As a solemn, horrifying postcript to the recent murder of Ugandan gay leader David Kato, there's this story: if you ever doubted that hateful words (and silence in the face of hate) from religious groups can do a world of harm in the lives of gay and lesbian people the world over, I recommend that you pay attention to this report of what took place at Kato's funeral.
People can do a tremendous amount of good in the name of God. They can also do a huge amount of damage.
And then there's this filth. From someone who also claims to speak on behalf of God, as he pours out lie upon lie.
*Addendum, 31 Jan.: I'm grateful to a good reader of this blog, Fr. Joseph O'Leary, for pointing out a possible mistake in the title of the blog. Fr. O'Leary notes that some media sources are reporting that Thomas Musoke, the Anglican pastor who disrupted David Kato's funeral, is a lay reader and not an ordained priest. I continue to see numerous media sources identifying Musoke as a priest, but also want to make note of Fr. O'Leary's information, and to correct the title if my information is not correct. This RTE clip, to which Fr. O'Leary has kindly directed me, does refer to Musoke as a pastor and not a priest.
Note, too, the statement of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in this clip : "You can’t go around sharing information about the identity of supposed lesbian and gay persons and urging people to ostracize them or worse hang them in the headline of one of the Ugandan newspapers. You can’t do that without taking responsibility for the consequences." Milder, perhaps, than it might be, given the violence developing in Uganda against LGBT persons and the complicity of members of Williams' own church in justifying that violence.
But at least--unlike Pope Benedict--he's speaking out. As one would expect a pastor following Jesus to do. Condemning violence and words that lead to violence . . . .
Addendum, 2 Feb.: Fr. O'Leary has kindly provided another link, this time to an essay by Albert Ogle at the Episcopal News Service site, which clearly states that Thomas Musoke is an Anglican lay reader and not an ordained Anglican priest.
*Addendum, 31 Jan.: I'm grateful to a good reader of this blog, Fr. Joseph O'Leary, for pointing out a possible mistake in the title of the blog. Fr. O'Leary notes that some media sources are reporting that Thomas Musoke, the Anglican pastor who disrupted David Kato's funeral, is a lay reader and not an ordained priest. I continue to see numerous media sources identifying Musoke as a priest, but also want to make note of Fr. O'Leary's information, and to correct the title if my information is not correct. This RTE clip, to which Fr. O'Leary has kindly directed me, does refer to Musoke as a pastor and not a priest.
Note, too, the statement of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in this clip : "You can’t go around sharing information about the identity of supposed lesbian and gay persons and urging people to ostracize them or worse hang them in the headline of one of the Ugandan newspapers. You can’t do that without taking responsibility for the consequences." Milder, perhaps, than it might be, given the violence developing in Uganda against LGBT persons and the complicity of members of Williams' own church in justifying that violence.
But at least--unlike Pope Benedict--he's speaking out. As one would expect a pastor following Jesus to do. Condemning violence and words that lead to violence . . . .
Addendum, 2 Feb.: Fr. O'Leary has kindly provided another link, this time to an essay by Albert Ogle at the Episcopal News Service site, which clearly states that Thomas Musoke is an Anglican lay reader and not an ordained Anglican priest.
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