Ugandan Pastors demand Rick Warren to apologize to them

Ugandan religious leaders under their umbrella of the National Task Force against Homosexuality have written to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California demanding an apology following his comments on the anti-homosexuality bill and his letter to Ugandan Pastors.

“Your letter has caused great distress and we are demanding that you issue a formal apology for insulting the people of Africa by your very inappropriate bully use of your church and purpose driven pulpits to coerce us into the “evil” of Sodomy and Gaymorrah. This is expected within seven days from this date,” The letter reads. “Since the bible says that the giant of homosexuality is an “abomination” or a great evil, you cannot achieve the peace plan without a purpose driven confrontation of evil.”

Rick Warren came in the spotlight after he was linked to the bill as one of its funders through his friend Dr. Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church. He consequently said he cut ties with Ssempa in 2007 and then wrote a letter to Pastors in Uganda calling upon them to denounce the bill.

This infuriated the Pastors in Uganda have in addition held a peaceful demonstration in Kampala to demand an apology from Rick Warren, to support the President, the people and the government of Uganda in their stand against homosexuality. They have also threatened to burn his Purpose Driven Books in the streets of Kampala if he does not apologize in the given time.

“It is racist for one to think that a black man needs a white man to be told that homosexuality is evil,” Dr. Martin Ssempa was quoted as saying in reference to Rick Warren’s letter.

Bishop David Kiganda, the senior Pastor of Christianity Focus Centre and Chairman of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches in Kampala region has also said, “He (Rick) has embarrassed us, gone against the word of God and it is a shame.”

On Friday 11th December 2009, more than 200 of Uganda’s top religious leaders met and supported the legislators in strengthening the law against homosexuality.
The National Task Force that is chaired by Dr. Martin Ssempa represents the National Fellowship of Born again Churches, The Seventh Adventists Church, The Uganda Joint Christian Council which also represents: The Orthodox Church in Uganda, The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda, The Islamic Office of Social Welfare in Uganda, and the Born Again Faith Federation.

“Rick you are our friend, we have bought many of your books and have been blessed by them. Do not let the pressure of bloggers and popular media intimidate you into becoming a negotiator for homosexual pedophilia rights in Africa” the letter adds.