I have written twice before (most recently here) about the decision of St. John Lutheran Church in Roanoke, Virginia, to leave the ELCA. Among other things, my remarks included my suspicions - based on quoted statements of the pastor and assistant pastor - that the pastors might have led the charge for the parish to take the drastic action it took. In fact, I referenced the associate pastor, Elijah Mwitanti's African background (he is a native of Zambia and in his own words submitted to God's voice of salvation at age 15) which apparently ticked off an anonymous reader. This commenter implied that I, not the homophobes at St. John's, was the one who is bigoted because I had mentioned Africa. The sad truth is that something horrible is going on in East Africa where alleged Christian clergy are whipping up an atmosphere that encourages genocide against LGBT individuals. If Pastor Mwitanti's comments sound identical to some of the statements being heard in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and other East African countries, the fault lies with Pastor Mwitanti, not this writer who merely calls a spade a spade. Personally, I find it very disturbing that the poison swirling around East Africa is being imported to the USA by clergy like Mwitanti. Just today, the Nation has carried a story about gays having to be saved from a mob that sought to physically harm them. Here are some highlights:*
Police intervened as dozens of Christian and Muslim youth stormed the apartment where three men — including the gay couple — had been putting up, intent on flushing them out to stop the wedding. They arrested five suspected homosexuals, including two who were rescued from youths baying for their blood but the local police chief later said no charges would be preferred.
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“I sent Mtwapa OCS to rescue them from angry residents baying for their blood because they were trying to conduct that marriage between men,” said Kilifi police chief Grace Kakai. The wedding between two men had been scheduled to take place at a private villa. But the protesting youth, banded together under the banner of the so-called Operation Gays Out, were not done yet.
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They went to the Kenya Medical Research Institute at Mtwapa claiming the institute was harbouring yet another gay man. The local station commander and a contingent of police officers calmed the angry youth who were preparing to storm the institute. Guards at Kemri refused to open the gate, fearing for their lives.
*
Women who were among protesting locals, yelled at the top of their voices and called for an operation to flush out lesbians also claimed to be living among locals. “God created men to provide sexual pleasure to us (women). What will happen now that they have turned to each other? Who will marry our daughters,” shouted a woman. A frightened Kemri employee told reporters that the centre was conducting an international science research project but she declined to elaborate.
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Rueters has some additional coverage here. If this violent homophobia is what break away Lutheran and Episcopal parishes want to align themselves with, obviously the choice is theirs. It is likewise my prerogative to call them out for their sick, un-Christian mindset and behavior.
Police intervened as dozens of Christian and Muslim youth stormed the apartment where three men — including the gay couple — had been putting up, intent on flushing them out to stop the wedding. They arrested five suspected homosexuals, including two who were rescued from youths baying for their blood but the local police chief later said no charges would be preferred.
*
“I sent Mtwapa OCS to rescue them from angry residents baying for their blood because they were trying to conduct that marriage between men,” said Kilifi police chief Grace Kakai. The wedding between two men had been scheduled to take place at a private villa. But the protesting youth, banded together under the banner of the so-called Operation Gays Out, were not done yet.
*
They went to the Kenya Medical Research Institute at Mtwapa claiming the institute was harbouring yet another gay man. The local station commander and a contingent of police officers calmed the angry youth who were preparing to storm the institute. Guards at Kemri refused to open the gate, fearing for their lives.
*
Women who were among protesting locals, yelled at the top of their voices and called for an operation to flush out lesbians also claimed to be living among locals. “God created men to provide sexual pleasure to us (women). What will happen now that they have turned to each other? Who will marry our daughters,” shouted a woman. A frightened Kemri employee told reporters that the centre was conducting an international science research project but she declined to elaborate.
*
Rueters has some additional coverage here. If this violent homophobia is what break away Lutheran and Episcopal parishes want to align themselves with, obviously the choice is theirs. It is likewise my prerogative to call them out for their sick, un-Christian mindset and behavior.
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