Pastor Rick Warren today asked Ugandan pastors to oppose a proposed law that could bring death to Ugandans engaging in gay sex.
The Saddleback Church pastor had come under fire last week on the Internet and in the media for not taking a stand or issuing a condemnation of the proposed legislation.
In a video posted on YouTube, Warren asked Ugandan pastors to speak out against a proposed law by a Ugandan pastor who endorsed proposed legislation making gay sex punishable by life in prison or even in some cases death.
Of course, some people on the HOB/D list serve still had to continue to criticize Rick Warren for not speaking out soon enough, or they were glad that he was “forced to finally speak out.” Oh, the wallowing self righteousness of it all. They completely missed the point of quiet negotiations behind the scenes. Ever notice, whenever there is some topic or issue the regulars on the list serve (like nominating a person for bishop that can’t be accepted by the wider Anglican Communion); they find something else to deflect on? And the deflection is usually something like “there is violence or hatred towards [insert the latest injustice here]â€, so why aren’t you speaking out on that? They particularly go after reappraisers with this “you have not condemned xyz, you must do this loudly and publicly.â€
I don’t not remember the last time I read anyone on that list serve speaking out against the genocide being committed against Christians in Darfur. I also do not remember any one on the list serve talking about how their parish has taken in Sudanese refugees and helped then transition to better, safer, life here. It’s all so much Sturm und Drum. There is no telling how much behind the scene’s work that went on to get this proposed law changed, that was so much more affective than some proclamation from the TEC Executive Council. I guess it’s easier to publicly “condemn†and “speak out†, so you can show the world how good you are, as opposed to taking real, concrete actions, that no one else (except God), will ever know about.
[i]”I guess it’s easier to publicly “condemn†and “speak out†, so you can show the world how good you are, as opposed to taking real, concrete actions, that no one else (except God), will ever know about.”[/i] This is the heart and soul of political correctness. But yes it is good for pastors and all of us to pull together against this frightening and hideously oppressive legislation.
The expression is “Sturm und [b]Drang[/b]” which is an apt comparison considering the works and writings that particular literary period produced.
Yes, Sturm und Drang, I must have been too quick going through the spell checker, which wanted to change Drang to Drum.
Well, I’m glad Rev. Warren took this position. Got to mind his P’s and Q’s so he can give the next Obama inauguration invocation, don’t you know.
RE: “Warren asked Ugandan pastors to speak out . . .”
It’s okay, Warren — it’s all taken care of already.
Better late than never. Perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury will go and do likewise!
You know Evan, you and I disagreed earlier about the merits of speaking out and that’s fair enough, but given Warren’s record in support of conservative Anglicans (including a presence both at Hope and a Future in 2005 and the Bedford ACNA meeting in 2009), you might give him the benefit of the doubt. How do you know what motivated him to speak?
It is worth looking at the source of these slurs on the Archbishop.
On Sunday 6th December at 9:54 am London Time Dr Williams’ statement in response to the LA election was published on the ACO site and then on his own. Simon Sarmiento at Thinking Anglicans drew attention to it in a post at 10:34 am.
At 1.34 pm Integrity USA posted this snide comment:
[blockquote] The Archbishop who has uttered nary a word in opposition to the Ugandan “kill the gays” legislation … WILL speak up in order to kill the election of a gay bishop?[/blockquote]
At 8:17 pm Elizabeth Kaeton posted on her blog:
[blockquote]Oh, did the ABC say something? Yawn? He’s still acting like an arrogant ruler of the colonies. It’s so rich that he accuses Americans of being neo-colonialists in Africa when he doesn’t hesitate to try and rule TEC from Lambeth Palace.
Wake me up when he has something important to say – oh, like, say . .. the proposed genocide of LGBT people in Uganda.
Yeah, like that’s gonna happen any time soon. Doesn’t want to appear to be a ruler of the colonies.[/blockquote]
In these oafish comments we see what looks like the Integrity spin which then became a TEC “talking point” duly trotted out.
LA has Bishop Bruno, who has claimed that SSU’s do not go on in his diocese to his knowledge when he has been observed at them if not officiating, and who has just threatened the bishops and standing committees of TEC with canonical breach if they do not confirm the bishop-elect. Then there is Susan Russell of Integrity, the publisher and distributor of other peoples’ emails.
What are we meant to think – a liar, a bully and a thief? It’s not very impressive is it in dio LA?
PM, oafs do make oafish comments. It is in their genes, one must suppose, as is all else, if they are to be believed in their allegations.
[i] Unhappily, off topic comment deleted by elf. [/i]
Sorry, the garbage was pasted from You Tube on Susan’s Face Book protest to the ABC. Eeeech! How, O God, how did this Church raise up people like this?
Good for Warren. I do think he is misunderstood. His audience is evangelicals. I think he sincerely believes that homosexuality is a sin but they should, against the bible, not be killed.
Warren is one of the most important community organizers in the world. He and Obama share a lot in common. They both understand the audience.
#6: AIUI it’s not all taken care of, but apparently the death penalty is off the table.