Pastor Rick Warren Calls Upon the Pastors of Uganda to Reject the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Pastor Rick Warren, in a YouTube message, calls the bill 'Unjust', 'Extreme' and 'Unchristian.'  Now, Warren needs to denounce Turaki's anti-gay hate-speech in the featured article on homosexuality in the Africa Bible Commentary which commentary Warren has fully endorsed.

By Rev. Steve Parelli, Bronx, New York

In an Other Sheep eNews dated October 19, 2009, Other Sheep called upon its readers to write Rick Warren, John Stott and Douglas Carew and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) to denounce the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Uganda citing their endorsement of the Africa Bible Commentary with its anti-gay hate-speech in a featured article entitled "Homosexuality" by Nigerian evangelical scholar Yusufu Turaki as reason for their need to speak out.

We are happy to learn that Rick Warren has done so today. Other Sheep asks Douglas Carew of the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (Kenya) and John R. W. Stott (England) to join Warren in his denouncement of the Ugandan bill and to further more denounce the anti-gay hate-speech in the Africa Bible Commentary (see article in right column of this Other Sheep December 10, 2009, eNews).

Rick Warren's association with Turaki's anti-gay hate-speech in a featured article on homosexuality in the Africa Bible Commentary.

By Rev. Steve Parelli, Bronx, NY.

Rick Warren, endorsing Zondervan's 2006 evangelical Africa Bible Commentary, a single volume commentary on the Bible by 70 African scholars, says on the back cover of the bock, "This monumental work of biblical scholarship is filled with helpful insights into God's Word that every pastor, Bible teach, and Christian will benefit from. We've needed this commentary for a long, long time."

Romans 1 of the commentary features a major article entitled "Homosexuality." Rev. Stephen Parelli writes a review on the article and summarizes his critique with the following:

"Conclusion: Turaki's Bible-study article on homosexuality serves to further the African church's homophobic intolerance of gay people, confirming and reinforcing already existing hateful and hurtful attitudes towards LGBT Africans.

"Turaki's article, entitled 'Homosexuality,' in the Africa Bible Commentary, only enlarges the gap between the need for tolerance in Africa and the African church's failure to speak out against homophobic intolerance which often erupts into physical brutality, murder, unlawful imprisonment, loss of employment, estrangement and isolation from family, hate speech and hate crimes. The African evangelical community needs, at the very least, to speak out for tolerance and humane treatment of homosexuals.

"To summarize: Because of the very volatile African context in which his article will be read and understood,

     (a) Turaki's use of the words "abnormal, unnatural and a perversion" along with

     (b) his uncritical use of the quote that "homosexuals are worse than beasts" tied in with

     (c) his statement of the African Anglican church's rejection of Archbishop Tutu's call for tolerance, as well as

     (d) his one-sided account of African "coercive sexual relationships" as his example of "varied" African same-sex sex(Where is his account, under "African tradition," of same-sex African loving couples? -- this writer knows of some personally!), not to mention

     (e) an uncritical censorship of all views of homosexuality that are not in keeping with his views ("Our views of homosexuality should not be derived from human sources but from the Word of God"),

and, finally, with

     (f) his expressed theological view that to be homosexual is sinful,

this evangelical-Christian article can, therefore, only encourage the already strong, homophobic, hateful and dangerous rhetoric of the church in Africa where civilian and police brutality towards homosexuals is not uncommon."

Does President Museveni of Uganda and his wife's Christian beliefs justify, for him, his criminal hate-acts against homosexuals?

By Rev. Steve Parelli, Bronx, NY

Mark A Noll, in his new book The Shape of World Christianity, has a chapter on "The East African Revival" in which he states "the current Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni was deeply touched as a young man by the East African revival, and his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes" [page 182].

It can now be said, that in Uganda at least, "revival" and "evangelical causes" equate the death sentence for homosexuals who meet certain conditions, unless the president of Uganda and his wife go on record as denouncing the bill. Not likely. Museveni has a long record of hate-speech against LGBT people.

As early as 1998, "President Yoweri Museveni made several strong antihomosexuality public statements." Again, in 1999, he "spoke out strongly, calling for the police to find and arrest, and jail homosexuals" [Anglican Communion in Crisis, by Miranda K. Hassett, page 84, 85; interestingly enough, the author further states on page 85 that "The Anglican archbishop of Uganda proclaimed his full support for Museveni's antigay position."].

I've often asked myself if the Old Testament stories from the King James Bible may have shaped Museveni's image of himself as president of Uganda. Is he modeling himself after the Old Testament king who, heroically and unlike his father-king before him, "took out of the land" "the remnant of the sodomites"? [Sodomites is an unfortunate abusive rendering of the Hebrew text here which should more accurately be translated 'male or female temple prostitute;' the Hebrew word sodomite is not in the text (I Kings 22:46, KJV).] Does Museveni emulate this heroic Biblical king who put-out-of-the-land-the-sodomites [i.e., temple prostitutes] as an example to follow?

It could easily be so, after all, President Yoweri Museveni "was deeply touched" by the East African revival and his wife "remains identified with evangelical causes" (Mark A. Noll). Evangelicalism and the literal reading and high veneration of the Bible, such as daily Bible readings, scripture memorization, and Bible preaching, are one and the same.

This evangelical excessive love for the Word of God can border on bibliolatry which is the worship of the Bible (although evangelicals would deny they ever worship the Bible). When this is the case (which happens, at times, with evangelicals on a subconscious level, I would argue), instead of a Trinity, an evangelical would now have a Quad-unity, with the Bible as the fourth person of the Godhead.

I would suggest that this is the present probable evangelical spirit in Uganda where the spirit of love and toleration towards a people-group defined by a different sexual orientation is axed by a spirit of hate and legalism which are justified enough, for religious Ugandans, by the reduction of the Bible to mere black ink on white paper (for example, "the Bible clearly says"), and thus, ironically, the elevation of the Bible to the status of a god (bibliolatry, by which one can now justify the execution of homosexuals). All this hate, grounded in a type of idolatry as I have opinioned, is the by-product of the work of zealous Bible-believing evangelical missionaries and the historic East African revival.

The sad part - in the supposed case of President Museveni modeling his presidency after the afore mentioned Old Testament king - is this: the King James Bible (if that is the version he uses, which was, no doubt, the version originally brought to Uganda) utterly fails him here by its erroneous translation. (In Rwanda, during our 2008 seminar, where we had the Bible in the language of the people, the same error in translation was noted. Evidently, in the Rwandan language, the translation was brought over from the King James Bible word sodomite and not from the Hebrew text temple prostitute.)

Queer Christians are partial towards another model to emulate -- the one who said to those of his society who marginalized certain people groups by openly treating them as less than and unwelcome, "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Perhaps the gift queer people bring to the world at this time is this: the need to learn to love those who are seen as different and as not belonging to society. Would the world could learn to love like this.

So, What Purpose is Driving Rick Warren? Here's a clue: Newsweek reports Rick Warren refuses to denounce the Ugandan Anti-Homosexulaity bill

By Rev. Steve Parelli, Bronx, NY

This week I received an email from a Christian in Uganda asking for study materials to give to a pastor who is asking questions about the Bible and homosexuality. I sent him the link to the material we presented in Kampala in 2008 at our full day seminar on the Bible and homosexuality attended by 40 plus gay Christians.

Rick Warren is at the opposite end of the spectrum of the work Other Sheep performs. Other Sheep presents information on homosexuality and the Bible from a scholarly approach and shows how scripture does not condemn mutually committed same-sex relationships.

Evidently, Rick Warren is of the opinion that his religion is the only religion that should be discussed in Uganda - after all, according to a Newsweek article, he has refused to denounce the Anti-Homosexuality bill which, among other things, would have zero tolerance for any speech seen as promoting homosexuality. Under this bill Rick Warren could return to Uganda and say whatever he wanted to about homosexuality. Other Sheep could not. So much for free speech in Uganda. So much for Rick Warren's sense of American fairness, free speech and the scholarly pursuit of Biblical studies. So, what purpose is driving Rick Warren?  I think we know. 

Columnist David Gibson discusses the question If Uganda Executes Gays, Will American Christians be Complicit?  Well, at least one American has already shown himself complitict - Rick Warren.

Photo:  Monument to Uganda's Independence, Kampala, Uganda.  By Steve Parelli

Faith-based hate-speech posted on the Daily Nation website against gays, Rev. Kimindu and his call for discussion on gay rights; and How the evangelical Africa Bible Commentary evidences and endorses the deep seated African faith-based anti-gay hate-speech.

Also: Mark A. Noll, in his new book The New Shape of World Christianity, says Ugandan President Museveni was "deeply touched" by the historic East African Revival, and that "his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes." The following article, in part, discusses the question: Does President Museveni and his wife's Christian beliefs justify, for him, his criminal hate-acts against homosexuals?

By Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, Bronx, NY, sparelli2002@yahoo.com

On the Kenyan Daily Nation website, three individuals, as of this writing, have posted their for-or-against comments on Rev. Michael Kimindu's November 20th (2009) interview with Daily Nation in which he objected to the fact that gay rights were not included in the Kenyan draft constitution for discussion.

Two, of the three postings, solidly oppose Kimindu. The objectors both based their strong anti-gay remarks solely on their understanding of what the Bible says, speaking with absolute authority, as if their voice were the voice of God. Their comments reveal that their religious viewpoint is of the evangelical stripe: authoritative, final, and "Biblical."

Evangelical as they may be, their remarks fail to show any sings of "graciousness" such as is claimed in the American-evangelical ill-suited statement "love the sinner, hate the sin." ("Love the sinner, hate the sin" is the notorious failed-attempt of evangelicals in America to show love to the gay community; just ask any LGBT person.)

Actually, these two East Africans – I assume they are East Africans, and most likely Kenyans – have, by their sugar-free remarks, shortened this American pet-evangelical saying to simply "hate the sinner." African evangelicals, to their credit, haven't learned the American evangelical art of telling one's self that he or she is acting in love when the act is clearly one of oppression. Evangelicals, here in America, call their oppressive opposition to gay rights and to gay individuals who have at times taken their own lives because of the abject rejection of evangelical parents and churches, as "loving the sinner." (The word "sinner" should be a clue here as to how much love – or should I say, how little love – is actually being communicated by evangelicals.)

But, back to the Daily Nation postings. The first individual posted the following: "Are you gays trying to tell us the Almighty is wrong or was wrong? Did you guys hear about Sodom and Gomorrah? You deserve punishment in this world and hereafter" (emphasis mine). Note the link between Sodom and Gomorrah and deserved punishment now. The second out-of-sorts individual posted: "The said Reverend [Kimindu] will find out while in Hell, that what he did on earth . . .; and he will be among those to be immersed into the blackest of the blackest of Hell . . .; the cheap minded sheep, woe unto them, they are on their way to sheol." Not exactly a model for what some have called "friendship evangelism" or, how to win others over to your point of view.

The tragedy runs deeper than just two overly-religious comments posted on the Daily Nation website. The problem is this: how can we expect better of the African evangelical in the pew and in the pulpit when the evangelical leaders of Africa are crying out against LGBT people in very much the same manner as these two postings. Take for instance the now infamous article entitled "Homosexuality" in the 2006 Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary. (I saw my first copy of this misguided single volume commentary while visiting the Nairobi All Saints Anglican Cathedral in 2008). Yusufu Turaki, an evangelical Nigerian Bible scholar and author of the article, writes without criticism that "some [African] politicians" say "homosexuals are worst than beasts." And, as if to sustain the African politicians' bigotry, Turaki cites, again without criticism, the fact that "Anglican churches across the continent" have outright rejected Tutu's call for toleration and acceptance of LGBT people. Turaki's hate-speech article featured in this "landmark" (John Stott) volume authored by 70 African evangelicals sounds very much like the two who posted their hate-statements against Rev. Kimindu. Turaki's zero toleration and "worst than beasts" quotes put him right up there with the two anonymous postings.

The Africa Bible Commentary was a project/publication of Zondervan and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA). Recently, I received an email from an individual listed by name on the AEA website. He is officially in fellowship with the AEA. Speaking for himself only, he wrote me to tell me he is in full support of the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Ugandan which calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment of homosexuals who meet certain conditions. Is his evangelical Sodom-and-Gomorrah-bring-down-brimstone faith representative of the AEA (Association of Evangelicals in Africa)? Does he represent what is to be found in the average pew and pulpit of evangelical churches in Africa? Do most African evangelicals really believe that "homosexuals should be punished in this life" as was posted on the Daily Nation website and as evidenced by the Anti-Homosexuality bill of Uganda?

Mark A Noll, in his new book The Shape of World Christianity, has a chapter on "The East African Revival" in which he states "the current Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni was deeply touched as a young man by the East African revival, and his wife, Janet, remains identified with evangelical causes" [page 182].

It can now be said, that in Uganda at least, "revival" and "evangelical causes" equate the death sentence for homosexuals who meet certain conditions, unless the president of Uganda and his wife go on record as denouncing the bill. Not likely. Museveni has a long record of hate-speech against LGBT people.

As early as 1998, "President Yoweri Museveni made several strong antihomosexuality public statements." Again, in 1999, he "spoke out strongly, calling for the police to find and arrest, and jail homosexuals" [Anglican Communion in Crisis, by Miranda K. Hassett, page 84, 85; interestingly enough, the author further states on page 85 that "The Anglican archbishop of Uganda proclaimed his full support for Museveni's antigay position."].

I've often asked myself if the Old Testament stories from the King James Bible may have shaped Museveni's image of himself as president of Uganda. Is he modeling himself after the Old Testament king who, heroically and unlike his father-king before him, "took out of the land" "the remnant of the sodomites"? [Sodomites is an unfortunate abusive rendering of the Hebrew text here which should more accurately be translated 'male or female temple prostitute;' the Hebrew word sodomite is not in the text (I Kings 22:46, KJV).] Does Museveni emulate this heroic Biblical king who put-out-of-the-land-the-sodomites [i.e., temple prostitutes] as an example to follow?

It could easily be so, after all, President Yoweri Museveni "was deeply touched" by the East African revival and his wife "remains identified with evangelical causes" (Mark A. Noll). Evangelicalism and the literal reading and high veneration of the Bible, such as daily Bible readings, scripture memorization, and Bible preaching, are one and the same. This evangelical excessive love for the Word of God can border on bibliolatry which is the worship of the Bible (although evangelicals would deny they ever worship the Bible). When this is the case (which happens, at times, with evangelicals on a subconscious level, I would argue), instead of a Trinity, an evangelical would now have a Quad-unity, with the Bible as the fourth person of the Godhead. I would suggest that this is the present probable evangelical spirit in Uganda where the spirit of love and toleration towards a people-group defined by a different sexual orientation is axed by a spirit of hate and legalism which are justified enough, for religious Ugandans, by the reduction of the Bible to mere black ink on white paper (for example, "the Bible clearly says"), and thus, ironically, the elevation of the Bible to the status of a god (bibliolatry, by which one can now justify the execution of homosexuals). All this hate, grounded in a type of idolatry as I have opinioned, is the by-product of the work of zealous Bible-believing evangelical missionaries and the historic East African revival.

The sad part – in the supposed case of President Museveni modeling his presidency after the afore mentioned Old Testament king – is this: the King James Bible (if that is the version he uses, which was, no doubt, the version originally brought to Uganda) utterly fails him here by its erroneous translation. (In Rwanda, during our 2008 seminar, where we had the Bible in the language of the people, the same error in translation was noted. Evidently, in the Rwandan language, the translation was brought over from the King James Bible word sodomite and not from the Hebrew text temple prostitute.)

Now, let us return to the evangelical American pet-phrase of "hate the sin, but love the sinner" and ask again how this may or may not be an acceptable mode for evangelical Africans as a valid response toward homosexuals.  I've stated that African evangelicals simply "hate the sinner." Our answer does not have to come by way of the anonymous hate-post mentioned earlier, i.e., "You [gays] deserve punishment in this world and hereafter."  Instead, our answer comes right from Yusufu Turaki and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) themselves. Turaki, in his hate-speech article cited above (from the Africa Bible Commentary), says "It is . . . academic to try to make a distinction between a homosexual person and a homosexual act, as if the latter is sinful and the former is not. Both are sinful."

The CISA (Catholic Information Service for Africa) condemns Turaki's article: "The Africa Bible Commentary (ABC) conflicts with certain Roman Catholic teachings . . . [For one], the commentary's views on homosexuality . . . [is] unacceptable to the Catholic Church. The Bible defines homosexuality as a sin, the commentary says." In support, the CISA cites Turaki's full statement on "Both are sinful," which quote is stated above in the final sentence of the preceding paragraph. According to the CISA, the Catholic Church, unlike the Africa Bible Commentary, makes an important distinction between a homosexual act and a homosexual person. (Source: article by Henry Makori entitled "CISA: Kenya Catholic Church rejects new Bible Commentary")

But this isn't just a Catholic objection to the Africa Bible Commentary, the evangelical "ex-gay" writers that I have read would agree with the CISA and would, for the most part, completely disown the Africa Bible Commentary article. Evangelical "ex-gay" proponents would disagree with Turaki's following uncritical statements: that homosexuals are "worst than beasts," that there should be zero toleration for homosexuals, and that homosexuality is sin [or that sexual orientation, when it is same-sex oriented, is sin].

So, the Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary apparently stands alone in the religious world when it says there is no distinction between the same-sex acts of gay people and the homosexual person himself [sexual orientation]. It appears, then, that if the evangelical in Africa hates the act ("the sin"), he also must hate the person who enters in upon the act ("the sinner"), for "both are sinful" says Turaki. This hate-the-sin/hate-the-sinner is exactly what is presently being played out in the parliament of Uganda where the Anti-Homosexuality bill is being considered. Therefore, in view of this East African evangelicalism of Bible-believing gay-hatred and legalized gay-bashing with religious sanctioning by evangelicals, the historic East Africa Revival and the present-day Ugandan "evangelical causes" – upheld by the wife of the president of Uganda – are now seen to have a very dark underside, where light and love are, ironically, lost to religion - not just to religion in Uganda but lost to religion wherever evangelicals will not speak out in utter horror of their brethren in Uganda.  This light and love, now apparently crucified-a-new in Ugandan churches, are urgently in need of being resurrected by some miraculous, timely supernatural intervention, before innocent Ugandan lives are literally snuffed out in the name of God and country.

Finally, on a happier note, what about the third individual who posted a comment about Rev. Kimindu's appeal for discussion on gay rights? There is hope! The third person was in agreement with Kimindu's call for discussion. Basically, the positive comment went something like this: "This is the 21st century, and if Kenya is drafting a constitution for the 21st century then gay rights are an obvious given." Evidently, the politicians' hate-speech that Turaki uncritically highlights in his Africa Bible Commentary article – "that homosexuals are worse than beasts" – does not fit the 21st century civilization that some Africans imagine for their country, even in spite of what some evangelical Africans say the Good Book says.

by Rev. Stephen Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director, sparelli2002@yahoo.com  
Bronx, New York, November 30, 2009

Society of Biblical Literature member charges religious publisher with anti-gay hate speech

Blatant hate speech against homosexuals in Zondervan's Africa Bible Commentary cited at Society of Biblical Literature 2009 Annual Meeting

Panel respondant reports churches in South Africa "are hungry" to know what the Bible realy says about homosexuality
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISANNA - November 23, 2009

by Rev. Steve Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director

The African Biblical Hermeneutics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) featured a paper today at the SBL annual meeting centered around the "Lot and Abraham Story" from the Africa Bible Commentary (Zondervan, 2006). The respondent to the paper, Gerald O. West of Kwa-Zulu Natal University, in his remarks, made a brief reference to the Africa Bible Commentary's featured article entitled "Homosexuality," found in the Romans section of the single volume commentary, to illustrate how the "Lot and Abraham Story" of the Africa Bible Commentary is predisposed to the evangelical anti-homosexual position.

During the open discussion that followed the papers, Rev. Steve Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, said the publisher, Zondervan, was guilty of "hate speech" against homosexuals. Parelli said the Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary article quotes uncritically a so-called common-enough view held in Africa that "homosexuals are worse than beasts." The Africa Bible Commentary article further states, said Parelli, that "the Anglican Church in Africa has rejected Bishop Tutu's call for tolerance and acceptance of homosexuals." Parelli said, because the Africa Bible Commentary article links, uncritically, the two statements that "homosexuals are worse than beasts" and that "the Anglican Church rejected Tutu's call for tolerance" that the article is hate speech against homosexuals, that the evangelical Nigerian author of the article, because he is uncritical of the quotes he uses, owns the quotes as his own viewpoint.

Parelli said Rick Warren of the United States, John Stott of England, and Douglas Carew of Nairobi, Kenya, have all endorsed the Africa Bible Commentary.

Parelli, citing Uganda as an evangelical country, tied the evangelical view of homosexuality to the current criminal Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Uganda that calls for the death sentence and life imprisonment of homosexuals who meet certain conditions.

Another attendant of the SBL session, sitting at the rear of the room, who did not identify himself when he spoke and who left early, thanked the audience for their comments on the Africa Bible Commentary and said that the "insensitivities" of the Africa Bible Commentary as noted in this meeting would be taken into consideration. Apparently, from his remarks, the gentleman is somehow associated with Zondervan, but that notion was not confirmed.

West, in his final reply to the audience as the respondent, thanked Parelli for his comments on the Africa Bible Commentary and related his own disappointments with the volumn. In addition, West gave an account of how religious groups within South Africa are forming meetings around the study of the issue of homosexuality and the church in Africa in order to discuss seriously the Biblical texts traditionally associated with homosexuality. West said South Africans "are hungry" to really know, and not assume, what the Bible does and does not say about homosexuality especially in light of the very really present situation that their

South African constitution provides for the right of same-sex marriage.

Robert Wafula, Drew University, and Robert Wafawanaka, Virginia Union University, each gave a paper and West responded to each paper separately. Elelwani Farisani, University of South Africa, presided. In 2008, Parelli and his same-sex spouse, Jose Ortiz, conducted Other Sheep seminars on the Bible and homosexuality in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

OUTTAKE: An audio interview with Parelli of Other Sheep

REV. STEVE PARELLI SHOWS WHY EVANGELICAL LEADERS MUST SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE UGANDAN ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL OF 2009
Source: OutTake, Monday, October 26, 2009

Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson chats with Steve Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, a multicultural ecumenical Christian ministry working worldwide for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith within their respective faith traditions. Parelli's current priority is to stop the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 which will impose the death penalty and prison on the Ugandan LGBT community. He is urging the evangelical community to email their evangelical leaders. "Tell evangelical leaders like Rick Warren to tell the-largely-evangelical Ugandan people to STOP the bill. Why tell Rick Warren? Because of his endorsement of the widely acclaimed 2006 Zondervan Africa Bible Commentary in which a featured article entitled "Homosexuality" by a Nigerian evangelical leader supports no toleration for homosexuals in Africa and says homosexuals are no better than beasts. This is the evangelical talk in Africa and Rick Warren of the USA and John Stott of England and Douglas Carew of Kenya have endorsed it." Email Rick Warren...

On a personal note, Steve, a graduate of Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, had served the Faith Baptist Church of Sparta, New Jersey, as senior pastor for ten years when in 1997 he chose to leave the ministry to make a new life with his partner, Jose. Prior to leaving the ministry, Steve was in reparative therapy with Joseph Nicolosi, "ex-gay" support groups, an international male mentoring group and spiritual counseling, all with the purpose of "overcoming" his homosexual attractions. After leaving his now ex-wife and four children and establishing himself in a gay relationship, Steve was accordingly defrocked by the First Baptist Church of Sinclairville, New York. On May 31, 2009, Steve was ordained by Rev. Nancy Wilson, Moderator of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). Steve and his spouse Jose were legally married in Sacramento, California, August 25, 2008. They make

Ford Foundation program officer tells Ugandan Civil Society Coalition that Other Sheep helps liberate sexual minorities through Bible interpretation

Reporting: Dennis Wamala, Other Sheep Uganda Chairperson, Kampala, Uganda.
October 28 & November 4, 2009.

Dennis Wamala (photo at left), chairperson of Other Sheep Uganda, reports that the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law meeting in Kampala "gave a special mention and thanked [Other Sheep] for the support it is providing during these trying times." In an email, Dennis says "Today (October 28, 2009) . . . the director of Akina Mama wa Africa - the organization spearheading the coalition - thanked Other Sheep." In a second email, Dennis says, "Today (November 4, 2009) . . . Willy Mutunga, program officer at the Ford Foundation Kenya expressed content [sic] with the work Other Sheep Kenya is doing. He said, 'Other Sheep has some very interesting interpretations of the Bible. This can be very useful in our struggle to liberate sexual minorities.' Willy also acknowledged the fact that he was aware that Rev. Michael Kimindu and John Makokha are working for Other Sheep in Kenya."

Other Sheep Press Announcement: PRA joins Other Sheep in calling on Rick Warren to denounce Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill

BRONX, NEW YORK
October 29, 2009
by Rev. Stephen R. Parelli, Other Sheep Executive Director

Political Research Associates (PRA), in an eNews they released yesterday calling on "Rick Warren to Denounce Proposed Antigay Law in Uganda," effectively joins Other Sheep in calling on evangelicals to stop the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009. PRA reports: "In March 2008, U.S. evangelical leader Rick Warren told Ugandans that homosexuality is not a natural way of life and thus not a human right."

Other Sheep, in its eNews of October 19, called upon evangelicals Rick Warren (USA), John Stott (England), Douglas Carew (Kenya) and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) to accountability for their part in inducing inhumane and hateful attitudes of Africans towards homosexual Africans.

On January 6 and on October 19 of this year, Other Sheep reported that an article on homosexuality in Africa Bible Commentary, published by AEA and endorsed by Warren, Stott and Carew, says homosexuals "are worse than beasts" and should not be tolerated; homosexuals are "abnormal, unnatural and a perversion." The article also asserts: no view on the morality of homosexuality other than the evangelical view is to be given consideration; the common denominator of same-sex sex is coercive sex; and to be homosexual is sinful. Africa Bible Commentary, published in 2006, is a commentary on the Bible by 70 African evangelical Bible scholars. The featured article on "Homosexuality" is authored by evangelical Nigerian Tusufu Turaki.

Other Sheep is an ecumenical Christian ministry that works worldwide to empower LGBT people of faith. Other Sheep Uganda, a committee made up of Ugandan lay leaders, was organized in 2008 for the purpose of distributing literature on the topic "What does the Bible really say about homosexuality?"

YouTube - Evangelicals urged to denounce Ugandan Anti Homosexuality Bill of 2009

YouTube - Evangelicals urged to denounce Ugandan Anti Homosexuality Bill of 2009: "Evangelicals urged to denounce Ugandan Anti Homosexuality Bill"

Correspondance with a Nairobi evangelical Bible teacher on issues that spring from the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009

A letter in which it is shown that evangelicals in America and Africa, denying basic human rights, are courting the state in order to make laws and amend constitutions in order to limit same-sex relationships according to their evangelical take on the Bible.

Dear Steve of Other Sheep:

I am a vocal anti-homosexual activist. I am a Bible teacher from Nairobi, Kenya. I am able to show you from scripture why I believe you are wrong, and everyone like you. I can show you, from the Bible, what is the natural divine intention that God purposed in human sexuality. I do not support the execution of homosexuals anywhere in the world (a reference to the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality bill of 2009). But I do believe this problem has a spiritual solution.

It was great knowing you, but I am sorry that our friendship cannot continue. I have removed you as a friend on Facebook. I will pray for your salvation. Our relationship must be an impersonal relationship. Please unsubscribe me from the Other Sheep eNews.

Pastor and Bible Teacher [name withheld], Nairobi, Kenya
Email dated Tuesday, October 27, 2009


Dear Pastor of Nairobi:

I believe we must build a society where my understanding of the Bible and your understanding of the Bible does not mean that I infringe upon your civil liberties, and that you infringe upon mine. Regarding the question of policing same-sex relationships (as in the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 and as in the amending of state constitutions in America), it is my opinion that evangelicals have become the new inquisition, the new archbishop that all must follow, the new state regime where the laws of the evangelical Bible are to be written into state constitutions. This is obviously true in America where the civil liberties of sexual minorities have been limited by amending state constitutions, won, in large part, by the efforts of evangelicals. The same can be demonstrated now in Uganda where evangelicals play a significant role in society and where the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 has been recently introduced.

The basic human right to believe according to the dictates of one's conscience without harassment from any religious or secular body, state or church, is being challenged today in America and Africa by the intersecting of the Bible, homosexuality, and society. In civil society, the citizen chooses freely to submit, or not submit, to the evangelical understanding of the Bible, or whatever the sectarian view. In a free society, the state does not impose upon its citizens an evangelical understanding of “the natural divine intention” of God.

Marriage is a civil institution. Not a religious institution. My civil right to a same-sex marriage does not infringe upon anyone’s civil right to an opposite-sex marriage. Why do evangelicals need to limit my civil rights in order for them to freely enjoy their civil rights? Why do evangelicals ask the state to restrict my options in marriage to that which is unnatural (that is, it is unnatural for me to marry the opposite-sex), while heterosexual evangelicals enjoy the state’s protection in marriage to what is natural for them? Should I not, naturally, be given the same right to marry according to my nature, too?

No homosexual, in order to enjoy the rights and privileges of marriage, should have to marry the opposite sex. That would be contrary to his or her nature and would serve only to disrupt the order of society where unnatural unions (homosexuals with heterosexuals) result in broken lives due to unfilled emotional and physical needs. How unnatural, therefore, for a homosexual to be joined in marriage with a heterosexual. How unnatural for intellectual society to reject a homosexual who would naturally refuse to marry a heterosexual.

The Reformation taught us this: The state must forever be the state. And the church must forever be the church. The one should not rule the other, directly or indirectly. What evangelicals may call unnatural in context of its own code of morality, the state may rightly call natural in terms of its moral responsibility to uphold the civil liberties of all, i.e., marriage between two consenting adults for all, not for some. The state and the church must be free to function without bowing to the other. Same-sex marriage is a civil question. Consenting same-sex adults, therefore, are not “worse than beasts” as Nigerian evangelical Yusufu Turaki gives credence to in his article on “Homosexuality” (page 1355, Africa Bible Commentary). Same-sex couples do naturally what opposite-sex couples do naturally: they make a life together. Both should be granted marriage and protection from the state.

At the very core of my being I am same-sex oriented, just like most evangelicals are opposite-sex oriented. I believe God smiles upon the joining together of two individuals who complete and complement one another. For a heterosexual evangelical to marry the opposite sex completes and complements him or her. For me to be married to my same-sex husband (August 25, 2008) completes and complements me. Ironically, in terms of sexual orientation, it is not opposites that attract, but sameness: heterosexuals attract heterosexuals and homosexuals attract homosexuals.

Evangelicals need to stop and back off and be the church again, allowing the state to be the state, both in Africa and in America. The evangelical church will actually win laurels from society, and rightly so, when they realize that same-sex marriage is a civil question and not a religious question and that LGBT people are a valid minority that need the same rights and protection under the law like any two heterosexual adults who consent to marriage.

Sincerely,

Rev. Steve Parelli
Other Sheep Executive Director
Metropolitan Community Church clergy
October 27, 2009. Bronx, NY

Other Sheep's Facebook Cause: Tell Evangelicals to Denounce the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009

An Other Sheep Facebook cause is growing in numbers.

by Rev. Stephen Parelli, Bronx, NY. October 24, 2009

In just three days more than 130 Facebook friends from Nepal and Thailand to Africa and the United States have signed on to the Other Sheep Cause that asks evangelical leaders worldwide to denounce the Ungandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, a bill that imposes the death sentence and imprisonment of homosexuals.

At the heart of the Cause is the concern raised by hate speech in an article on homosexuality by the Nigerian evangelical leader Yusufu Turaki. The article is featured in the Africa Bible Commentary, "a publishing landmark" published in 2006 by Zondervan Corporation and the Assoiciation of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) and endorsed on the back cover by evangelical leaders Rick Warren (USA), John Stott (England) and Douglas Carew (Kenya).

Turaki's article contains the following anti-homosexual remarks:

(a) Turaki's use of the words "abnormal, unnatural and a perversion" in reference to homosexuals; (b) his uncritical use of the quote that "homosexuals are worse than beasts" tied in with (c) his uncritical statement of the African Anglican church's rejection of Archbishop Tutu's call for tolerance, as well as (d) his one-sided account of African "coercive sexual relationships" as his example of "varied" African same-sex sex; (e) an uncritical censorship of all views of homosexuality that are not in keeping with his views ("Our views of homosexuality should not be derived from human sources but from the Word of God"), and (f) his expressed theological view that to be homosexual is sinful (a view not held by evangelicals in the West).

Facebook friends who sign on to the Cause are concerned because Turaki's article effectively dismisses the church in Africa from its responsibility to speak out against the violence Africans inflict upon African LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender). Turaki's article could be used by African evangelicals at this time as an argument for the endorsement of the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Facebook members of the Cause urge the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) and Rick Warrn, John Stott, and Douglas Carew to openly denounce the Ugandan bill and to state that Yusufu Turaki's inflexible and dogmatic article on "Homosexuality" is not to be understood by any evangelicals in Africa as an argument for the endorsement of the inhumane Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, that no evangelical would single out homosexuals for the death penalty or life imprisonment.

The Facebook Cause is titled "Tell Rick Warren to Tell Evangelicals in Uganda to Stop the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009." The Cause links members to a sample letter and contact information on Other Sheep webpages so that members of the Cause can email Warren, Stott, Carew and the AEA.

Open Letter to Dr. Douglas Carew vice chancellor of Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology

Other Sheep eNews containing Open Letter

Posted from the BRONX, NY, October 24, 2009.

The following is an Open Letter to Dr. Douglas Carew from John Doner, Other Sheep Latin America Coordinator

Dear Dr. Carew:

Do you believe homosexuals should be imprisoned for life? Do you believe homosexuals who repeatedly participate in same-sex activities should be put to death? Do you think persons who support lgbt organizations which simply are seeking their human rights should be put in prison?

I didn't think so, but such legislation is currently being considered in the Ugandan Parliament, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009. And evangelical Christians in Uganda are likely to be turning a deaf ear to such demonic, unChristian legislation, influenced by the Africa Bible Commentary which you endorsed in 2006. That commentary has an article on homosexuality, written by Yusufu Turaki. Turaki's article contains the following anti-homosexual remarks:

(a) Turaki's use of the words "abnormal, unnatural and a perversion" in reference to homosexuals; (b) his uncritical use of the quote that "homosexuals are worse than beasts" tied in with (c) his uncritical statement of the African Anglican church's rejection of Archbishop Tutu's call for tolerance, as well as (d) his one-sided account of African "coercive sexual relationships" as his example of "varied" African same-sex sex; (e) an uncritical censorship of all views of homosexuality that are not in keeping with his views ("Our views of homosexuality should not be derived from human sources but from the Word of God"), and (f) his expressed theological view that to be homosexual is sinful (a view not held by evangelicals in the West).

Turaki's article effectively dismisses the church from its responsibility to speak out against the violence in Africa against lgbt people (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender). His article could be used by African evangelicals at this time as an argument for the endorsement of the Ugandan bill.

I am aware that, for the most part, evangelicals worldwide view same-sex sex between consenting adults as immoral. Nonetheless, I cannot believe that evangelicals can stand silently by and watch the Parliament of Uganda vote this inhumane bill into law, especially since evangelicals are so vehemently vocal on the issue of homosexuality.

Therefore, I urge you to openly denounce this bill and to state that Yusufu Turaki's inflexible and dogmatic article on "Homosexuality", in the Commentary that you endorsed, should not be misused by any evangelicals in Africa as an argument for the endorsement of the inhumane Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009.

In Christ's love,

John P. Doner
Latin America Coordinator
Other Sheep - Multicultural Ministries with Sexual Minorities
Mexico City
October 22, 2009

Tell Rick Warren, John Stott and Douglas Carew to tell the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) to Denounce the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Other Sheep Press Announcement

BRONX, NEW YORK, USA. October 19, 2009
In an Other Sheep e-newsletter, Rev Stephen Parelli, Executive Director of Other Sheep, called upon evangelicals worldwide to tell the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) to denounce the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009.

"Uganda is largely evangelical," Parelli said. "Uganda's hateful stance against homosexuals is very Bible based, so they think. Therefore, evangelicals worldwide cannot look on and watch the Parliament of Uganda enact laws against homosexuals that are, as this bill is, criminal, without speaking out. The evangelicals of Africa and from outside of Africa must address their fellow Christians of Uganda and tell them they must, in the name of God, stop this inhumane bill from becoming law."

The newsletter gives a sample letter to use and the contact information of the AEA Executive Board members and AEA Ethics, Peace and Justice Commission.

In addition, Rev. Parelli called upon Pastor Rick Warren of the United States, John Stott of England, and Douglas Carew of Kenya, all recognized evangelical leaders, to denounce the bill. "Warren, Stott and Carew," Parelli said, "have endorsed the 2006 widely acclaimed Africa Bible Commentary in which Nigerian religious leader Yusufu Turaki's featured Homosexuality article effectively dismisses the church from its responsibility to speak out against the violence in Africa against LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender). Turaki's article could be used by African evangelicals at this time as an argument for the endorsement of the Ugandan bill."

The Other Sheep newsletter provides contact information and a sample letter to Warren, Stott and Carew urging them to speak out against the bill.

Other Sheep is a multi-cultural ecumenical Christian organization that works worldwide for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith within their respective faith traditions.

Queering Chapter 1 of the Epistle to the Galatians: An adaptation of Paul's letter by Rev. Stephen Parelli

While returning home by bus from the 2009 National Equality March and reflecting on Galatians chapter 1, I queered the passage. When I was in my freshman year of Bible college (1971-1972), I had memorized most of Galatians to "battle" my same-sex attractions. Suddenly, while reflecting on the march and quoting Galatians chapter 1 over in my mind, Paul's writing became gay-friendly for me. I found it very powerful!

The letter, in the King James Version, begins: "Paul, an apostle . . . " or, Paul, the sent one. I made Paul the "equality marchers" and gave them Paul's words as if the words were their own. Here's what the "equality marchers" have to say in the adapted words of Paul:

1 We who strive for the equal rights of LGBT people are sent ones – not because some pro-LGBT organization has enlisted us – but because Jesus Christ – his earthly ministry to the oppressed and marginalized – has called us to do, at this time, what he did then in his day. We are sent by him and the life-giving Creator with the good news of liberty for all. 2 We are not alone in this mission, for there are many with whom we work and who work with us. Now, it is to the churches at large in the United States that we write this letter. 3 We begin with this greeting: Grace and peace to everyone from God the Creator and from Jesus our Lord 4 who lived for the oppressed in society to such an extent that he died at the hands of those who hated his mission; he gave his life in the pursuit of delivering us from a world where men do evil to other men; he died for a just world for all – a world as God originally intended it to be. 5 For this sacrifice we give him the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The paraphrase continues. You can see it on my Other Sheep Exec Site where I parallel my paraphrase along side the King James Version so you can compare the two accounts. Click here for the complete chapter.

News article says new bill in Uganda means homosexuals will face death penalty

"I fear for Uganda, or any state, when the church, by how it acts, might as well be parliament, and parliament, by how it acts, might as well be the church." - Rev. Stephen R. Parelli

------------------------------------------

Today by email, I received the above news article from a more recent contact in Uganda. The young gay man wrote that because of this bill in the parliment of Uganda he has decided finally to leave his country.

I ask: Where is the voice of the churches in Uganda, that voice that should be raising moral objections to this bill? I believe, sadly, you are hearing the voice of the churches in Uganda as you read this bill. Mary Nyangweso Wangila in her book Female Circumcision: The Interplay of Religion, Culture, and Gender in Kenya quotes John Mbiti as describing Africans as "notoriously religious" by explaining "Wherever the African is, there is his religion: he carries it to the fields where he is sowing seeds or harvesting a new crop; he takes it with him to the beer party or to attend a funeral ceremony; and if he is educated, he takes religion with him to the examination room at school or in the university; if he is a politician, he takes it to the house of parliament."

Some in the church need to arise and say to the church, "Wait! The Bible is not at all that clear on the topic of homosexuality. We have drawn our conclusions without doing our homework on the Biblical passages and we have, therefore, judged our brother perhaps without cause." Some in parliament need to arise and say to parliament, "Wait! We are in danger of making our laws on the basis of religious teaching rather than civil rights for all. Do we enact laws that copy ecclesiastical codes, or do we enact laws that protect the equality and justice of all?"

I fear for Uganda, or any state, when the church, by how it acts, might as well be parliament, and parliament, by how it acts, might as well be the church.

May God save the parliament of Uganda from this bill of civil injustice and social inequality.

It was 1966 and it was a very good year, that is, now that its 2009 and I'm happily married to my same-sex partner!

See The New York Times article "Coming Out in Middle School."

In 1966 I was 13 years old and I knew I was gay. No doubt. Puberty was playing a trick on me. While other guys were looking at girls, my hormones, for whatever reason(s), were screaming at me to look at guys.

It was a lonely time. (And for 31 years after that it continued to be a lonely time.) There was no one then to talk with, not even my religious leaders, like my youth leader and pastor, who were of a very conservative Baptist stripe. For teenagers today - though 43 years later - it can still be difficult. After all, it is never easy to be perceived as "different," especially for teenagers, and especially for teenagers within in a family, group or society, like a church, that definitely defines gay as totally unacceptable. That's why schools must create and maintain a "safe space," as the Methodist minister said, for all.

Since 1997, age 44, I've been openly gay and finding many other gay Christians, open and closeted, from around the world.

Open is decidedly best for me! Queer! Christian! And happily married! God, it took a long time to get here - but I've arrived as far as accepting my sexual orientation - and, sadly, with little help from the church as I knew it. God has been good to me in this area of my life in spite of his caring-but-ill-equipped-in-this-department church leaders who, though they give their lives to the church, it was without knowledge.

1966, the year I knew I was gay, was a very good year . . . that is, now that it is 2009 and I can look back on the last 12 years as open and honest and partnered. You see, 1966 was a very good year because now I'm loving the life God gave me to live. In 2009, I'm loving the 1966 queer teenage boy that God loved. I'm loving me. That makes 1966 a very good year.

My experience: How DOMA allows for legal discrimination at the very point of entry into the USA

Yesterday at JFK International airport, as I re-entered the United States with my legal spouse after traveling abroad for two months, I was to be separated from my spouse while he was taken by officials for questioning about his true identity.

This same scenario occurred a year ago at JFK International airport. My spouse, Mr. Jose Ortiz, a guidance counselor in the public schools of New York City, has been, on more than one occasion, confused with a criminal by the same name.

Last year was the first time that this happened to us upon re-entry into the US. It was somewhat traumatic for me to be potentially separated from my then-11-year life partner (this was just a couple days before our legal civil marriage was to take place). The officer was asking Jose to "follow me" without any explanation and telling me to remain behind. I refused to be separated especially not knowing what was taking place. A superior officer granted me permission to remain with Jose after my explanation that we had "domestic certification" with New York City. It was traumatic at the time: the feeling of law officers separating us without being able to communicate with each other and without being told why we were being separated. I observed, while remaining with Jose in the room where the identity process was conducted, that whole families (spouses and children) entered the room together when only one of the spouses was being questioned. In other (heterosexual) families, the policy is to NOT separate spouses and children during this process – a very wise policy for sure – seeing how potentially traumatic it can be to be separated at this point of entry (for foreigners) and re-entry (for Americans).

This year, when the same thing happened, I was of course less traumatized. But nonetheless, the experience was a bit unnerving (as any legal process can be when law officials are involved and they are leading your spouse away from you without any explanation). When I refused to be separated from Jose "because we are legally married" the officer responded "not here" and laughed (more at the situation, it turns out, than at us or my request). And of course, being in an airport where the jurisdiction is Federal, DOMA does not recognize my legal marriage (which took place in California on August 25, 2008). I ignored his comment "not here" and insisted that since I was married in California and that since NY State recognizes my marriage, I am married. (Hence his laugh, as I look back on it. That is, how interesting that I was passing through a no-man's land where just before entrance I was legally married; as I passed through I was not legally married; and once I was to exit a few paces after our encounter, I would be legally married again.)

The officer who laughed did grant me permission to enter the room with Jose for the processing of his identity and passport. So we were not, in the end, separated; but only because I insisted.

This experience, in which we could have been separated legally from one another on the basis of DOMA, is a stark realization that our marriage is only legally so-so depending on where we are and what the laws are in that given place. I'm wondering now about certain States: what could happen in hospitals where States do not, constitutionally, allow for same-sex marriages.

This weekend I travel with Jose to Colorado for a conference over Labor Day weekend. We will be renting a car. If there is an accident in which Jose is injured, could the hospital in Colorado legally forbid me to be with Jose in the emergency room? After all, I believe Colorado is one of those more-than-30 states which have amended their constitution to read that marriage is only between opposite sexes. Hence, my marriage in California is not recognized in Colorado, I assume.

DOMA needs to be repealed, and of course, Bill Clinton is now on record as regretting he signed DOMA, and President Obama has promised the LGBT community that he will push for our equal rights.

It would be nice next summer to be able to re-enter my country without having to be separated from my spouse as other heterosexual married couples are not when only one spouse needs special processing. That all depends on DOMA's status, no doubt.

And, whoever that other Jose Ortiz is out there - - - well, you've got a name I really like, so if you are in trouble with the law – clean up your act. And as for DOMA, it needs to go away, otherwise it may be my name that's in trouble with the law some day because I don't intend to have government separate me from my spouse without fully understanding what is going on. For now, I'm writing my Congressman about my unhappy experience with DOMA and the unjust and discriminating treatment I received under the law -- that is, DOMA allows for legal discrimination at the very point of entry into the USA. I wonder how the Lady with the lamp feels about that!

Above photo: Beijing International Airport, point of departure before re-entry into the USA.

The lady from Kuala Lumpur and the "Crying" Twin Towers

It was late afternoon when we arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Singapore by bus. We had an evening speaking engagement at 8pm and were to leave early the next morning for Lumut, a west cost town. That meant we had a small window of time to visit the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur. We were met at the bus station by a new friend we had made the weekend before at a retreat we had attended in Port Dickson, Malaysia. He was happy to see us and eager to take us to the Twin Towers and then on to our evening meeting. We checked in to the hotel, took with us the items we needed for the meeting and were off to the Twin Towers by the city trains with our friendly guide. It was a perfect day. We took pictures along the way: a Mosque here, city buildings there.

Our second and final train took us under the city. It was then that my thoughts and feelings transported me to another time when I was under that other city and on my way to another set of Twin Towers. It was 9-11 and I was making my way from Jackson Heights, Queens, to Rockefeller Center where I worked for a law firm as a paralegal. It was a large law firm that held 13 floors of Rockefeller Center. I worked in an area of the building that had a direct view of both Towers. Daily I took in the view with a sense of awe, inspiration and pure delight. On this day -- 9-11 -- I was struck with horror and disbelief like all New Yorkers as I looked out upon the burning towers upon my arrival to work around 9:30am.

Now -- here in Kuala Lumpur -- I was under the city approaching the Twin Towers. Different feelings came to the surface. One feeling in particular I had to wilfully dismiss. It was, "How could they do that to us? Did they cry for us when it happened?" I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I immediately divorced the first "they" from the second "they." The first "they" were the extremists. The second "they" were the general populace presently all around me in their Muslim garb. One gentleman sitting there on the train caught my eyes. As he looked at me, I smiled at him -- it is a regular practice of mine to smile at strangers who may glance my way. He smiled back and it helped me bring things into perspective.

We left the train at our Twin Tower station and ascended the stairs. As we came to the huge mull area that is situated under the Twin Towers, we had our first glimpse towards the light of day. It was pouring. That small window of opportunity to stand at the base of the Towers had closed on us. Like the tourist I was, I was heartbroken. Our guide and friend turned to us and suggested we go to the food court and try some Malaysian deserts while we wait. As we made our way to the fourth or fifth floor -- the mull opening up before us like the modern cathedral it was -- I felt comforted by the rain, not cheated of an opportunity. The rain was fitting. I felt it was just as it should be. My partner, Jose, and our Malaysian friend, kept hounding me to keep up with them. But I was reflective. It slowed my pace some.

At the food court, we sat right up against huge windows. In fact, the whole wall was a window. I could see a large part of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. And it was all grey. Streaking grey with the descending rain. Jose and our friend talked and talked as I observed the skies. The heavens were crying for the 9-11 Twin Towers of NYC. The heavens understood my feelings here. My first trip to the Twin Towers since 2001, and the heavens understood. I was comforted by the rain. Jose, my life partner of 12 years who knows me well, could see I was in a different space. He put his arm around me. "It is fitting, you know, that it is raining," I told him. I held back the turns.

A week and two days later, we were at the foot of Penang Hill on Penang Island, Malaysia, waiting to take the incline to the top of the mountain. A lady from Kuala Lumpur, just two years my senior, was there with her family. We had a twenty minute wait. Conversation began between us all -- her family and Jose and me and an Englishman who was spending the afternoon and evening with us.

Then of course the obvious question: "Did you go to the Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur." I was standing somewhat center and I just said it. My reflections. I told them about the rain. I told them how I had seen the Twin Towers ablaze in New York City. I told them how as I was approaching the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur that all those feelings came back. I told them, then, how it rained, but that instead of feeling cheated out of my touring plans, the rain was a comfort. The skies were crying for me.

How silly of me. The poet taking the pulpit. But there, I said it. Jose was somewhat supportive. He turned to the Englishman and said I could be reflective like this, feeling my feelings. It was something Jose had told me attracted me to him.

The lady from Kuala Lumpur was supportive, too. Everyone else stood mute. Not a word. Not she. She said our life traumas are still there at some level and things like this can bring us back to that time and place where the trauma first impacted us. She was smiling as she spoke. The affirmation felt good.

But little did I know just how well she really understood until we boarded the incline train all still together this family with Jose and me and the Englishman. And then she told us all. It was her turn to speak what she was recalling.

You see, in 1963 when she was but 12 years old, her mother ascended this very incline while she remained below. That was the last time she was to see her mother alive. An heart attack took her mother from her at the top of the mountain. I believe this was only the second time since then that she had made the trip to the top. It had been about 30 years since she was here for her last time.

I could see now how well she understood me when I had said it was fitting that it was raining at the Towers of Kuala Lumpur.

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(As it turned out, we were able to view the Towers briefly when the rain let up that late afternoon, and in the late evening, at night, we viewd the Towers for a second. An attende at the seminar took us to the Towers by car. In this photo, you see Jose and the Towers at night, Thursday, August 13, 2009)

On the steps of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (Chiang Mai, Thialand): An expression of Love, Belonging and Completeness.

by Steve Parelli, Chiang Mai, Thailand. July 15, 2009 (year 2552 in Thailand).

As we slowly descended the long staircase of 306 steps shortly after our temple compound experience of Doi Suthep, Jose turned to me somewhat suddenly and with a warm embrace and the tilt of his head to my shoulder, he said something like "don't ever leave me."

I forget the exact words, but I remember their context. By "leaving" he met, "departing this life."

You see, just as we were about to leave the temple area after our more than two-hour visit, we met a young gay Thai man who was entering the temple area to worship . . . and he was all alone. We caught each other's eye and smile and knew in a moment that he was "family." After introductions were made, and the "yes-I'm-gay"-and-"I-thought-so" remarks, we sat and talked briefly. Like most people who upon learning that Jose and I have been together for 12 years, our new friend smiled gleefully and congratulated us. Then we asked about him. Did he have a boyfriend? "No," he said. But he had had a boyfriend. They were together for six years. And then, just six months ago his boyfriend died suddenly -- he was killed in a motorcycle accident. Our temple friend had moved from his rural town to start life over again in the big city of Chiang Mai. It was too much to continue living where he had lived with his lover. Now, in Chiang Mai, he was running his own business. New people. New places. A new beginning. We exchanged phone numbers with the idea of maybe meeting up again. He said, "Let's remain friends always" as he turned to the temple and we towards the hillside steps to make our decent back into the flow of humanity – where living and dying are both a part of life.

Suddenly, Jose unashamedly expressed his affection there on the descending steps. We were easily a spectacle to any tourist passing by. Like something out of those romance movies where an American couple in a European city spontaneously embrace – not a passionate embrace – but a happy-moment embrace, with laughter and joy and hugs. Jose was kind-of like that, though more subdued, yet obvious enough. I remember the days (long ago) when any kind of public affection like this would have humiliated him and he would have sternly corrected me for having attempted such public expressions.

He's passed all that, and naturally so, for it is just that, natural for us to feel and express affection.

So, yes, there on the hillside steps that lead to one of the most sacred temples of north Thailand, with the sad story newly told to us of two gay lovers separated by an untimely death, Jose, with his head tilted to my shoulder and his arm drawing me into himself, said, "Don't ever leave me."

Of course, Jose gives me no reason to go. May God have every reason for me to stay.

Latin America meets Nepal: Mexican humanitarian womam helps LGBT people in Nepal

by Jose Ortiz
Chiang Mai, Thailand. July 12, 2009

A “chance” meeting
I was having breakfast with Steve in the dining room of our resort outside of Kathmandu when all of a sudden I noticed that the couple next to us was speaking Spanish. Well, just hearing the language of heaven (as we Spanish speakers call it) simply warmed my heart. Wow, it was so wonderful to hear a familiar language in a far away land. Of course, I asked where they were from and discovered that they were from Mexico. The couple had been living in Nepal for over 10 years. They came to Nepal after living in other parts of the world due the husband’s job.

When the woman, Lupita, heard that we had networked with the Blue Diamond Society, she lit up. Lupita had worked with drug addicted people, many of whom, after they had recovered, joined the BDS. She was touching LGBT lives for the better, and only later realizing what their sexual orientation was. What are the chances that the Spanish speaking person I happened to meet also happened to have such an interesting personal connection to the organization that was sponsoroing one of our talks? In addition, Lupita was thrilled to hear we were reaching out to the pastors to address the misconceptions and misinterpretations regarding homosexuality and the Scriptures. She has gay friends herself back in Mexico and absolutely adores them, she told me.

She was not just any expatriate
I mentioned to her that we were going to give a talk to BDS members that Wednesday, July 8. She gleefully said she must know where it was being held and that she would definitely attend. By the way, she is also an Ortiz by marriage. But the “coincidences” don’t stop there. When I got to the speaking venue and told one of the BDS staff that Lupita was coming, he asked with a smile, “you mean Lupita Hernandez?” As I searched my memory for her maiden last name, the BDS fellow described her to a tee. She had been the recipient of an award (from the LGBT community, I think) for her humanitarian work as a foreigner in Nepal. So, God once again has put us in contact with a key person in our travels just because we (Steve and I) always try to be friendly and interactive with people spontaneously.

It was great to see her smiling face come through the door and greet me with the warmth and kisses typical of Latino friendship greetings. A bit of “mi gente” (my people) right here in far away Nepal. Later that week, as I spoke to her from my mobile phone as our flight was about to depart from Nepal, Lupita said that what we shared at the Wednesday talk - warning the LGBT community of the fallacy of Christian "ex-gay" conversion ministries - was so important and that she wished to stay in touch as she would assist the LGBT community in all that she could. As coordinator for Africa, Asia and Latino/as in USA, I am so pleased to see this international/cross cultural networking and collaboration. It is one of my favorite aspects of working with Other Sheep.

Seeds Sown at Pastors' Seminar

by Jose E. Ortiz. Gokarna Forest Resort, Kathemandu, Nepal. July 7, 2009.
During the Other Sheep seminar for pastors held in a part of Kathmandu called Lalitpur (which means the Beautiful City) we were honored by the presence of some Nepali gay, lesbian, transgender activists and a pro-LGBTI straight ally named Indira. Three LGBT activists and a straight ally came specifically to speak to the 26 pastors in attendance as Christian believers that wanted the pastors to hear their story. One of the activists that spoke was the leader of the lesbian organization called Mitini. Her delivery touched me deeply. This young woman shared how she had converted from Hinduism to Christianity out of a sincere attraction to the faith. However, she felt she could not continue attending church because of the way she was treated in response to her obviously different mannerisms and appearance. She did fit the outward expressions of what the members expected of a Nepali woman. This serious, rough-looking woman, as she finished telling her story of conversion, rejection and subsequent falling away from faith, walked to her seat in tears. Many were not unaffected; the pastor seated to her right immediately began to speak to her.

I was later informed by Indira who translated the stories, that a few pastors were not unaffected; the pastor seated to the Mitoni woman's right immediately began to speak to her. I was later informed by Indira, that a few pastors asked the lesbian to their church, that she would be respected there. I don’t know what these pastors intend to do if she takes their offer. Will they show love to her with the goal of changing her? Who knows, but the good thing here is that now these pastors’ hearts have been moved when encountering, maybe for the first time, an openly homosexual individual. Indira, who is also an open-minded Nepali Christian and straight ally, told us that she believes that our meeting was the first time a group of Nepali pastors met with gay and lesbian people. In addition to the woman from Mitini, they heard from a transgender woman, and a gay man and from Blue Diamond Socity – all Christians. Indira said to me later, with great conviction, that this kind of exposure and education for pastors must continue. She went on to tell me that some pastors from a particular church had requested that the Blue Diamond Society (the LGBTI activist group) come to their church to further inform them on the matter of homosexuality. Seeds have been scattered by this event and I believe some of it will fall on good ground and produce fruit – fruit of understanding, compassion and hunger and thirst for justice. These initial reports give me such hope.

Interaction with Nepali Pastor on Sodomite Passages

by Jose E. Ortiz. Gokarna Forest Resort, Kathemandu, Nepal. July 7, 2009.
At the pastor’s seminar held on Sunday, July 5, a pastor began to talk with me during the meal time. He was theologically trained and had studied Greek and Hebrew. We had had a nice interaction at the beginning of the seminar when he gave me the name of his church wile signing in. His church’s name had the word Elohim in it. Upon hearing Elohim I recited Gen 1:1 in Hebrew which has the name of God -Elohim - in it. He laughed and said “I can only remember just the first three words of that Hebrew text," amazed that I knew the whole verse. I explained that I had just completed a 10 month course in Hebrew. The pastor then said let’s see if you remember it 5 to 10 years from now and we both laughed.

During the meal time, after Steve had discussed the erroneous insertion of the word Sodomite in the translation of five Old Testament passages, amongst other points, the pastor shared some interesting observations with me. He noted that a lot of the pastors in Nepal are not theologically trained; by that, he meant seminary training complete with biblical languages. He also noted that he believed that one could count on two hands the number of pastors that were functionally knowledgeable of Hebrew and Greek. Finally, he said “it probably would have been better to leave the bible in the hands of those who are trained to read and understand it in the original languages!” We both chuckled and I agreed by saying the translation of scripture into the language of the people was a good thing and a dangerous thing because an errant translation, leading to an incorrect interpretation, can lead to harmful application. I didn’t say it quite so poetically at the time but since I am on that kick, here is another little ditty I thought of: Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when mistranslations we believe!

Our unseen host in Nepal and our first 24 hours here: "You are my neighbor; I am my brother's keeper."

by Rev. Stphen R. Parelli. KATHMANDU, NEPAL. Back in January, a friend insisted I get on Facebook. She insisted the networking there would be great, not to mention catching up with friends. And so it has been.

Now here's a Facebook story: Shaun Kirven of Kathmandu, Nepal -- someone I've met only through Facebook -- when he learned about Other Sheep and our plans to be in Nepal, he wrote and said he would like to provide us a room in his home. I'm writing this blog from his home! and he isn't even here. He's on some human rights mission in another country. In fact, Jose and I will leave Nepal before he returns home. There are two other people living here. One is also involved in human rights work and she, like Shaun, is English. The other person who lives here is Nepalese and met us at the airport! Shaun had written us on Facebook: "When you arrive at the airport look for a sign with your name on it. That's your ride to the house." Can you believe it! Wow. (Of course, we did wonder if this was a set up, i.e., 'Follow the sign; get in the car . . . " -- but we didn't entertain that idea for very long.)

Our first day, our Nepalese host (standing in for Shaun) helped us get situated. He took Jose about town getting cash, slim card for our phone and other basic needs for operating, while I hooked my lap top up to their wireless and got busy with Other Sheep updates and contacts.

We have our own bedroom and share the rest of the apartment with the other two live-ins. Two bathrooms. This is a third floor apartment with a large patio and chairs and with a roof top terrace that has a commanding view of the foot hills (the actual mountains are covered this time of the year – rainy season). A cleaning lady takes care of the kitchen, washing clothes and keeping things neat. At times an annoying mosquito finds its way into the house.

Our stay here is from Sunday night through Thursday night! Can you believe it? You might want to look Shaun Kirven up on Facebook and thank him (and then become a human rights activist and get some first class service from Kirven when you come to Nepal to get involved).

Jose and I finished our first day by contacting (with our up-and-running cell phone) a couple Christian pastors that had expressed interest in meeting with us. So far we have one appointment on Wednesday. The pastor has a school for training pastors. He is entertaining the idea of having us speak to his 35 students next Monday. I emphasised meeting him first. I want to be sure he knows what we are all about. So begins our work in Nepal. We look for continued open doors like this one and when we find one we are amazed at both providence and the human kindness we find in others who help us along the way. Thanks in part to Facebook -- a tool that connects us with other like-minded individuals -- an Internet experience that makes us realize how we all are connected, not digitally, but with that human spirit that says -- you are my neighbor; I am my brother's keeper.