Pope Silent on Uganda's 'Kill-the-Gays' Bill

Number of posts: 441 Age: 21 Registration date: 2008-11-03 Points: 1084

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/08/pope-silent-on-ugandas-kill-the-gays-bill/1#comments

Quote:

Pope Benedict XVI met with the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Uganda at the Vatican last Friday and delivered a speech summing up what he saw as the main tasks of the church in the East African nation -- but made no mention of the draconian anti-homosexuality bill that has prompted an international outcry.

The legislation pending in the Ugandan parliament provides for life imprisonment for homosexuals and even execution in some cases -- hence its nickname, the "kill the gays" bill -- and for jail terms for those who do not out those they believe to be homosexuals.
The bill has not only sparked international protests, but also finger-pointing at conservative American Christians who have been seen as giving aid and comfort to Ugandan Christians and politicians who want to toughen Uganda's law criminalizing homosexuality.

As we wrote here, the protests and media coverage have prompted a number of American Christians, mainly evangelicals and a few Catholics with longstanding ties to Uganda, to renounce any support for the legislation. There have also been mounting calls for the pope and the archbishop of Canterbury -- head of the Anglican Communion, which has a high profile in Uganda -- to throw their weight against the bill.

But in his address to the bishops of Uganda last Friday, Benedict XVI made no reference to the anti-gay bill or the international outcry surrounding it.

Instead he called on the bishops to "encourage the Catholics of Uganda to appreciate fully the sacrament of marriage in its unity and indissolubility, and the sacred right to life" -- the latter a reference to abortion. He also urged them "to resist the seduction of a materialistic culture of individualism which has taken root in so many countries" -- a reference to concerns about an encroaching cultural influence from Europe and North America.

The closest he came to mentioning homosexuals seemed to be in his call for the church in Uganda to support those who "care for people afflicted by poverty, AIDS and other diseases, teaching them to see in those whom they serve the suffering face of Jesus." AIDS is a plague in Uganda and afflicts straights and gays, men and women and children alike.

The papal address was wide-ranging and covered a number of topics of concern to the church's internal development; such is typically the case when the pope meets the entire hierarchy of a country in Rome, as he does for each nation every five years. But the pope will typically touch on hot-button social and political issues as well. In speaking to bishops from the United States, for example, the pope would always comment on abortion and immigration.

There are several reasons why Benedict may not have mentioned the anti-gay bill -- or rather the broader issue of human rights and protections for homosexuals and love of the sinner, since for diplomatic reasons the pope would not target a specific piece of legislation. One is that he may not be aware of the legislation or the controversy. Another is that his aides know that if he raised the issue it would become the lead of every story. There is also concern that having religious leaders outside Uganda speak out against the popular bill would backfire and ensure its passage.

Moreover, the bishops themselves may have asked the Vatican to refrain from addressing the issue (though that has not always stopped the pope from speaking his mind) since they are in the tricky position of trying to maintain the church's position in Uganda in the face of serious challenges from conservative evangelicals and Pentecostals, as well as Muslims, who are far more severe in their approach to homosexuals than the Catholic Church is.

Just before Christmas, Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga of Kampala, the Ugandan capital, released a statement reiterating church teaching that homosexuality is immoral but saying the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, as it is known, "does not pass a test of a Christian caring approach to this issue."

"The targeting of the sinner, not the sin, is the core flaw of the proposed Bill," he wrote. "The introduction of the death penalty and imprisonment for homosexual acts targets people rather than seeking to counsel and to reach out in compassion to those who need conversion, repentance, support and hope."

So, I read this just now. I'm not sure if the Pope or Catholic Church really has replied atm, but it does cause me to wonder if they haven't, why not? If they really have, then I'd like to see the article, because (not an anti-Catholic thread or bash so don't insult), I personally view anyone that is so pro-life and so anti-abortion, yet to be silent on a bill that supports killing living people sinful or not, to be hypocritical. (This sentence does seem to contradict my views of capital punishment, but that should be for another time)

But as I've spoken, I may not have the complete story here, so I shall refrain from full words on this subject, other than I am against this bill. If you destroy homosexuality, you destroy it with Truth, not from annhihilating the entire population of homosexuals. As a comment said it best, hating the sinner, not the sin. If this is really supported by Christians, or not being spoken out against, then it should also be right to have this happen to Christians and Christianity as well.

There are so many things wrong with so many countries, and the Pope is only human, and I am sure that it was simply outside of the scope of his awareness. He is a good man, and had he been aware, he would most definitely addressed it.

_________________

like a fine wine, i must age over time
-Jim

Hguols wrote:

squirrels >>>>>>>>>>>> pudding

Death over Life wrote:

olias wrote:

I am mexican. Therefore I will throw "o"'s at the end of all words, even when I am not speaking speaking spanish Razz

tl;dr

Who cares?

All I can say is that every step taken forward anti-homosexual bigotry is a step backwards for human progress.

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Hguols wrote:

Spoken like a true black metaller. Wait, what?

^But then again every step taken against homosexual bigotry does the same lol

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Admin wrote:

Get your own thread you kangaroo lover.

Metal Blessing wrote:

LastFirstborn wrote:

Shut up, hatters.

I never have been much of a hat person really

Number of posts: 441 Age: 21 Registration date: 2008-11-03 Points: 1084

olias wrote:

There are so many things wrong with so many countries, and the Pope is only human, and I am sure that it was simply outside of the scope of his awareness. He is a good man, and had he been aware, he would most definitely addressed it.

However, with the wording here:

Quote:

But in his address to the bishops of Uganda last Friday, Benedict XVI made no reference to the anti-gay bill or the international outcry surrounding it.

Instead he called on the bishops to "encourage the Catholics of Uganda to appreciate fully the sacrament of marriage in its unity and indissolubility, and the sacred right to life" -- the latter a reference to abortion. He also urged them "to resist the seduction of a materialistic culture of individualism which has taken root in so many countries" -- a reference to concerns about an encroaching cultural influence from Europe and North America.

The closest he came to mentioning homosexuals seemed to be in his call for the church in Uganda to support those who "care for people afflicted by poverty, AIDS and other diseases, teaching them to see in those whom they serve the suffering face of Jesus." AIDS is a plague in Uganda and afflicts straights and gays, men and women and children alike.

It sounds like he was aware at least to an extent. Had he not been aware, he wouldn't have made any mention of Uganda. Usually when something like this sparks great attention from everybody, the Catholic church always put's in it's opinion. They made their marks on abortion and really screamed even more about it since Obama took office. (Even in the quote the Pope makes an anti-abortion statement) Then, with the problems that arose in Ireland and a Priest spoke out about it, I remembered either him or the Vatican or someone stating that we may have a new St. Patrick on our hands who should be revered for his' statements against the Priests who were doing the obvious sin behind everyone's backs.

Then turn around to this, he even mentions Uganda and it's stance, but states absolutely nothing on the Bill at all. I do find it interesting if he/the Vatican doesn't know about it, yet the Catholics with the Protestants know about it (USA and Uganda) and are protesting it. Just usually when something goes wrong, the Church steps in to correct the problem, and I've seen it to much with the abortion stance. It's never to late to address an issue and correct it. So, why isn't the Church making any official statements atm? When right to life is spoken of, right to life means living and unborn, not just unborn.

Homosexuals are living, yet nobody from the higher ups (only individual Catholics) are backing up the ones who are protesting it. Catholicism I know helps and protects people who have given in to abortions, and help them change their minds of what they've done, but this is an area (even with the Priesthood pedo problem) where I'm really honestly seeing the Church doing a lackluster job of making aware and making sure these people aren't destroying little boys behind everyone's backs, and homosexuals period. The Church's job is to get rid of homosexuality, not homosexuals, so we don't need pedo priest's murdered as this Bill supports. We need the pedo out of the priesthood and the homosexuality out of this world, but not at the expense of any and all homosexuals, Christian or not.

Death over Life wrote:

It sounds like he was aware at least to an extent. Had he not been aware, he wouldn't have made any mention of Uganda.

He made mention of Uganda because he was meeting with the Bishops from Uganda. He couldn't very well speak to the Ugandan Bishops without making any mention of their country. It has no bearing on whether or not he was aware of the proposed law.

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Number of posts: 441 Age: 21 Registration date: 2008-11-03 Points: 1084

BryneVampyr wrote:

Death over Life wrote:

It sounds like he was aware at least to an extent. Had he not been aware, he wouldn't have made any mention of Uganda.

He made mention of Uganda because he was meeting with the Bishops from Uganda. He couldn't very well speak to the Ugandan Bishops without making any mention of their country. It has no bearing on whether or not he was aware of the proposed law.

Thank you for the corrections.

Eh, the news is never what it says it is. Probably more anti-Catholic propaganda then.

It didn't see all that anti-catholic to me. It suggested some reasons why he may have not mentioned the proposed law...they may or may not be valid reasons...that is left up to us to decide.

_________________

This sort of thing can be applied to anybody in power.

Why is X being quiet about Y while X was in Z where Y is clearly a huge problem.

It is an ancient template.

_________________

like a fine wine, i must age over time
-Jim

Hguols wrote:

squirrels >>>>>>>>>>>> pudding

Death over Life wrote:

olias wrote:

I am mexican. Therefore I will throw "o"'s at the end of all words, even when I am not speaking speaking spanish Razz

tl;dr

Who cares?