Teen Mania Ministries issues statement about Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Add another US evangelical group to the list expressing reservations about Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Well, at least they kind of do…

From the group’s Facebook page:

RON LUCE AND TEEN MANIA MINISTRIES desire to clarify any confusion surrounding the political happenings in Uganda that have come to view regarding the pending controversial bill before that nation’s legislature. While Teen Mania has partnered with many pastors and ministries in Uganda over the years, it has been to only one end: To reach people with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While we hold Biblically based convictions regarding marriage and sexuality, we also stand by the commandment of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Teen Mania has had nothing to do with the crafting of any proposed Ugandan bills or legislation and Ron Luce and Teen Mania Ministries have no intention of speaking into the political process of another nation. Ron Luce, Teen Mania founder and President, commented, “The scriptures clearly teach that marriage is to be between one man and one woman and that sexual relations are reserved for marriage. However, Jesus also taught us through his words and actions, that when people stray – our response as Christ followers should be to find them, love them and help to restore them.”

Teen Mania Ministries has worked with Ugandan leaders, pastors and ministries on mission projects and events in Uganda in recent years. While the work in Uganda will continue in Kampala and Gulu and Teen Mania will continue to hold fast to the biblical teachings found in Lev. 18:22 and Rom 1:26,27, Teen Mania Ministries will also be re-evaluating all Ugandan and African partners to ensure that we are not partnering with or supporting anyone who has advocated for a blanket death penalty for homosexual offenders.

We do not pretend to understand the difficult choices necessary by those in authority in Uganda who are trying to curb the heinous spread of HIV and AIDS, but we understand the necessity to take strict punitive measures against those with the disease that are preying on young children, regardless of gender. Finally, we do not pretend to know the intricacies of how this legislation has been proposed or revised, but our prayer would be that God would give wisdom to those making decisions and that His will would be accomplished in Uganda. Our prayers are with and for those in this beloved nation.

This is dated in that it was posted on December 17 by Nate Clingman. I just discovered today on their Honor Academy site.  According to a posting on the Exodus blog, Martin Ssempa told Teen Mania head Ron Luce that the bill was only about penalties for rape and abuse. However, apparently they checked into the situation a bit more and learned the accurate information.

Even so, this is a bit weak to me. Martin Ssempa is a partner of Teen Mania in Uganda and there is no word from them about whether that work will continue to involve him. I called the HQ today and will report any new information.

5 thoughts on “Teen Mania Ministries issues statement about Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill”

  1. “Teen Mania Ministries will also be re-evaluating all Ugandan and African partners to ensure that we are not partnering with or supporting anyone who has advocated for a blanket death penalty for homosexual offenders.”

    Can someone tell me what this means? What does TMM mean when they say they won’t support a “blanket death penalty” for homosexual offenders? On the surface it sounds great, but all of these responses from evangelical groups seem to be coming with various conditions attached to them. Perhaps I am reading them incorrectly

  2. wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony

    Those are “sins” dictated by Pope Gregory(I think). However your point is well taken, if Uganda wants a completely biblically based society why not sentence all to death (as we were before the sacrifice of Christ) They probably do not believe in Chrisa’s sacrifice. I’m still trying to figure out the meaning of punishing with varying degree the sinsof others. And killing people who have a chance to “repent” if left to live.

  3. “Teen Mania will continue to hold fast to the biblical teachings found in Lev. 18:22”

    Hey, I thought all the Biblical experts and self-described Christians on this site were emphatic that Levitical laws no longer apply today (well, the embarrassing ones anyway). Yet here is an open affirmation of Leviticus 18:22, no different from the position of most evangelical churches in the US. Apparently someone forgot to tell a large chunk of American Christendom that the bloodiest statutes of the OT are no longer in force.

    What is interesting is that Teen Mania fails to affirm Leviticus 20:13, which only a few hundred words down from 18:22, which is substantively identical to 18:22, but which contains an additional sentence expressly requiring that homosexuals be put to death. Teen Mania could hardly mention 20:13 with a straight face in a press release denouncing a law that would impose the very punishment required by 20:13.

    When you say that the first sentence of 20:13 is “biblical teaching” but the second sentence is not, that is not coherent theology. That is called cherry-picking.

  4. If Uganda really want to follow Biblical teachings why not impose death penalty for wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.

    That should just about wipe out everyone in Uganda.

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