How disturbing. I'd like to see an effort made to get Davis out of the country. His enemies admit they're threatening him, and they've tracked him down.

They also mention what their criminal plan is. Davis is in danger. Who can help?

To the author of the hatemail,

Your dangerous writing and possible acting-out I believe is instigated from REAL public hate speeches that inspire violence and are often preached by +Akinola and his accomplices at the Anglican Church Province of Nigeria!

Here are a couple of examples of the despicable hatemongering public pronouncements from the lips of +Akinola that may cause crimes of HATE:

"Homosexuality and lesbianism thrives on many sexual aberrations and improvisations typical of human selfishness and greed in the name of pleasure and self-actualization."

and

"Homosexuality and lesbianism, like divorce, breed a society of single parents which gives rise to a generation of bastards. And in the context of much poverty and lack of education, this further produces an ill-bred generation of hooligans, portending much terror to the peace and stability of the society."

Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola, Primate of Nigeria

Do not presume this came from the church or church authorities. They have probably had enough legal advice to know that such a thing is extremely foolish. Davis is dealing with a "stalker" situation which could easily be a few private but fervant individuals.

Their comments about Davis being in the wilderness can actually be flattering. Hoseea 2 is worth a read. God being very angry with his wife for lewdness and Baal sacrifices and expelling her. 2:10 "So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands." Because 2:13 "I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,” declares the LORD."

Then, when she has been completely humiliated and God has demonstrated that no one will come to help her, God promises to redeem her himself. The emphasis then shifts: 2:14-15 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt."

What is important is that a critical mass of souls are choosing to leave the "comfort" of sponsored paradigms because they have come to realise they ignore the plight of the outcastes and poor, and are innately selfish and cruel. Those souls will go into the wilderness to tend to those who have been rejected and lost and wonder if they will survive. There are no guarantees of safety Revelation 13:10 "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints."

But there will be redemption for those who repent and eschew institionalised sacrificial thinking and violence. (Whether the sacrifices being a dismissing of others' poverty and suffering, needless deaths, or genocide of people or ecosystems).

heavy heart
feel powerless

wish him well -will such thoughts reach him ?

or melt hearts of hate

This is quite appalling

What is Williams the Spineless planning to do about it?

Absolutely horrible. The last thing we need is such threats and infighting throughout the Communion. It must be hard enough to be a gay or lesbian Christian in Nigeria, thanks to the inhuman cultural norms against them and the rhetoric or Akinola and others, but this is beyond measure. Just makes you sick reading about it.

Prayers to Davis and these self-proclaimed enemies.

Cheryl Clough --

I agree that this death threat is extremely unlikely to have been initiated by anyone connected with the hierarchy, but the words and actions of the church leaders foster the climate that encourages this sort of hate crime (which is why the proposed legislation should be opposed).

Merseymike wrote. "What is Williams the Spineless planning to do about it?"

Dear Merseymike, ALL such death threats are wrong. I'd be surprised if ++Willians felt that he had to speak out about a particular case.

As all death threats are wrong, would you like to speak out against the vehemence and threats by "Gay Rights" protesters after the Lords vote in 1998 that went against lowering the age of consent for homosexual sex to 16 ? "As the Peers were leaving the House of Lords, those who voted against the Government were insulted, sneered at and received death threats." [Daily Mail, 23 July 1998]

Cynthia writes: "Do not presume this came from the church or church authorities."

Indeed, I hope not. What will be interesting is to see whether Akinola disowns it or not.

Merseymike asks: "What is Williams the Spineless planning to do about it?"

Two questions, Mike:
1. Do you have to be so constantly rude about the Archbishop?
2. What do you suggest the Archbishop should or could "do about it"?

I don't think that the people threatening Mr Mac-Iyalla would take a blind bit of notice of any godly admonition against harming him promulgated from Lambeth. I agree with Josh that Mr Mac-Iyalla might be well-advised to get out of Nigeria. If he did so, maybe the Archbishop could try to use any influence he may have with the government to get Mr Mac-Iyalla admitted to this country. (Problem here is that, if I correctly understand asylum law, a threat from private individuals, rather than the state, doesn't constitute grounds for asylum.)

Its up to the rest of us to help sponsor safety, if even that is temporarily possible. Is Mac-Iyalla willing to go into exile? Are there those of means who will help him?

On the other hand, dying while living inside a new and better paradigm is probably better for some queer folks than continuing to live in the bankrupt old frameworks. Death vs Living Death?

Alas. Lord have mercy.

Stop, please. Nutty anonymous death threats are not a basis for argument. The utterances of churchmen certainly feed a homophobic climate in many countries -- Italy and the USA spring to mind -- but it is a step too far to connect the nuts directly with the churchmen. Avoid meretricious arguments, please.

Dave recalled:
"As the Peers were leaving the House of Lords, those who voted against the Government were insulted, sneered at and received death threats." [Daily Mail, 23 July 1998]

I would want a more reliable source than the Daily Mail, whose vested interest seems to be to portray anyone 'liberal' as a threat to Western civilisation. Remember this is the paper which published the Zinoviev letter, in the full knowledge that it was a fake, because it was useful for its political agenda. Cui bono?

Changing Attitude England has been in daily contact with Davis since the emails threatening his life first arrived. I am phoning him every morning to ensure that he is still safe and alive.

Protecting Davis by getting him out of Nigeria and/or claiming asylum isn't simple or easy, as previous posts have indicated. Without revealing any details, I can assure people we are working on it.

Davis will be reading the posts on TA.

There is no proven connection between the person or persons delivering the threats and Archbishop Akinola or the hierarchy of the Church of Nigeria. I do believe, however, that those threatening Davis think they are fulfilling the work of God and of the wishes of people like Archbishop Akinola who has published such abusive statements about gay people. These statements were not redeemed by the letters issued by the Archbishop and Bishop Martyn Minns before Christmas.

There may not be a direct link, but there is a relationship. Archbishop Akinola would help diffuse the situation by issuing a statement denouncing the threats and offering protection to Davis.

Yes, I would condemn all death threats. You must have spent a long time looking for that one in your compendium of anti-gay propaganda, Dave! 1998 and a report in the Daily Mail - is that the best you can do?

The fact is that Davis is part of the Nigerian church - a church with a leader who has made some blatantly homophobic statements. Legislation is being prepared which will, I think, mean we will see many more asylum cases of gay men from Nigeria.

Williams should be firstly, emphasising that there should be no place for death threats against gay and lesbian Christians and Anglicans. he should say that the Anglican Church condemns utterly such behaviour. He should also remind the Church of Nigeris that their support for the proposed legislation and their statements about both Davis and gay people more generally are creating and fuelling this climate.

But he won't, because he is frightened of breaking up the Communion. After all, its only one gay man, isn't it, and its SO much more important to keep the homophobes on board

He should be ashamed to want to claim 'communion' with a church as abhorrent as the Church of Nigeria. And he should be providing a positive lead in condemning their activity which fuels such actions.

These death threats are all too real and as the murder of Fannyann Eddy shows are all too frequently acted out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannyann_Eddy
Many gay and lesbian rights workers have fled to other countries, many stay and continue the work despite the ever present danger to the lives.
The complicity of religious people in their persecution, imprisonment and deaths is sadly all too true, as we can see from the Church sponsored laws in Nigeria.

This is really disturbing. I have immediately written to the e-mail address and copied Simon if he wants to make it public. The Church of Nigeria cannot support such if it is true. Having dealt with people like Davis before, I will however not believe the story. (I know most TA readers believe he must be truthful since he is gay) Since I learnt his interest is to seek asylum which was refused, I cannot but see a plot.

Here is the copy of the letter Tunde mentions above:

Dear Femi,

Our attention has been drawn to mails purportedly from your address which indicate that you are so incensed with a fellow named Davis Mac-Iyalla that you are contemplating taking the law into your own hands. This mail is an appeal to you to please reconsider such as it is not only counter- productive, it will in fact endanger your life and negatively impact on the Church our dear country. I will like you to consider the following points.

1. Two wrongs never equal to a right. Both wrongs would be judged.
2. In Nigeria, possession of acid with criminal intent is an offence punishable by law.
3. Just this week a self- styled 'pastor' was sentenced to death by hanging for murder in Lagos. I learnt 'pastor' King was 'trying to instill discipline in some erring members'. This is a lesson for all.
4. Your name 'Femi' means someone loves you in spite of your own inadequacies. Try to show such love to others.
5 If you are a Christian, I'd like you to read John 8: 1- 11. You will see the example of Jesus who while emphasizing the woman's need to repent refuse to condemn.
6. The man Davis in our own findings is a con-man who you do not need to worry about even if he is gay. Issuing threats to him can only result in the increase of funds to him from unsuspecting sympathizers as well as help him in his goal of seeking asylum outside Nigeria.
7. You will do a lot more good to Nigerian youths by joining or organizing the 'ZIP-UP' group in your community, school or religious organization. We need more youths who will proudly shun sex outside of marriage.

Love is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever Truth wins out. (1 Corinth. 13. 6) Let your love conquer.

The Lord bless you and all yours

Rev. Canon AkinTunde Popoola
Church Of Nigeria Communications Department
Episcopal House,
24, Douala Street, Wuse zone5'
Abuja, Nigeria

"impact on the Church our dear country." should read

'impact on the Church AND our dear country.'

So, Tunde, whatever Davis says, he will be labelled a liar from your quarters. And this is supposed to be listening? You demonstrate so very well what is wrong with your church. I do not know if Davis is genuine or not , because I have not met him, but your attitude is repellent.

Given your support for the current legislation, you are of course enabling future asylum seekers from Nigeria to be far more successful in their claims - it is clear enough that Nigeria is not a safe place for a gay person to live, and you,, Tunde, and your Archbishop, are contributing to this atmosphere.

I am certainly not in communion with your church, and do not wish to be.

Tunde

You condemn yourself from your own mouth. I know you believe Davis must be lying since he is gay,but in spite of your half hearted statement that `the Church cannot support such if it is true', you then proceed in the email to Simon to repeat the same unsubstantiated and malicious slander against Davis alleging that he is a con man and that he has sought asylum.

I have asked you previously to produce your evidence or withdraw your allegations. It is a sin to bear false witness against your neighbour.

If you are serious about `not supporting' these threats against Davis, please post an unequivocal statement on the Church of Nigeria website condemning violence against lesbian and gay people as unchristian behaviour and dissassociating the Church from such actions.

Can you not see how your inflammatory remarks give encouragement to those who think that abusing lesbians and gay men is doing God's will?

Brenda

Tunde,
I applaud your action in writing to the person who alledgedly sent the emails. I think you should also consider however how the way in which the Church of Nigeria preaches its message about homosexuality. I am not arguing with the message itself, but with the way in which it is expressed. Surely you can see that it creates the conditions in which such a person can feel justified in doing this kind of thing.

"Having dealt with people like Davis before, I will however not believe the story."

Yeah right. I don't think he's truthful because he's gay, gay people can be just as untruthful and conniving as anyone else. I believe he is truthful because every report I have read of him indicates that he is and everything you have said about him has been either unsubstantiated or proven wrong. My acquaintance with your style of debate on these lists also gives me reason to doubt what you say. I try as well as I can to take people as they present themselves to me. You haven't done a good job in presenting yourself here, I'm afraid, Tunde.

"The man Davis in our own findings is a con-man...Issuing threats to him can only result in the increase of funds to him from unsuspecting sympathizers as well as help him in his goal of seeking asylum outside Nigeria." Tunde

My, that was unhelpful Canon Tunde. "Blessed peacemaking" is not usually done by using hatemongering, slandering and then telling unsupportable lies by smearing the potential murder victim with hate YOU enthusiastically generate!

Tunde, YOU have just driven another nail into the coffin of "Davis" by charging him as a "Con Man"....a Con Man "according to YOUR own findings." More Nigerian/Akinolan Anglican injustice "jibberish and recriminations" that will inspire outcasting, shunning and the crime of hate against Davis and other LGBT Nigerian Anglicans/Muslims, their friends and families by YOU, the Anglican Nigerian Church spokesperson.

The "ZIP-UP" program ought start by zipping up your mouth and +Akinola making a change in "leadership" at the "Communications" department.

Tunde - and others - thanks loads for taking the time to write to discourage any violence against Mac-Iyalla (or those supporting him, who will become criminals under the new pending Nigerian law?). Any support to restrain violence is welcome. No doubt about it.

I will not weigh into the fray about Mac-Iyalla's alleged character. Generally: Being straight and religious and Nigerian in itself, unfortunately, does not make you innately nothing but truthful, any more than being gay and/or irreligious makes a person nothing but untruthful. Presuming just so is a handy example of the categorical, definitional, and presuppositional hermeneutics which so often make talking together across our many sincere differences almost impossibly arch and incomprehensible.

Won't the Nigerian Anglicans joins the rest of us in further examining the possible links between homophobia - fearing to shake hands with a queer fellow is one example, and hardly the whole of the matter - and negative religious narratives about queer citizens? Ekklesia and other believer groups are planning a conference to examine just this hot topic.

See: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_061031homophobia.shtml

Good grief. Tunde is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Davis has never sought asylum anywhere Tunde, I will never believe that you are not part of this? Just listening to your self, what a shame the spokesman for the church of Nigeria responds in this way.

The threat mails are fruits of ++Akinola message and it is going to do more than threats if nothing is done.

Guys! Thanks for the compliments.
Praying God spare all our lives till the day the Truth will be revealed.

Brenda, Not because he is gay but because I have come to know how people like him operate. I learnt of the asylum issue from the grapevine but I am now sure from Colin's pleas that it is true. Colin may now wish to justify rather than continue to deny it. He may even be able to tell you how many different countries his friend has approached or how much funds he has funneled to him for meetings, transport, hospital fees, and ‘urgent needs’ in the past two years. How long that will continue I cannot say, but I am sure it will stop when lies stop and the Truth is known.

This is an example of how choosing to shun one element of humanity creates a conundrum and souls that are particularly vulnerable to predators.

One comment that everyone should be able to appreciate simply by following this thread: stalkers rely on their victims not knowing who they are. One of their joys is inciting fear in their victims and having the power to cause distress in their daily lives. Whilst the victim is unaware of who they are and how they are finding out so much about them. The next level is when the victim knows who the stalker is, but is unable to prove that it is the stalker - leaving them open to allegations of being a liar, neurotic or insane.

Having experienced both forms of stalking, the psychological dynamic and impact on the victims is the same.

Davis (and other victims), the most important thing to understand is that this is as much a psychological victory as anything else. One thing that helped me stay sane and gave me strength during two of the worst period in my life, was the knowledge that if I allowed them to taint my perspective and interactions with the rest of humanity, they had received a "bonus" victory.

Thus I continued to live as normal and interact as if nothing was a problem. My other relationships remain untainted. I could not change the damage they were doing, but I could stop them provoking me into doing more damage to myself. Thus any harm had to come from their intiative. This made me a very boring target, as I also disabled weapons as and when the opportunities came up. One perpetrator ended up completely "losing it" as they were no longer able to use the police, neighbours, council or family to "get to me".

Davis, I must also state that flight is a legitimate strategy. The only way I escaped a childhood predator was to move 2000 kms away.

Tunde

Thank you for trying to be supportive and well done for distinguishing between church and state. You are also a victim in that the perpetrators can paint that you are complicit with their actions.

That core conundrum is the reason I have chosen the third path of an inclusive shelter, even for GLBTs. There is a clear stand that violence against anyone (psychological or physical) is unacceptable and clear exhortation that all souls should be aiming for reverence in their lives. I would rather have homosexuals who are celibate or in monogamous relationships because it is the most viable social structures. But my stand with homosexuals is completely consistent with heterosexuals. I am not asking more of one group than another. Nor am I imposing, I am allowing them to voluntarily come into a reverential space.

The use of shunning or intimidation might bring people into a church or paying money, but it does not bring love from their hearts.

Plus the words of shunning and intimidation are picked up by predators who then use them to justify attacking a particular group. Again, go talk to competent criminal psychologists, many serial violent offenders have mental paradigms that justify their violence against gays, women or grandmothers...

If your church wants to help heal your community of its excessive aggression, then maybe one major thing that would help is to look at whether your theology calms things down or exacerbates by justifying violence and repression. Don't look to what "everyone" else is saying, if their advice was so good would we have the African continent being the only continent to developmentally go backwards in the last decade? Would we still be going to wars based on lies? Would we have unresolved conflicts between states? Would we have obscene disaggregation between the poor and the rich between and within nations?

Repeating the past mistakes of previous generations simply means you will continue to experience the same problems in future generations. If you want peace and wellbeing for your people, then you need to look for paradigms that willl work. That is scary, it means moving beyond being a child who copies to a teenager who chooses. The teenager who chooses to end domestic violence in their generation, to not repeat the mistakes of their parents. Their early adult hood is often harder, but when their own children reach adulthood they are grateful for those hard decisions.

I find all this and Tunde's response just deeply disturbing: character assassination first and second.

Good God.

Here we have a pattern of death threats against Davis and this post degenerates into a discussion of the policies of the Church in Nigeria.

First: protect the individual, because this is a very credible threat in a very dangerous place.

That means act, if you have any power to do so.

Tunde, thank you for your letter. Now please consider that there is much more you can do for this so-called con man, whom Jesus doesn't want murdered any more than He does a law-abiding person.

There is much more you can do.

Second (to all): Pray. Don't just "send thoughts" and hope they'll get there; pray and KNOW they'll get there - to the ear of God.

Third: Stay informed. Question everything and everyone; think for yourself. Evaluate Davis on whether you believe he speaks the truth or not, and whether he acts in accord with his beliefs; evaluate everyone that way.

Then return to 1, 2 and 3: Act, pray and listen.

I pray for Davis, Tunde, the Church and the criminals.

That's not the issue, Tunde.

I haven't a clue about his honesty because, as I have said, I haven't met him.

But I do know that your attitudes are unhelpful.

Tunde has demonstrated that the Church of Nigeria does not support violence against gays or against gay rights campaigners - by publically rebuking the person who issued threats to stop, and telling them why !

I would now like to see some public statements from Colin Coward and Martin Reynolds acknowledging that, thanking the Church of Nigeria for it's swift and supportive action, and clearly expressing regret for their previous statements - which infered that the ++Akinola, or the church, was supportive of such violence!

Prayers for Davis' *safety*, and for Tunde's *change of heart*.

For that matter:

Lord, make ALL of our hearts more like Yours!

"Williams should be firstly, emphasising that there should be no place for death threats against gay and lesbian Christians and Anglicans. he should say that the Anglican Church condemns utterly such behaviour."

But note that Canon Tunde of Nigeria has already condemned it utterly. If R Williams were to say what you recomment he would be implying that Nigerian churchmen are not able to say it for themselves, which would be an outrageous allegation. Unlike the Pope, Abp Williams does not have direct jurisdiction over all the clergy in the worldwide communion and even the Pope would be very loth to practice such direct intervention, undercutting local leadership.

"He should also remind the Church of Nigeria that their support for the proposed legislation and their statements about both Davis and gay people more generally are creating and fuelling this climate."

Well, he has dropped public hints to such effect here and there and no doubt has spoken directly in private to the churchmen concerned. He has also affirmed again and again the other plank of what was agreed at Lambeth 1998 about listening to gays etc. Should he say something more pointed, direct, blatant? Perhaps it would be enough if he made a general declaration about the incompatibility of vicious antigay legislation and the Gospel as understood in the Anglican Communion today -- without descending to a dogfight with Akinola (who is not one to put up mildly with rebukes, I imagine).

Canon Tunde,

I am not seeking any asylum and do not intend to do so as long as that bill to ban same sex relationships is not passed yet in nigeria. But I will keep speaking against it because it will make me and all nigerian LGBTS an outcast if it becomes a law in nigeria.

You take the threat to my life as untrue because I will not give heed to your advice to stop CAN or deny my sexuality. You have been accusing and making false allegations about me calling me names to rubbish my image and constantly exposing me to more dangers.

Yes with time the truth will come out that I am innocent of all your allegations but till them I will keep walking,talking and showing the world that we Nigerian LGBT Anglican are faithful and committed members of the church of nigeria and we are real and do exist.

My supporters are not fools as you think, they investigate and are very satisfied about me and my work as the leader of Changing Attitude Nigeria that is why they have not given heed to your malicious comments. Our friends and supporters are increasing everyday not just because we are nigerian LGBT Christian but because we are honest and transparent.

My God will surely protect me to carry this new message of love and inclusion of LGBT members in the church of nigeria that which you will never like to hear.

Many thanks to all those who have been sending words of support and encouragements.

Tunde, this is a very difficult comment to write. Right now, 8.00am UK time, I feel huge despair and anger having read your posts to this thread.

I have met Davis and he has met me. We honour each other as committed Christians and faithful Anglicans who both happen to be gay. We were born gay - by God's grace we both became Christians.

At the end of 2005 you published a statement making allegations against Davis, the majority of which we have proved to be false. You have never produced a single piece of evidence to substantiate your allegations. As this story unfolds, more people around the world will make a judgement about who is telling the truth and who is lying. It is a tragedy for Christian mission that you are engaged in making false accusations against another Christian, and a tragedy that in your role, your are undermining the integrity of the Church of Nigeria.

You have now repeated the allegations: Davis "is a con-man" who may not even be gay. Tunde, I am telling you truth: Davis is not a con man. Davis is gay.

Because you have "dealt with people like Davis before", you won't believe his story.

Because he is gay, you assume TA readers will simplistically believe he telling the truth. TA readers are intelligent. They can assess where truth and falsehood lies, Tunde.

Davis has not sought asylum anywhere. Therefore he has not been refused asylum. There is no plot.

Davis has been refused visas to certain countries. I have advised him NOT to seek asylum. I review this advice daily in the current circumstances.

You imply that I am gullible, Davis is a liar, and none of what is happening is true.

You are increasing the risk on Davis's life. I ask you again, as Brenda has above, to issue an unequivocal statement on the Church of Nigeria website condemning violence against lesbian and gay people as unchristian behaviour and disassociating the Church from such actions.

You are showing the world-wide church, Bishop Martyn Minns and your congregations in CANA, the Primates, bishops and lay people of our Communion, and people of other faiths and none, how un-Christian the Church of Nigeria can be at times, denying the truth of the witness of gay and lesbian Christians and increasing the threat to Davis's life.

I ask you now to stop attacking and undermining Davis, and take action to protect his life.

Davis,

Peace to you. I never told you to stop CAN. Most Christians in Nigeria know that stands for Christian Association of Nigeria which is currently headed by Abp. Akinola. I did not even tell you to stop your CA group activities since you and I know most are unreal. What I told you to stop was your dubious ways. Why would I be so insulting?

You claimed to be a knight of Otukpo Diocese. The Bishop said he has never met anyone so named. In Otukpo, everyone including those you displayed having photographs with you debunked your knighthood and instead gave me stories and documents including a police report that you made away with money after a short spell in which you virtually duped a dying bishop and took over every function that had to do with money. My initial interest was to get you sort out what might have been a misunderstanding in Otukpo but you refused to contact the bishop or any of officials to clear your name. Why?

I tried to contact you and your UK friend privately but that was misconstrued. Efforts to warn others were termed to be slander and you were emboldened to claim more untruths. You even displayed a card implying your membership of an Abuja church with a Priest who was working in the same office block as myself. Of course he also never met you and no one in the church could identify you from the internet pictures or name. How did you ‘buy’ the card and why?

Dear Davis, my major concern for you is the salvation of your soul. You cannot thrive on lies for long. Just as you fear going to Otukpo where the truth about you is known (Nobody there knew you are gay so that is not the basis of your fear) someday, you will be ashamed to even face those now supporting you except you repent of all these dubious ways. Why am I concerned? You claim to be an Anglican who is so close to the Alter but displaying pranks which bring to mind Eli’s sons.

I am still praying for you.

P.S. Davis

The only thing that can change my mind about you is for the Diocese of Otukpo (which you claimed you represented) to issue a clearance on you. For now what they have is a police report. You can phone the Bishop or the office (numbers on the web) to clear yourself if you cannot go there physically.

Clear yourself of the scams and I’d issue a loud APOLOGY even if you are a gay campaigner.

Canon Tunde,

To put it mildly your post and comments stinks,

I repeat all your allegations against me are false, i have in the past spent time and energy revealing my truth and honesty to you but you have made your mind not to believe me maybe because i am gay. It is now your turn to make those documents you have in your possession public to support your allegations.

There is no new tactics that you will use that can implicate me because i am innocent and honest with my work to late +ugede and the church of nigeria. Those who have links to nigeria are investigating things and it is becoming more clearer that you are the one telling the lies to destroy me.

It is you who need salvation becouse i know it is never sinful to be gay, you are only embarrassing your self and the nigerian church.

Do you now agree that i am not seeking asylum and that you have been lying to the world about me ?

You think you are making life and things difficult for me but in real sense you are exposing your homophobic attitude to the world.

I stand to hear new false allegations against me and not those old stuffs that i have replied to some mouths back.

Changing Attitude Nigeria is the (CAN) that i am referring to of which i am the leader. And not ++Akinola get it right.

Tunde wrote: "Dear Femi, Our attention has been drawn to mails purportedly from your address which indicate that you are so incensed with a fellow named Davis Mac-Iyalla that you are contemplating taking the law into your own hands. This mail is an appeal to you to please reconsider such as..." "1. Two wrongs never equal to a right. Both wrongs would be judged. etc"

Colin Coward wrote: "Tunde... I feel huge despair and anger having read your posts to this thread."

Dear Colin, aren't you reacting more against what you *fear* the Church of Nigeria is like, rather than how they are actually behaving! You have failed to acknowledge any thanks to them for their statement, or to express any regret for your previous inferences against them.

Tunde ; I don't care about any of that. Have your spats with fellow members of your church in private

What I do care about is that you have failed, utterly to do what is needed to prevent these sort of threats. You support homophobia, not only in your Church, but in the laws of your State. Your so-called condemnation is full of caveats and is as two faced and dishonest as I would expect.

You are a homophobe and a hate-monger, and if anything happens to Davis or any other gay man or lesbian in Nigeria, it is you and your Archbishop who have blood on your hands.

You are both as good as murderers.

Neil Barber wrote: “Good grief. Tunde is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.”

Well Neil Barber, if Tunde does not believe this death threat to be factual, why ever does he write an e-mail to its supposed sender?

Can you – or Tunde – explain to me?

Dave wrote: “Tunde has demonstrated that the Church of Nigeria does not support violence against gays or against gay rights campaigners – by publicly rebuking the person who issued threats to stop…”

No dear Dave, he hasn’t. He sent a private e-mail to a (fake?) address. That is not “publicly” anything.

Dave wrote: “… and telling them why !”

No, again dear Dave, he didn’t. Tunde said Mr Mac-Iyalla was “a con man” and that he knew his “sort”.

That is rather the opposite.

Dave wrote: “I would now like to see some public statements from Colin Coward and Martin Reynolds acknowledging that, thanking the Church of Nigeria for it's swift and supportive action, and clearly expressing regret for their previous statements – which inferred that the ++Akinola, or the church, was supportive of such violence!”

Sorry Dave, there are no grounds for such a statement – longed for to be sure – before the Church of Nigeria, its Primate, bishops and spokespersons actually do some “swift and supportive” action and clearly express regret for their previous statements.

The impression up to date is that they do indeed support this kind of thing by their public proclamations, interviews and not least the proposed legislation.

Goran, I think you prove my point. When I read all the comments that predictably just rush to dismiss and discredit and attack the Church of Nigeria no matter what they do, I am deeply saddened. It is certainly not thinking Anglicanism and I wonder how it can be squared with anything remotely Christian.

Dave, we have never met but I read your comments on TA and form an impression of your attitudes and stance towards LGBT people and Christianity. We are brothers in our Church under God, whatever our differences might be on particular issues. You have integrity and I have integrity, and so do Tunde and Archbishop Akinola and the Church of Nigeria. We are all members of the Anglican Communion and I respect and honour our one-ness in Christ, heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered.

You wrote: "Tunde has demonstrated that the Church of Nigeria does not support violence against gays or against gay rights campaigners - by publically rebuking the person who issued threats to stop, and telling them why!"

Tunde's words to Femi were "an appeal to reconsider." This is not a clear condemnation of the threatened action, nor a categorical demand that Femi should not attack Davis or any gay or lesbian Nigerian. Neither has Tunde done this publicly. He sent a copy of his email to Simon and Simon posted it on this thread. I am asking for a categorical statement in the public realm that sends a clear and unequivocal message.

Tunde’s messages on this thread are equivocal, because he immediately makes accusations against Davis of lying and dishonesty and has now repeated the false allegations he made in December 2005.

Dave, I cannot therefore, as you ask, make a public statement “…acknowledging that, thanking the Church of Nigeria for it's swift and supportive action, and clearly expressing regret for their previous statements - which infered that the ++Akinola, or the church, was supportive of such violence” because Tunde has not yet taken such action nor clearly expressed regret for previous statements. I have just read through everything Tunde has written on this thread, and I can’t see where he has done what you say he has.

What he has done at length is repeat his previous unsubstantiated allegations and said that the story is not true, he cannot believe it, it is a plot, Davis is a con man, I have been duped and Changing Attitude Nigeria activities are unreal.

I believe it is very important in our debate in the Anglican Communion that we strive to be accurate and honest at all times and respect one another’s integrity and our membership together in the Anglican Church, you, Tunde, ++Akinola, me and Davis.

Sorry Neil, I am Church of Sweden, not Anglican.

I don't have to be "polite" in the face of oppression and politicking.

Tunde,

Josh wrote above that there is much more you can do. I, predictably, agree. There are a number of things you could do, you personally and the Church of Nigeria, to ensure Davis is protected, in addition to posting a public statement on the Church of Nigeria web site.

As well as criticising the Episcopal Church of the USA, the Church of Canada and the Church of England for variously ordaining and consecrating lesbian and gay people, and blessing relationships, as referred to in the Windsor Report, paragraphs 144 and 145, you could also take action on paragraph 146, which reminds “all in the Communion that Lambeth Resolution 1.10 calls for the ongoing process of listening and discernment, and that Christians of good will need to be prepared to engage honestly and frankly with each other on issues relating to human sexuality. It is vital that the Communion establish processes and structures to facilitate ongoing discussion. ..it has to be recognised that debate on this issue cannot be closed whilst sincerely but radically different positions continue to be held across the Communion.”

Davis and I and many thousands of others are committed to honest and frank engagement and the establishment of processes and structures to facilitate discussion. This would mean an end to comments that make accusations against Davis and instead, the laying of foundations that persuade members of Changing Attitude Nigeria in their own parishes and dioceses that the context for safe and respectful listening is being created.

Windsor 146 shows that the process should be open, the issue is unresolved, and our differences to be respected. This is impossible to achieve when one of the few openly gay Nigerians is being subjected to death threats and his honesty doubted by the church.

Postings on this TA thread are no substitute for proper engagement within the structures and mechanisms of the Church. Changing Attitude England and Nigeria are fully committed to this process. I have not yet seen any such commitment from the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

There has to be a 100% commitment from everyone in the Communion to the protection of the lives of LGBT people and to the listening process. If any of us are partial in our response to Windsor, we are not respecting the authority of the report or of the Instruments of Unity. To be committed 100% to the integrity and place of LGBT people in the Communion will mean a change of attitude and a commitment to positive change and practical action. In the case of Nigeria this would mean reversing support for the proposed bill and active opposition to it.

“Peace comes when you heal rather than judge".

Alice Miller's works e.g. "Banished Knowledge" are excellent. One relevant insight she shares is that the Freudian model of seeking full healing by full memory recovery and reconciliation between victims and perpetrators is flawed.

Two condundrums often make it impossible. Firstly, there is an assumption that everything has been recalled. Miller cites that many crimes of violence arise when a victim recalls another violation after they are meant to be "fully healed" and they therefore they act out their anger in the worst possible way. Secondly, there is an assumption that the perpetrators can and do feel remorse. A sociopath can pretend to care but it is camoflauge to hide the emptiness in their soul.

Thus the expression "physician heal thyself". It is wiser to not rely on the healing of the other to move forward in one's own healing.

Parties have been painted as scoundrels and there is probably some "group think" going on with some people believing the stories more than their own memories. In some ways this whole matter reminds me of the book of Job.

Davis should work to be "above reproach" from this point forward in his life. He will need to work out where he will be able to live and how.

The other people will continue as they are. They have no internal dissonance that what they have done is cruel or wrong. They genuinely believe they are the guardians of holiness and no amount of evidence to the contrary will be listened to at this time.

All we can do is work where souls will listen and respond. God willing, communities and nations will rise above domestic abuse, rejection of children and complacency or indifference to poverty and violence. Societies that continue to have problems of inter- conflicts and aggession will become distinguished from those who are finding solutions. Eventually the pennies will drop that they need to explore their underlying paradigms (including theology). If nothing else, others will ask how come community A is healing and community B is getting worse. Sensible souls will choose to emulate community A and move away from the aggression and selfishness of community B.

Goran, I think you prove my point. When I read all the comments that predictably just rush to dismiss and discredit and attack the Church of Nigeria no matter what they do, I am deeply saddened. It is certainly not thinking Anglicanism and I wonder how it can be squared with anything remotely Christian.

Posted by: Neil Barber on Sunday, 14 January 2007 at 12:53am GMT

Neil the Church of Nigeria - as it is experienced by me in the UK -- isn't REMOTELY Christian.

It seems to lack the values of paganism too.

It does look to me as if Nigerian churchmen have kept up a relentless smear campaign against CAN.

I am afraid that the language of Lambeth/Windsor will be totally incomprehensible to people entrenched in homophobia: “Christians of good will need to be prepared to engage honestly and frankly with each other on issues relating to human sexuality. It is vital that the Communion establish processes and structures to facilitate ongoing discussion. ..it has to be recognised that debate on this issue cannot be closed whilst sincerely but radically different positions continue to be held across the Communion.”I note that in other churches debate on the issue is closed or has never been opened, and obviously this is the way the Nigerian churchmen would want it to. Akinola actually sees himself as God's man to save the northern hemisphere church from apostasy on this topic. I wonder how much will be left of Anglican open-mindedness when this process has played itself out.

It should perhaps be added, that life's lesson is that slander never seems to have anything to do with the person or whatever slandered, but to have all to do with the slanderers.

Dave,
Hypothetical exercise in empathy:

A bishop condemns Evangelicalism in the strongest possible terms.
a) He claims they are misguided sinners who have no understanding of the Christian faith and will go to Hell if they do not repent of their apostasy.
b) He accuses them of deluding others into their belief system, and of using threats to make people comply with their beliefs.
c) He claims they are politically working to have the ear of government and have their particular religious beliefs influence public policy on everything from social welfare to international affairs and of fostering war in the Middle East.

He uses your name as an exemplar of what he's talking about. Then some looney radical 20 year old decides he's going to send you death threats. He obviously knows where you live. You confront the bishop with this, and claim that his vehement preaching has helped create the conditions whereby you must now fear for your life. He sends an email to the address from which the death threat came and posts it on an Internet discussion board. Is this enough for you? Do you seriously think the bishop has any understanding of the role he has played in your current predicament? How do you react to demands for gratitude for his "public" rebuke of the person who has threatened you?

BTW, "a" could be construed from what was, or in some cases still is, doctrine in some Churches,
"b" is my personal experience growing up around Evangelicals, and "c" is a fact of American politics.