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Monday, November 30, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News Worst 'Family' since Manson's?
Posted By John Grooms on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 3:15 PM
It appears that some conservative Christians have gone completely off the rails — unless there’s some hidden connection between “Christians” and “killing sick people.” The government of Uganda is considering legislation — unfortunately, no we’re not making this up — to execute HIV positive men. Execute, as in “put to death.” In addition, the law, if enacted, would also imprison for three years anyone who knows a gay man but doesn’t report him to authorities; and would sentence anyone who publicly defends gay and lesbian rights to seven years in prison. The U.S. embassy in Uganda has condemned the bill, but the legislation is heavily supported by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who pretty much gets what he wants.
Here’s where so-called Christians come in. Museveni is a longtime favorite of “The Family,” the secretive band of fundamentalist Christian Congressmen that was in the news for being a “source of strength and understanding” for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, as well as Sen. David Ensign of Nevada. Ensign cheated on his wife with a staffer, at which point The Family “ordered” him to call his mistress and call off the affair, and to pay her money for “healing” (or what you and I call “hush money”). Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) is also affiliated with The Family.
The Family has long supported Museveni, and in fact, the Ugandan legislator who introduced the bill to execute HIV positive men is David Bahati, who organizes The Family’s Ugandan National Prayer Breakfast. According to Jeff Sharlet, author of the investigative book The Family, Bahati also “oversees an African sort of student leadership program designed to create future leaders for Africa, into which The Family has poured millions of dollars.” Hear Sharlet talk to NPR’s Terry Gross about The Family here.
Other American “Christians” also support the Ugandan death law, or at the very least refuse to condemn it. Yesterday, on Meet The Press, Rev. Rick Warren, of “Purpose-driven life” and “Obama inauguration preacher” fame, refused to condemn the proposed law, saying, “As a pastor, my job is to encourage, to support. I never take sides," although he quickly took sides in the abortion debate, calling abortion “a holocaust.” Once again, this writer is left nearly speechless by these rightwing “Christians” and their twisted, hateful views.
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