Changing Attitude Nigeria leader in danger

[NathanATX]

http://www.fwepiscopal.org/downloads...etterFeb07.pdf

I was joined in Dar es Salaam by Bishop Bruce MacPherson of Western Louisiana from the wider Windsor Coalition (a coalition of some two dozen diocesans that includes all the Network diocesans among its members). We were given the opportunity to provide testimony and entreaty as to how the situation in the United States could be addressed. Among the matters covered were:

• Our assessment that the Episcopal Church’s official response to the Windsor Report and Dromantine Communiqué was inadequate, grudging and calculated.
• Belief that the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop had to be seen as a significant aspect of that official response, especially in light of her consent to New Hampshire’s election, to her authorization of same-sex blessings as diocesan bishop, and to her theological heterodoxy.
• Observations on the majority’s emerging theological construct where 1) claims of justice replaces morality, 2) many ways replaces the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ, and 3) experience replaces “Holy Scripture as the ultimate rule and standard of the Christian Faith.” The Rt. Rev. Robert Wm. Duncan
Moderator
Bishop of Pittsburgh

• Testimony as to the extent, expense and acrimony of the civil lawsuits underway across the country, most significantly noting the scandalous involvement of the Presiding Bishop’s Chancellor in suits brought not only against parishes but also against individual clergy and lay leaders.
• Statistics bearing out the assertion that the Network and Windsor Dioceses, together with AMiA, CANA, and Network Convocation and Conference parishes across the country, represented a number equal to one-quarter of The Episcopal Church’s membership, minimally some 500,000 souls, a number larger than 18 Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
• Clear discussion of the particular hostility of “majority Episcopal Church” to the Forward in Faith Dioceses, as well as its failure to work with them and all those who hold to the Communion’s older “integrity” concerning Holy Orders.
• Evidence of the increasingly unlikely confirmation of the Bishop-elect of South Carolina by diocesan standing committees, on grounds including the revealing mis-use of the “manner of life” language of TEC’s supposed acceptance of Windsor (Resolution B033, General Convention 2006).
• Request for recognition of all those who accept the Camp Allen Principles concerning full acceptance of the Windsor Report as the Communion’s unquestioned partners in the United States.
• Appeal for some means of suitable and sufficient separation of the majority and minority parties of the Episcopal Church, including a practical “cease-fire,” until the proposed Anglican Communion Covenant process will have run its course and determination of which of the parties in the U.S. dispute are to be viewed as the “constituent” members of the Communion.
• Our willingness as Network and Windsor Bishops to participate in a Primates-proposed domestic structure that could take the first steps toward addressing the escalating crisis.

Clearly we were heard. The Communiqué from Dar es Salaam, together with the “Key Recommendations of the Primates” and the transcript of the “Archbishop of Canterbury’s Comments at the Final Press Conference,” all speak to address the American crisis. The Episcopal Church has been given another chance to make an “unequivocal” response to Windsor and to Communion Faith and Order. Those of us who have already made clear our willingness to submit to the Windsor Report and to the Anglican Communion have been given the proposed Pastoral Council and a Primatial Vicar, to be nominated by the participating bishops and responsible to that Council. We have a call for the cessation of all civil legal actions. We can work with this. We will work with this. It is not perfect and there are a number of potential obstacles. We will enter in good faith. The Primates spent so much of their meeting on our concerns that we can do no less in response to their best assessment of a path forward. What we have is an interim proposal for an interim period with interim structures, while the Episcopal Church majority has one last opportunity to turn back from its “walking apart.”

He makes me ill.

[NathanATX]

http://www.anglican-nig.org/PH2006message2nation.htm

Human Sexuality
The Church affirms our commitment to the total rejection of the evil of homosexuality which is a perversion of human dignity and encourages the National Assembly to ratify the Bill prohibiting the legality of homosexuality since it is incongruent with the teachings of the Bible, Quran and the basic African traditional values.

[NathanATX]

http://www.anglican-nig.org/canabackground.htm

Thousands of Anglicans in North America have long watched with dismay as their much loved Churches slid from the known teachings of the Bible to that which seems to conform more to the ideas of civil society groups.
Questionable doctrines include teachings that;

• Imply the Creator God is unable to decide whether he wanted to make a person male or female.
• Portray Jesus the Christ as only 'a way' out of 'many paths' to God instead of THE WAY. John 14:6
• Love of a person means acceptance and love of the person's sins.
• The Holy Spirit stopped convincing of sin (John 19: 8 ) and became a dispensable adviser.
• The Holy Scriptures lost relevance as the 'developed industrialized world' could respond to many human problems.
• Different people could propound any new teaching as long as it makes the listeners feel good. 2Tim 3:3-4
• Heaven and hell are figurative languages used in the bible as it is wrong to frighten people with such old ideas in the modern world.
• Mission and ministry assumed new meanings.

Many Nigerians in the US found it increasingly difficult to identify with the Anglican communities, and thus found themselves worshiping in other denominations.
When a Canadian diocese approved church ceremonies to allow homosexuals exchange marital vows and The Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) followed by consecrating a practicing homosexual as a bishop, the spiritual life of many got threatened, and the Church of Nigeria became concerned.

"For us it is crucial and most urgent that we find ways of providing alternative avenues for the thousands of Nigerian Anglicans who live and work beyond our shores,'' said Archbishop Peter Akinola, at the Standing Committee meeting of the Church in Ilesa, March 2004.

[NathanATX]

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/60241.htm

Nigerian Legislation Threatens to Limit Rights of Sexual Minorities

The United States is concerned by reports of legislation in Nigeria that would restrict or prohibit citizens from assembling, organizing, holding events or rallies, and participating in ceremonies of religious union, based upon sexual orientation and gender identity. This proposed legislation has not been adopted.

The freedoms of speech, association, expression, assembly, and religion are long-standing international commitments and are universally recognized. Nigeria, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has assumed important obligations on these matters. We expect the Government of Nigeria to act in a manner consistent with those obligations.

[NathanATX]

http://politicalspaghetti.blogspot.c...er-debate.html

A BILL FOR AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR THE PROHIBITION OF SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX, CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE BY THEM AND FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH

BE IT ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as follows-

1. Short Title

This Act may be cited as Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2006.

2. Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-

“Marriage” means a legally binding union between a man and a woman be it performed under the authority of the State, Islamic Law or Customary Law;

“Minister” means the Minister responsible for Internal Affairs”

“Same Sex Marriage” means the coming together of two persons of the same gender or sex in a civil union, marriage, domestic partnership or other form of same sex relationship for the purposes of cohabitation as husband and wife.

3. Validity and Recognition of Marriage.

For the avoidance of doubt only marriage entered into between a man and a woman under the marriage Act or under the Islamic and Customary Laws are valid and recognized in Nigeria.

4. Prohibition of Same Sex Marriage, etc.

1. Marriage between persons of the same sex and adoption of children by them in or out of a same sex marriage or relationship is prohibited in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
2. Any marriage entered into by persons of same sex pursuant to a license issued by another state, country, foreign jurisdiction or otherwise shall be void in the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
3. Marriages between persons of the same sex are invalid and shall not be recognized as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage.
4. Any contractual or other rights granted to persons involved in same sex marriage or accruing to such persons by virtue of a license shall be unenforceable in any Court of law in Nigeria.
5. The Courts in Nigeria shall have no jurisdiction to grant a divorce, separation and maintenance orders with regard to such same sex marriage, consider or rule on any of their rights arising from or in connection with such marriage.

5. Non-Recognition of Same Sex Marriage

1. Marriage between persons of same sex entered into in any jurisdiction whether within or outside Nigeria, any other state or country or otherwise or any other location or relationships between persons of the same sex which are treated as marriage in any jurisdiction, whether within or out side Nigeria are not recognized in Nigeria.
2. All arms of government and agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not give effect to any public act, record or judicial proceeding within or outside Nigeria, with regard to same sex marriage or relationship or a claim arising from such marriage or relationship.

6. Prohibition of celebration of same sex marriage in a place of worship

1. Same sex marriage shall not be celebrated in any place of worship by any recognized cleric of a Mosque, Church, denomination or body to which such place of worship belongs.
2. No marriage license shall be issued to parties of the same sex in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

7. Prohibition of Registration of Gay Clubs and Societies and Publicity of same sex sexual relationship.

1. Registration of Gay Clubs, Societies and organizations by whatever name they are called in institutions from Secondary to the tertiary level or other institutions in particular and, in Nigeria generally, by government agencies is hereby prohibited.
2. Publicity, procession and public show of same sex amorous relationship through the electronic or print media physically, directly, indirectly or otherwise are prohibited in Nigeria.
3. Any person who is involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years imprisonment.

8. Offences and Penalties.

1. Any person goes through the ceremony of marriage with a person of the same sex is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years imprisonment.
2. Any person performs, witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same sex marriage is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years imprisonment.

9. Jurisdiction

The High Court in the States and the Federal Capital Territory shall have jurisdiction to entertain all matters, causes and proceedings arising from same sex marriages and relationships.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

This Act shall prohibit in the Federal Republic of Nigeria the relationship between persons of the same sex, celebration of marriage by them and other matters connected therewith.

[Zerbie]

Thanks for posting that Nathan.

This proposed legislation is evil!

According to that, if my husband and I were Nigerian, we could be imprisoned under that law (and so would about 80 or 90% of all the people we know.)

Horrifying. Doubly horrifying that anyone would support such an evil undertaking.

[suzer1013]

Strangely enough, this just popped up as a news story on my browser. Thought it seemed pertinent here.
_____________________

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian police routinely torture suspects, shooting them in the legs, beating them and hanging them from the ceiling for long periods, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture said on Friday.

Manfred Nowak said he had also seen cases of medical neglect of injuries caused by torture that were worse than any he had come across in other countries.

"As far as the police is concerned, I have come to the conclusion that torture is systemic," Nowak told a news conference at the end of a one-week visit to Nigeria.

"It is a routine practice. Detainees are beaten up. They are suspended from the ceiling for prolonged periods and beaten in that position as a way for the police to extract confessions or other information," he said.

At a criminal investigation department center he visited in Lagos, Nowak found a room that police openly referred to as the "torture room."

The filthy room was packed with 125 suspects, many of whom had been tortured. The detainees were not being given enough food or water. The youngest person there was 12 years old.

Some detainees had been shot in the lower legs and their wounds were badly infected. They had seen no doctor.

"There were several detainees there who had very serious infections and were in imminent danger of dying because they were being denied medical assistance," Nowak said.

IMPUNITY

The main reason for this state of affairs is total impunity, he said. Not one police officer has been convicted of torture and it is impossible for victims to seek redress.

Poor policing and a dysfunctional judiciary are among the legacies of decades of corruption in Africa's most populous country, which was ruled by the army for most of its history since independence in 1960.

Nowak said the government had started some reforms in the administration of justice since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 but there were few tangible results.

He said the system discriminated against the poor because those who could afford it could pay lawyers and meet bail conditions, while those who couldn't were left at the mercy of police who would detain them for months in appalling conditions.

Nowak also visited prisons, where he found there was little evidence of torture but overcrowding as detainees await trial.

Nigeria says more than 25,000 inmates, or 65 percent of its total prison population, have never been convicted of a crime but remain jailed because of delays in the justice system, missing police files, absent witnesses and prison mismanagement.

It is common for prisoners to wait five to 10 years for their trials. Thousands have spent longer in jail than they would have served if convicted.

[Zerbie]

I am beyond horrified.
Can't dwell on it - screws with my mind.

I wish there was something to be done about it. Please keep us updated Suze - I'll be praying meanwhile. And will contact the congress members who have actually tried to do something about this and thank them.

[nmwolfboy]

Here's another article on the situation in Nigeria. Also, Jim Naughton over at the blog Daily Episcopalian has posted that Davis Mac-Iyalla, the leader of the gay rights group Changing Attitudes Nigeria has fled Nigeria and has safely made it to Togo.

More voices keep speaking out in opposition to the pending Nigerian legislation.

Pax,

scott