Followup: Purpose Driven Genocide

This is a followup to the Purpose Driven Genocide post a week or so ago.

In response to the Uganda issues, Rick Warren has posted a video where he outlines his opposition to the bill.  He has 5 points that he makes:

First, the potential law is unjust, extreme and un-Christian toward homosexuals, requiring the death penalty in some cases. If I am reading the proposed bill correctly, this law would also imprison anyone convicted of homosexual practice.

Second, the law would force pastors to report their pastoral conversations with homosexuals to authorities.

Third, it would have a chilling effect on your ministry to the hurting. As you know, in Africa, it is the churches that are bearing the primary burden of providing care for people infected with HIV/AIDS. If this bill passed, homosexuals who are HIV positive will be reluctant to seek or receive care, comfort and compassion from our churches out of fear of being reported. You and I know that the churches of Uganda are the truly caring communities where people receive hope and help, not condemnation.

Fourth, ALL life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God. My wife, Kay, and I have devoted our lives and our ministry to saving the lives of people, including homosexuals, who are HIV positive. It would be inconsistent to save some lives and wish death on others. We’re not just pro-life. We are whole life.

Finally, the freedom to make moral choices and our right to free expression are gifts endowed by God. Uganda is a democratic country with remarkable and wise people, and in a democracy everyone has a right to speak up. For these reasons, I urge you, the pastors of Uganda, to speak out against the proposed law.

Good points.

My one beef is that, in his words, since he didn’t “rush to make a statement,” Warren said he was being characterized as supporting the bill.  In FACT, the Uganda bill was previewed 9 months ago, has been in the news for at least 4 months, and the full-text has been available for 2 months.  There’s a difference between “not rushing” and sitting on the sidelines waiting for it to blow over or seizing a media-savvy moment to speak up.  I speak with an air of judgment, I admit, but people who can speak have a responsibility to do so.

As posted previously, Warren has changed his mind on many issues and I’m glad he saw the people through the politics in this situation and has come out forcefully against it.  Thanks for your prayers too.