Western media criticize country’s stance on gay rights
By Mark Ellis
There could not be a more stark contrast. As President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda boldly repented of his nation’s sins last month, western news media have increasingly denounced Uganda’s stance opposing gay rights.
President Museveni celebrated Uganda’s 50th anniversary of independence from Britain at a National Jubilee Prayers event last month. During the celebration, he did something very unusual for a national leader: he publicly repented of his personal sins and the sins of the nation.
Museveni began his prayer with thanks, then declared his intention to make a firm break with the past:
“Father God in heaven, today we stand here as Ugandans, to thank you forUganda. We are proud that we are Ugandans and Africans. We thank you for all your goodness to us.
“I stand here today to close the evil past and especially in the last 50 years of our national leadership history and at the threshold of a new dispensation in the life of this nation. I stand here on my own behalf and on behalf of my predecessors to repent. We ask for your forgiveness,” Museveni said.
“We confess these sins, which have greatly hampered our national cohesion and delayed our political, social and economic transformation.”
Next, President Museveni got specific in his acknowledgement of sinful activity.
“We confess sins of idolatry and witchcraft which are rampant in our land. We confess sins of shedding innocent blood, sins of political hypocrisy, dishonesty, intrigue and betrayal.
“Forgive us of sins of pride, tribalism and sectarianism; sins of laziness, indifference and irresponsibility; sins of corruption and bribery that have eroded our national resources; sins of sexual immorality, drunkenness and debauchery; sins of unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred and revenge; sins of injustice, oppression and exploitation; sins of rebellion, insubordination, strife and conflict.”
The president then asked God for a new beginning:
“These sins and many others have characterized our past leadership, especially the last 50 years of our history. Lord forgive us and give us a new beginning. Give us a heart to love you, to fear you and to seek you. Take away from us all the above sins.
“We pray for national unity. Unite us as Ugandans and eliminate all forms of conflict, sectarianism and tribalism. Help us to see that we are all your children, children of the same Father. Help us to love and respect one another and to appreciate unity in diversity.
“We pray for prosperity and transformation. Deliver us from ignorance, poverty and disease. As leaders, give us wisdom to help lead our people into political, social and economic transformation.”
To close his remarkable prayer, Museveni dedicated Uganda to God:
“We want to dedicate this nation to you so that you will be our God and guide. We want Uganda to be known as a nation that fears God and as a nation whose foundations are firmly rooted in righteousness and justice to fulfill what the Bible says in Psalm 33:12: Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord. A people you have chosen as your own.
“I renounce all the evil foundations and covenants that were laid in idolatry and witchcraft. I renounce all the satanic influence on this nation. And I hereby covenant Uganda to you, to walk in your ways and experience all your blessings forever.
“I pray for all these in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
While President Museveni repented for “sexual immorality” among other sins, he did not single out homosexuality for any special attention.
Yet, a backlash in the western media ensued, with particular ire directed against the country’s strong stand opposing homosexual rights.
On November 27, 2012 the L.A. Times editorial pages lamented Uganda’s “ignominious anti-gay bill” currently under consideration. Uganda already outlaws homosexual activity, along with 30 other African countries, which the L.A. Times editorial describes as “homophobic.”
The proposed legislation would prohibit the licensing of organizations that promote homosexuality. It would also prohibit touching another person with the intent of homosexual activity, and impose a duty on the community to report suspected cases of homosexuality.
The L.A. Times calls on Uganda to “evolve” toward a more liberal viewpoint favored in western countries. “The criminalization of gay behavior cannot simply be explained away as part of a country’s cultural mores; rather, it is an outrageous violation of fundamental human rights.”
President Museveni from this position he took to repent personally and on behalf of the nation past and present, brings admiration and respect. He is a president that knows for sure where the nation should go. He is a visionary leader, taking his nation to a good destination. All presidents should learn from him and aknowlege that God is the One Who reigns and He does what pleases Him. So He deserves respect, worship and praise from all human beings regardless of their position in society.
This is the epitome of total hypocrisy. If this wasn’t the case, Ugandan government wouldn’t be supporting the Congolese rebel group M23 to destabilize Eastern Congo.
Visionary leader!!!!!Taking his nation to a good destination!!!!!!He deserves respect,,,,WORSHIP!!!!!!! AND PRAISE!!!!……………..Jose Franscisco Madeira you really have no clue and I suggest you educate yourself about Uganda and this so called leader you give high remarks.
19:00
Jesus is Coming Soon
More so to the the prayer He made, President Museveni has to know that Uganda was a Holy nation chosen by God to serve Holy Purposes in the nations.
So He was right to repent over the sins he did and those of the nation. Maybe to help him and my other fellow Ugandans may you go to the link below and find a book which will help you all see the real created purpose of God for our Motherland Uganda.
Thanks be to God our Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
http://www.amazon.com/Uganda-The-Garden-Eden-Discovered/dp/1479178632/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1347668381&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=uganda+the+garden+of+eden
i am impressed and thrilled ….i wish all the leader would look up to GOD as there leader ;they would have the moral authoriy to require every body to follow them
amen!!
Praise God for President Museveni. May the Lord bless him and his nation. How wonderful for a leader of a country today to be so bold for the Lord. Praise the lord!
I am thrilled that President Museveni has chosen to acknowledge the ruler of the universe! God will surely bless Uganda in ways they can’t imagine. If only all the worlds’ leaders would do this, especially here in the United States.Just think of the outpouring of love our country would have.
Praise God from all blessings flow!!
I interact a lot with Ugandans and have been there a few times. I beg to differ. Museveni is anything but godly. The country is mired in corruption and he runs the country with an iron-fist-his soldiers beating up anyone that raises a question. I would say he has mastered the art of pulling wool over peoples eyes. This is not the first time the man has made such a prayer! He is simply playing the catholic-protestant divide that is quite strong in Uganda. He really has nothing to show for his ‘christian beliefs’. Jesus said that we shall know them by their fruits. So far the fruit I see is corruption, cronysm and oppression. Do not be duped. Pray for Ugandans, they need your help!
Otudo judge not and you will not be judged. Only God knows a man’s heart and if this president has had a realisation of his and the country’s wrong and has done what he knows to do by standing in the gap and repent asking for God’s forgiveness then no one should allow bitterness of past events to chew them up…I know for a fact that God has heard his cry and done what He freely did for you and I through Jesus Christ – sin forgiven and forgotten and an a new chapter opened and that’s what has happened for Uganda – a NEW NATION HAS BEEN BORN..so rejoice with Uganda who have received this free gift of forgiveness- NO AMOUNT SIN THAT MUSEVENI OR UGANDA AT LARGE HAVE COMMITTED CAN OUTSIN THE GRACE OF GOD…God bless you
And again…REJOICE!
Precious and Teresa are you there? I stumbled upon this conservation today. It is now 3 years since you declared a NEW NATION HAS BEEN BORN!
I was in Uganda last year in August. Nothing had changed. Today when I read the news and follow current events I see that nothing has changed in Uganda. Corruption, state-sponsored violence and minimal government intervention to assist the poor still seem to be the hallmarks of the Museveni presidency. Sorry but even here in Kenya our politicians have not been short of pious declarations. I think the more appropriate way to describe Uganda and Kenya is found in proverbs 14:34
Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people.
As it were the sin of theft of public goods(corruption), the sin of greed(love of money and power) has characterized our nations and world-over we are despised. Just visit some of the world capitals in the west, Asia and Americas and you will experience first-hand the derision with which we are held. Proverbs 14:34 now holds true for most of Africa.
Perharps its time to copy the Israelites and pray along the lines in II Chron.7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Otherwise I feel our blind acceptance of mediocrity from our leaders will ensure our poverty for many more centuries.
Oh that we would all be broken for our own personal sin, the sin of our nation , our loved ones and our leaders of this nation. Then we would see great revival and our lives would be transformed.
Praise the LORD for this man’s desire to obey God’s will! I personally oppose the homosexual lifestyle. I’ll say it again: I oppose the homosexual lifestyle; I DO NOT hate people who are Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, or Transgender. However, I do pray for them.
I hope that the president of Uganda will pay no attention to the advice given by the western news media to seek to be more “tolerant”. Our nation’s anti-God policies aren’t doing us any favors in terms of restoring the America our ancestors fought for. We are swimming in red ink: http://www.usdebtclock.org; and it seems to me like very little, if anything, is being done in Washington to turn us away from the ungodly policies that are being forced down the American peoples’ collective throat.
I think that President Museveni has done a great thing and that any government that stands with the Word of God and opposes homosexuality is on the right track and that the more they are opposed for it the more they should take heart that they are doing the right thing, because Satan does not oppose that which he already has.
One other thing that I think is that the elected officials in the USA, especially Obama could and should learn a thing or two from President Museveni and the Ugandan government.
Really???????
None of the posts on this blog have any idea who they are commenting about and you all foolishly support anything that hides behind religion. A man can always repent his sins but does he stay on the right path that he asked to be led on!!!! Not with this man…..guys please educate yourselves alittle more before throwing bogus words of support to crooks
I wish and pray USA also will come back to God. And the Leaders eye also will open to see the creator, confess the sins so that the anger of God will turn to blessing.
USA also is Holy nation chosen by God to serve other nations and lead them to God the Creator. GOS BLESS AMERICA.
USA …WE’VE BEEN LIBERATED FROM BRITAIN MORE THAN 50 YEARS; SO WHERES OUR REPENTANCE? WE’VE NO ONE TO BLAME THAN OURSELVES; CERTAINLY NOT GOD. LETS GET BACK TO OUR FOUNDATION. JESUS CHRIST. Help us God!
Viva uganda through President Museveni for dedicating the country to God. Zambia did the same through Former late President Chiluba.
I thank God that President Museveni has taken a public stand for his own sins and for those of his nation. Whatever he may be accused of, nobody is beyond forgiveness in Christ.
The leaders of western nations consider themselves far too “sophisticated” to serve the true God wholeheartedly and publicly? Their nations pay the price of getting the leaders they deserve.
I know factually, firsthand, that there are many Godly Ugandans who are deeply committed to seeing His kingdom come and His will being done increasingly in their nation.
I pray too that God will bless this nation as they seek to honour Him, whatever the un-Godly western media have to say about it!
Praise the Lord for your stand, confession in the Word; I pray this will work out; it will take faith and grace. I pray the U.S.A. will follow your ways in the Lord. w k
Praise God for Ugandas stand for the Bible.
I pray the U.S.A. will also repent and trust in the Bible. w k
Bravo President Museveni! That’s the way to go! Though it looks ‘unwise’ in those that oppose, the right path has been marked out. Museveni’s choice of the ‘narrow road’ must be commended. Greg Bentley has observed rightly, other leaders need to emulate.
President Yoweri Museveni, God has heard your Prayer.
In Jesus Name, all the sins are dead and buried.
I support your laws against gay rights in fact, pray that they will be firmly put into place.
Surely Uganda is from now onwards safe in God’s Hands.
As usual the devil has lost and will continue losing LOL!
The LA newspaper urges Uganda to “evolve” more. What incredible racism. Why are they not rebuked for their arrogance and bigotry. Oh thats right, the loudmouth left only rebuke bigotry they don’t agree with. They ignore discrimination when it suits them.
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