Finally, the International Healing Foundation speaks:
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IHF says:
We condemn any harsh and extreme punishment of persons who identify as homosexual or who engage in homosexual behavior. Instead, we advocate education and counseling for those with unwanted Same-Sex Attraction.
I contacted Richard Cohen in March about Caleb Brundidge’s activities in Uganda wanting to know if he agreed with what Brundidge was teaching there. No answer.
It is not clear what Cohen believes about criminalization of homosexuality. He opposes the death penaly apparently but what does he favor? Apparently, Cohen favors therapy over jail for those with “unwanted SSA” but what does he favor for those who do not want to change? Perhaps Richard and Scott Lively are on the same page.
Note: Andrew Marin was slated to appear on the show but was cut due to a previous segment going long. It appears he will be on a future show, perhaps on Thursday night.
I am glad to see he is not agreeing with the Uganda bill. That I would like to take all mean people to task is true – however – this is a good compromise. It doesn’t mean giving up – it means our efforts have rec’d some reward.
I have heard him say he was “misled”, “duped” and “sucked in”. He was tricked somehow. I have not heard him say:
“I really screwed up. I should have done some homework. I should have heeded the warnings. I should have spoken out then. I should have denounced this law and Scott Lively’s agenda much sooner. I take full responsibility for my carelessness and any harm I may have caused. I am truly sorry.”
That might help.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. — Hanlon’s Razor.
I’ll be he might feel like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khSIYmTzt6U
Someone should give him the opportunity to sit down, on camera, and tell the whole story. I would suggest the Rachel Maddow show. After all, he says this situation is “worth all the news media coverage possible”.
According to what he told Fox40 News, he thought he was “preaching about open communication in parenting.”
Wow. It must have been quote a shock when he found out the conference was actually about the evils of homosexuality — not effective parenting — and that he would not be the only one speaking, as he had supposed — and that Scott Lively would be the keynote speaker.
Of course, he admits he knew almost nothing before he went. Duped. Misled. Sucked in. I’ll bet he is hopping mad that he was used in this way. Someone should have warned him.
Well… Schmierer did know Lively would be there and what Lively’s agenda entails. Correct me if I am wrong Warren, but I think you said on another thread that you had spoken to Schmierer before he left for the conference.
I would like to get someone to ask him on the record about the trip across the Atlantic, and just what is meant by ‘the Nazis were all gay.’
He absolutely was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”, but he wasn’t “sucked” there. He was warned and went anyway. He left that part out.
http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxlugandaman,0,7001016.story
Over a month has gone by and it still does. More excuses. “Duped”. “Misled”. “Didn’t really know much”.
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2010/01/08/19203?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BoxTurtleBulletin+%28Box+Turtle+Bulletin%29&utm_content=FaceBook
I am perhaps a bit too much the pragmatist, Michael. But from that first time Randy Thomas quoted Schmierer in October something stunk. It still reeks.
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I should have pointed out that what also came after the Kampala conference besides that Langa annoucement was a whole lot of other homophobia out of Uganda.
I have the same questions. Still scratching my head…
Uganda has a gay Bishop? Surely not under Orombi… Catholic? Why do I have the feeling that Don Schmierer is making this all up as he goes along? Schmierer blogs:
Well, the old what did he know and when did he know it idea comes up. When did Schmierer know that Scott Lively was going to speak and what belief doesn’t Schmierer agree with concerning Lively. I guess the idea expressed by the fellow on the airplane with Schmierer, ‘the Nazis were all gay,’ could have been Schmierer complaining about Lively and been bad reporting. But that still doesn’t explain the idea that ‘Africa is a big focus for Exodus and they want to keep it anti-gay.’
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And just when and how did Schmierer learn about Scott Lively’s participation? The above would seem to say he knew Lively was going to be there before flying to Europe; and Schmierer was either agreeing with Lively or disagreeing with Lively. As I remember those who got in touch with Alan Chambers to express concern, Chambers responded something to the effect that Don Schmierer was not necessarily representing Exodus but was going just for himself, his own ministry – evidently Chambers did not express any concerns with Schmierer and so did not learn from him. But from the airplane statements, Schmierer seemed to think he was going in the name of Exodus.
So did Don Schmierer speak out against the existing law criminalizing homosexuality while in Uganda? Seems like he didn’t. I agree with the guy who said back in March:
Evidently, if it keeps the country ‘anti-gay’ Schmierer & Exodus were all for criminalization and if not incarceration, forced therapy. Let’s not forget that when asked:
It was Scott Lively who came later. And if this transpired:
Was Don Schmierer merely blinded by his zeal to keep Uganda and all of Africa anti-gay? Schmierer once quoted on the Exodus blog as saying:
And yet what immediately came on the heels of the Kampala conference was this from Stephen Langa of the FLN, the organizer of the anti-gay conference:
So maybe you see why I still am of the opinion that some people are playing hard and fast with the truth.
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Eh…. add this to the last blockquote in my statement above.
Don Schmierer speaks out on the Exodus blog. He admits he “didn’t know much about the conference when [he] agreed to speak there”, he explains his reasons for going — and he strongly opposes this Bill:
I agree. At this point, a press conference might be in order.
http://blog.exodusinternational.org/2009/12/03/rachel-maddow-uganda-me-guest-post-by-don-schmierer/
It is encouraging that various statements of opposition to this Bill are finally coming from the three key players at the Conference — “albeit late”. It still seems that Stephen Langa may not fully believe that the men sitting at the table with him really do oppose this law.
Maybe they would not all be smiling if he did.
Considering all that has transpired, it has been suggested that it would be helpful for organizations like Exodus to draft a very clear “Policy Statement against the Criminilization of Homosexuality” — to serve as a guide and standard in the future.
I think the idea has merit. Perhaps they could send one to Langa. BTW, has he been sent a copy of the letter? He reportedly dismissed this one as the work of gay activists…