IHF – Page 5 – Warren Throckmorton

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.

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.

Ugandan official blames parents for homosexuality

From yesterday’s New Vision, a Ugandan news source:

Minister blames gay on parents

MUKONO – Ethics and integrity minister James Nsaba Buturo has blamed homosexuality in Uganda on failure by parents and guardians to bring up their children in an upright manner. He made the remarks on Sunday while attending the fundraising ceremony for the expansion of St. Luke Anglican Church at Seeta. Buturo asked parents to join the battle against homosexuality by bringing up their children well.

Minister Buturo has been supporting the crack down on homosexuals from at least the Spring when he promoted the ex-gay conference, involving Don Schmierer, Caleb Brundidge and Scott Lively. I wonder where Buturo heard this concept? Could it have been here or here?

Next month, you can go here to hear similar things.

Ugandan blogger: Anti-homosexuality bill tabled until January, 2010

Blogger Gay Uganda reports on a public television talk show in Uganda featuring the member of parliament who introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 (David Bahati) and Pastor Martin Ssempa.

GU noted:

Oh, and I gathered from MP Bahati that the bill has been scheduled to be brought back in Jan 2010. Parliament was too busy, just now, to handle the important matter of the Anti- Homosexuality bill. Apparently it is very, very far ahead in the future, but that gives you time to check in with your MP and tell them how much you support the Bahati Bill.

Gay Uganda also described in detail the appearance of Martin Ssempa. The blogger said that Ssempa is squarely behind the bill and believes any legislator who votes against it is pro-gay. According the GU, Ssempa issued warnings:

Warning all Ugandan politicians. this is the time to get off the fence about homosexuality. You are either pro or anti-homosexual. No middle ground.

If you dont support the bill, political suicide. Because Ugandans support the bill.

Ssempa appears to be taking the lead on the support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

He has formed a new organisation (must have a conglomerate by now) called the Family Policy Centre.

He gave the phone number, and his email address [email protected] for anyone with questions.

And, he told people to send him money.

American Christians have some culpability for this situation by going to Uganda and failing to speak against this error. American Christians need to step up and speak now. I call upon those supporting Ugandan Christian groups to work with their Ugandan brethren to withdraw this bill.

For more information, join this Facebook group.

Exodus comments about Ugandan situation on blog

On their blog, Exodus International commented today about the proposed “Anti-Homosexuality 2009” bill.

The Ugandan government is seeking to further stigmatize and criminalize (to death or extreme punishment) people who deal with homosexuality. It seems that the government has no respect for freedom. Especially as it pertains to free will or self-determination on what a person does with their own same sex attractions. This sweeping, hateful, public policy being promoted threatens anyone struggling with same sex attractions, and their loved ones, with death or imprisonment.

Then the post refers to Don Schmierer, one of the American participants in the infamous ex-gay conference in Kampala, Uganda back in March.

I asked Don, who travels all around the world, about his thoughts on what is happening now in Uganda. He responded:

“What this David Bahati is introducing does not reflect the Ugandans that I have ministered too. The only place where I have run into this thinking is from some former Russian hardliners and that was only a very small percentage of the participants attending my seminars. After some challenges from me (except for one person) they softened up and came around to a more redemptive position.”

Hard to see where anyone softened.

The individuals who hosted the conference where Mr. Schmierer spoke, Family Life Network, were identified today by conservative Ultimate Media as “fighting against what they call a proliferation of homosexuality in the country…”

We can agree with Thomas when he writes:

We definitely need to be praying for Uganda and working with whatever contacts we have there to try and stop this horrible legislation from passing.

Additional links:

Uganda’s strange ex-gay conference

Ugandan travelogue from Caleb Brundidge and the International Healing Foundation

Back in the Spring, I reported on an ex-gay conference in Kampala, Uganda and hosted by Family Life Network (see links at the end of this post). Three Americans spoke by invitation of the FLN – Don Schmierer, Caleb Brundidge and Scott Lively.

(L to R, unknown woman, Scott Lively, Caleb Brundidge, Don Schmierer, Stephen Langa).

At the time, Schmierer and Lively received much critical attention for their presentations but the role of the International Healing Foundation and Caleb Brundidge went largely under the radar. No one from IHF, including Brundidge commented on the Ugandan trip at the time. However, Brundidge has broken his silence in the most recent IHF newsletter available on Richard Cohen’s website. Given the recent introduction of a bill in Uganda which would impose the death penalty on some offenses involving homosexuality and dramatically suppress free speech and assembly, it is appropriate to examine how IHF portrayed the conference and effects to the organization’s constituents.

Note that Cohen bills the trip to Uganda as a mission trip and seems proud of being represented there by Brundidge. As noted here and in footage provided by ExGayWatch, Cohen’s materials have been used by the group which convened after the ex-gay conference.

According to a report from an unidentified person in the ex-gay conference, Brundidge supported the continued criminalization of homosexuality.When he was asked by someone in the crowd: “Do you feel it is okay to decriminalise homosexuality?” he did not speak against it, instead indicating

That for the law to be effective, one must be caught in the Act. Laws should be done through a value of standards from which legislators draw a given law.

I am not sure what the last sentence means. While this may not be what Brundidge said, he has not replied to requests to describe what he said in Uganda.

However, in the IHF newsletter, he referred to the repressive situation in Uganda.

My trip was extremely busy and event filled. Here is a brief synopsis of what took place: My first engagement was to give a brief two to five minute testimony to the Ugandan Parliament.

Believe it or not, in present-day Uganda, homosexual behavior is either punishable by life in prison or death! Also pornography is illegal. The members of parliament are being pressured by Western and European sources to make pornography and homosexuality legal. Yes, homosexual behavior is incompatible with God’s Word, however, we tried to make them understand that there are definite causes for someone’s same-sex attraction (SSA), and therefore, change and transformation are possible. Our efforts were to help them understand a more compassionate response to anyone who experiences SSA.

While he says now that he advocated for compassion, I cannot find a clear statement that he opposed criminalization. Elsewhere in the article, Brundidge said:

One thing that God showed me while there is that many people are suffering in silence because of their SSA. As I mentioned, homosexual behavior is illegal and punishable by life in prison or even death. They have fear to go. On the other hand, the word is out on the street to the young people: If you want to make good money, pretend to be “gay.”

Reading the entire account, I don’t get the impression that Brundidge or Cohen would support death for homosexuals. However, there is little indication that they comprehend the dire situation there. Brundidge ends his account with a surreal appeal for more money.

I would like to thank those who supported my mission to Uganda. Please know that the work of IHF is being carried into all corners of the world. We so appreciate your contributions to keep hope alive!

On the contrary, the situation now is more dangerous and less conducive to hope than when Brundidge went to Uganda. Instead of appeals for money, I hope that IHF will issue an appeal to their Ugandan hosts to defeat the proposed bill.

Additional links:

Uganda’s strange ex-gay conference