Why Catholics aren't speaking up in Uganda about anti-gay bill [John Allen]

[Catholic_Press]

Two weeks ago, I wrote about a draft bill in Uganda’s parliament which would decree the death penalty for homosexuality under some circumstances, and would also establish prison terms for anyone who fails to report homosexuals to the authorities. Those provisions have drawn wide international criticism, even from fairly conservative Christian leaders who clearly sympathize with the aim of promoting faithful heterosexual marriage.

The latest development is that in mid-December, the Interreligious Council of Uganda, the country’s major inter-faith body – one which includes the Catholic Church – came out in support of the bill. Meeting in Entebbe, the body of more than 200 religious leaders, reflecting the country’s main Christian and Muslim groups, called upon the Ugandan parliament to resist foreign pressure to abandon the legislation.

“Those countries should respect our spiritual values. They shouldn’t interfere,” said Joshua Kitakule, Secretary General of the Interreligious Council of Uganda. “All senior religious leaders have been given copies of the bill to read and educate people in the churches and mosques.”

More…

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

Wow, where has the Gospel gone?

 

[manygift1spirit]

I do not wish to condone the African church’s choices, but this does underscore the urgency with which one needs to consider the big pastoral picture when it comes to evangelizing or bearing witness to our Lord’s Truth.

And kudos (again) for John Allen, who despite the scandal wrought by many of his professional colleagues, is one of, if not the, best sources of Catholic news around.

 

[shawnbm]

For those who know more about African cultural sensitivities (as Allen’s article touched upon), is there any precedent for dealing with perceived overly harsh criminal penalties in the civil arena for offenses of a moral nature? It seems to me that what the government in Uganda has proposed is sinful in and of itself and that the Catholic Church there must make some sort of stand–one cannot condone death for any sinful act in the Church’s view. Sins are to be confessed and penance given. The Church should speak out about that–if it can. I know Christians in Africa are battling Muslims for the souls of the people and that Islam condemns and punishes with death those that engage in homosexual acts. Perhaps this is a big part of the problem? At any rate, a tough decision will have to be made and death for these “disordered” people if they fail and engage in that conduct is wrong–no ifs, ands or buts.

 

[manualman]

Same reason catholics in America aren’t speaking up very much about the legalized killing of unborn children here: we tend to be shaped more by our culture than by the gospel. No big surprise, that’s why we needed a Savior in the first place!

(Yes, I realize there are an excellent, if tiny minority of catholics that actually DO say something about abortion, but let’s face facts: the majority of nominal American catholics just voted for the most pro-abortion president in history!)