Archbishop condemns murder of Ugandan gay human rights activist
Friday 28 January 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who is currently in Dublin for the Primates’ meeting, has made the following statement regarding the murder of the gay human rights activist David Kato Kisulle in Uganda:
“The brutal murder of David Kato Kisule, a gay human rights activist, is profoundly shocking. Our prayers and deep sympathy go out for his family and friends – and for all who live in fear for their lives. Whatever the precise circumstances of his death, which have yet to be determined, we know that David Kato Kisule lived under the threat of violence and death. No one should have to live in such fear because of the bigotry of others. Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide. This event also makes it all the more urgent for the British Government to secure the safety of LGBT asylum seekers in the UK. This is a moment to take very serious stock and to address those attitudes of mind which endanger the lives of men and women belonging to sexual minorities.”
A little late, the President and Secretary of State of the USA beat him to it, but I give him credit for making the statement, and for being so unequivocal.
Better a little late than never.
Thank you Archbishop.
I hope this is a new beginning.
At last. But I am afraid that ‘such violence’ has not been condemned by the Anglican Communion Worldwide. There are quite a few primates and bishops who have blood on their hands. At least though this is a start. But it would be good to hear something from the assembled Primates and to hear an explicit condemnation for the role that ‘Christians’ have played in creating the climate of fear and violence in Uganda. In today’s Guardian:- ‘…the higher profile created enemies. Local religious leaders, especially some prominent evangelical Christians, launched campaigns alleging that the gay community was seeking to… Read more »
“Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide”
If only!
‘The Anglican primate of the Church of the Province of Uganda, Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi, is among seven primates of the Anglican Communion who have boycotted the Primates Meeting now under way…’
How richly significant is this boycott today. I wonder what, if anything, we are going to hear from him?
Although I welcome this statement, I’d say that such violence has not been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion Worldwide. Indeed, I’d say that the Anglican Communion has helped to provoke such violence and stoke it up. Its not just this immediate violence that needs to be condemned but also the hate-speech of some members of the Christian community in Uganda and elsewhere. If Archbishop Rowan cannot condemn such speech, we must ask ourselves why not and whilst welcoming his comments, state very clearly that this only goes part of the way towards challenging that which is so deeply wrong… Read more »
“Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide.”
With this inaccuracy, the Archbishop of Canterbury sullies his own statement.
Lambeth Palace ought not pretend that the Anglican Communion is entirely innocent of anti-gay violence.
“Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide”
That’s news to me. Would he cite such documents?
By all members of the Communion? Really? Clap if you believe this fairy tale.
While he has been willing to speak of conversion as that relates to lgbt persons, he still cannot quite bring himself to say that perhaps it is his and the Communions attitudes, ideas, behaviors, and emotions that need repenting, that is, turning to Christ and seeking to see us through Him.
At last a clear and unequivocal statement condemning violence and the dehumanization of LGBT persons from +Rowan Williams. One can only thank him for this strong statement. It is especially important that the Archbishop, a leader in the government of the UK, has called “for the British Government to secure the safety of LGBT asylum seekers in the UK.” Today, the British government plans to deport Brenda Namigadde, a lesbian, back to Uganda where she fears for her life. I wish it were true that “Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide.” As we all know,… Read more »
“Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide.” Rowan Williams With this inaccuracy, the Archbishop of Canterbury sullies his own statement. Jeremy Why is it that Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury constantly makes up REALITY? What is it that Rowan Williams thinks happens when LGBTI Anglicans are marginalized, demonized, blamed/shamed, spat upon and thrown from their Anglican Churches, Workplaces and Homes? Why does Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury ignore the rampant/murderous hate crimes directed agains LGBTI Anglicans when he visted Jamaica? Why is it that Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury ignored the Gay Murder of teenager Michael… Read more »
This is a good statement and I welcome it.
Where is the LGBT presence (or acknowledgment) on any single diocesan website? What diocesan LGBT initiatives can be seen published in the light of day? Until Anglican dioceses show solidarity – and offer support, through the promotion of initiatives to assist LGBT Christians, and LGBT young people facing bullying or marginalisation – in short, until the Anglican Communion gets proactive… Then it may repeatedly be reacting to tragedies like this, while air-brushing LGBT presence off its public presentations, whereas surely (as with racism) it should be courageously on the frontline of the struggle for social justice… I am delighted Rowan… Read more »
From today’s Advocate: “A local pastor attending Friday’s funeral for murdered Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato grabbed the microphone in the middle of the ceremony and decried homosexuality, causing a fight to break out and leading villager to refuse to bury the body.” Though it is not stated to what denomination the pastor belonged, this is yet another sign of how far ++Rowan and the rest of the Anglican “Community” are from having any beneficial influence on persecution of GLBT folks. Of course, there will be denials – if they notice it at all – from various right-wing Christianist groups… Read more »
http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/uganda-burial-gay-rights-activist-takes-unexpected-twist
“After the incident with the pastor, which put a stain on the whole ceremony, Kasule’s coffin was carried by gay activists to the banana garden behind his ancestral home for burial. In protest, the villagers and some of Kasule’s family members stayed behind”
Remember this man had a family who are mourning him. Can you imagine you have just lost a son, and then hundreds of people descend on his funeral all using it to make political speeches on both sides and don’t even allow him to be buried by his family? Respect. Respect. Respect. Please.
Karen MacQueen:”…a program of support for the human dignity of LGBT persons under their care… The time for *listening* is long past, when the voices for human dignity are being silenced by a hammer.” So well put, Karen. This is the point exactly. Those in leadership in our churches should not just be reacting to the worst events. Every bishop, every diocese, should be putting in place programs of support for the human dignity, the facilitation, the points of contact, of LGBT persons who turn to the Church in search of care, or who are already in the Church, or… Read more »
I think Kelvin says it all …..
Anon Writes “”After the incident with the pastor, which put a stain on the whole ceremony, Kasule’s coffin was carried by gay activists to the banana garden behind his ancestral home for burial. In protest, the villagers and some of Kasule’s family members stayed behind” Remember this man had a family who are mourning him. Can you imagine you have just lost a son, and then hundreds of people descend on his funeral all using it to make political speeches on both sides and don’t even allow him to be buried by his family? Respect. Respect. Respect. Please.” But who… Read more »
Though I welcome the statement as a whole, in that noted detail about the whole Communion, we once again see RW confuse statements on a piece of paper (even Lambeth Conference stationery) with “the whole Anglican Communion.” Just as there are provinces out of step to the left, there are those out of step to the right. When will Rowan learn that pretending to Unanimity — or even its stepsister Consensus — on conflicted matters is counterproductive. Better to acknowledge disagreements where they exist; as +Desmond showed us, truth comes before reconciliation.
Well, I guess, better late than never.
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
He’s allowed the church in Uganda to foster this environment. Will he issue a statement condemning himself? He better address this pastoral need right away . . . FROM THE BBC Kato’s death puts Uganda homophobia in spotlight Ugandan police have escorted a priest away from the funeral of a gay rights activist after he told homosexuals to repent, sparking scuffles. Anglican priest Thomas Musoke told mourners that homosexuality was “evil”. Hundreds of people had gathered for David Kato’s burial in his home village near the capital, Kampala. His colleagues say he was beaten to death at his home on… Read more »
The BBC are reporting that it was an Anglican who attempted to conduct David Kato’s funeral thus: ….Many members of the lesbian and gay community wore T-shirts with Mr Kato’s portrait on the front and the words “La luta continua [the struggle continues]” printed on the back. They were shocked when the priest started condemning homosexuals. “You must repent. Even the animals know the difference between a male and a female,” he said, before warning that they would face the fate of residents in Sodom and Gomorrah, the biblical cities destroyed by God. Gay rights activists then stormed the pulpit… Read more »
Martin Reynolds, I do too. But I am still glad to see a start being made. I hope more will be said and done in the future. There is an Ugandan newspaper that needs our support, for example. I wonder whether the Archbishop of Canterbury is not beginning to throw off his self-forged shackles, given that most of the ultras are absent from the Primates’ Meeting, and Fulcrum has unwisely joined ACI and GAFCON in calling for change in the leadership system of the Anglican Communion. It would be one thing if these disaffected Anglicans called for Williams’ own resignation.… Read more »
I echo other comments. I welcomed the statement – would be very sad comment if it hadn’t been made. That apart, I would like to mournfully reflect that my faith, the scriptures I revere, the anglicanism I belong to have played their part in this and other tragedies by both action and omission. We need to learn that you can’t light the touchpaper and then wash one’s hands of the matter. Christianity should honour martyrs not create them as seems to be happening. Very sad we recently had Holocaust memorial day. I am not sure we ever really learn from… Read more »
“Angry scenes marred the funeral of murdered Ugandan gay activist David Kato today when the presiding pastor called on homosexuals to repent or “be punished by God”.
Towards the end of an emotional ceremony to mourn Kato, who was bludgeoned to death on Wednesday, Anglican pastor Thomas Musoke launched into a homophobic tirade, shocking the dozens of gay men and women as well as foreign diplomats in attendance.”
— Rice, Xan. Ugandan gay activist David Kato’s funeral marred by angry scenes. Manchester: The Guardian. 28 January 2011. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/28/gay-activist-david-kato-funeral
However welcome parts of the Archbishop’s statement may be, the claim that “[s]uch violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide” is so obviously stretching the truth or simply false that it drowns out the rest of the words for me. Instead of “I find no fault in this man,” all I can hear is “I wash my hands.”
“Anglican pastor Thomas Musoke launched into a homophobic tirade” at David Kato’s funeral.
So.
Everyone should know this. Everyone should know what the Anglicans of Uganda do and say. Those who support GAFCON should be told so they know exactly what they are supporting, and everyone else should be told so they know it, too. Everyone on the Fulcrum Forum should know this story so they know exactly what Fulcrum supports.
Other reports suggest that the minister leading the funeral was a reader not a priest http://www.sdgln.com/commentary/2011/01/28/commentary-david-katos-funeral-illustrates-schism-anglican-church and that family members took part in paying tribute http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/28/gay-activist-david-kato-funeral) to a remarkable man I am glad Rowan Williams has spoken out. The accuracy of his statement depends on what is meant by the ‘Anglican Communion’. International Anglican gatherings have indeed upheld human rights for LGBT people – indeed there was a 1988 Lambeth Conference resolution with the title ‘Human Rights for Those of Homosexual Orientation’. But leaders who disregard this have seldom been challenged to justify their stance, whereas those favouring greater inclusion… Read more »
“Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide.”
…and simultaneously enabled.
AC and ABC: MAKE UP YOUR MINDS. What Our Lord (and Abraham Lincoln) said is STILL true: you CANNOT serve two masters!
EITHER we condemn the violence AND THE HOMOPHOBIA WHICH CREATES IT [NB: to deny equality is to empower homophobia], or we don’t, and slink off to the fetid (though worldly-wonderful) swamps of the Father-of-Lies. WHICH IS IT????
“Choose This Day”
“Gay rights activists then stormed the pulpit and prevented the priest from continuing.”
God forgive me, I think I would have, too.
There comes a time, when even the STONES cry out. Justice! Justice! Justice! Justice!
“He’s allowed the church in Uganda to foster this environment. Will he issue a statement condemning himself? He better address this pastoral need right away . . .” – Richard Falk – Richard, let’s be quite fair to Rowan Williams here. It was his predecessor, George Carey, not the present ABC, who started the ball rolling in the Anglican Communion – allowing certain of the African Primates, including Uganda and Nigeria, to highjack the agenda of the Con/Evo ‘Christian’ attitude of homophobia towards the LGBT community. Most of us are aware of the true sympathies of Abp. Rowan, but he… Read more »
Thing is, Ron, while people die, there is no moral option, no matter how horrible one’s double bind, but to speak out for peace and justice. Nothing excuses failing to do so, however much one sympathises with a man caught in a nasty position.
Dr Williams wishes to address those attitudes of mind which endanger lives. Fine words, which are not backed by deeds – he leads the only public body in the UK which is allowed to discriminate against LGBT people. The church has fought tooth and nail against every advance in civil rights for gay and lesbian people and has consistently condemned gay behaviour even in loving relationships. Perhaps Dr Williams should get his own house in order then his fine words would be credible.
In the New Testament, the Bereans healthy scrutiny was contrasted with those who vehemently opposed the Christian cause: ‘Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.’ (Acts 17:11) There are many, like me, who follow their example in addressing issues of sexuality. While it may advance the cause of fixing collective heterosexual blame for David Kato’s death, it is important to maintain this distinction. We are not all like Saul was: ‘still breathing out murderous threats'(Acts 9:1), nor… Read more »