Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power was on NPR’s Fresh Air program yesterday. The main theme of the interview was to discuss The Family, a secretive Christian group who moves in political circles worldwide. For more on this group, see Sharlet’s book, and this investigative report by World magazine.
For our purpose, his investigation into the influences on the sponsors of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill are interesting and provocative. You can listen below or read the transcript here.
GROSS: This legislation has just been proposed. It hasn’t been signed into law. So it’s not in effect and it might never be in effect. But it’s on the table. It’s before parliament. So is there a direct connection between The Family and this proposed Anti-Homosexual Legislation in Uganda?
Mr. SHARLET: Well, the legislator that introduces the bill, a guy named David Bahati, is a member of The Family. He appears to be a core member of The Family. He works, he organizes their Uganda National Prayer Breakfast and oversees a African sort of student leadership program designed to create future leaders for Africa, into which The Family has poured millions of dollars working through a very convoluted chain of linkages passing the money over to Uganda.
GROSS: So you’re reporting the story for the first time today, and you found this story – this direct connection between The Family and the proposed legislation by following the money?
Mr. SHARLET: Yes, it’s – I always say that the family is secretive, but not secret. You can go and look at 990s, tax forms and follow the money through these organizations that The Family describe as invisible. But you go and you look. You follow that money. You look at their archives. You do interviews where you can. It’s not so invisible anymore. So that’s how working with some research colleagues we discovered that David Bahati, the man behind this legislation, is really deeply, deeply involved in The Family’s work in Uganda, that the ethics minister of Uganda, Museveni’s kind of right hand man, a guy named Nsaba Buturo, is also helping to organize The Family’s National Prayer Breakfast. And here’s a guy who has been the main force for this Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda’s executive office and has been very vocal about what he’s doing, and in a rather extreme and hateful way. But these guys are not so much under the influence of The Family. They are, in Uganda, The Family.
GROSS: So how did you find out that Bahati is directly connected to The Family? You’ve described him as a core member of The Family. And this is the person who introduced the anti-gay legislation in Uganda that calls for the death penalty for some gay people.
Mr. SHARLET: Looking at the, The Family’s 990s, where they’re moving their money to – into this African leadership academy called Cornerstone, which runs two programs: Youth Corps, which has described its in the past as an international quote, invisible family binding together world leaders, and also, an alumni organization designed to place Cornerstone grads – graduates of this sort of very elite educational program and politics and NGO’s through something called the African Youth Leadership Forum, which is run by -according to Ugandan media – which is run by David Bahati, this same legislator who introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
The player sometimes doesn’t load so if it doesn’t, you can listen here:
Monday, I noted American influence via the College of Prayer and their three year partnership with the Ugandan parliament. There seem to be multiple lines of influence tied to those who have introduced the bill. What is not clear is how much, if any, the Americans directly suggested the bill.
More to come on that point…
Would you say your beliefs on the mass killing of gays reflects the official position of the PCA? If so, could you provide a link?
Biblical inerrancy: the belief that you understand it perfectly and that no one else does.
Elisha, I know and love many Presbyterians. I am a Presbyterian elder myself. Our little church community loves Jesus, helps to feed the local homeless and provides space for many community outreach organizations. They give from the depths of their hearts. They love, believe and study the Bible and try to live out the Gospel of Christ.
Our pastor and his wife strongly oppose this law. The congregation is a generous and caring group. They know I am gay and love me anyway. I usually admire Presbyterians. I have to say that I have never had the experience of encountering one quite like you.
In Uganda, my entire congregation would be in jail if they didn’t turn me in for execution. You really think God wants them to do that?
Huh??? Please cite where I have identified as a Christian and/or attempting sexual orientation change. Also, where have I rejected the Biblical standard?
Elisha,
Have you ever been to Israel?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TRUE!!!
Elisha – do you not see that we live under a new covenant?
@ Elisha
Funny. I missed that part. You obviously don’t know me.
@ Busee:
I never claim to understand every part of the Bible perfectly, but it is pretty disingenuous of you to suggest that there is anything ambiguous or confusing about “They shall surely be put to death.” I think that is abundantly clear. So while we might have a reasonable debate over the symbolism in Revelations, for example, I really don’t think you have much of an argument that Lev. 20:13 is ambiguous or susceptible to misinterpretation. God sees through such subterfuge and God will not be mocked.
@ Mary:
We have been through this 3 times already. Yes, we are under a new covenant and that means that we don’t need to rigidly adhere to the old statutes in order to be saved. That does not mean, however, that we should abandon these statutes, which reflect God’s morality. God’s law reflects what is moral and what is good public policy, even if most people won’t survive to see the results.
I also would remind you that the Apostle Paul tells us that faith w/o works is dead. What better work to show our adherence to the Lord than to than to administer loving Christian executions to sinners in accordance with His standards and statutes? Through our works shall they know us, Mary. If they have open hearts, and if God wills it, then some of these Ugandan homosexuals might just accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior – before they get hot lead between the eyes. We already know that this approach converted many non-believers in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries. Perhaps it is time to return to time-tested Christian traditions.
Elisha,
You seemed to have not grown up with mercy or compassion or transformation. When it happens – it is wonderful. And one immediately knows God’s faithfulness and goodness. To someone like you – you teach of a cold hearted, unforgiving God. We must believe in a different Christian faith.
Yes – thorugh our works they shall know us. What works are those that kill? Of an old time long ago that God has now no use of.
Can you imagine Jesus saying such a thing? I can’t. I will not argue this any longer. I think you are being outrageous and sarcastic to make a point. You’ve had an audience for your hatred long enough. I am done.
I don’t believe you actually are in favor of ‘loving Christian executions to sinners”. If you really do believe that, I do not think we worship the same God — and I see nothing “Christ-like” in what you are suggesting.
Elisha,
Some of my heros and heroines in life post on this blog and I have taken notice that they have chosen not to participate in a diaglogue with you. I initially did not want to either and then felt a change of heart and am glad I did. Now I think I will take the unspoken counsel from those who have chosen not to enter or continue a dialogue with you and bow out. You have many good things to say and I have taken them all under consideration, however, it reminds me of a gourmet dinner -the plate is beautiful, the silverware is clean and sparkles and the food is of stellar quality. Right before I go to take a bite, I notice a small piece of sxxt in a corner of the plate – the dinner is no longer appealing to me and I throw it out.
@ Mary
“What works are those that kill? Of an old time long ago that God has now no use of.”
Don’t be so sure about that. Check out the future:
“And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.”
Rev. 9:17-18
@Busee and Ann:
OK, fine w/ me. If you want to end it, we’ll end it. But just know that you have ended it by running away. You can’t run from God. Hopefully, you’ll think about the passages I have cited each and every time you pick up a Holy Bible.
Elisha,
Like others here, I will leave you to your own interpretations. I think you are wrong and habitually misguided. God bless you and may you not spread killing. It against the law.
Not running from God. Last time I checked, he wasn’t a blogger named Elisha. I am saying good-bye to you and your hateful, un-Christlike teachings.
Jesus would never suggest concentration camps or railcars full of gays headed for their doom. Jesus would never say “Come unto me — or get hot lead between your eyes”. Not the Jesus who died to pay the price for sinners like you and me. Never. It seriously makes me wonder if you really know Him.
I will keep you in my prayers.
Elisha,
Thanks for your response – in the spirit of understanding and completion, please answer the question I asked you several times and you left unanswered.
What are your thoughts about the Sixth Commandment?
@Ann:
I answered that in some detail on 11/30 at 7:58 pm.