My background is that I have been close personal friends with several young men who have contracted HIV and/or AIDS.  This is not a prerequisite to be allowed to comment on the subject I hope, but I hope it will help explain my passion on the subject.

Where in the Bible does it say we may not punish people who engage in homosexual sex acts?  Where does it say homosexual sex acts have to be legal?  I already said in my previous post that the proposed punishment seems harsh to me.  I do not want the death penalty and perhaps the law will be altered before it is ratified and I hope it is.  That is a question for the Ugandans to decide for their own country and their own culture.  I trust them to make the right decision for themselves.  Rick Warren is free to bestow his extremely important personal opinion with his ”encyclical video” upon the people of Uganda but like many Americans they may or may not care what he thinks and are ultimately fully capable of running their country without his help and I trust they will do so.  They will decide what punishment should fit the crime.  Keep in mind these sorts of laws are difficult to enforce anyway and are often not able to be enforced because of the clandestine nature of homosexual activity.  It is more about sending a strong message to society that this behavior – which, again, kills EN MASSE - this behavior (not just the urges and desires) will not be tolerated.  The message is that these homosexual sex acts are judged by society to be 1) not normal, 2) in no way necessary, and 3) will not be tolerated and will be punished if they are discovered or committed openly as they are here in the USA and throughout the “enlightened” and permissive western world.  Uganda appears to be saying they don’t want to become the way we have become and may God bless them for that at least!

The bill punishes homosexual BEHAVIOR – not urges.  The urges can and should be dealt with confidentially.  Unlike actual homosexual sex acts, urges are not voluntary.  Homosexual sex acts, unless you are raped, are always voluntary.

By smoking you kill yourself.  By engaging in homosexual sex acts you may kill somebody else, their wife, and their unborn child.  Big difference there.  Thank you for reminding me to pray – I do pray for a culture of life every night but I need to be reminded so I do sincerely thank you for that.  However we are living in a time when political correctness and cowardice are literally killing people.  If we don’t speak or try to call attention to that I feel that is a sin of neglect of our duty.

Homosexual sex acts kill – physically, emotionally, spiritually.  There is no logical reason why they have to remain legal.  The proposed punishment seems harsh to me too.  But I do not believe it is really up to us to tell a foreign culture how to organize their own justice system.  You can say your opinion of course, and I hope my saying mine will give you something to think about as well.

Another point many people never consider because nobody ever talks about it is that many african men practice bisexuality.  You even see it here in the US.  Why do you think so many African-American women get AIDS here?

A faithful Catholic priest will never break the seal of confession.  Protestant pastors should have a similar right to confidentiality.  On that point I agree.  But I think any completely avoidable activity that kills people on a massive scale should be made illegal.  And we need to think of those casualties as well as the homosexually active people.  Keep the whole picture in mind because we have to balance our response and advocate for ALL the victims of this destructive activity.

I have been to Uganda and have found the people there to be warm and friendly, having experience national revival years ago.  However, the new life discovered in Christ is at risk of becoming legalistic in the face of pending political action.

An important insight worth pondering. Thank you for adding your comment.  People need to know they are safe in order to get help.