Poor world, because of poor confused people. An article that tells of an Anglican Priest who took the Mic ,(read this in another article) and berated the Gay people in Uganda while Kato was being eulogized before his family and many friends. The villegers refused to bury Kato, probably afraid they would end up like Kato, after the Holy man of Gods admonishing. His friends were friends to the end. Who knows if they were Christian, they behaved like Christians, not so the Priest.

Concerning Uganda:
There have been reports that evangelical missionaries from America contributed to the atmosphere of intolerance against gay people in that country. If that is true, the anti-gay violence is partly their responsibility.
Are those reports true? If so, have these missionaries said or done anything to acknowledge the malign effects of their work? If not, have they refuted (not merely disputed) the accuracy of those reports?

The tragic incident in Uganda, although despicable, is dwarfed in significance by what is happening in Egypt. If Islamic militants gain control, which appears increasingly likely, then control over the Suez Canal ( and no Mr. Matthews the Panama Canal is in Panama ) will become a major issue. The flow of oil to European nations will be at stake and the fragile economies already teetering on the brink, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Ireland, etc, will collapse pressuring the rest of Europe into a severe economic crisis. This will have world wide consequences endangering democracies across the globe. This is a very dangerous stack of dominoes and it could be anyone’s game to topple.

Do we have to choose one catastrophe over another in significance? I don’t think this is what you meant Rober C., but worded as you did it seems so even if you didn’t. The world of peoples relgions are being attacked by some cunning clergy, and that is causing pain and death to a minority of humans not only in Uganda, but all over the world, incl. U.S.A. This should be examined as closly as any other extremists rampages.

The Ugandan situation is more directly tied to religion, but the Egyptian unrest has more global significance. (Having said that, there are also international angles to the Uganda story, such as LGBT Ugandans seeking political asylum in England and elsewhere, and the issues of what role Christian missionaries have played, or should be playing, in that country’s anti-gay violence.) Both stories, however, merit discussion.

Nicole. In Uganda, religious influences have contributed to the incident as one of several causal factors, with the death and the ongoing persecution being the resulting effect. Although serious and with ramifications, and worthy of consideration, it cannot be considered as universal in its potential reprecussions as the situation in Egypt. However, discuss away if that is of prime concern. In the other example, the affect might lead to a subsequent series of causes each of those potentiall causing their own set of social tremors. Aside from the Suez canal, which in and of itself has the serious potential of leading to a powderkeg situation that could result in a war, there are myriad other potential consequences that cannot be overlooked. The scenario envelops the possibility for a regional conflict with Israel that could also become another powderkeg situation drawing in the entire middle east power structure. Not to mention the potential for a bloodbath within the country itself between factions jockeying for power. Include in that scenario the situation of the Copts, who have not had an easy time of it even with Mubarek in control. Furthermore the economic tsunami that could follow might lead to the collapse of some democracies and cause civil unrest elsewhere. Unfortunately the participants there will not emerge from this like Matthew Broaderick’s character in War Games ( a good flick ).

In no way does discussion of one topic reduce or diminish the other. This thread is an opportunity to discuss/debate either or both.
Yes, the Egypt situation is precarious and has potentially lethal consequences. The Ugandan story already has had lethal consequences. Are gay lives somehow ‘lesser’ in your eyes, Robert?

I recall a thread in which Robert was okay with a vote on his own equality rights.

Potentially lethal consequences? The death toll is in the hundreds already. Are you minimizing the implications of one to expound on the other? How self serving. But I suppose I should expect the twisting of logic, the egoist focus and the usual heinious smears from the smug peanut gallery.

The Uganda mess certainly seems to be a blot on some Christian sects and should not be underplayed.
If you’re not homosexual the Egypt story is likely to be more important to you. It’s encouraging that all those people are going to the streets to fight for freedom. That’s supposed to be the reason we invaded Iraq, to encourage things like that. But of course now conservatives are using it to bash President Obama, which just goes to show conservatives, generally speaking, are too rabid to be taken seriously.
We’ll all hope Egypt ends up with an effective secular government which is friendly to us. That’s what President Obama is working for, in a delicate situation, and it’s what he should be working for.
Whether the new Egyptian government will continue the strange practice of aiding the imprisonment of Palestinians in Gaza, like Israel no doubt wants them to do, is questionable and is of no concern to us. It’s vital we remember we are not Israel, we are not responsible for Israel’s safety and we should work to stop being deemed responsible for their behavior.
Some conservatives want us to prop up Mubarak, but he seems to be so unpopular that would be the dumbest thing we could do. We should, of course, offer him a haven if he needs one to help get him out of office peacefully but we should not offer him protection against trial if a legitimate Egyptian government puts him up on charges for what he’s done the last thirty years.

No one is minimizing anything, Robert C.
Let’s keep the comments related to the subject, not each other.

Would be nice Nicole, if you would enforce that rule to all, not just to someone who appears to disagree with you.

My request was directed at everyone. But, I’ll make an effort to police the Comments section more closely from now on, since this continues to be an issue.
In any case, I’ll put up another post solely about Egypt later today or tomorrow, so there’s no need to debate the newsworthiness of Uganda vs. Egypt.

BTW. Aside from the global implications, and for the benefit of those who have forgotten the Cairo 52 or the work of Maher Sabry, it would be nice to remind those of a narrower focus, of just what has been going on in Egypt.
http://www.alternet.org/story/13109/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_52
Or simply to remember the fact that there are perhaps a million gay men and women in Egypt, if not more, who would be further subjected to stricter and onerous living conditions under Sharia.
http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/egypt/egnews97.htm
Sounds quite on topic to me.

That’s fair. BTW you have a post in moderation pertinent to this discussion.

I wait with hope and expectation for the day when people of ALL faiths realize that killing for God is self-defeating, a violation of everything the teachers and prophets tell us, and simply fatal foolishness. Anyone who kills for God is also killing themselves. Each instance saddens me and causes me to wonder if there is any use to or hope for religion. But then I meet people and read stories that remind me of the benefits of religion, faith, and basic belief in something better. Grace is a powerful thing, if only we let it work and not be soo willing to dig sinkholes and prop up obstacles.

As always, Nicole, very poignant and touching article, and jestrfyl hit the nail on the head. Like him, I look forward to the day, when we will all accept one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and as human beings in general, regardless of race, gender, creed(or none), ethnic background, and yes, sexual orientation. I remember my Dad telling us(and, of course, I agree), that it’s sad that we are one human species, and, yet, in some respects, the most hateful and violent species on Earth!! In his three,(in some Gospel accounts, two), years of public ministry, Jesus completely obliterated hatred, etc, and all forms of evil. He NEVER EVER, belitted anyone. To the contrary, he stood staunchly against the Roman Empire, which of course, set up barriers. We need to follow Jesus’ example, and lived lives, such as he did:accepting everyone!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/03/uganda.gay.activist/index.html?section=cnn_latest

I suppose you believe the contents of the article you posted, Rocert?
I sure don’t.