The New York Times quotes Exodus Board Member Don Schmierer:
The three Americans who spoke at the conference — Scott Lively, a missionary who has written several books against homosexuality, including “7 Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child”; Caleb Lee Brundidge, a self-described former gay man who leads “healing seminars”; and Don Schmierer, a board member of Exodus International, whose mission is “mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality” — are now trying to distance themselves from the bill.
“I feel duped,” Mr. Schmierer said, arguing that he had been invited to speak on “parenting skills” for families with gay children. He acknowledged telling audiences how homosexuals could be converted into heterosexuals, but he said he had no idea some Ugandans were contemplating the death penalty for homosexuality.
“That’s horrible, absolutely horrible,” he said. “Some of the nicest people I have ever met are gay people.”
Not only did NYT pick up the story, they picked up traces of the liberal American activist’s bias on the subject as well. Even so, I am glad that the New York Times quotes Don but they left out a lot of our follow up statements and efforts (links below) to defeat this nightmare of a bill.
It’s unfortunate that they didn’t report we were one of the first American Christian ministries to publicly speak out against the legislation in our letter to the Ugandan President on November 16th, 2009. They apparently missed Don’s previous statement about his trip there and our direct call for Mr. Ssempa to denounce this legislation.
Even so, print space is a valuable commodity in the New York Times. Hopefully they will cover the issue, from our perspective, more accurately in the future.
MORE:
Rick Warren Graciously and Strongly Denounces Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Rachel Maddow vs. Richard Cohen – Interview Review & Missing the Point About Uganda
Rachel Maddow, Uganda and Me – Guest Post by Don Schmierer
Don Schmierer Added to Letter Opposing Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Charisma News Online Picks Up Ugandan Story
Exodus International Sends Letter Opposing Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Martin Ssempa Should Renounce Support for Proposed Ugandan Criminalization of Homosexuality
Ugandan Government Poised to Harshly Prosecute Homosexuals
PLUS:
Dr. Warren Throckmorton has started a Facebook group as a central point for news and information on the subject.
About Randy Thomas
You say ‘liberal’ like it’s a bad thing. Maybe you forget that Jesus was a flaming liberal as well.
I said liberal because the conservative activists and bloggers I know (whether they identify as gay or not … yes there are “gay conservatives”) think it is wrong to try and tie Uganda’s cultural homophobia to North American Conservative Christians … especially those of us on a post-gay journey.
As for Jesus, He transcends both conservative and liberal. He was in the world but not of the world. He was and is far above any of our earthly human based intellectualism and/or social constructs/dynamics.
He doesn’t call us to be conservative or liberal, He calls us to be Holy as He is Holy … and then makes a way for us to be that (through faith in His atonement of us.)
No, he said “activist” with the qualifiers “american” and “liberal” so the rest of us would be clear in our heads about exactly whose bias we’re talking about. And the bias is there. It is undeniable.
Trying to fit Jesus into a box is a human thing. But He was not “liberal”, “conservative”, or what have you. He was a monotheist Deity who had no need of any label, other than “Christ” All His acts and qualities can be interpreted as the human has need of; we’re fallible that way. We’ll always seek our perceived need and make the means for it. Jesus on the other hand always pointed to the supremacy of God the Father in all things.
Trent! I just left the above comment in reply to Galanter before reading your comment and we basically say the same thing
. Great minds and all … 
Oh and don’t forget that if you want to reply directly to someone you can hit the reply link under their comment and it will “thread” the discussion. Like what I am doing now with you.
Thanks for the comment!