February 11, 2011

Pastor Lou Engle
International House of Prayer/The Call

Dear Mr. Engle,

We at Soulforce and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) are saddened and distraught at the plight of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans. The social climate in Uganda has become so toxic that LGBT people are not safe in their homes or on the street. And, we believe that the untruths and misrepresentations that you and other U.S. based Christian evangelical leaders continue to proclaim regarding the goodness and wholeness of LGBT people is at the root of this climate of fear and violence. These misrepresentations and untruths must stop now.

The safety of LGBT people, as well as their friends and their families, has been put at risk because of the proposed “anti-homosexual bill.” You have claimed to oppose this bill, but you have not taken a clear and public position in Uganda where your opposition could make a difference.  Instead, after fueling the flames of anti-LGBT sentiments in Uganda, you have stood beside the bill’s supporters and referred to their work as righteous. You cannot preach that  “homosexuals have demons” or say to LGBT people, “let the Bible kill you?” and then ignore the results of speaking such words. Words have power.  And, your words create fear and hatred toward LGBT people.  This fear and hatred puts the lives of LGBT people at risk and perpetuates a climate of terror and violence.

The purpose of this letter is to introduce ourselves and let you know that it is our intention to continue to pursue dialog with you until you stop your vitriolic rhetoric against LGBT people.   (more…)

The National Religious Broadcaster’s Convention has asked me to participate in a dialogue/”soft” debate at their keynoter event on March 1, 2010 in Nashville. The topic is a favorite of ours “The Church and Its Response to Homosexuality.” A recent speaker was Ken Starr. Expected attendance is 5000. I plan to tell part of the story of our amazing friend and colleague, Bishop Paul Egertson.

Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, our executive director, recently published an article on The Huffington Post entitled “Seeking the True Church”

The recent Christmas holidays found a fair number of Americans in church, some for the first time, some for the only time of the year and some as a regular practice (at least once per month). The scripts for Protestant worship services, children’s plays about the birth of Jesus and the plight/blessing of Mary are familiar to many. These narratives come out of the Bible. For those of us born into the Christian tradition and community, the Bible is integral in bringing us into a new relationship with God through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, we Christians are not called to actually believe in the Bible; we are called to believe in the living God witnessed to by the writers of the Bible. We are supposed to believe in the transforming power of living life like Jesus lived it even though few of us come close. Jesus requires a lot of giving up in a culture steeped in getting.

Read the full article on The Huffington Post & help us spread the word with your e-mail lists.

Important Note: While legislation to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was signed into law, the policy is still in effect. If you or someone you know is in the military and gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer, please refer them to Servicemember Legal Defense Network’s Warning to Service Members on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, our executive director, recently published an article on The Huffington Post entitled “How to Stop the Perfect Storm of Hate in Uganda”

In my most recent HuffPo post, I reported on sexual minorities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people) and their families, friends and co-workers in Uganda who are standing at the intersection of a rapidly advancing perfect storm.

This deadly storm started with funding and support from fundamentalist/evangelical politicians and key influencers in the United States, part of whom reside within The Family in our own Congress. If you Google them, you will find that some of them are back-tracking now like sand crabs to avoid negative publicity and investigations into the use of their tax-free status to interfere in the policies of foreign governments.

But the damage is done.

Read the full article on The Huffington Post & help us spread the word with your e-mail lists.