person was in agreement with Kimindu's call for discussion. Basically, the positive comment went something like this: "This is the 21st century, and if Kenya is drafting a constitution for the 21st century then gay rights are an obvious given." Evidently, the politicians' hate-speech that Turaki uncritically highlights in his Africa Bible Commentary article – "that homosexuals are worse than beasts" – does not fit the 21st century civilization that some Africans imagine for their country, even in spite of what some evangelical Africans say the Good Book says.
by Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, sparelli2002@yahoo.com
Bronx, New York, November 30, 2009
By Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, Bronx, NY, sparelli2002@yahoo.com
On the Kenyan Daily Nation website, three individuals, as of this writing, have posted their for-or-against comments on Rev. Michael Kimindu's November 20th (2009) interview with Daily Nation in which he objected to the fact that gay rights were not included in the Kenyan draft constitution for discussion.
Two, of the three postings, solidly oppose Kimindu. The objectors both based their strong anti-gay remarks solely on their understanding of what the Bible says, speaking with absolute authority, as if their voice were the voice of God. Their comments reveal that their religious viewpoint is of the evangelical stripe: authoritative, final, and "Biblical."
Evangelical as they may be, their remarks fail to show any sings of "graciousness" such as is claimed in the American-evangelical ill-suited statement "love the sinner, hate the sin." ("Love the sinner, hate the sin" is the notorious failed-attempt of evangelicals in America to show love to the gay community; just ask any LGBT person.)
Actually, these two East Africans – I assume they are East Africans, and most likely Kenyans – have, by their sugar-free remarks, shortened this American pet-evangelical saying to simply "hate the sinner." African evangelicals, to their credit, haven't learned the American evangelical art of telling one's self that he or she is acting in love when the act is clearly one of oppression. Evangelicals, here in America, call their oppressive opposition to gay rights and to gay individuals who have at times taken their own lives because of the abject rejection of evangelical parents and churches, as "loving the sinner." (The word "sinner" should be a clue here as to how much love – or should I say, how little love – is actually being communicated by evangelicals.)
But, back to the Daily Nation postings. The first individual posted the following: "Are you gays trying to tell us the Almighty is wrong or was wrong? Did you guys hear about Sodom and Gomorrah? You deserve punishment in this world and hereafter" (emphasis mine). Note the link between Sodom and Gomorrah and deserved punishment now. The second out-of-sorts individual posted: "The said Reverend [Kimindu] will find out while in Hell, that what he did on earth . . .; and he will be among those to be immersed into the blackest of the blackest of Hell . . .; the cheap minded sheep, woe unto them, they are on their way to sheol." Not exactly a model for what some have called "friendship evangelism" or, how to win others over to your point of view.
The tragedy runs deeper than just two overly-religious comments posted on the Daily Nation website. The problem is this: how can we expect better of the African evangelical in the pew and in the pulpit when the evangelical leaders of Africa are crying out against LGBT people in very much the same manner as these two postings. Take for instance the now infamous article entitled "Homosexuality" in the 2006 Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary. (I saw my first copy of this misguided single volume commentary while visiting the Nairobi All Saints Anglican Cathedral in 2008). Yusufu Turaki, an evangelical Nigerian Bible scholar and author of the article, writes without criticism that "some [African] politicians" say "homosexuals are worst than beasts." And, as if to sustain the African politicians' bigotry, Turaki cites, again without criticism, the fact that "Anglican churches across the continent" have outright rejected Tutu's call for toleration and acceptance of LGBT people. Turaki's hate-speech article featured in this "landmark" (John Stott) volume authored by 70 African evangelicals sounds very much like the two who posted their hate-statements against Rev. Kimindu. Turaki's zero toleration and "worst than beasts" quotes put him right up there with the two anonymous postings.
The Africa Bible Commentary was a project/publication of Zondervan and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA). Recently, I received an email from an individual listed by name on the AEA website. He is officially in fellowship with the AEA. Speaking for himself only, he wrote me to tell me he is in full support of the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Ugandan which calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment of homosexuals who meet certain conditions. Is his evangelical Sodom-and-Gomorrah-bring-down-brimstone faith representative of the AEA (Association of Evangelicals in Africa)? Does he represent what is to be found in the average pew and pulpit of evangelical churches in Africa? Do most African evangelicals really believe that "homosexuals should be punished in this life" as was posted on the Daily Nation website and as evidenced by the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Uganda?
Mark A Noll, in his new book The Shape of World Christianity, has a chapter on "The East African Revival" in which he states "the current Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni was deeply touched as a young man by the East African revival, and his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes" [page 182].
It can now be said, that in Uganda at least, "revival" and "evangelical causes" equate the death sentence for homosexuals who meet certain conditions, unless the president of Uganda and his wife go on record as denouncing the bill. Not likely. Museveni has a long record of hate-speech against LGBT people.
As early as 1998, "President Yoweri Museveni made several strong antihomosexuality public statements." Again, in 1999, he "spoke out strongly, calling for the police to find and arrest, and jail homosexuals" [Anglican Communion in Crisis, by Miranda K. Hassett, page 84, 85; interestingly enough, the author further states on page 85 that "The Anglican archbishop of Uganda proclaimed his full support for Museveni's antigay position."].
I've often asked myself if the Old Testament stories from the King James Bible may have shaped Museveni's image of himself as president of Uganda. Is he modeling himself after the Old Testament king who, heroically and unlike his father-king before him, "took out of the land" "the remnant of the sodomites"? [Sodomites is an unfortunate abusive rendering of the Hebrew text here which should more accurately be translated 'male or female temple prostitute;' the Hebrew word sodomite is not in the text (I Kings 22:46, KJV).] Does Museveni emulate this heroic Biblical king who put-out-of-the-land-the-sodomites [i.e., temple prostitutes] as an example to follow?
It could easily be so, after all, President Yoweri Museveni "was deeply touched" by the East African revival and his wife "remains identified with evangelical causes" (Mark A. Noll). Evangelicalism and the literal reading and high veneration of the Bible, such as daily Bible readings, scripture memorization, and Bible preaching, are one and the same. This evangelical excessive love for the Word of God can border on bibliolatry which is the worship of the Bible (although evangelicals would deny they ever worship the Bible). When this is the case (which happens, at times, with evangelicals on a subconscious level, I would argue), instead of a Trinity, an evangelical would now have a Quad-unity, with the Bible as the fourth person of the Godhead. I would suggest that this is the present probable evangelical spirit in Uganda where the spirit of love and toleration towards a people-group defined by a different sexual orientation is axed by a spirit of hate and legalism which are justified enough, for religious Ugandans, by the reduction of the Bible to mere black ink on white paper (for example, "the Bible clearly says"), and thus, ironically, the elevation of the Bible to the status of a god (bibliolatry, by which one can now justify the execution of homosexuals). All this hate, grounded in a type of idolatry as I have opinioned, is the by-product of the work of zealous Bible-believing evangelical missionaries and the historic East African revival.
The sad part – in the supposed case of President Museveni modeling his presidency after the afore mentioned Old Testament king – is this: the King James Bible (if that is the version he uses, which was, no doubt, the version originally brought to Uganda) utterly fails him here by its erroneous translation. (In Rwanda, during our 2008 seminar, where we had the Bible in the language of the people, the same error in translation was noted. Evidently, in the Rwandan language, the translation was brought over from the King James Bible word sodomite and not from the Hebrew text temple prostitute.)
Now, let us return to the evangelical American pet-phrase of "hate the sin, but love the sinner" and ask again how this may or may not be an acceptable mode for evangelical Africans as a valid response toward homosexuals. I've stated that African evangelicals simply "hate the sinner." Our answer does not have to come by way of the anonymous hate-post mentioned earlier, i.e., "You [gays] deserve punishment in this world and hereafter." Instead, our answer comes right from Yusufu Turaki and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) themselves. Turaki, in his hate-speech article cited above (from the Africa Bible Commentary), says "It is . . . academic to try to make a distinction between a homosexual person and a homosexual act, as if the latter is sinful and the former is not. Both are sinful."
The CISA (Catholic Information Service for Africa) condemns Turaki's article: "The Africa Bible Commentary (ABC) conflicts with certain Roman Catholic teachings . . . [For one], the commentary's views on homosexuality . . . [is] unacceptable to the Catholic Church. The Bible defines homosexuality as a sin, the commentary says." In support, the CISA cites Turaki's full statement on "Both are sinful," which quote is stated above in the final sentence of the preceding paragraph. According to the CISA, the Catholic Church, unlike the Africa Bible Commentary, makes an important distinction between a homosexual act and a homosexual person. (Source: article by Henry Makori entitled "CISA: Kenya Catholic Church rejects new Bible Commentary")
But this isn't just a Catholic objection to the Africa Bible Commentary, the evangelical "ex-gay" writers that I have read would agree with the CISA and would, for the most part, completely disown the Africa Bible Commentary article. Evangelical "ex-gay" proponents would disagree with Turaki's following uncritical statements: that homosexuals are "worst than beasts," that there should be zero toleration for homosexuals, and that homosexuality is sin [or that sexual orientation, when it is same-sex oriented, is sin].
So, the Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary apparently stands alone in the religious world when it says there is no distinction between the same-sex acts of gay people and the homosexual person himself [sexual orientation]. It appears, then, that if the evangelical in Africa hates the act ("the sin"), he also must hate the person who enters in upon the act ("the sinner"), for "both are sinful" says Turaki. This hate-the-sin/hate-the-sinner is exactly what is presently being played out in the parliament of Uganda where the Anti-Homosexuality bill is being considered. Therefore, in view of this East African evangelicalism of Bible-believing gay-hatred and legalized gay-bashing with religious sanctioning by evangelicals, the historic East Africa Revival and the present-day Ugandan "evangelical causes" – upheld by the wife of the president of Uganda – are now seen to have a very dark underside, where light and love are, ironically, lost to religion - not just to religion in Uganda but lost to religion wherever evangelicals will not speak out in utter horror of their brethren in Uganda. This light and love, now apparently crucified-a-new in Ugandan churches, are urgently in need of being resurrected by some miraculous, timely supernatural intervention, before innocent Ugandan lives are literally snuffed out in the name of God and country.
Finally, on a happier note, what about the third individual who posted a comment about Rev. Kimindu's appeal for discussion on gay rights? There is hope! The third person was in agreement with Kimindu's call for discussion. Basically, the positive comment went something like this: "This is the 21st century, and if Kenya is drafting a constitution for the 21st century then gay rights are an obvious given." Evidently, the politicians' hate-speech that Turaki uncritically highlights in his Africa Bible Commentary article – "that homosexuals are worse than beasts" – does not fit the 21st century civilization that some Africans imagine for their country, even in spite of what some evangelical Africans say the Good Book says.
by Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, sparelli2002@yahoo.com
Bronx, New York, November 30, 2009
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