The good archbishop needs to learn that the first thing to do to get out of a deep hole is to stop digging.

"some of them were drug addicts, who could kill anybody."

And some of them are saints who live the Gospel far better than he does. And the Daily Monitor piece?!?!?!?! Thing is, I remember some Conservatives on this site referring to +Orombi as "a Godly man". Anyone want to claim that what is reported in New Vision and the Daily Monitor constitute Godliness? But of course there will be the protestations: "the papers take things out of context", though how the above statement, to cite one of many, could be made Godly in any context is beyond me, "he didn't actually SAY this", though what is reported of his "clarification", if true, shows pretty clearly that he still has the image of the enemy at the gates, the myth of being under attack is so powerful. And while accusations of a hostile press might be valid in a Western context, the two Press reports we have are obviously not in any way hostile to him, but at least are in agreement with him, and seem unlikely to misrepresent him to smear him which is more than the way he treats gay people. I doubt the majority of the African Press is as hostile to conservatives as they feel the Western Press is, honestly. They still have the respect for authority that we, rightly or wrongly, have lost, and their society is more conservative.

Regarding +Ssenyonjo; he has NOT been formally invited to the Lambeth Conference:

UGANDA: Ssenyonjo not invited to the Lambeth Conference

11th July 2008

The Archbishop of Canterbury's office has confirmed that Christopher Ssenyonjo, the second Bishop of West Buganda Diocese, has not been invited to the Lambeth Conference of Bishops.

Christopher Ssenyonjo will not be seated with Bishops at the Lambeth Conference, and will not participate in the deliberations during the Conference, as reported in the New Vision on 7th July.

Church of Uganda Provincial Secretary, Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye, said, "We can only conclude that Christopher Ssenyonjo was invited by one of the gay lobby groups to be part of their demonstrations. He would, after all, need a letter of invitation from someone to get a UK visa."

The Church of Uganda has also received confirmation that Christopher Ssenyonjo is being funded for his trip by Integrity USA, an American gay lobby group.

Christopher Ssenyonjo was defrocked as a Bishop on 17th January 2007 for fraudulently consecrating another bishop. He is no longer entitled to function as a Bishop in the Church of Uganda nor is he entitled to represent the Church of Uganda in any way.

END

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8603

I'm sorry, unless Orombi is claiming that the reporter got all of his quotes wrong--and he doesn't make that claim here--that is not at ALL what he said. If he is incapable of saying what he actually means (and I don't believe that for a moment), then perhaps he should stop speaking for attribution.

As for his new statements--whence comes this belief that gays are some massive world-wide conspiracy or cabal? Has Orombi been reading too much Ian Fleming? Or comic books? Does he think there is some queer version of Blofeld or Doctor Doom (or maybe Doctor Evil) out to take over the world?

This is a clarification? (Note: it's not an apology.) To add insult to injury, so now queers are drug addicts, too?

I suppose there are no straight drug addicts in the church capable of killing anybody?

Well, that's all clear then.....

"whence comes this belief that gays are some massive world-wide conspiracy or cabal?"

It's the persecution myth. Gays are in cahoots with liberals, united by their shared desire to usurp the Gospel and replace it with a message of "I'm ok, you're ok". They do this by oppressing the faithful remnant.

The GAFCON crowd are acting more and more like ecclesiastical Keystone Kops by the minute.

The main problem is that they are two different factions joined together - badly. The African (and other developing world) conservatives believe that no-one has a homosexual orientation, homosexuality is something you can be converted to, or bribed into. In their lexicon, 'homosexual' means someone who commits homosexual acts. Also, for them calling for the prosecution of LGBTI people is no sin, nor is acquiescing in their rape or murder.

The First World conservatives have a softer line. They too believe homosexual acts are a sin, but they accept that homosexuality is an orientation. Those who have that orientation are supposedly 'called to celibacy'. If they act on that orientation, then in the First Worlders' view they are sinners, but sinners who should be treated with love, hence ++Jensen condemning homophobic violence at GAFCON in Jerusalem.

These are discordant voices. Each group needs the other. The Developing World provides numbers (and thus credibility and legitimacy, 'the Anglican centre has shifted etc etc etc'). The First World provides money, and spin-doctoring.

Hence every now and then Orombi, or the daddy of them all ++ Akinola, will say something horribly homophobic, and will then claim (when the First World paymasters have spoken to them, maybe?) that they were misquoted.

This would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.

Orombi clearly needs our prayers. The evidence that he needs healing from his mental, um, "issues", are too compelling to ignore. :-(

O Great Physician Jesus, look with mercy on your child Henry Luke...

"whence comes this belief that gays are some massive world-wide conspiracy or cabal?"

It's the persecution myth."

Did anyone see the photo of Davis Mac-Iyalla, Sir Ian Mac-Kellen and Peter Tatchell at last week's Gay Pride London? On Mad Priest someone added a caption: Who's brought the agenda?

"It's the persecution myth. Gays are in cahoots with liberals, united by their shared desire to usurp the Gospel and replace it with a message of "I'm ok, you're ok". They do this by oppressing the faithful remnant."

Somedays I wonder that the conspiracy theory does not expand to include communists, Jews, international banks, the United Nations, the CIA and space aliens.

Couldn't resist posting this news story from New Vision :-)

"Prayers at Adalafu Church of Uganda in Arua district came to a premature end on Sunday when two pastors fought over who was to preside over the Holy Communion session.

The service that was proceeding normally under the leadership of the Rev. Solomon Dramayi turned theatrical when retired Rev. Samuel Anguzu put on his robes and took centre stage to preside over Holy Communion.

Witnesses said the pastors first whispered to each other, before the whispers turned into a loud exchange of bitter words after failing to agree on who was to take charge of one of the holiest rituals in the Christian faith.

“They pushed and stepped on each others shoes before the congregation joined the scuffle. Later, everybody moved out and the church doors were closed. Shortly, we saw a truck-full of Police arriving,” the witness said.

The two feuding pastors were picked up, still dressed in their sacred robes, and driven to Arua central police station on the back of the patrol pick-up truck."

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/637796

"The team of homosexuals is very rich, Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi said,"

It should go without saying on this blog - this is not true. Supporting gay people in Africa is a labour of love, and African lgbts who are out and openly trying to help their lgbt brothers and sisters are living in exile or seeking asylum and have virtually no income at all.

There is no need to let this claim stop you from supporting Changing Attitude or any of the other organisations who support lgbts in countries with draconian legislation againt them.

I remember reading the question of choosing between two men.

One known to drink heavily and to have dalliances outside of marriage.

The other a certified teetotaller who never had any extramarital dalliances.

If you chose the former, you chose Winston Churchill, if you chose the latter you chose Adolf Hitler.

There were Klu Klux Klan members who did not do drugs, but they had no problem colluding to burn blacks on a cross.

The opinions of both Archbishop Orombi and Dr Myers Lugemwa will confirm the prejudice of those who believe that Africans continue to demonstrate an ignorance and prejudice about science, biology, history and medical research, Biblical scholarship and human sexuality. Bishop Jack Spong was excoriated for having announced a similar opinion prior to the Lambeth Conference in 1998. The views of the archbishop and the doctor give credence to Jack Spong’s views as the bishops gather for Lambeth 2008.

Changing Attitude knows that African thinking and scientific understanding can be wise and intelligent. We have met many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual Africans whose Christian wisdom is profound. In different areas of expertise, they are of course, as thoughtful and subtle as thinkers anywhere in the world.

Changing Attitude knows not to believe the minority of Anglican leaders such as those who met in Jerusalem at Gafcon and have now launched Foca. They are not (as they claim) representing every Anglican in their Province. They are not necessarily even representing the majority.

They articulate ideas which are ignorant and prejudiced, to their shame and to the tragic disgrace of their churches. Thanks be to God that there is greater depth of faith and wisdom among ordinary church members than is to be found in some of those who occupy high office in the church.

"They articulate ideas which are ignorant and prejudiced, to their shame and to the tragic disgrace of their churches."

Colin, I've asked this before, is this a cultural thing? Is there a need in Nigerian and Ugandan society for a leader in his position to exhibit this kind of bombast? I ask because, locally, at least, there are those for whom what is desirable in a leader is scrappiness, for want of a better word. It sometimes surprises Americans how much we Newfoundlanders expect of our government, for instance. The words "big government" connote a good thing here. A leader who will show defiance in this way is admired, though I doubt there would be admiration for these particular kinds of statements. Sometimes these statements are so far over the top, they remind me of, and no other comaprison of character or anything else is implied here, of Saddam Hussein's rhetoric just before the Iraq War. He had to know it was hopeless, yet his culture still required him to appear defiant to the bitter end. What would be the effect in Uganda if he were to take a more compassionate tone towards gay people? This isn't an excuse, of course, we are, as the GAFFEPRONE keep reminding us, called to better things, but it would explain a lot.