I think the expression, "good old colonial stupidity," is quite apt in this situation.Ugandan police have identified the severed head of a young Christian and gay rights worker, according to a blog post from the Rev. Colin Coward, a Church of England priest and director of U.K.-based gay and lesbian advocacy group Changing Attitude.
A search team had been looking for a missing pro-gay priest, the Rev. Henry Kayizzi Nsubuga, when they discovered the decapitated head of Pasikali Kashusbe in a pit latrine on a farm in Makindye Sabagabo, Wakiso District, where he worked.
Kashusbe was a volunteer worker for Integrity Uganda, a group that campaigns for gay rights.
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Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, chairperson of Integrity Uganda who was excommunicated by the Church of Uganda in 2006 for his support of homosexuals, lamented Kashusbe's murder as "absurd," adding in Coward's post that "clearly, the values of tolerance and social inclusion are sadly being sacrificed on the altar of state ignorance, ineptness and good old colonial stupidity."
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"Pasikali's death is tragic, and stands as a reason why the Anglican Communion must change its teaching on homosexuality," said Coward. "There is no reason why the consciences of those who oppose the full inclusion of LGBT people should be allowed to inhibit change in the church. The prevention of torture and murder of any individual must always be the first priority, ensuring that all citizens and Christians can live in an environment of love, security and affirmation."
You can read the whole article from Episcopal News Service right here.
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UPDATE: I'm terribly sorry, folks, but it turns out that the above story was a hoax. Even Episcopal News Service was duped. I don't know what the motivation and/or objective was in spreading this false story. I'll let you know if I find out.
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What was the attitude of Ugandans toward homosexuality prior to British colonization? Was it accepted or persecuted? Anyone know?
ReplyDeletePasikali's death stands as a reason why the Anglican Communion must change its teaching on homosexuality
ReplyDeleteExactly.
From everything I have read, before the colonization of Africa, homosexuality was completely accepted. When we brought in our missionaries and our Christian religion, as it was put forth during that time period, we (the Western World) taught them that it was wrong. This homophobia is, therefore, completely a product of colonization. Further, as theological thought here was changing and many seminaries were updating libraries, we thoughtfully boxed up our old books and shipped them to the third world to help them out--sending a great deal of outdated thought within those volumes to be studied by the next generations. How sad is that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for that info, BooCat. I didn't know that bit about the libraries. Talk about the law of unintended consequences!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, folks, I've learned that the story here is a hoax as I've mentioned in an update. I'm very sorry for that. Odd, isn't it?