Two people have sent me this news article about a Ugandan gay rights activist, David Kato, who was bludgeoned to death yesterday. He had been receiving death threats because he was gay. The worst part of the report for me is the truth that many of us in the Anglican Communion already know:
Ugandan society is, in general, homophobic – but in recent years the anti-gay feeling has been stoked by religious leaders, a group of US evangelicals and politicians.
Now some of these 'religious leaders' are part of the Anglican Communion, as are some of the 'US evangelicals'. I despair that there was so much shock and horror in the Communion over the consecration of a gay bishop in the US, but a blind eye seems to be turned to those Anglicans who stoke hatred against gay people in the name of Christ.
Doug Blanchard said this today:
Anglican and other Christian bishops who value institutional unity and integrity over human dignity also bear their share of responsibility for his death. As far as I am concerned, they are in no position to be preaching anything to anyone.
I don't know what I feel, except that I am part of an organisation who is partly responsible for his death. It makes me weep. Lord have mercy!