Extreme Prophetic declines to oppose the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

One of the central figures in the controversy over Uganda’s Anti-Homosexual Bill is Caleb Brundidge. He was one of the trio of Americans who traveled to Uganda in March of this year to present his views at an ex-gay conference hosted by Stephen Langa’s Family Life Network. One effect of the conference was a group of people who called for stronger legislation against homosexuality. In April, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was first disclosed to the Ugandan Parliament.

ugandabrundidge

Left to right. (unidentified woman, Scott Lively, Caleb Brundidge, Don Schmierer, & Stephen Langa) 

While Exodus recently came out strongly in opposition to the bill and Scott Lively has indicated that he does not support the death penalty, Brundidge and his organizations have refused to comment directly about the matter. In the Spring, I sent emails to Brundidge and the International Healing Foundation which went unanswered. I know of no public statements to the press about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The only public comment about the Uganda trip was posted in the IHF newsletter and did not mention the bill.

Wondering if perhaps his ministry partner, Extreme Prophetic, might want to comment, I contacted Rob Hotchkin who Extreme Prophetic designated as a media spokesperson. I asked him to disclose the position of Extreme Prophetic on the bill and criminalization of homosexuality in general.

As a ministry we do not have an official opinion on political policies.  I am sure each member of our team has personal beliefs about most national and international political situations, positions, or policies, but as a ministry we do not have an official opinion on political matters.  

We are a “love” ministry and believe the greatest power in the universe is the love of Jesus, and that it is His love, so brilliantly displayed through the finished work of the cross, that will reach out and touch every man, woman and child in every nation around the world.  For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son so that none may perish, and all may have eternal life (John 3:16).

As per your question about Caleb Brundidge.  He is a member of our evangelism team, and also one of our itinerant ministers.  If you are interested in hearing Caleb’s personal views on the reported Ugandan bill, or to hear from him what he shared when he was in Uganda in the Spring of this year, you can reach him directly by e-mailing [email protected].

This reticence to comment on Uganda’s bill is perplexing given some of the teaching on their website. Specifically, I am referring to the teaching of friend of Extreme Prophetic, Lance Wallnau, on the seven mountains of culture. In a video on Extreme Prophetic’s web video network, Wallnau describes the seven mountains of culture which Christians should seek to control. The mountains are also referred to as spheres of influence and are business, family, government, arts & entertainment, media, education, religion, and science and technology. Seven mountains adherents take the exhortation of Jesus to teach all nations as a call to push governments to reflect the teachings of Christianity. In other words, salvation is not just personal but national. Speaking of government, Wallnau says on the Extreme Prophetic video (at about 22 minutes in): 

While Christians are in pursuit of the supernatural, or the glory or prosperity, but they’re missing the apostolic assignment. They are to take over spheres and adminstrate them for the glory of God. They’re to take over spheres and administrate them for the glory of God. That’s the only way you can teach nations is when you take over a sphere and administrate it for the glory of God.

Wallnau spends much time talking about how gays have taken over the spheres of influence and how Christians need to take them back and use this leverage to advance the Kingdom. He laments that Christians are more concerned with revival (individual salvation) than reformation (national salvation).

At the end of the video, Patricia King comes on and prays that watchers will find their sphere to “infiltrate” for God. It is hard for me to reconcile the endorsement of Christians taking over the sphere of government with Mr. Hotchkin’ s statement that the ministry takes no position on “political matters.” 

The seven mountains of culture teaching seems consistent with the appeal of Ugandan politicians to the will of God as a basis for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Read David Bahati’s words about the bill in yesterday’s Independent:

It is key that we note how Mwenda inclined much on the religious aspect of the bill and much of his argument was to justify that the task of judging and consequently punishing sin should be left to God. Societies wouldn’t need law and order if all the tasks of countering sins were to be left for God. I believe that we are doing God’s will.

I believe this teaching is helping to provide religious rationale for the bill. Those looking for US influences on government officials in Uganda and elsewhere should not overlook the importance of adherence to this doctrine of reclaiming the seven mountains of culture. I will report soon that there are direct connections from this seven mountains teaching and the Uganda spiritual leaders who are supporting and promoting the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

17 thoughts on “Extreme Prophetic declines to oppose the Anti-Homosexuality Bill”

  1. What is true, however, and worth all the news media coverage possible, is the tragic nature of and heartbreaking potential this bill holds.

    All the news media coverage possible. I agree. All of these recent statements from Exodus have been steps in the right direction — to make their position clear and to correct what Warren has referred to as “errors made early on”.

    I believe these statements will have a very postive impact — and might even encourage other Christian groups to speak out, something that is sorely needed right now.

    Exodus has said it “will not stop at the letter”. Here is an excellent opportunity. Why not do even more? Something with even wider coverage? Something that StephenLanga and other supporters of the bill could not dismiss as the work of “gay activists”?

    How about a Youtube piece or a filmed press conference — with the entire Exodus board “on board” — denouncing this bill and announcing a new Exodus Policy about the “tragic nature of and heartbreaking potential” of such anit-homosexuality laws? I am sure it would very covered by the media — and might make a difference.

  2. Don Schmierer speaks out against the Bill:

    http://blog.exodusinternational.org/2009/12/03/rachel-maddow-uganda-me-guest-post-by-don-schmierer/

    This international experience, however, turned out to be a bit different. For starters, I didn’t know much about the conference when I agreed to speak there.

    That seems painfully apparent at this point. Boy Scout Motto: “Be Prepared”. Conderences speakers ought to learn as much as possible beforehand and listen to the advice of others — like Dr. Throckmorton — who also signed the letter. Otherwise, their participation might used in ways they did not intend.

    What is true, however, and worth all the news media coverage possible, is the tragic nature of and heartbreaking potential this bill holds. I remember the gay bishop I spoke with and am deeply concerned that if this legislation were to go into effect, he would be in danger. I am grieved that the church and social workers I met may now be faced with the gut-wrenching decision of whether or not to turn in a gay friend or loved one. It should not be so.

    It is a very good thing that Mr. Schmierer is finally speaking out. More caution next time — especially if the country already criminalizes homosexuality and you are part of an organization that does not have a clearly stated, official policy against such laws.

    Three Exodus board members have now voiced their opposition to this Bill and to the criminalization of homsexuality. The logical next step is to draft and post (yes, on the website) the Official Policy.

  3. From BTBulletin:

    “Alan Chambers told the American publication The Christian Post that Exodus doesn’t support Uganda’s policy of criminalizing homosexuality. He added that “neither Schmierer nor the ministry agrees or endorses Uganda’s criminalization of homosexuality law, imprisonment of homosexuals or compulsory therapy.”

    Since Mr. Chambers has already stated that this is Exodus’s stand, I believe it would be very wise at this point for Exodus — and the other organizations whose representatives spoke at the Uganda Conference — to issue a strongly-worded, joint statment that they oppose the criminilization of homosexuality.

    It ought to become the Official Policy of all three organizations — and all three men should sign it — with a sincere apology for their ill-advised involvement in the conference — and for giving any impression that they did support the criminalization of homosexuality.

    http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/10/16/15627

  4. I was not clear from viewing this video whether or not Mr Brundridge himself voiced opposition to the bill — or if the statement was issued by someone else at International Healing Foundation on behalf of IHF.

    According to her commentary, IHF didn’t know the Bill even existed until after her staff emailed them a copy. Could they be that out of touch? I suppose it is possible…

    And, Don was apparently somewhat unaware of the Exodus letter until a couple of days or so ago — but agreed to sign it once he saw it. Why wasn’t he included in the drafting of it? Or was he? Apparently, he had been traveling for several weeks and was not fully aware of the Exodus letter being discussed, drafted, signed and mailed to the President of Uganda.

    Considering the international outcry, It seems odd that he would not have been more in touch — even when traveling — especially with the wide use and availability of email, cell-phones, etc.

    I am not saying he couldn’t have been that disconnected from what Exodus was doing in the aftermath of his trip, it just seems odd that he would be — especially now.

    How does the Exodus Board keep each other informed and in the loop — especially in urgent matters such as these? 30 years ago, Exodus Board members did not have cell phones or high-speed internet. It took some time for letters and proposals to go back and forth by mail. Keeping each other aware and informed should be much easier now.

    I guess what I am saying is that it seems like a lot of unawareness going on. Could this be reflective of the unawareness that seems to have plagued this trip from the beginning?

  5. Rachel Maddow comments (sarcastically) on the Bill — and on the recent statements made by what she refers to as — “the three anti-gay activists” who “inspired” the “Kill the Gays Bill”.

    Wow. Her anti-ex-gay bias is very obvious, but she does report that all three men have recently expressed opposition to the Bill.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34249049

  6. I wonder if they would all be smiling as much if they were sitting at my dining table =-0

    LOL

  7. It has a name, Mary. It is called Dominionism (or the Dominionist movement), which is a movement that Howard Ahmanson (employer of Don Schmierer at Fieldstead & Co.) has been tied to at times.

  8. Mary and Michael,

    It is really amazing to me what part of the Bible some choose to focus on rather than look at it in it’s entirety. When the old testament so accurately describes the savior that comes in the new testament, and the scriptures are fulfilled by HIm, why continue to concentrate on the things in the past when He came to resolve them for us? I honestly think we would all, including the group in the above picture, be tempered with our focuses by balancing the Bible by it’s entirety.

    I wonder if they would all be smiling as much if they were sitting at my dining table =-0

  9. My goodness. Is this what the gospel tells us to do? What about serving milk to the young in faith? Or being tolerant of those who have not matured as yet? We are to be serving milk to these murderers.

  10. Warren, thanks for posting this fascinating information. It really adds to the overall understanding of what a mess the conference attendees stepped into. So far, of the men pictured:

    Scott Lively (even though he supports the criminalization of homosexuality) has expressed some disapproval of the bill — calling it “way to harsh” and saying it “goes way too far”.

    Don Schmierer has recently signed the Exodus letter (the one you encouraged and also signed.) Exodus has expressed strong opposition to the Bill.

    Stephen Langa seems determined to support the Bill, dismissing the Exodus letter as a fake. (Was a copy sent to him?)

    Caleb Brundridge really needs to speak out against this bill, following Exodus’s lead.

    Any chance he will do that? I am curious as to what these four men were thinking…Did these men take time to prepare? To check out each other’s thoughts on these matters before they agreed to do this conference? Did they try to understand what was going on “on the ground” there and what their involvement might do? I am still scratching my head…

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