Uganda’s Parliament has dropped the death penalty from the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
The “kill the gays” bill, as it was originally known, included language instituting capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality.” Reports had that provision removed and added back in at various points in the legislative process. The version approved this week by Uganda’s Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, does not include the death penatly, MP Medard Segona told the BBC. “I can confirm it has been dropped.,” Segona said. “Some of us who are human rights activists would discourage the death penalty,” he said.
Last week speaker Rebecca Kadaga promised the bill, first introduced in 2009 by MP David Bahati, would come to a vote in time for Christmas:
Ugandans “are demanding it,” she said, reiterating a promise she made before a meeting on Friday of anti-gay activists who spoke of “the serious threat” posed by homosexuals to Uganda’s children. Some Christian clerics at the meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, asked the speaker to pass the law as “a Christmas gift.”
“Speaker, we cannot sit back while such (a) destructive phenomenon is taking place in our nation,” the activists said in a petition. “We therefore, as responsible citizens, feel duty-bound to bring this matter to your attention as the leader of Parliament … so that lawmakers can do something to quickly address the deteriorating situation in our nation.”
We guess not being put to death is gay Ugandan’s Christmas present this year.
How about we take this to the next level?
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2eo
The bill makes no difference, it is already in force. Paid for by evangelical christians in the United States. They murder dozens a month.
Jean
This law could not have been passed without support from the far right fanatics from the US.
They still can foment hate in Africa and win.
But in the US their days are numbered.
2eo
@Jean: The worst part is the duplicitous nature of these nutters. They’ll sit by in the west and laugh about some of the “crazy” beliefs, over a glass of brandy perhaps.
Yet in the other hand they are on the phone telling them to behead gay people, rape lesbians and murder children. They are the worst people of all.
scott747
Now if only all the Western Christian Fundamentalists who started this un-Christian movement in Africa could only be removed.
nycbearman
I’m still not sending them a Christmas Card. Nope.
ronsfo
Oh great and through the word of Gawd, what a great Christian message to the world that shows the true purpose of their religion: imprison and kill those that don’t think like we do. You can’t eradicate homosexually, we are ubiquitous, innate in the fabric of humanity. Killing homosexuals only serves to makes the political regime of Uganda look barbaric, uncivilized and isolating itself from the rest of the world and ultimately proving religion is the real evil force oppressing humanity.
Billysees
@Jean: Re 2, “This law could…
Their days “are” diminishing here in America and in the West also.
But why?
What’s so special about this part of the world?
I’m not sure I have a handle on why christian fundamentalism seems to be successful in stirring up hatred in Uganda.
Why does it seem that many Africans are responsive to mean-spirited christian fundamentalism?
Dumdum
It all boils down to poverty and exploitation. Give the people a scapegoat. Demonize someone or something. The best way to do that is to use the bible and religion since people are easily led. Religious leaders and governments figured out thousands of years ago that people want to be told what to think and how to think. What better way then to claim god as the author. What BILLYSEES does not SEE is that those same people who lives did not have science who,s most most advanced technology was THE WHEEL. Had different values and ideas. The emperor Constantine realized that Christianity could be used. That is the main reason that our world is always in conflict. War, poverty, greed, and religion. Hell people thought the world was flat and that the earth was the center of the universe and if anyone said anything to the contrary they were accused of heresy and forced to recant they were imprisoned or burned at the stake. African culture historically has the males in a dominate role. Homosexuality is a direct threat to that dominance. What happens when you threaten an animal????? FIGHT OR FLIGHT THE REPTILE BRAIN DUH!!!!!!!
gppm1103
I wonder if we can get Obama to send a few drones into Uganda. Just target the politicians – and the churches.
Dumdum
Oh Yea. No death penalty but still carries life in prison where of course they will be killed. Hey Billy maybe YOUR OWN PERSONAL Jesus is cool but most of the other ones suck.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 8, “It all boils…
What you’ve said makes good sense to me.
All the more reason why we here in “the West” should be grateful for “the way things are” and the “way things are headed”.
African culture seems so backwards.
But wait — what about South Africa.
They appear to be an amazing progressive light compared to their neighbors.
See these two for your interest —
1. South Africa Leads the Continent (Slowly) on Gay Rights
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/02/south-africa-leads-the-continent-slowly-on-gay-rights/252989/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_South_Africa
Where there’s much darkness, there is also a bright light.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 10, “Oh Yea….
I cannot explain why those in leadership positions in that country are so responsive to the UNBELIEVABLY MISGUIDED “WORKS OF HATE” from protestant fundamentalist Christians.
I don’t know what the catholic church is doing there. Though I am not catholic, I wouldn’t think they’d be a part of any effort to persecute LGBT’s like the way they want to do now.
I’ll say it again — In many ways, Christianity’s many different manifestations make it appear to be a backwoods religion. It needs more time to mature itself. It’s still in diapers.
I’ve posted these before and I’ll continue to post these until the cows come home and beyond if necessary as a reminder of the great “potential” of the Christian religion —
Not all scripture verse is equal.
Some are better than others.
Let’s concentrate on the meaningful verses.
Here’s are a few excellent illustrations of what I mean, and they are good examples of how LGBT folks should be treated —
These verses are either paraphrases or translations. 3 are written by Paul and 1 is written by Peter —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Paul wrote, “The Kingdom of God is not in “word” (that means scripture verse), but “power” (that means the ever renewing work of the Holy Spirit and other spirit led movements in the world i.e. gay acceptance struggles)…….it’s not food and drink but “righteousness” (that means doing good works and deeds) and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.
Don’t forget that seldom mentioned verse that goes like this —
“JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THEM THAT BELIEVE”.
We LGBT’s are included in that you know.
Cheer…
Billysees
@gppm1103: Re 9, “I wonder if…
Here’s what this article said, “Some christian clerics at the meeting in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, asked the speaker to pass the law as “a Christmas gift”.
That makes me sick to hear that.
Jesus said, “There are those who honor me with their lips but their heart is “far” from me”.
Be assured those so-called clerics are NOT followers of Jesus.
There is a similar problem with these protestant fundamentalists in the USA.
Just thinking of the above, I’m almost inclined to agree with your suggestion.
Dumdum
@Billysees: Well your nothing if not consistent. However you ARE paraphrasing. You like all the others quote Joshua to suit your perceived agenda…….Virtually all scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed. While there is little agreement on the historicity of gospel narratives and their theological assertions of his divinity most scholars agree that Jesus was a Jewish teacher from Galilee in Roman Judaea, was baptized by John the Baptist, and was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate. Scholars have offered various portraits of Jesus, which at times share a number of overlapping attributes, such as the leader of an apocalyptic movement, Messiah, a charismatic healer, a sage and philosopher, or a social reformer who preached of the “Kingdom of God” as a means for personal and egalitarian social transformation. Scholars have correlated the New Testament accounts with non-Christian historical records to arrive at an estimated chronology of Jesus’ life.7–2 BC/BCE to 30–36 AD/CE)…..
“Jesus” is a transliteration, occurring in a number of languages and based on the Latin Iesus, of the Greek (I?soûs), itself a hellenization of the Aramaic/Hebrew ? (Y?šû?‘) which is a post-Exilic modification of the Hebrew (Y?h?šu?‘, Joshua) under influence from Aramaic. In the Quran, it is (‘?sa)…No documents written by Jesus exist, and no specific archaeological remnants are directly attributed to him……..The Mishneh Torah, an authoritative work of Jewish law, provides the last established consensus view of the Jewish community, in Hilkhot Melakhim 11:10–12 that Jesus is a “stumbling block” who makes “the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God”…….The Qur’an emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human being who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God’s message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God (shirk), emphasizing a strict notion of monotheism (tawh?d). Like all prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim (i.e., one who submits to the will of God), as he preached that his followers should adopt the “straight path” as commanded by God…..Buddhist views of Jesus differ. Some Buddhist views on Jesus including Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama[464] regard Jesus as a bodhisattva who dedicated his life to the welfare of human beings. It was recorded in 101 Zen Stories that the 14th century Zen master Gasan J?seki, on hearing some of the sayings of Jesus in the Gospels, remarked that he was “an enlightened man”, and “not far from Buddhahood”…….U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, a deist, created the Jefferson Bible, an early (but not complete) gospel harmony that included only Jesus’ ethical teachings because he did not believe in Jesus’ divinity or any of the other supernatural aspects of the Bible.
Dumdum
@Billysees: The New Testament is an anthology, a collection of Christian works written in the common Greek language of the first century, at different times by various writers, and canonically named for the early Jewish disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. In almost all Christian traditions today, the New Testament consists of 27 books. The original texts were written in the first and perhaps the second centuries of the Christian Era, most likely in Koine Greek, which was the common language of the Eastern Mediterranean from the Conquests of Alexander the Great (335–323 BC) till the evolution of Byzantine Greek (c. 600). All of the works which would eventually be incorporated into the New Testament would seem to have been written no later than around AD 150. That is one hundred and fifty years after Jesus. And you claim that a religion that is ruffly 1,862 years old is in it’s infancy?
Dumdum
@Billysees: “Jesus” is a transliteration, occurring in a number of languages and based on the Latin Iesus, of the Greek (Iesoûs), itself a Hellenization of the Aramaic/Hebrew (Yesua‘) which is a post-Exilic modification of the Hebrew (Yehosua‘, Joshua) under influence from Aramaic. In the Quran, it is (‘Tsa) How you can continue to base your beliefs on this archaic mysticism is beyond my ken. Heaven and Hell. God and Satan. These are Myths meant to be instructive about human nature. To overcome our animalistic tendencies and evolve to live in harmony and compassion with ourselves, each other, and our environment. We have failed on all counts. There is nothing in religion that promotes this level of common sense. The Abrahamic religions are a failed and flawed experiment. They will not evolve or change and will always be a source of conflict. Jews, Christians, and Muslims will always disagree. And the various denominations of Christians will never agree because THEY like YOURSELF believe that THEY are right and everyone else is wrong.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 14, “Well your…
@Dumdum: Re 15, “The New…
@Dumdum: Re 16, “Jesus” is a…
Like all of your other well presented comments from previous articles, I appreciate this learning experience from you about this subject matter. I feel like I’m back in school again. And it’s nice to feel that way for a change.
I sense an unusual thing here, and that is that you know more “academically” about the Bible than I do. My only advantage here is that I think I have a unique skill or ability to “extract” certain verses or expressions in order to make a certain point or generate a particular understanding. Our KSA’s (knowledge, skills and abilities) are complimentary.
I’ll comment on things you wrote as I’m able, then I’ll present my views.
I nearly always paraphrase cause I feel I do a pretty good job of it. I think I keep to the core meaning of the verse or expression and just jostle some words around a bit to make it sound more interesting. That can be risky of course cause what I say can be misleading. I hope that doesn’t happen.
I’m not aware that I quote Joshua at all. I don’t recall much about him. I guess I should. I’m an NT buff except for some really good verses from the OT.
I have to agree to the simplicity of the things expressed by the scholars of antiquity. That they say Jesus was a leader of an apocalyptic movement, Messiah, a charismatic healer, a sage and philosopher, or a social reformer who preached of the “Kingdom of God” as a means for personal and egalitarian social transformation can’t easily be argued against. It would be reasonable to say that he was all of those things.
Interesting quote — …The Mishneh Torah, an authoritative work of Jewish law, provides the last established consensus view of the Jewish community, in Hilkhot Melakhim 11:10–12 that Jesus is a “stumbling block” who makes “the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God”… That he was considered here as a “stumbling block” sounds like a NT comment I’ve read before.
Interesting that even though no documents written by Jesus exist and no specific archaeological remnants are directly attributed to him, that Jesus became so famous that other religious activity such as Buddhism felt compelled to mention him and say that he was “an enlightened man”, and “not far from Buddhahood”. Islam says something similar.
I’m aware of Jefferson’s Bible. Many of Jesus’ ethical teachings are impressive but probably not that different than those declared by others. However, his other words or teachings looked at closely reveal some things that are starkly different than anyone has ever spoken before. For example, his comments about “eternal life” is kind of amazing to me. How weird is that subject matter? Who is this guy who talks about that kind of subject matter?
That Jefferson didn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus doesn’t make sense to me. Assuming we believe, just for the sake of this conversation, in some kind of creator-God and that that creator-God was “NOT” involved or moving and motivating Jesus and his works seems impossible to me.
As far as the supernatural aspects or miracles of the Bible are concerned, I think they’re part of the overall landscape of Jesus and his existence. They’re part of the fun and excitement of believing in a creator-God. Wouldn’t you like to walk on water or raise somebody from the dead or heal a sick and deformed body? Wouldn’t it be “absolutely” thrilling to be able to do that. What if a creator-God would bestow on us, you and me, that “ability”. I think we’d flip-out for sure…lol…..lol. We could set up a come-and-see business somewhere and charge folks to watch our “walking on water” ability. And we’d make a small fortune too.
Jesus remarked one time, “unless you become converted and become like a little child, you won’t be able to appreciate some of the things I speak of”. You know how easily children believe just about anything you tell them. Well, that’s sort of the way we’re supposed to consider him and his words and his deeds. It sounds screwy in a sense but not impossible to grasp, even just a little bit.
CONTINUED
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 14, “Well your…
@Dumdum: Re 15, “The New…
@Dumdum: Re 16, “Jesus” is a…
CONTINUED from No. 17
Before I continue, I wanna say a couple more things about “miracles”.
I have a question to present to you —
Wouldn’t you like to have the power or ability to heal sick people?
Walk on water?
Raise somebody from the dead?
And if you had that power, where would you imagine it came from?
Just askin’…lol.
“And you claim that a religion that is ruffly 1,862 years old is in it’s infancy?”
I still feel that way.
My reasons are my own perceptions.
Most of the time, I perceive that “ever-so-slowly” life in this world is getting better for more and more of its inhabitants, but again, ever-so-slowly.
Because of people like Jesus and other mature religious activity like Buddhism for example, their messages are to make life more “bearable and better” every day.
And there are other great works and deeds in this world also.
Consequences of mature religious influences I think.
And as I’ve said before, is there really any difference between the religious and the secular?
I think they are one and the same.
Religion says to pray for healing.
The secular says go to a doctor if your sick.
I believe in both approaches. They’re both valid.
They both help make things “bearable and better” also.
“ahimsa” made this comment from October 25th here at Queerty. I copied it cause it was “important” to hear this said. It was about the future progress of the LGBT movement, but it could easily apply to the progress of the human race in general —
“My main point here is that it’s not Christianity or any single religion that will be responsible for the future progress of the LGBT movement. Rather, it is an universal, secular, progressive humanistic ethics that embraces and cherishes compassion and the equality of all human beings – regardless of whether we are Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, atheist, or agnostic.” — ahimsa
—————————————
From your 3rd comment — @Dumdum: Re 16, “Jesus” is a…
You present a good explanation why things are not gonna ever be better.
As for our efforts to improve you say, “We have failed on all counts”.
I would say your comment has some truth to it.
But what if some of this religious stuff is NOT a myth?
Then what?
What if there’s something to it, if only we could believe?
Can anything help us to believe?
Let’s enjoy what moves and motivates us and be thankful we are able to think on these matters to our own satisfaction.
Cheer…
Dumdum
@Billysees: I am glad that your faith works for you and gives you peace. You are not an angry or violent person. Now imagine your faith magnified a thousand times and you are angry and violent. You believe that your god is the only one the correct one. If you are a Jew that would be Yahweh. Muslim, Allah. You will never convince these people to even consider the idea that they are wrong. The same can be said for Christians and Catholics. The schisms that exists even within the Christian community cannot be reconciled. The Gay community can’t even get along with each other. Human nature cannot change because, You are right, I am right, Each person thinks that they are right. I have studied many cultures and one thing I can say without a doubt is the human brain forms patterns, neuropathic pathways relating to behavior and belief once established these patterns are not easy to change. Keep praying cause that is your only option if you want things to change. Personally I am rather hoping a large asteroid strikes the planet. Pretty tired of these angry greedy apes.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 19, ‘I am glad…
I’m glad my creator-God-Jesus-friend enables me to enjoy a reasonable amount of peace and happiness in my life also. Anger and violence are not a part of the life of this Jesus the world knows about. He was a “turn-the-other-cheek kind of guy.
I sense that “my god”, as you would say, provides us with some great advice on how and what to think and do about living in this world of ours.
He does NOT exclude the works and deeds of other predecessor religious folks. I mentioned once before that this “spirit of god” or “enabler of things”, that has been working in the world since the beginning, also made possible all of the previous religious activity such as Buddhism.
When he came into the world and grew is stature and wisdom, he merely “repackaged” and “redefined” names and definitions to suit the religiosity of the times he lived in.
Why and how he became the “greatest known” of all the religious leaders is for history and Anthropology to decide.
“Human nature cannot change because…” you say. Some things can change for the better.
“Keep praying cause that is your only option if you want things to change” you say. Praying just gives me hope about certain things. Prayer is just “asking” for good things to happen in my life. I’ve got little to complain about and I think or believe that prayer may have made that happen. I don’t know for sure.
I would imagine that as an Anthropologist you studied hard in school, so I would guess that you also have “little to complain about”. You seem to be reasonable and sound minded. What makes you that way is probably the things you believe in. So you’ve got something to be grateful for.
“Personally I am rather hoping a large asteroid strikes the planet. Pretty tired of these angry greedy apes” you say.
OMG…WOW…WTF…and I just said you’re reasonable and sound minded.
I take that back after those silly comments……lol…….lol……lol.
Just sayin’
Peace bro…
Interested in the music I listen to as I write stuff? —
http://loudcity.com/stations/gayinternetradiolive
Cheer…
Dumdum
@Billysees: Hey the last impact worked out real good for mammals. We would not be here if the last asteroid had not struck this planet. Jews are the Triceratops, Christians the Brontosaurus, and Islam is the Tyrannosaurus. How long do you think that this planet will be able to support us? 50 years if we are smart and lucky. We humans are neither. No one wants to listen, and only a handful really care we have been trying to tell people for years that we must look to the future. Now we are screwed. You better pray we have a sudden mass extinction, because the alternative is too horrific to imagine.
Dumdum
@Billysees: Bye the way it is 71 degrees outside. Dec 1st 2012. And I do not live in the south west. Last year it was freezing here.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 21, “Hey the last…
I hear what your saying. It makes a certain amount of sense too.
My favorite and most respected of all writers, Bruce Barton of “The Man Nobody Knows” fame, once wrote —
“We’re all in the same boat destined in the end to sink.”
What did Jesus say? —
“I am with you even until the end of the age”.
I guess the “end of the age” means the end of time as we know it.
Nevertheless,
Cheer to us all, especially this Christmas season with a Democrat in the White House.
Lol…lol.
Dumdum
@Billysees: I voted for Jill Stein Green Party. But at least we got the lesser of two evils, I hope. I really don’t know what Jesus said cause I wasn’t there. I am however quite aware of what others said he said. I really am not one for gossip. The Chinese have a saying for the new year. May you receive the blessings of many happiness. That is the closest English translation. Queerty won’t print the Cantonese version it is really quite lovely. Peace Bro.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 22, “Bye the way…
You live in Oklahoma, don’t you?
Is this you? —
http://www.plusgay.net/p/member.cgi?dcb=www.plusgay.net&mid=8444286_26346
I sort of remember your giving some advice here on Queerty a while back on how to cook some delicious pork roast.
And that site does quote you saying your a great cook.
Pork roast sounds great. When can I come on over?
Lol…lol
Dumdum
@Billysees: That was a lousy picture color me really embarrassed. I can’t remove myself from that site. Holy crap!!!
Billysees
@Dumdum:
I’m not on any of those sites but did consider it at one time.
But your cooking some roast pork sounds great. I love pork dishes.
I got some pork and sauerkraut yesterday at a Mars Store near where I live.
They have a “hot bar” I use often and the food isn’t bad at all.
Dumdum
@Billysees: I have been in Oklahoma City since Feb. 2012 have met no one and felt invisible went I went dancing. I am really 52 and have a Bachelor of Science from UCSF. I came here to care for my Aunt Josephine. Who is 92.
Billysees
@Dumdum:
I love dancing. And dancing music like techno stuff.
There was (still is?) a great gay bar scene here in my home town of Baltimore.
http://baltimore.gaycities.com/bars/
I don’t go to the bars anymore, but wish I was younger so I could recover, once again, the “good old days” of Saturday nights at The Hippo.
Good for you to care for your 92 year old Aunt. Bet she’s got some interesting stories to tell about life.
I’m gonna break away now cause it’s gonna get near 65 degrees here today and tomorrow and I wanna prepare and put up a little 2 foot Christmas tree I bought at Walmart the other day. Put it on my porch.
I used to put lights around this beautiful Eastern Redbud I planted some years ago in my front yard, but the labor became too much for me.
Till again,
Cheer…
Billysees
@Dumdum: 28
Hey Dumdum,
I sincerely apologize for revealing something that is undoubtedly personal and private to you on this website (i.e. 26). In the conversation, I had simply forgotten about the public access to what is written here.
Got some pulled barbecue pork yesterday at the store again. $6.00 a pound.
I love pork.
When my folks were still alive, we used to always have a “sugar cured” ham around the holidays. I think that’s what they called it. It was a huge ham and I remember that I had to help my dad cut the end off so it could fit in the big pot my mom used.
It was a “COMPLETELY DELICIOUS” ham with a different and much better flavor that other hams.
Don’t know where the word sugar comes from. But it’s a very salty ham that needs to be soaked in water for a day or two to reduce the salt content.
Me-oh-my, my memory is being stirred up just thinkin’ about it.
I’d love to go back to those good old days again. I’m no cook whatsoever and must rely on store bought “home style” cooking if they have it, such as that hot bar.
For your interest, type in Billysees in your Facebook search engine and that’ll get you to my page. It’s only a bio of me. I have many more items and photos and descriptions to add.
Cheer…
Billysees
@Dumdum: 24
I just read a bit about Jill Stein at Wikipedia….interesting….but I prefer Democrats and Democrats only. I guess I’ve got a one-track-mind…..so be it.
If it was gossip, then they did a pretty good job and included much detail.
“May you receive the blessings of many happiness”.
That’s a warm and friendly saying by the Chinese.