Kizito Michael George Library

Clerics told not to wed homosexual couples

2012-01-25T07:12:00.000-08:00

Clerics told not to wed homosexual couples

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1313570/-/b1fywjz/-/index.html

By John Tugume

Posted Wednesday, January 25 2012 at 00:00

Church leaders under their association of Born Again Faith Federation insist fellow clerics should not wed any gay couples should government give in to donor pressure to drop the proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill.

Dr Joseph Serwadda, the leader of the federation, said recently that there are signs that the government will be “forced to soften on the demands by the gay movement” in order to throw away the already-shelved Bill which was brought forward by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati.

“The church needs to be assured that government will stand its ground, and this evil be kept where it belongs – in the secret closets of those who practice it,” Dr Serwadda told this newspaper.

The Marriage Act of 1904 does not provide for same-sex marriage.

The comments come at the same time former South African president Thabo Mbeki said the anti-gay proposed law does not make any sense.

Recently, US President Barack Obama and the UK warned they would use foreign aid and asylum conditionalities to push for homosexuality to be decriminalised in Uganda and other “conservative countries”.

Uganda relies heavily on the US, receiving military help to fight the Lord’s Resistance Army and has sent troops to Somalia to fight the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group.

When contacted, the Bill’s architect, Mr Bahati, said late last year: “Our position as a country is clear. Our Constitution prohibits homosexuality and we are not in a trade of values.”

Mr Bahati also advised Mr Mbeki to first read and understand his Bill.

“The Bill was brought to curb a several issues including inducement, recruitment and funding homosexuality. His excellency (Mr Mbeki) needs to read the Bill and understand the spirit in which it was brought and the context in which we are talking about,” Mr Bahati said.

jtugume@ug.nationmedia.com

Uganda Pentecostal pastors threaten to go to the streets to protest police allegation over Pastor Mulinde’s acid attack

2012-01-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller

In their meeting that took place in Kawempe, Pastor David Kiganda, the senior pastor of Christianity Focus centre gave the Uganda Police an Ultimatum of two weeks to produce a recording that implicates Pentecostal pastors in Pastor Mulinde’s acid attack or else they take to the streets. The Uganda Police has recently intimated that it has a recoding of a 2010 pastor’s meeting, in which some pastors threatened to cause harm to Pastor Mulinde . The police alleges that the pastors were hungry with Mulinde’s monopoly of the Israel pilgrimage business. It must be noted that Mulinde takes pilgrims to Israel every year and charges little fares as compared to other pastors. This according to the police hungered some pastors so much that they decided to pour acid on Mulinde.

My analysis

The allegations of the Ugandan Police that Pastors are behind Mulinde’s acid attack are indeed bogus. The Uganda government is hiding the truth in this case in order to avert a conflict between Muslims and Pentecostals in Uganda. The government is only afraid that this incident might fuel more division and conflict between Muslims and Pentecostals. The conduct of the Ugandan Police is quite similar to the one where American forces burned bibles in Afghanistan to avoid offending Muslims.

Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-20/world/us.military.bibles.burned_1_bibles-al-jazeera-english-military-personnel?_s=PM:WORLD

Military burns Bibles sent to troops in Afghanistan

http://www.examiner.com/christian-in-louisville/military-burns-bibles-sent-to-troops-afghanistan#ixzz1f4yklBBN

Abasumba balumbye poliisi ku bya Mulinde

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/news/61158-Abasumba-balumbye-poliisi-ku-bya-Mulinde.html

Jan 11, 2012

Bya Moses Lemisa

ABASUMBA b’Abalokole batabukidde poliisi ne bagiwa wiiki emu eveeyo ebalage akatambi akalaga nti mubo mwe muli abaayiira Mulinde asidi singa tekikolebwa bagenda kukunga Abalokole beeyiwe ku nguudo z’omu Kampala beekalakaase.

Abasumba bano abaakulembeddwa omusumba David Kiganda ow’Ekkanisa ya Focus Centre mu Kisenyi, bino babyogeredde mu lukiiko olwatudde ku Kkanisa ya Trinity e Kawempe ku Lwokubiri ne basaba Kayihura asitukiremu mu bwangu ku nsonga ya Mulinde.

Kiganda yagambye nti Poliisi yavaayo ku mikutu gy’amawulire n’etegeeza nti abaayiira Mulinde asidi baali basumba kyokka n’okutuusa kati terina n’omu gwe yali ekutte.

Yawagiddwa abasumba abawerako okwabadde Godfrey Luwaga owa City of Lord ku Kaleerwe n’abalala abasoba 50 abeetabye mu lukiiko luno.

Kiganda yategeezezza nga Mulinde bwe yaggyiddwa e Buyindi n’atwalibwa mu Yisirayiri mu ddwaaliro lya Teller Vvi e Sheba ku Lwokutaano lwa wiiki wedde kyokka eddwaaliro ly’e Buyindi lyasigadde libanja omutwalo gwa doola.

Wabula omwogezi wa Poliisi mu Kampala, Ibin Ssenkumbi yategeezezza nti ensonga z’omusumba Mulinde zaakwasibwa ekitongole eky’enjawulo ekinoonyereza ku buzzi bw’emisango ekikulirwa Binoga.

‘Eby’okuyiira Mulinde asidi birimu abasumba’

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/news/60875--Eby-okuyiira-Mulinde-asidi-birimu-abasumba-.html

Dec 29, 2011

Bya Robert Mutebi
POLIISI ezudde obujulizi ku kuyiira Paasita Umar Mulinde asidi nga ke katambi okuli amaloboozi n’ebyateesebwa abasumba mu lukiiko olw’ekyama.

Akatambi kano akaasomoddwa bambega ba poliisi kyokka nga kaliko n’abasumba abaakafunyeeko kkopi kaliko byonna ebyateesebwa abasumba 10 abaasisinkana n’abo abaalina okukola ‘misoni’ y’okutuusa obulabe ku Paasita Mulinde ow’ekkanisa ya Gospel Life Church International e Namasuba mu kafo akamu mu 2010.

Mulinde abamu ku basumba banne bamulanga kubayingirira mu ddiiru y’okutwala bantu okulamaga e Yisirayiri gye yayingiramu gye buvuddeko n’ayitimuka nnyo ssaako okuwaliriza abaamusookamu bamu okugyabulira nga tekyabakolera.

Omu ku basumba b’abalokole bano ataayagadde kumwatuuukiriza mmanya yakkirizza nga Mulinde bw’abadde yabawambako ekintu ng’abalokole abasinga abaagala okugenda okulamaga mu bifo ebitukuvu e Yisirayiri bagenda wuwe gye bayitira.

“Ekisooka yalaba obunafu bw’abasumba banaffe abaasooka mu kintu nga balina omulugube gw’ensimbi n’okunyaga abantu ye n’avaayo n’amazima naddala mu by’ensimbi. Emiwendo gye gibadde wansi ddala era y’emu ku nsonga lwaki abadde yeeyunirwa nnyo,” bwe yategeezezza.

Mu nteekateeka y’Omusumba Mulinde, abagenda e Yisirayiri yabasabye ddoola 2000 (ze za Uganda 5,000,000/-) nga buli kimu kiwedde era nga baakukolera ku byetaago byonna omuli viza, entambula, ebyokulya, okusula n’ebirala. Abalala babadde basaba abantu ssente eziri wakti wa ddoola 2,500 ne 3,000 ate nga babakolera ku ntambula, viza ne yinsuwa ebirala ne beerabirira.

Mu mbeera eno, ensonda ziraga ng’abamu ku basumba bwe kitaabayisa bulungi kwe kusalawo okumutuusaako obulabe nga mu lukiiko lw’abasumba 10 omwali n’abalina okutuukiriza ddiiru basooka kusalawo kumutomeza mmotoka.

Wabula kigambibwa nti olukwe luno lwagwa butaka oluvannyuma lw’omu ku bannaabwe okugaana okukkaanya nabo. Kigambibwa nti ekirowoozo kya asidi kyajja luvannyuma lwa kulemesebwa kwa ddiiru yaakumutomeza mmotoka eyali esoose okukolebwa.

Mulinde ku ntandikwa y’omwaka guno yakuba olukung’aana olunene mu kisaawe e Nakivubo n’akunga abantu okweyunira kampeyini ye ey’okugenda okulamaga e Yisirayiri era ng’omwezi gwa October, November ne December omwaka guno abadde akuba enkung’aana ez’amaanyi mu bifo eby’enjawulo gy’abadde abuulirira enjiri n’okukunga abantu ku ky’okugenda e Yisirayiri.

Ku miryango egiyingira mu kkanisa ya Mulinde wajjuziddwa ebipande ebiraga ebifo ebitukuvu mu ggwanga lya Yisirayiri era nga kuliko n’ekifaananyi kya Mulinde wamu n’ebigambo ebikunga abantu okumwegattako.

Omutume Mulinde ayogedde
Mulinde ng’asinziira ku kitanda gy’ajjanjabirwa mu ddwaaliro lya Kampala International Hospital e Namuwongo yakkirizza nga bw’abadde ategese okutwala abantu abasukka mu mutwalo e Yisirayiri okulamaga omwaka guno n’agamba nti abamu yasoose na kubabuulira njiri ne balokoka.

“Kituufu ntambudde mu bifo bingi nga mbuulira enjiri era abantu bangi balokose naye era mu kino mbadde ntegeeza abantu ku ky’okulamaga e Yisirayiri era nga bangi bakkirizza okugenda nange,” Mulinde bwe yategeezezza.

Ensonda mu basumba b’abalokole zaategeezezza nga ddiiru y’okutwala abantu e Yisirayiri bw’efuna emirundu ebiri anti n’Abayisirayiri babaako engeri gye basiimamu oyo yenna atutteyo abantu abangi.

Akulira abasumba ky’agamba

Omusumba David Kiganda akulira abalokole mu kitundu kya Kampala mu kibiina ekibagatta ekya National Fellowship Of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda yagambye nti bataddewo ekirabo kya bukadde 20 eri asobola okubawa amawulire agabatuusa ku yakoze ettemu lino.

“Bannaffe bwe baba bavuddeyo ne bawa obujulizi nga buno kirungi nnyo era tubasaba babututuseeko naye nga bamanyi ssi bwakutujja ku mulamwa.Mulina amawulire amalungi naye tusabe gabeere nga tegatujja ku mulamwa”Kiganda bwe yategeezezza.

Yagasseeko nti: Mulinde kituufu abadde n’abalabe abamuyigganya okumla ekiseera naye abamu bamanyiddwa kubanga babadde bamulabula okumala ekiseera. Bwe wabaayo abalala ababeegattako ekyo kirala kubanga abasumba bangi abatwala abantu mu Yisirayiri.

Omusumba John Mulinde owa Prayer Mountain ku luguudo lw’ e Ntebe atwala abalamazi ebweru, Omusumba Oyet abatwala, nange ntegeka kubatwala mwaka gujja ate n’abalala bangi ababatwala n’olwekyo kino kiraga nti ssi muntu omu oba babiri abakirimu, basumba bangi abali mu ky’okutwala abantu e Yisirayiri.

Basumba ki abanoonyerezebwako?

Ensonda mu bambega zaagambye nti Abasumba abaali mu lukwe luno bataano ku bbo balina amakanisa ku luguudo lw’ e Ntebe, omu ali ku luguudo lw’e Gayaza, babiri bali mu Ggombolola y’e Lubaga, omu mu Makindye ate omulala yategeezezza nga bwe yeerimbika mu busumba kyokka nga mupanzi wa ddiiru atalina kkanisa ntongole okuggyako okubuna amakanisa gonna nga bw’abeera asanze.

Kigambibwa nti mu lukiiko abasumba bano lwe batuuza ku Pope Paul e Lubaga mu October 2010 okulonda obukulembeze mu kitundu kino abamu mwe baalagira obukyayi eri Paasita Mulinde mu lujjudde.

POLIISI BY’EGAMBA
Omwogezi wa poliisi mu Kampala n’emiriraano Ibn Senkumbi yategeezezza Bukedde nga bwe bali ku kaweefube w’okufuna obujulizi bwonna obwetaagisa okuva mu buli muntu era nga buno bwakubayamba okuzuula omutuufu eyayokya Mulinde asidi.

“Tetulina muntu yenna gwe tujja kutaliza, buli alina amawulire agayinza okutuyambako tumwaniriza era n’abo abasumba abavuddeyo okulokooma bannaabwe tulina kukolagana nabo bulungi kubanga batuyamba ku kunoonyereza kwaffe,” Senkumbi bwe yategeezezza.

Yagambye nti obujulizi poliisi bwe yaakafuna ssaako bwe yeeyongera okufuna mu kiseera kino bubawadde essuubi ly’okutuuka ku bantu abatuufu abaayokya omusumba.

OH! Uganda the sick man of Africa: Corruption , corruption and More corruption : MPs want LC bike tycoon’s death probed

2012-01-05T23:46:00.000-08:00

MPs want LC bike tycoon’s death probed

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/628188-628188-mps-want-lc-bike-tycoon-s-death-probed.html

Publish Date: Jan 06, 2012

By Henry Sekanjako

MPs have asked the Police to urgently institute a probe into the mysterious death of Asian businessman Mohinder Singh Chal, one of the directors of Amman Industrial Tools and Equipment Ltd (Aitel) the company at the center of the botched $1.7m (Sh4.7b) LC Bicycle deal.

Mohinder was on Sunday Morning found dead in his house number 17 situated on block L in the Bukoto Brown flats.

Addressing Journalists at Parliament, the MPs led by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu demanded that government forms a commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances under which Mohinder died.

“We want government to investigate how this man died. They are saying they found him with drugs which cannot kill someone,” Katuntu said.

The MPs threatened that if government fails to commission an inquiry into Mohinder’s death, they would table a motion in parliament for the formation of a committee to investigate the matter when parliament reconvenes early next month.

“You may find that people are trying to kill evidence. The struggle to fight corruption is worse off than fighting the Al shabaab. We demand that government immediately sets up a committee to investigate his death because he is the only person who had key evidence,” added Katuntu.

Mawokota South MP Kiyingi Bbossa who is also a member of the public service committee that was investigating the botched bicycle deal said it was prudent for the government to carry out investigations into Mohinder’s death and come up with a conclusive report to avoid unwanted suspicion by the public.
“It is not proper if somebody dies when investigations in which he is one of the key suspects are at a very crucial stage. I call upon government to look into the matter because people will get scared if we don’t find out what really killed the man,” added Rukungiri municipality MP also public service committee member Roland Mugume.
Youth Mp western Region Gerald Karuhanga said there was need to investigate the untimely death of Mohinder to enable both the government and the public understand whether they was any underhand cause to his death.

“The ‘mafia’ groups have all the monies in the world, they can use it to kill evidence and investigations into the botched bicycle deal so we should have investigations into his death,” Karuhanga added.

Preliminary investigations into Mohinder’s death have indicated that he died of a blood clot. Upon his death his body was taken to Mulago hospital for a post-mortem examination which police ruled out any foul play in his death.

LCs Bicycle Company Dished Out Sh4.7 Billion in Two Days

Joyce Namutebi and Catherine Bekunda

The New Vision, 22 September 2011

OVER $1.7m (about sh4.7b) that was paid to a company contracted to supply bicycles for LC leaders was withdrawn from Stanbic Bank in two days.

The money was then reportedly wired to accounts in different countries, including India and Hong Kong.

This was disclosed by the Stanbic's legal head, Gertrude Wamala, while appearing before the public service and local government committee of Parliament yesterday.

She represented the managing director, who had been summoned to clarify the bank's role in the transaction. The summons followed accusations by the former head of procurement in the Ministry of Local Government, Robert Mwebaze, that the bank gave a "fake" bill of lading.

Wamala told MPs that the company account was credited with over sh4.7b on March 15, 2011. However, on the same day, various money transfers were made from the account.

A total of $240,000 was paid to a middleman, Patrick Bagarukayo, who also received another $100,000 on March 16. The document she presented also indicated that there was a cash withdrawal of $20,050 to Mohinder Singh Chal (Kenyan).

It further shows that $600,000 went to Infinity Exim Fze in Hong Kong. Other recipients were Wuyi Trade ($400,000), Vinsara Impex ($110,000) and Nishita Maina (Ugandan) who received $150,000.

The account, she explained, was opened on August 26, 2010 and was to be operated by Chal and Maini, but on September 2, 2010 the mandate was amended to introduce a new signatory, Arjunan Rajasekaran.

About the withdrawals, she said: "We have no responsibility with the supplier. If you take on other people's roles you become liable."

The MPs also summoned the directors of Amman industrial tools and Equipment Limited to explain why the bicycles had not been delivered, but only one of them, Mohinder Singh Chal appeared yesterday.

Chal told MPs that he left the firm before the money was paid on March 15.

Whoever embezzled LC bicycle money should pay

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/30006-whoever-embezzled-lc-bicycle-money-should-pay.html

Publish Date: Nov 15, 2011

By Moses Balyeku
LAST month, Parliament received a report of the Committee on Public Service and Local Government in regard to the investigation into failure to procure and deliver bicycles for villages and parish councils by the ministry of Local Government.
During the investigations on June 20 when the line minister Adolf appeared before the committee he informed its members that although the ministry had paid $ 1,719,454.58 representing 40% of the purchase price for the 70,000 bicycles up to then no bicycles had been supplied yet the supplier had a contractual obligation to meet the schedule on March 25.

It is a pity that some technocrats in the Ministry of Local Government who were charged with this responsibility behaved the way they did.

Ironically, for these technocrats, the Government periodically allocates them four wheel drive cars, their fuel cards are credited promptly by the ministry’s accountant together with corresponding hefty travel allowances. One would expect that such a person who is treated that way would have sympathy to ensure that his colleague at the LC level gets a modest means of transport which is a bicycle. But was not the case.

Shockingly, in face of such scandals, the authorities that are charged with reprimanding or prosecution of the culprits become indecisive yet the Constitution is very clear on how to proceed.

Article 164 (2) states that “ Any person holding a political or public office, who directs or concurs in the use of public funds contrary to existing instructions shall be accountable for any loss arising from that use and shall be required to make good the loss even if he or she has ceased to hold that office”.

That would be the dictum for relevant organs like Criminal Investigations Department, Inspector General of Government, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority. Much as Parliament is also charged with the oversight role but if the above organs would act first, then Parliament would have a lot of concentration in making laws.

With increasing cases of corruption in the Government, the above relevant organs should make a radical change from reactive to proactive line. The best way for them to achieve this is by encouraging whistle blowing strategy. However, this will not give results if the principle of confidentiality is not adhered to.

There are cases where the confidentiality of the whistle blower is violated and he or she ends up being hunted by the corrupt he reported.

Secondly, there are higher chances that such a scandal would have been avoided if the ministry opted to award the tender to a local based company. Otherwise what is the essence of awarding such a lucrative tender to an elusive foreign company yet we have our own which can deliver.

Dealing with a local company would be more prudent considering that before the award; it is cheaper and easier to make pre investigations on the company profile, its ability to deliver and character of its directors. Procuring bicycles is not such a technical issue which would demand sourcing a foreign company which in fact makes it more expensive.

Awarding non complex tenders to foreign companies should always cause suspicion whenever a government department opts for so during procurements. Otherwise the bicycle scandal was avoidable if vigilance was mounted by the relevant organs.

Writer is the Jinja West MP

PATRICK BAGARUKAYO ALIAS BERNARD

http://www.nbs.ug/2011/09/24/wanted-patrick-bagarukayo-alias-bernard/

Finally, the public service and local governments’ committee has identified one of the responsible individuals who caused government a loss of over 1.7m USD meant for the purchase of over 70,000 bicycles for village and parish councilors and chairmen.

The committee chaired by the vice chairperson, Hon Magyezi Raphael, issued a warrant of arrest for one Patrick Bagarukayo also known as Bernard who withdrew 390,000 USD in just two consecutive days.
Stanbic Bank represented by its head of legal Gertrude Wamala Karugaba revealed this withdrawal made by Bagarukayo who is still a mystery yet he is neither share holder in the company nor responsible for the bicycles deal.

Meanwhile, Stanbic bank cleared its image when it stressed that its only responsibility was to advice its client and ensure that the documents received are authentic.

Members of parliament are stunned by the fact that all that amount of money moved in just a few hands at the expense of Uganda’s tax payers’ money.

They have insisted that Bagarukayo appears before them and reveal the whole lineage of others on wanted list.

The vice chairperson of the committee has instructed Bank of Uganda and Stanbic Bank to freeze all the accounts of AITEL company not to allow any further withdrawals.

Hon Magyezi has also issued a warrant of arrest to search for Bagarukayo wherever he maybe hiding to either return the money they feasted on, bring the bicycles or faces arrest and be charged of embezzlement.

The committee has also bitterly moved ahead to hand over one of Stanbic bank’s staff Allan Atuhirwe, a branch manager of Stanbic garden city to CID to investigate his questionable relationship with the Bagarukayo clique.

Members of this committee probing this mysterious saga have vowed to search for one Raja Kasharan who is said to be currently in India to account for the same.

According to reports, Raja Kasharan withdrew 20,000 USD for his personal upkeep, he paid AMANI IMPEX INDIA a profit share of 85,000 USD and 1,000 USD to other companies in HongKong which were not involved in any way of this deal.
Investigations are also underway to find out more about the allegedly 8,500 bicycles in Mombasa as it was revealed by Mohinder Singh Chai when he appeared before this very committee.

Namirimu Bushrah and Byanjeru Edna

Bagarukayo Arrested Over Bicycle Scandal

Sheila Naturinda

The Monitor, 26 September 2011

The man at the center of undelivered local government bicycles scandal, Patrick Bagarukayo has been arrested this Monday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations that he defrauded taxpayers.

Mr Bagarukayo, who was being hunted by Police, is accused of misappropriation of $1.7 million (about Shs5 billion) worth of public funds meant for the procurement of 700,000 bicycles for village chairpersons and local councils.

Mr Bagarukayo had appeared in the Parliament's Public Service and Local Government Committee to explain circumstances under which he picked more than Shs1.4 billion from an account in Stanbic Bank belonging to Amman Industrial Tools and Equipment Ltd, a phantom company contracted to supply the bicycles in question. The alleged Indian supplier took the money but the bicycles were never delivered.

Nigeria Christians Warned Against Retaliation As Deadline Looms To Leave

2012-01-05T02:27:00.000-08:00

Nigeria Christians Warned Against Retaliation As Deadline Looms To Leave

http://www.worthynews.com/11149-nigeria-christians-warned-against-retaliation-as-deadline-looms-to-leave

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 (9:02 am)

ABUJA, NIGERIA (Worthy News)– With a deadline looming to leave their homes or be killed, Christians in northern Nigeria were urged Tuesday, January 3, not to retaliate against Islamic violence.

"We have appealed that there be no retaliation and we continue to preach peace…" said Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the volatile city of Jos where hundreds of Christians have been killed since last year.

Fighters of the Islamist group Boko Haram, or "Western education is a sin" on Sunday, January 1, issued a three-day ultimatum for Christians to leave the African country's northern state and called on Muslims in the south to move north.

However, Kaigama said, he is still "hoping that all of us in Nigeria, Muslims and Christians, will be able to work and live happily" and added "We continue to appeal to reason, for dialogue."

Boko Haram warned it would fight government troops in parts of the country where President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian, declared a state of emergency following a series of bombs killed at least some 50 Christian worshipers on December 25, Christmas Day.

ISLAMIC LAW
The group has pledged to establish Sharia, or Islamic, law in the country, although its 155 million population is roughly equally divided between Christians, who live mainly in the south, and Muslims in the north.

Christians in the north have made clear it is very difficult to leave their homes behind as they no where to go and are in many cases already facing the daily burden of life in the impoverished nation.

Archbishop Ignatius, who is also the Vice President of the Nigerian Bishop's Conference, said he appealed to Nigerians not to allow their country to be overtaken by terror.

“Churches have been destroyed and lives were lost and there is no sign that this might end, until the government intervenes decisively. We continue to ask Christians to be vigilant and aware of the issue of safety when they go to church and even in their own homes," he said in an interview with Vatican Radio, monitored by Worthy News.

Yet, This is our position: no violence, no retaliation. We want to live in peace," he stressed.

PATIENCE RUNNING OUT

There were signs, however, that patience was running out among religious Christians, whonews reports linked to a bomb that detonated in an Islamic school last week.

A spokesman of Open Doors, an advocacy and aid group supporting "persecuted Christians", said colleagues urged local believers not respond with violence to ongoing attacks. "Really, if we want to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, retaliation is not the way to do that. In fact, that would just make it harder for them to
see us as Christians," said spokesman Jerry Dykstra.

He acknowledged that some believers, who reportedly watched their families killed, "are beyond thinking that way" though.

Dykstra quoted an unidentified young man as telling an Open Doors worker, "It's no longer a time for forgiveness; they have pushed us to the wall. So no pastor can stop me from killing and destroying the lives and property of the Muslims."

BEGGING FOR ANSWERS
In published remarks, Dykstra said that Christians are "begging" for answers. He said his workers had received questions that included "Should we fold our arms and watch our killers kill us and take our land because we want to share Christ?"

Other Nigerian Christians reportedly asked: "Should we begin to show love the people who are killing us on a daily basis? Haven't all of our efforts to live at peace with them failed?"

However, "I think the questions are questions that we would ask too in that situation," Dykstra explained.

He said his group has urged believers worldwide to pray for Nigeria. "Pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ would respond exactly as Jesus would want them to. Pray that bitter hearts would be made at peace, and that forgiveness would reign. Pray also for those who need trauma counseling after watching family members killed. Above all, pray that this would build God's kingdom rather than hinder it."

Bishop Ignatius said it remains unclear "who the Boko Haram really are" and, for instance, where they get their weapons from. "What is certain is that there are some forces behind them, either in Nigeria or abroad, who want to profit from instability in our country." Yet, he pledged, "We will not give in to terrorism, we will not allow these fundamentalists to ruin our country.”

Uganda is sick says Archbishop Orombi

2012-01-03T06:34:00.000-08:00

Uganda is sick says Archbishop Orombi

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/628109-uganda-is-sick-says-archbishop-orombi.html

Publish Date: Jan 02, 2012

By Norman Katende

The archbishop Church of Uganda, Rev. Luke Orombi has said Uganda is a sick country that needs spiritual healing in 2012.

In his New Year’s sermon to the Christians at St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, Orombi said that all Ugandans need is spiritual healing and that not even the organizers of the walk-to work-campaign or the government itself are righteous enough to lead the country through this turmoil.

“Corruption and greed is embedded in us right from childhood. That is why a baby who is suckling a breast will make sure he protects the other one [breast] from any intruder even when it is free. Ask yourself why someone should build a house with 12 bedrooms yet it is only him and his wife living in it,” asked Orombi.

The cleric said that there is no use stealing money from people yet you cannot effectively use it to satisfy yourself.

“At the end of the day, the biggest bed we can sleep in is a six by six bed and you cannot even utilize more than a third of it. You, like others, eat one plate of food so the question is, what is that greed for. Why do you steal all that money for?”

Stressing that all the action in Kampala like theft in the house of the Lord, littering the street and corruption make Ugandans sick. He pointed out that “we need hope.”

“It is this hope that will heal us and this hope can start by us blaming ourselves for all the wrong actions that have impacted on our nation.”

“The heart is deceitful. The human heart is a liar, corrupt and greedy and it is beyond cure. Only God can heal it,” remarked the archbishop before adding the words of Timothy chapter 6:7, that runs thus:

“For we brought nothing into the world and we will take nothing when we go out.”

Precedent for African Dictators : Obama Signs Defense Bill Despite 'Serious Reservations'

2012-01-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

Obama Signs Defense Bill Despite 'Serious Reservations'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/31/obama-defense-bill_n_1177836.html

WASHINGTON -- Indefinite military detention of Americans became the law of the land Saturday, as President Barack Obama signed a defense bill that codified that authority, even as he said he would not use it.

The National Defense Authorization Act states how the military is to be funded, but also includes a number of controversial provisions on arresting and holding suspected terrorists, which at first drove Obama to threaten a veto.

He retreated from that threat after Congress added provisions that took the ultimate authority to detain suspects from the military's hands and gave it to the president. Congress also clarified that civilian law enforcement agencies -- such as the FBI -- would still have authority to investigate terrorism and added a provision that asserts nothing in the detention measures changes current law regarding U.S.
citizens.

Still, the signing on New Year's Eve as few people were paying attention angered civil liberties advocates, who argue that the law for the first time spells out certain measures that have not actually been tested all the way to the Supreme Court, including the possibility of detaining citizens in military custody without trial for as long as there is a war on terror.

"President Obama's action today is a blight on his legacy because he will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law,” said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"The statute is particularly dangerous because it has no temporal or geographic limitations, and can be used by this and future presidents to militarily detain people captured far from any battlefield," Romero added. "The ACLU will fight worldwide detention authority wherever we can, be it in court, in Congress or internationally.”

The administration was especially sensitive about the law and about reaction to the president signing it. In addition to enacting the measure while few people were paying attention -- and many opponents still had hopes the president would veto the bill -- the White House added a signing statement specifying that the Obama administration would not detain Americans without trial. The White House also sent out a notice to its online community highlighting Obama's complaints with the law, in a tacit admission that many of the president's more ardent supporters despise the detention provisions.

"I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists," Obama said in the signing statement.

Presidents issue such statements when they feel a law conflicts with the executive's constitutional powers. Obama criticized them during the Bush administration, but has found the practice useful on a handful of occasions.

In this case, Obama argued that the changes Congress made to the bill affirm only authorities that the Bush and Obama administrations have already claimed in fighting terrorism. But he noted that the codification of those powers in law was unnecessary and perhaps harmful. And he insisted he would not use the powers to detain citizens without trial.

"I want to clarify that my administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens," Obama wrote. "Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation. My administration will interpret section 1021 [of the bill] in a manner that ensures that any detention it authorizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war, and all other applicable law."

Civil liberties advocates like Romero pointed out that once the provisions are law, however, they will be available to a President Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney or any future president, who could choose to use the powers granted more aggressively.

"We are incredibly disappointed that President Obama signed this new law even though his administration had already claimed overly broad detention authority in court," said Romero. "Any hope that the Obama administration would roll back the constitutional excesses of George Bush in the war on terror was extinguished today."

Because of the provisions specifying that the new legislation does not change current law, the new law leaves the authority it grants open to interpretation and to the possibility -- albeit in very difficult circumstances -- of someone challenging a detention through the courts.

"Thankfully, we have three branches of government, and the final word belongs to the Supreme Court, which has yet to rule on the scope of detention authority," Romero said. "But Congress and the president also have a role to play in cleaning up the mess they have created, because no American citizen or anyone else should live in fear of this or any future president misusing the NDAA's detention authority."

Obama also said he will not abide by the law's requirement to detain terror suspects using the military.

"I reject any approach that would mandate military custody where law enforcement provides the best method of incapacitating a terrorist threat," Obama said. "While section 1022 is unnecessary and has the potential to create uncertainty, I have signed the bill because I believe that this section can be interpreted and applied in a manner that avoids undue harm to our current operations."

Finally, he rejected a number of other provisions, saying the White House is concerned they interfere with the president's constitutional powers and ability to fight terrorism.

"My Administration will aggressively seek to mitigate those concerns through the design of implementation procedures and other authorities available to me as Chief Executive and Commander in Chief, will oppose any attempt to extend or expand them in the future, and will seek the repeal of any provisions that undermine the policies and values that have guided my Administration throughout my time in office," Obama warned.

Error of the year!!! Iran test-fires missiles in Strait of Hormuz exercises

2012-01-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

One Event to Watch for sure: Iranian Leaders are on a path to Suicide; The West has sought every opportunity to hit them hard, and for sure the foolish Iranian leaders might have their 'prayers' answered; the West will strike and strike hard, and Balkanize that nation into plots of Oil... This BEAST called the West is out to Conquer and "Who can make War against Her?" Kato Mivule

Iran test-fires missiles in Strait of Hormuz exercises

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/02/world/meast/iran-missile-test/?hpt=hp_t1
By the CNN Wire Staff

January 3, 2012 -- Updated 0049 GMT (0849 HKT)

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Iran test-fired two missiles Monday, the final day of its naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, state-run media reported.

The Qader missile, a long-range sea-to-shore missile, was fired during the "power" stage of the maneuvers, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. The test was successful, and the missile hit its intended targets, according to the report.

"A large number of the long-range surface-to-sea Qader missiles have already been delivered to the Iranian Armed Forces," IRNA said.

A surface-to-surface Nour missile was also successfully tested Monday, according to Iran's Press TV.

The Nour is an "advanced radar-evading, target-seeking, guided and controlled missile and can easily find its target and destroy it," IRNA reported, quoting 2nd Adm. Seyed Mahmoud Musavi.

"Iran's navy test-fired a number of medium-range and long-range missiles in the final stage of the naval drills," Press TV said.

A short-range Nasr missile would also be test-fired Monday, IRNA said.

Iran began the exercises in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman on December 24, IRNA said. Western diplomats have described the maneuvers as further evidence of Iran's volatile behavior.

Iran also successfully test-fired a medium-range, surface-to-air and radar-evading Mehrab missile on Sunday, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. A submarine also successfully fired torpedoes at mock vessels, according to the report.

Fars added that plans for Monday involve "a new tactic which is designed to prevent any movement in the Strait of Hormuz if the Iranian navy so desires."

The French Foreign Ministry said Monday the missile tests send a "very bad signal to the international community."

"We want to underline that the development by Iran of a missile program is a source of great concern to the international community," the ministry said in a written statement. That's why Iran is prohibited from "pursuing any activity on ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear (war)head," per a U.N. Security Council resolution, the statement added.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he believes the Iranian exercises and missile tests reflects "the dire straits of Iran in light of the tightening sanctions around her, including the considerations in the last few days regarding the sanctions of exporting petroleum as well as the possibility of sanctions against the Iranian Central Bank."

Because of their "dire situation," Barak said, Iran is "pulling out the envelope of threats in order to deter the world from continuing the sanctions."

The naval exercises focused attention on the strait -- a shipping channel leading in and out of the Persian Gulf between Iran on one coast and Oman and the United Arab Emirates on the other. It is strategically important because tankers carrying oil travel through it -- some 15 million barrels daily in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Iran last week threatened to close the strait over planned sanctions targeting its oil industry and companies that do business with Iran's Central Bank. The sanctions are intended to force Iran to curtail its nuclear program.

The Obama administration was quick to say any closure would be unacceptable and vowed to keep the strait open. But Iran's Press TV reported on Saturday the nation has no plans to close the strait.

The French Foreign Ministry statement emphasized the need for the "freedom of navigation" in the strait.

On Sunday, Fars reported that Iran had succeeded in building and testing the country's first domestically produced nuclear fuel rod. The rod was successfully tested and installed in the core of a research reactor in Tehran, the news agency said, citing the nation's atomic energy agency website.

Iran has repeatedly insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian energy purposes only. But it has rebuffed demands to halt its production of enriched uranium, and a November 8 report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog found "credible" information that Tehran has carried out work toward nuclear weapons -- including tests of possible bomb components.

In December, the United States as well as several other Western and Asian nations announced increased sanctions against Iran in an international effort to tighten the screws around the suspected nuclear weapons program.

Nigeria Christians 'to defend churches from Boko Haram' OH! Really

2011-12-29T06:27:00.000-08:00

IT IS WRITTEN :

19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matthew 5:43-46)

14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 17Recompense to no man evil for evil….. Romans 12

Nigeria Christians 'to defend churches from Boko Haram'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16350635

28 December 2011 Last updated at 23:57 GMT

Nigerian Christians will have "no other option" but to defend themselves if attacks by Islamist militants continue, church leaders have said.

The Christian Association of Nigeria said the Boko Haram group had declared war with its recent violence.

More than 40 people were killed in attacks on churches in northern and central areas on Christmas Day.

Since then, some 90,000 people have fled their homes amid clashes between Boko Haram and police in Damaturu.

Earlier on Wednesday, six children and an adult were injured when a homemade bomb was thrown into an Islamic school in the southern Delta state.

A police spokesman said the bomb had been thrown from a moving car - it was not clear who was behind the attack, which has raised fears of retaliatory vigilante strikes.

BBC Africa correspondent Karen Allen says Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer faces the spectre of sectarian violence between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.

Muslim leaders have, however, moved to downplay the prospect of communal clashes.

'Declaration of war'
"The consensus is that the Christian community nationwide will be left with no other option than to respond appropriately if there are any further attacks on our members, churches and property," said the leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, an umbrella group of the country's churches.

Boko Haram: Timeline of terror

• 2002: Founded
• 2009: Hundreds killed when Maiduguri police stations stormed
• 2009: Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf captured by army, handed to police, later found dead
• Sep 2010: Freed hundreds of prisoners from Maiduguri jail
• Dec 2010: Bombed Jos, killing 80; blamed for New Year's Eve attack on Abuja barracks
• 2010-2011: Dozens killed in Maiduguri shootings
• Nov 2011: Co-ordinated bomb and gun attacks in Yobe and Borno states
• Dec 2011: Series of bomb attacks on Christmas Day kills dozens
•
Ayo Oritsejafor was speaking at the St Theresa Church outside the capital, Abuja, where 35 people died in the Christmas Day bombings, the AFP news agency reports.

He said the attacks were "considered as a declaration of war on Christians and Nigeria as an entity," and that while he did not want to encourage acts of revenge, "Christians should protect themselves... in any way they can".

Mr Oritsejafor said the lack of response by Muslim leaders was an "abdication of their responsibilities", and that the Christian community was also "fast losing confidence in government's ability to protect our rights".

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who is a Christian, has held urgent meetings with Muslim and Christian leaders in an attempt to restore calm.

On Tuesday, Nigeria's main Muslim cleric, the Sultan of Sokoto, denounced the Christmas Day attacks and called for calm.

"I want to assure all Nigerians that there is no conflict between Muslims and Christians, between Islam and Christianity," said Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar.

Boko Haram, which denies reports it has links to al-Qaeda, has said it carried out the Christmas Day attacks.

Last week, its militants were involved in heavy gun battles with government troops in the north-eastern city of Damaturu.

A state emergency management official said the clashes had displaced 90,000 people and that the entire district of Pompomari had been emptied as residents fled.

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden", wants the imposition of strict Sharia law in Nigeria.

The group carried out an August 2011 suicide attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja, in which more than 20 people were killed.

It was also responsible for a string of bomb blasts in the central city of Jos on Christmas Eve 2010.

Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13809501

By Farouk Chothia BBC African Service

29 December 2011 Last updated at 09:51 GMT

Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram - which has caused havoc in Africa's most populous country through a wave of bombings - is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.

Its followers are said to be influenced by the Koranic phrase which says: "Anyone who is not governed by what Allah has revealed is among the transgressors".

Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.

This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers or receiving a secular education.

Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, even when the country had a Muslim president.

Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed after his arrest

The group's official name is Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad".

But residents in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, where the group had its headquarters, dubbed it Boko Haram.

Loosely translated from the local Hausa language, this means "Western education is forbidden".

Boko originally means fake but came to signify Western education, while haram means forbidden.

Since the Sokoto caliphate, which ruled parts of what is now northern Nigeria, Niger and southern Cameroon, fell under British control in 1903, there has been resistance among the area's Muslims to Western education.

Many Muslim families still refuse to send their children to government-run "Western schools", a problem compounded by the ruling elite which does not see education as a priority.

Audacious
Against this background, the charismatic Muslim cleric, Mohammed Yusuf, formed Boko Haram in Maiduguri in 2002. He set up a religious complex, which included a mosque and an Islamic school.

Many poor Muslim families from across Nigeria, as well as neighbouring countries, enrolled their children at the school.

But Boko Haram was not only interested in education. Its political goal was to create an Islamic state, and the school became a recruiting ground for jihadis to fight the state.

In 2009, Boko Haram carried out a spate of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri.

This led to shoot-outs on Maiduguri's streets. Hundreds of Boko Haram supporters were killed and thousands of residents fled the city.

Nigeria's security forces eventually seized the group's headquarters, capturing its fighters and killing Mr Yusuf.

His body was shown on state television and the security forces declared Boko Haram finished.

But its fighters have regrouped under a new leader and in 2010, they attacked a prison in Maiduguri, freeing hundreds of the group's supporters.

Boko Haram's trademark has been the use of gunmen on motorbikes, killing police, politicians and anyone who criticises it, including clerics from other Muslim traditions and a Christian preacher.

The group has also staged several more audacious attacks in different parts of northern Nigeria, showing that it is establishing a presence across the region and fuelling tension between Muslims and Christians.

These reportedly include the 2011 Christmas Day bombings on the outskirts of Abuja and in the north-eastern city of Damaturu, a 2010 New Year's Eve attack on a military barracks in Abuja, several explosions around the time of President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration in May 2011, followed by the bombing of the police headquarters and the UN headquarters in Abuja.

The attacks have raised global concern, with a US Congressional report - released in November 2011 - warning that Boko Haram was an "emerging threat" to the US and its interests.
The report said Boko Haram may be forging ties with al-Qaeda-linked groups in Africa, but the group denies this.

Analysts say northern Nigeria has a history of spawning groups similar to Boko Haram.

The threat will disappear only if the Nigerian government manages to reduce the region's chronic poverty and builds an education system which gains the support of local Muslims, the analysts say.

Anglicans Joining Catholic Church: Not Much Will Change

2011-12-29T06:05:00.000-08:00

Anglicans Joining Catholic Church: Not Much Will Change

By Michael Gryboski | Christian Post Reporter

The Christian Post > World|Wed, Dec. 28 2011 01:07 PM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/anglicans-joining-catholic-church-not-much-will-change-65935/

As the Jan. 1, 2012 date given for the creation of a Roman Catholic Ordinariate, or church body, for disaffected Anglicans draws near, some departing churches say they do not expect significant differences in their worship and practice.

An ordinariate is a geographical region similar to a diocese except that it is national in scope. They are headed by an “ordinary,” which can be a bishop or a priest.

Some congregations that have severed their ties with the Episcopal Church have petitioned the pope to become part of the Catholic Church, under the condition that they retain elements of Anglican tradition, also known as “Anglican Patrimony.”

Bishop Louise Campese of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Orlando, Fla., who also serves as Bishop Ordinary for Pro-Diocese of the Holy Family, said that even though all changes had not been decided for his congregation, he believes there will not be extensive changes.

“There are going to be some changes, but not something foreign to the Anglican Patrimony,” said Campese, who added that he had “no more information than that at this time.”

Even before voting to join the Roman Catholic Church, Campese’s congregation considered itself Anglo-Catholic, which is a part of the Anglican Communion that has Catholic-like rituals and worship practices.

Back in 2007, the Cathedral of the Incarnation was one of many Anglican churches that, as part of a conservative group called the Traditional Anglican Communion, decided to adopt the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“We at the Cathedral have been using the Catechism for our Adult Forums, each week, for the past three plus years and our folks are very well informed and adhere to the teachings therein,” said Campese.

Father Mark Lewis of St. Luke’s Parish of Bladensburg, Maryland, told a similar story of minor changes for his congregation as they prepare for entering the Ordinariate.

“Not much changed. As an Anglo-Catholic parish we accepted, with few exceptions, all the Catholic Church taught,” said Lewis.

Lewis also said that as his church began the process to become part of the Catholic Church they “ceased using the Anglican Service Book for our worship and began using the Book of Divine Worship.”

“The Book of Divine Worship is the Vatican approved liturgical book used by Anglican Use Parishes in the United States,” said Lewis.

Together Again
The Anglican Church was created back in the 16th century when King Henry VIII of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church after being denied an annulment from his first marriage. Initially identical in doctrine and practice, gradually the two became different as the Anglican Church adopted the Book of Common Prayer.

Churches within the Anglican Communion would eventually differentiate themselves via the term “high church” and “low church.” A “high church” congregation is one that focuses more on liturgy and ritual whereas a “low church” congregation is more contemporary in its practices.

Nearly five centuries later, traditional churches once belonging to the Anglican Communion have found themselves at odds with their denomination’s ordination of women and growing tolerance for homosexuality.

While many Anglican Churches decided to break away and form their own conservative sects, some have decided to return to the very church tradition their denomination broke away from back in the days of the Tudor Monarchs.

The first ordinariate, Our Lady of Walsingham, was established for Anglicans in England and Wales on Jan. 15 of this year. Other ordinariates are being considered for Australia and Canada.

Western Media passionately narrates Pastor Mulinde’s Acid attach

2011-12-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

Muslim Extremists in Uganda Throw Acid on Bishop

Burns threaten eyesight of church leader who opposed Islamic courts.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/muslim-extremists-in-uganda-throw-acid-on-bishop-65903/

The Christian Post > World|Wed, Dec. 28 2011 01:07 PM EDT

By Compass Direct News

KAMPALA, Uganda – Islamic extremists threw acid on a church leader on Christmas Eve shortly after a seven-day revival at his church, leaving him with severe burns that have blinded one eye and threaten sight in the other.

Bishop Umar Mulinde, 37, a sheikh (Islamic teacher) before his conversion to Christianity, was attacked on Saturday night (Dec. 24) outside his Gospel Life Church International building in Namasuba, about 10 kilometers (six miles) outside of Kampala. From his hospital bed in Kampala, he told Compass that he was on his way back to the site for a party with the entire congregation and hundreds of new converts to Christianity when a man who claimed to be a Christian approached him.

“I heard him say in a loud voice, ‘Pastor, pastor,’ and as I made a turn and looked at him, he poured the liquid onto my face as others poured more liquid on my back and then fled away shouting, ‘Allahu akbar [God is greater],’” Mulinde said, still visibly traumatized two days after the assault.

A neighbor and church members rushed him to a hospital in the Mengo area of Kampala, and he was then transferred to International Hospital Kampala.

“I have to continue fighting this pain – it is too much,” Mulinde said. “My entire body is in pain. Most of the night I miss sleep.”

His face, neck and arms bore deep black scars from the acid, and his lips were swollen.

“The burn caused by the acid is so severe that there is an urgent need for specialized treatment,” said area Christian Musa Baluku Symutsangira. “I suggest that he be flown outside the country as soon as possible; otherwise Mulinde might lose both of his eyes, coupled with the spread of the burns. The burns seemed to spread and go very deep. He might need some plastic surgery.”

A doctor told Compass that acid burns cover about 30 percent of his face and has cost him sight in one eye.

“We are doing all we can to save his other remaining eye and to contain the acid from spreading to other parts of the body,” the doctor said.

Mulinde’s shirt, tie and suit were in tatters after the attack.

Mulinde said his father, Id Wasswa, was a local prayer leader or imam.

“I was born into a Muslim family, and although I decided to become a Christian, I have been financially assisting many Muslims, as well as my relatives who are Muslims,” he said. “I have been conducting a peaceful evangelism campaign.”

Mulinde said Muslim extremists opposed to his conversion from Islam and his outspoken opposition of sharia (Islamic law) courts in Uganda, known in East Africa as Kadhi courts, attacked him. On Oct. 15, area Muslim leaders declared a fatwa against him demanding his death.

“I have been receiving several threats for a long time, and this last one is the worst of all,” Mulinde said. “I have bore the marks of Jesus.”

Mulinde is known for debates locally and internationally in which he often challenges Muslims regarding their religion. His extensive knowledge and quotation of the Quran in his preaching has won him enemies and friends. Often criticizing Islam, he has relied on police protection during revival campaigns throughout Uganda.

“Mulinde poses a big threat to those who cannot take the challenge as he engages the Muslims in debate,” said Dr. Joseph Serwadda, an area church leader.

A church guard who was away on the day of the attack said he felt responsible.

“I feel bad,” he said. “I feel I have failed in my duty as a guard.”

Mulinde is married and has six children ages 14, 12, 8, 6 and twins who are 3.

Police have reportedly arrested one suspect, whom they have declined to name. A divisional commander at Katwa police station identified only as Kateebe would say only that an investigation was underway.

The hospital charges 350,000 Uganda shillings (US$140 dollars) per day, a steep amount in Uganda.

“We appeal for our brothers and sisters wherever they are to assist the life of Bishop Umar Mulinde,” said Symutsangira.

Several Attacks
Mulinde, who lives and pastors in Namasuba outside of Kampala, in April led religious leaders in petitioning the Ugandan Parliament to refrain from amending the constitution to introduce Kadhi courts.

He collected 360,000 signatures from former Muslims who have converted to Christianity, he said, and managed to temporarily stop parliament from proposing the constitutional change. When Compass met with Mulinde in November, however, he said there was new momentum to revive the Kadhi courts issue.

In May he was attacked by suspected Muslim extremists after a series of campaigns against Kadhi courts in Namasuba. After presenting his case against the Kadhi courts, he narrowly escaped a kidnap attempt when his vehicle was blocked at eight kilometers (five miles) outside of Kampala at Ndege, two kilometers from his home in Namasuba. Muslim extremists jumped out of the vehicle and shot at the fleeing Mulinde but missed him. He reported the case at the Katwa police station.

Mulinde has faced several injuries and attacks from Muslims since his conversion to Christianity in 1993, including having stones thrown at him after debates in 1998 and 2002.

After Kenya maintained Kadhi courts in its new constitution last year, the attorney general of Uganda wanted to insert Kadhi courts – which presumably would deal only with marriage and family issues for Muslims – into the Ugandan constitution. But Mulinde argued that there would be two judicial systems governing one country.

“If Muslims who convert to Christianity are facing persecution from the Muslims now, then what will be their fate when the Kadhi courts are entrenched in the constitution?” he said.

When Mulinde converted from Islam to Christianity, his family drove him away with clubs and machetes. Since then, he has suffered numerous life-threatening attacks. In 1995 at Mbiji, he was attacked with clubs but managed to escape. In 1998 he was attacked at Kangulomila near Jinja town. In 2000 in Masaka, Muslims bribed the area district commissioner to declare Mulinde’s meetings illegal; Muslims stormed into one of the meetings and dragged him out, beating him till he lost consciousness. Police saved him.

In 2001 in Busia, while addressing another meeting, a Muslim extremist narrowly missed killing him with a sword. In 1994, he survived a gun attack at Natete, near Kampala, when a bullet narrowly missed him. He said that as he fell into muddy waters, his Muslim attackers, thinking they had killed him, said, “Allah akbar.”

Because of the threats against him – in October Muslim extremists sent him text messages threatening to assassinate him – Mulinde had relocated to another area in Uganda.

He has vowed to continue fighting for the rights of the former Muslims haunted by radical Islamists.

Was He attached by a Muslim assailant? Suspect in Pastor Mulinde acid attack arrested

2011-12-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

FIRST READ:

Acid attack on Afghan schoolgirls

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7724505.stm

Acid-attack-on-boy-who-refused-sex-with-Muslim-cleric

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/1453786/Acid-attack-on-boy-who-refused-sex-with-Muslim-cleric.html

Islamic Acid Attacks

http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/islamic-acid-attacks-more-muslim.html

Man held over acid attack on top city pastor

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1295578/-/bfk0u7z/-/index.html

By STEPHEN OTAGE & ANDREW BAGALA

Posted Tuesday, December 27 2011 at 00:00

The police in Kampala are holding a man in connection wiht a Christmas Eve acid attack on Pastor Umar Mulinde.

Apostle Mulinde, who denounced Islam after he became a born-again Christian, was left with a damaged right eye and a disfigured face on Christmas Eve after an assailant splashed acid on his face at Namasuba, a Kampala suburb.

Police say the suspect is in their custody but they would not reveal his identity because the case is still at a sensitive stage. “One person has been arrested and he is helping us with the investigations,” the police spokesman, Mr Asuman Mugenyi, said.

Gospel Life Church leader Apostle Mulinde, who is currently admitted to International Hospital Kampala, attracted many followers after he converted from Islam and became a strong critic of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

He told Daily Monitor yesterday from his hospital bed that he believes that the attack that happened around 9pm at his church had connections to his preaching and interpretation of the Quran.

Targeted

“I have been witch-hunted since I converted to Christianity. I do not know which crime I committed because I have been receiving threats and the authorities kept ignoring them not knowing it would result into this,” Apostle Mulinde said.

He said as he was leaving his church, a person who claimed to be one of his flock called him aside pretending that he was wanted. He obliged. “When I turned around, the assailant poured acid on my face which splashed on the right side of the face, suit and shirt affecting my eye and face,” Apostle Mulinde said.

He added that shortly after the incident, he heard one of the assailants shouting ‘Allah Akbar’ (God is Great).

Mr Mugenyi yesterday said they have not yet reached a conclusion that the attack was religiously motivated. Religious motivated violence have been rare in Uganda in recent history.

The attacks have mainly been common in domestic related violence or over personal and business rivalries.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Suspect in Pastor Mulinde acid attack arrested

Publish Date: Dec 26, 2011

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/315086-Suspect-in-Pastor-Mulinde-acid-attack-arrested.html

By Taddeo Bwambale and Nicholas Kajoba

Three days after a suspected acid attack on Pastor Umar Mulinde of Gospel Life Church, Police has arrested one person in connection with the incident.

Addressing a press briefing on Monday, Police spokesperson, Asuman Mugenyi said one person had been arrested but declined to disclose the details. He confirmed that acid was used in the attack and said the police was carrying out investigations to establish the motive of the attackers.

Unknown people attacked Mulinde on Christmas Eve at about 9:00pm shortly after he returned from a church crusade. The attackers poured acid on him, leaving his face partly disfigured and his right eye is blinded.

His face, neck and arms are covered with deep black scars and his lips are swollen.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists at International Hospital, Kampala (IHK) , Mulinde said he was attacked by unidentified men whose target was to kill him.

“I was attacked by a man who claimed to be a Christian. He called out to me shouting, “pastor, pastor’ and as I turned to see who he was, he poured acid which burnt part of my face,” he said.

“As I turned away from the attacker, another man poured the liquid on my back and ran away shouting ‘Allah Akbar (God is great).”

Pastor Mulinde said he caught a glimpse of the attackers but could not disclose the details as this would jeopardise investigations. He blamed the attack to some people who are opposed to his conversion from the Islamic faith to Christianity.

“I have got threats for a very long time, but didn’t take them serious until now,” he said.

Mulinde was raised in a staunch Muslim family and his father served as the local Imam. He was a sheikh before getting converted to Christianity.

Mulinde said the attack occurred shortly after his church had concluded a seven-day crusade at in which over 300 people gave their lives to the Lord.

“We went back to our church to test the sound equipment and everything was perfect. We had organised a Christmas party for the converts when this happened,” he said. His followers rushed him to Mengo Hospital, where he was referred to IHK.

Efforts to get a comment from doctors about Mulinde’s condition were futile as hospital authorities blocked journalists from talking to them. A source told New Vision that doctors were trying hard to save his sight and contain the acid from spreading to other parts of his body.

Pastor Umar Mulinde blinded by acid attack

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/315067-Pastor-Umar-Mulinde-blinded-by-acid-attack.html

Publish Date: Dec 25, 2011

By Nicholas Kajoba

As many Ugandans celebrate Christmas, Pastor Umar Mulinde of Gospel Life Church, Namasuba was lying in pain following an acid attack by unknown person last night.

The unfortunate incident happened at mid-night, after Pastor Mulinde led his congregation into night prayers that ushered in Christmas.

Witness says that after the attacker poured acid onto the pastor’s face he took off before he could be recognized. Mulinde fall down and started shouting calling for help from his followers who rushed him to Mengo hospital.

“The pastor conducted prayers in joyful mood and even asked Christian to repent for their sins. But all of sudden after the prayers when the pastor was leaving the church somebody came and attacked him with acid,” a witness said.

Umar is a graduate of Islamic propagation and a sheikh who grew up in a staunch Muslim family where his father was the local Imam. He heard the Gospel clearly explained in relation to his religion at an outdoor meeting when he was a university student.

He is an evangelist and church planter with an outstanding ability to debate and challenge the religion from which he came in any public forum. His controversies preaching about his past religion (Muslim) had always caused him to be at logger heads with some Muslims.

Mulinde was later transferred to International Hospital Kampala (IHK) where he was taken to Intensive care unit. Pastor’s wife, Eva Mulinde who is looking after him in the hospital said that the patient was still lying in agony and need prayers.

“We took him to mengo hospital and transferred him here because his condition was not good. But we pray he gets well soon,’ she said.

Accessing him at the hospital is not easy because the room where he is lying was guarded by people who identified themselves as believers from Kibuye prayer palace.

Gospel life Church International is a Bible-Believing, Christ-Centered, Life Group Centered and Mission Sending Ministries that is characterized with The Word, Prayer, Passion for souls, Praise and Worship,

Eby’okwokya Paasita Mulinde bibatabudde

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/news/60811-Eby-okwokya--Paasita-Mulinde--bibatabudde.html

Dec 27, 2011

Bya Robert Mutebi, Nicholas Kajoba ne Joseph Mutebi
EBY’ ENSONGA eyayiirizza asidi Paasita w’Abalokole, Umaru Mulinde byongedde okulanda abamu ku baliraanwa be bwe bategeezezza nti enkaayana z’ettaka z’aludde nazo zandiba nga ze zaavuddeko obulumbaganyi buno.

Mulinde baamuteeze ava mu kkanisa ye okubuulira enjiri ekiro ne bamuyiira asidi bwe yabadde alinnya mmotoka ye okudda awaka.

Omutume Mulinde ow’ekkanisa ya Gospel Life Church International e Namasuba ku lw’e Ntebe ye yagudde ku kibambulira mu kiro ekyakeesezza Ssekukkulu nga kyajje ave ku kituuti mu zimu ku nkung’aana z’abadde nazo mu keetereekerero ka Ssekukkulu.

Asidi eyamuyiiriddwa yayiise ku ludda lwa mmotoka ye ey’ekia kya Toyota Surf olwa ddereeva lwonna n’akulukutira ku ndabirwamu.

“Twabadde tuli wano ne tuwulira enduulu ng’omusajja awanjaga nti bamuyiiridde asidi era twagenze okutuuka nga ye musumba muliraanwa waffe kwe kusooka okumuddusa mu kalwaliro akamu e Namasuba gye baatugobye ne tugenda ku International Hospital e Namuwongo,” Moses Kalyango omu ku baliraanwa be ku kkanisa ye bwe yategeezezza.

Omu ku baliraanwa ba Mulinde ku kkanisa ye yategeezezza nti ku makya baalabye abavubuka basatu abaakedde okutuula ku kifugi ky’omu ku baliraanwa baabwe nti era bwe baababuuzizza kye balinda nga batamattama kwe kubagobawo kyokka omu n’alemerawo kyokka n’ ab- alala obwedda bagira ne badda.

Omu eyabadde ayambadde enkofiira ye yasigaddewo ppaka obudde kuziba era ono gwe bateebereza okuyiira omusumba asidi ku ssaawa 5:30 ez’ekiro kubanga bwe yabadde adduka ng’ayambukira mu mayumba enkofiira ye yamuguddeko n’atadda kuginona era poliisi yagitutte.

MULINDE BY’AGAMBA

Omutume Mulinde yasinzidde ku kitanda mu ddwaaliro gy’ajjanjabirwa erya International Hospital n’agamba nti abamuwalanya olw’okukyusa eddiini n’ava mu Busiraamu n’alokoka be bali emabega w’okumwokya asidi.

Agamba nti: Nnabadde naakava e Masajja mu lukung’aana lw’enjiri omwalokokedde abantu abasoba mu 1000 nga nzize ku kkanisa yange okuttaanya enteekateeka z’akabaga k’abo abaalokose era mba nva mu kkanisa okugenda mu paakingi okuggyayo mmotoka yange omusajja omu kwe kumpita nti musumba, bwe nnakyuse okumulaba n’anjiira asidi mu feesi.

Mba nkyalaajaana omulala n’anva emabega naye n’anjiira asidi mu mugongo era wano nnapadde bupaazi okudda gye nva nga sitegeera kintuseeko.Eyasoose okunjiira asidi nnamulabye era olwamaze n’agamba nti…”Allah Akbar…..(Ekivuunulwa nti Katonda munene).

“Abantu abamu balowooza nti zaabadde mpalana z’abakazi naye ekyo ssi kituufu kubanga mukyala wange Evelyn Mulinde (nga bw’amusongako mu ddwaaliro) mmulinamu abaana mukaaga nga yaakamala n’okunzaalira abalongo n’olwekyo ssisobola kumugattako,” Mulinde bwe yannyonnyodde.

Omwogezi wa Poliisi, Asuman Mugenyi yagambye nti baakakwatayo omuntu omu ku kikolwa kino kyokka yagaaanyi okumwogera amannya kubanga kijja kutabulatabula okubuuliriza kwa Poliisi.

Kyokka baliraanwa ba Mulinde bagamba nti aludde ng’agugulana n’eyamuguza ettaka kwe yazimba ekkanisa ye ku poloti 595 mu Namuli Zooni e Najjanankumbi mu mwaka 2008 oluvannyuma lw’omusumba okusalawo okuzimba ku kifo kyonna n’atwaliramu n’akafo akagambibwa nti baali balagaanye okukalekawo.

Mulinde y’ani?

1 Yazaalwa mu maka Amayisiraamu era kitaawe yali Imaamu wa Muzikiti

2 Yasooka kukuguka mu by’eddiini y’Ekisiraamu by’alinamu Ddiguli eya El-Dawa

3 Yali yeetaba nnyo mu kuwakana okwategekebwanga mu bisaawe ng’Abasiraamu battunka n’Abalokole era yajulizanga ebyawandiikibwa ng’asemba nti eddiini y’Obusiraamu y’entuufu.

4 Mu 1990 yasalawo n’alokoka era n’atandika okuvumirira eddiini y’Obusiraamu.

5 Yatandika ekkanisa ya Gospel Life Church Namasuba.

6 Talina luganda ku musumba omulala bwe bafaananya erinnya John Mulinde.

Omutume Mulinde bamuyiiridde asidi

Dec 26, 2011

Bya Robert Mutebi

OMUSUMBA w’ekkanisa y’Abalokole mu Kampala ab’ettima bamuteeze ng’ava mu kkanisa ye okubuulira enjiri ekiro ne bamuyiira asidi bwe yabadde alinnya mmotoka ye okudda ewaka.

Omutume Umar Mulinde ow’ekkanisa ya Gospel Life Church International e Najjanankumbi yeeyagudde ku kibambulira kino mu kiro ekikeesa OLwomukaaga ku ssaawa 5:30 nga ky'ajje ave ku kituuti mu zimu ku nkung'aana z’abadde nazo mu keetereekerero ka Ssekukkulu.

Asidi eyamuyiiriddwa yayiise ku ludda lwa mmotoka ye olwa ddereeva lwonna n’akulukutira ku ndabirwamu.

“Twabadde tuli wano ne tuwulira enduulu nga z’amusajja ng’awanjaga nti bamuyiiridde asidi era twagenze okutuuka nga ye musumba muliraanwa waffe kwe kusooka okumuddusa mu kalwaaliro akamu e Namasuba gye baatugobye ne tugenda ku International” Moses Kalyango omu ku baliraanwa ba Mulinde ku kkanisa ye bwe yategeezezza.

Ye Omutume asinzidde ku kitanda mu ddwaliro gy'ajjanjabirwa erya International Hospital n’agamba nti abamuwalana olw’okukyusa eddiini n’ava mu Busiraamu n’alokoka be bali emabega w’okumwokya asidi.

“Kyemmanyi eyanjiridde asidi yazze wakati wa ssaawa 3:00 ne 4:00 ez’ekiro era yansig'aanye nnaakava e Masajja mu lukung'aana lw’enjiri omwalokokedde abantu abasoba mu 1000”. Mulinde bwe yategeezezza

Wabula omwogezi wa Poliisi mu ggwanga Asuman Mugyenyi yategeezezza mu lukung’aana lw’abamawulire nti baakakwatayo omuntu omu ku bateeberezebwa okwenyigira mu kikolwa kino kyokka n'agaana okwatuukiriza amannya ge n’ebimukwatako. Mugyenyi yagambye nti poliisi ekyagenda mu maaso n’okukola okunoonyereza okuzuula abeenyigidde muy kikolwa kino.

Pastor Kayanja Sodomy case: Magistrate faces probe

2011-12-27T05:39:00.000-08:00

Sodomy case: Magistrate faces probe

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1292696/-/bfm2yjz/-/index.html

By Ephraim Kasozi & Betty Ndagire

Posted Tuesday, December 20 2011 at 11:19

In Summary

Magistrate Patrick Wekesa is accused of acting unprofessionally and with impartiality.

The trial of four city pastors accused of tarnishing the name of Pastor Robert Kayanja, has been halted to allow investigations into alleged bias of the magistrate.

Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Vincent Mugabo stayed the trial to allow investigations into allegations that Grade One Magistrate John Patrick Wekesa has been handling the case unprofessionally and with impartiality.

The suspension of the trial follows a mid-morning closed-door meeting between Mr Mugabo, lawyer of the accused Mr Kato Sekabanja and Mr Wekesa, over the allegations.

Fear of arrest

On December 15, Mr Sekabanja petitioned the chief registrar challenging Mr Wekesa’s conduct and decisions describing them as “very grave and hope they will be investigated.”

Pointing out nine instances which he says makes Mr Wekesa’s behavior questionable, Mr Sekabanja asked the chief registrar to reallocate the case to another magistrate, saying justice will not be dispensed.

“We, as defence counsel, are now apprehensive of appearing before the court trial magistrate and our instructions are to make this application. We are fearful of arrest with which we have been threatened,” said Mr Sekabanja.

Pastors Solomon Male of Arising for Christ, Martin Sempa of Makerere Christian Centre, Robert Kayiira and Michael Kyazze of Omega Healing Ministries are jointly charged with Ms Dorothy Kyomuhendo, former State House aide, and artiste David Mukalazi of conniving to tarnish the name of pastor Kayanja.

The suspects accused the pastor of sodomising some members of his church, an allegation pastor Kayanja denies.

Last week, Mr Wekesa ruled that the group have a case to answer after he declined to hear an application by the lawyers representing the accused persons describing their submissions as “nonsense and rubbish”.

Man attacks Pastor Male

However, in a letter copied to the Uganda Law Society and the Resident State Attorney, Mr Sekabanja said the matter was fixed for defence hearing without consultation and he sought urgent intervention of the Judiciary.

The lawyers also accuse Mr Wekesa of stopping defence lawyer Francis Gimara, from cross-examining a witness, variance in court rulings, declining to hear applications by defence lawyers and suggesting answers for witnesses.

Meanwhile, drama ensued at the court premises yesterday when an unknown man attacked Pastor Male, accusing him of implicating Pastor Kayanja, whom he described as a man of God.

The man warned Pastor Male in a heated verbal exchange to desist from the campaign of sodomy which he said was targeting Pastor Kayanja, whom he described as ‘man of God’.

Court will on January 18, 2012 determine if Magistrate Wekesa will continue with the case or not.

Kayanja Case: Magistrate accused of bias

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/314967-kayanja-case-magistrate-accused-of-bias.html

Publish Date: Dec 19, 2011

By Andante Okanya
THE six people including four pastors who are accused of conspiring to tarnish the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja, have written a protest letter to the Chief Registrar of Courts, complaining about the conduct of the trial magistrate whom they accuse of bias.

In the letter dated December 15, 2011, they claim Grade One Magistrate Patrick Wekesa has constantly threatened them throught the trial.The letter is also addressed to the Chief Magistrate Buganda Road Court in Kampala.

The protest letter has subsequently halted the trial which had been scheduled to continue yesterday.The accusedwere supposed to begin their defence yesterday after the court ruled that they had a case to answer. The case file has beenreturned to the Chief Magistrate Vincent Mugabo.

"We write to register our complaint against the trial magistrate in the above matter his worship John Wekesa. In particular in both his professional and ethical conduct in regard to the case," says the letter drafted by the defence team.

The accused allegedly conspired to claim that Kayanja sodomised boys at his church.They are pastors Solomon Male of Arising for Christ Ministries, Martin Sempa of Makerere Community Church, plus Michael Kyazze and Robert Kayiira of Omega Healing Centre. Also accused are businesswoman Dorothy Kyomuhendo, and local musician David Mukalazi.

Kayanja heads the Rubaga Miracle Centre, and runs the global Robert Kayanja Ministries.

Prosecution led by Stephen Asaba alleges that in 2008 and 2009 at various places within Kampala district, the accused “conspired to cause injury to Kayanja’s personality and reputation”.

Today, the accused's lawyers met the Chief Magistrate in his office.The press was barred from accessing it.

Defence lawyer Kato Sekabanja hailed it as fruitful, saying a probe into the allegations had been launched, and that they would be given feedback on January 18.

Ugandan vicar in UK faces jail for staging sham marriages

2011-12-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ugandan vicar in UK faces jail for staging sham marriages

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/314860-ugandan-vicar-in-uk-faces-jail-for-staging-sham-marriages.html

Publish Date: Dec 14, 2011

A Ugandan-born vicar based in UK has been warned that he faced going to jail 'for some time’ after he admitted staging 31 sham marriages.

The Rev Canon John Magumba, 58, conducted weddings between illegal immigrant brides and grooms and EU passport holders they barely knew so they could remain in Britain.

According to Daily Mail, the vicar also admitted pocketing over £8,000 that was given to his church in fees or donations from genuine weddings and funerals.

Investigators from the UK Border Agency were tipped off earlier this year that Magumba, who covered three churches in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was helping illegal immigrants take part in bogus weddings.

Equipped with marriage certificates, immigrants were then able to obtain a visa allowing them leave to stay in Britain with full access to education, healthcare and welfare benefits.

Often the couples would immediately drop the pretence of a relationship straight after the ceremony and go their separate ways.

At Bolton Crown Court yesterday, Magumba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breaching UK immigration law by conducting sham marriages and also two counts of theft.

Judge Thomas Teague QC told the defence counsel for the shamed vicar: 'It is a very serious case and he must obviously expect to lose his liberty for some time.’

Speaking to Magumba, who stood in the dock with his head bowed, the judge added that it was 'a very serious matter’.

The married father-of-six, who wore an open-neck shirt with no dog collar, was accompanied by the Venerable Alan Wolstencroft, from the Bishop of Manchester's office.

Afterwards he said: 'He will not be saying anything - he is very upset.’

Magumba admitted conspiring with a number of people - who cannot be named for legal reasons - in facilitating the commission of a breach in immigration law between April 2008 and February 2011.

He also admitted stealing £5,437 from St Peter's Church and £2,908 from St Luke's Church, both in Rochdale – a total of £8,345.

He was granted bail and will be sentenced in January.

The vicar, of Deeplish, Rochdale, was arrested in March after an investigation into 100 sham marriages and suspended by the Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch.

Sham: Rev Alex Brown was jailed for four years last year after marrying 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers

Immigration investigators have been examining allegations that marriage banns were not read out by Magumba for ceremonies involving immigrants.

Names and addresses of brides and grooms should be read out at three services prior to the wedding and details posted for anyone to see.

Magumba was team vicar for the South Rochdale team ministry, overseeing three churches in the area - St Peter's, Newbold, St Luke's, Deeplish, and St Mary's, Balderstone.

A member of the Association of Christian Counsellors, he has lectured on the challenges of ministering to Britain’s growing African population and written a Phd on Christianity in Uganda.

Yesterday a Diocese of Manchester spokesman said: 'Reverend Canon John Magumba has pleaded guilty to contravening the Immigration Act by conducting irregular weddings and theft from churches.

'The highest standards are expected from all clergy. It is extremely rare for clergy to abuse the trust placed in them by their congregation, community and bishop.

'At present Rev Magumba is suspended by the Bishop of Manchester. His suspension will continue while formal procedures begin into his conduct.’

Last year another Church of England minister was jailed for four years over the biggest fake-wedding scam Britain has seen.

Rev Alex Brown abused his position at his Victorian parish church in the seaside town of St Leonards, East Sussex, to marry 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers.

Between 2005 and 2009, Brown married up to eight couples a day and was found guilty of breaching immigration laws.

He also pleaded guilty to solemnising a marriage according to the rites of the Church of England without banns being properly read.
Source: Daily Mail

When Rwandan Refugees Die like rats amidst Global silence: Rwanda Journalist Shot in Kampala

2011-12-04T23:48:00.000-08:00

FIRST READ: Impunity and Complicity in the Genocide in Rwanda and Congo: African Mercenaries for the American New world order system

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article181.htm

Dread, whispers shroud Rwandan scribe’s funeral

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1283664/-/bg7wmez/-/index.html

By ANDREW BAGALA

Posted Saturday, December 3 2011 at 18:21

Dreadful grief was an understatement at the funeral service of the Rwandan journalist Charles Ingabire yesterday afternoon. It was more like the shroud on his death had descended on family members, friends and well-wishers bidding him final respects.

One by one, the mourners walked into Evangelical Restoration Church in Bakuli, many avoiding eye contacts with strangers and only speaking in hushed tones.
The funeral service that started about 2:30pm lasted for only about 20 minutes and had only two speakers.

First to speak was Pastor Shedrack Mporana, also a Rwandan, who described the day the editor of Rwanda’s Inyenyeri online news web site was shot as a sad one but urged mourners not to give into fear.

A second speaker, who only wanted to be identified as Pastor Yeremiya, also Rwandan, said many mourners wanted to pay their last respects to the deceased but they could not do so for security reasons.

“If you shoot someone dead, you are only killing the flesh not the spirit. We should not fear those who kill the flesh,” Pastor Yeremiya said.

No photos of identities
Several mourners we spoke to alleged being persecuted by government back home but none wanted their photographs taken or identities revealed.

Pastor Yeremiya, who had earlier moved around reminding the mourners to be weary of spies among them “intending to take information to their masters,” eventually let the cat out of the bag when he announced at the podium, “There is someone who has sent spies to spy on us.”

Among the mourners were men in civilian clothes, most of whom had security gadgets. The men could be seen communicating on walkie-talkies as the service went on.

Ingabire, 32, was shot twice in the lower abdomen late in the night of November 30, by unknown people in Makies II Bar at Bukesa-Kikoni near Makerere, a Kampala suburb.
Police found five cartridges of spent bullets, which they suspected to have been discharged by a Sub Machine Gun that was used to shoot Ingabire, at the scene of crime.

Police also said they have arrested two suspects now in their custody to help with investigations.

Ingabire had earlier fled Rwanda for Uganda for fear that his life was in danger for being critical of Rwanda president Paul Kagame and his government.

He was buried yesterday in a government cemetery at Lusaze in Rubaga Division, Kampala. He is survived with a wife and a five-month old baby.

No Rwandan government official attended the funeral or burial.

abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

Rwandan journalist Charles Ingabire killed in Uganda

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16012659

A Rwandan journalist living as a political refugee in Uganda has been shot dead, police say.

Charles Ingabire was gunned down in a bar in Kampala on Wednesday, but details are only now emerging.

He was editor of Inyenyeri News, an online publication critical of the government of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Several critics of Mr Kagame have been attacked or killed in recent years. The government denies any responsibility.

Police say he had two bullet wounds and they are questioning a security guard and barmaid who worked at the bar.

"They're helping with investigations," Ibn Senkumbi told news agency Reuters.

Police say Mr Ingabire was drinking with an unidentified man at the bar near Makerere University when has killed.

They say they have recovered Mr Ingabire's phone, which they say should tell them who he made contact with prior to his death, says the BBC's Joshua Mmali.

Well-known Rwandan exiles were quick to point the finger at Rwandan security forces in posts on social media websites.

The Rwandan government has rejected allegations that it targets its opponents abroad as "preposterous".

'Very very insecure'
Godwin Buwa, a legal adviser at Uganda's Refugee Law Project, who had assisted Mr Ingabire, told the BBC he was "deeply saddened" by his loss.

"He told me quite a number of times how insecure he [was] and we co-ordinated to find some kind of security for him," he said.

He said Mr Ingabire had been rejected as a candidate for resettlement by the UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR - despite "ample evidence that he was very very insecure".

A UNHCR refugee protection officer told the BBC he was unaware of the murder and could not comment.

Seventeen years ago up to 800,000 people died in a genocide in Rwanda.

Since then, the country has been feted by Western donors and investors, but human rights groups say they are concerned about growing political repression.

Announcement of the death inyenyerinews Editor
http://inyenyerinews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=226:announcement-of-the-death-inyenyerinews-editor&catid=3:newsflash
The management of Inyenyeri News announce the sad news of the death of the chief editor Charles Ingabire.

Our Chief Editor died as result of injuries sustained when he was shot by unidentified men in night of the 30th November 2011, in Kampala – Uganda.

The Inyenyeri News management has no doubt about the identity and motives of Mr Ingabire ’s assassins. We are aware of continuous threats he had received from member of the Rwandan government agents against his life. Recently he was attacked, beaten and sustained serious injuries which required 2 weeks of hospital treatments.

During this attack his laptop was stolen and enabled his attackers to access codes of our website and put it down for few days before we managed to re-gain its control.

Mr Ingabire’s name become an addition to the list of many others Rwandan journalist and politicians who were assassinated for publically criticizing the Rwandan dictatorial regime.

The Inyenyeri News management denounce these continuous and malicious killings, oppressions and threatening of Rwandan government to critics including journalist.

We urge the international community, international institutions, donors to make strong pressure and sanctions to get Rwandan government to allow fundamental Rights.

We urge the International Criminal Court to investigate the involvement of the Rwandan governments in continuous and growing assassinations and assassination attempts against journalist, politicians and human rights activist.

We urge all governments under their international obligation and moral values to protect Rwandan Refugees who are seeking protection against the Rwandan government assassins.

We are grateful to the effort that the Uganda Police is currently making to bring to the light the assassination our editor.

We thank you all who have sent us your support in this difficult time.

The Inyenyeri News management would like to ensure all its readers and supporters that we will continue to inform you and give you news about our country. We believe that good journalist can make an important contribution to achieve freedom and democracy.

Editor of censored Rwandan paper is assassinated

http://www.cpj.org/2010/06/editor-of-censored-rwandan-paper-is-assassinated.php
New York, June 25, 2010—A top editor of an independent Rwandan newspaper that was recently banned by the government was assassinated in front of his home late Thursday, according to local journalists and news reports. An assailant shot Jean-Léonard Rugambage, left, acting editor of Umuvugizi as he drove through the gate of his home in the capital, Kigali, around 10 p.m., Rwanda National police spokesperson Eric Kayiranga told CPJ.

“At the moment, we are yet to establish who is involved in the killing and police are currently conducting investigations and we will provide information as it comes,” he said.

Rwanda’s Media High Council suspended Umuvugizi’s right to publish in April. Soon after Umuvugizi moved online, its Web site became inaccessible to domestic visitors. Censorship of the publication, one of the few critical voices in the country, has come in the run-up to the August presidential election.

Rugambage had reported to friends and colleagues that he was being followed and had received phone threats, local journalists told CPJ. Jean-Bosco Gasasira, the exiled editor of Umuvugizi, told the U.S. government-funded Voice of America that he believed the killing was reprisal for a recent story alleging government involvement in the shooting of a former Rwandan army commander in South Africa.

“The brutal murder of Jean-Léonard Rugambage deals a savage blow to Rwanda’s already beleaguered independent media,” said Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “It comes amid a government crackdown on critical reporting ahead of the August presidential election, and raises serious questions about the safety of independent journalists in the country. The authorities must ensure that all those behind this murder, including the masterminds, are brought to justice swiftly.”

As the last Umuvugizi journalist remaining in Rwanda, Rugambage represented the newspaper in hearings in several court cases the newspaper is facing over its critical coverage of government affairs, according to local journalists.

Before joining Umuvugizi, Rugambage was a reporter for the now-defunct independent tabloid Umuco. He experienced 11 months of imprisonment after producing a story alleging mismanagement and witness tampering in Rwanda's traditional courts for suspects of the 1994 genocide. Rugambage, 34, is survived by a wife and a two-year-old daughter, according to local journalists.

Six arrested over shooting of Rwandan in South Africa
21 June 2010 Last updated at 10:05 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10363955
Six people have been arrested in South Africa over the shooting of a Rwandan dissident, police say.

Police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo refused to give the nationalities of the suspects but said more arrests were likely.

Former army chief of staff Lt Gen Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa is recovering in hospital after what his wife called an assassination attempt.

Rwanda has denied any involvement in the shooting in Johannesburg.

The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says a Rwandan national known to Lt Gen Nyamwasa is believed to be among those detained.

FAUSTIN KAYUMBA NYAMWASA
• 1994: Helped bring Paul Kagame to power and end genocide
• 1998: Appointed army chief of staff
• 2006: French judge accuses him of shooting down plane of Rwanda's ex-President Habyarimana in 1994
• 2008: Spain accuses him of links to death of Spanish nuns
• Feb 2010: Leaves post as ambassador to India, flees to South Africa
• Accused of links to grenade attacks in Kigali
• June 2010: Shot in Johannesburg

Brig Mariemuthoo said the six would be charged with attempted murder but declined to give any more details, saying the investigations had reached a "sensitive stage".
Sources close to Lt Gen Nyamwasa told the BBC on Sunday that he was recovering and should be able to leave hospital in a few days.

Once a close confidante of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, Lt Gen Nyamwasa fled to South Africa in February and has since accused the president of corruption - charges Mr Kagame denies.

Rwanda's government accuses Lt Gen Nyamwasa of links to grenade attacks in Kigali earlier this year and has previously tried to secure his extradition.
Lt Gen Nyamwasa has denied the allegations.

There have been several recent defections from the military ahead of elections due in August.
'Grabbed the gun'

The Nyamwasas had been returning from a shopping trip at around midday on Saturday (1000 GMT) when the gunman approached their car.

“Start Quote

[Mr Kagame] said it in parliament that he will actually kill my husband”
End Quote Rosette Nyamwasa

"[The gunman] spoke to my driver, but he wanted space to be able to shoot my husband," Rosette Nyamwasa told the BBC.

"Then when my husband bent, he shot. And fortunately, it went into the stomach and not in the head.

"My husband got out immediately.

"And he grabbed the gun. In that kind of scuffle, the guy couldn't cock the gun."
She added that Mr Kagame wanted her husband dead.

"[Mr Kagame] said it in parliament that he will actually kill my husband, that wherever he is he will follow him and kill him," she said.

But Rwanda's Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said in a statement that Mr Kagame's government "does not condone violence" and said she trusted South Africa to investigate the shooting thoroughly.

Lt Gen Nyamwasa also claimed the judiciary was compromised and told the BBC in a recent interview that the judges were now "President Paul Kagame's property".
A couple of months after Lt Gen Nyamwasa went into exile along with another top military officer, Mr Kagame reshuffled the military leadership.

At the time, two high-ranking officers were also suspended and put under house arrest.

Arrest warrants

Lt Gen Nyamwasa played an important role in the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by Mr Kagame, which put a stop to the killing and which is now in power.
But France and Spain have issued arrest warrants against Mr Nyamwasa for his alleged role in the lead-up to and during the genocide, along with other senior RPF figures.
Mr Kagame, in power for the past 16 years, is viewed by many in the West as one of Africa's more dynamic leaders.

However critics have raised concerns about his more authoritarian tendencies and the government has recently been accused of harassing the opposition ahead of the elections.

The United Nations Ad Hoc Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR-TPIR): International justice or judicially-constructed victors’ impunity?

April 9, 2011

St. Paul, Minn. – The director of the International Humanitarian Law Institute, Professor Peter Erlinder, announced the publication of a book-length research work by DePaul University Law School Journal for Social Justice today: “The United Nations Ad Hoc Tribunal for Rwanda: International Justice or Judicially-Constructed Victors’ Impunity.”

Based on previously un-published U.N. and U.S. government documents, in the nature of the Pentagon Papers or WikiLeaks exposures, the heavily footnoted narrative is based on documents only in evidence at the U.N. Tribunal for Rwanda and published on the IHLI website: www.rwandadocumentsproject.net. The documents explain how the current RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) government became the dominant military power in the country more than a year before the Rwandan Genocide with outside assistance from Uganda, U.K. and the Pentagon.

The documents include ICTR (International Tribunal for Rwanda) evidence that the U.S. ambassador to Rwanda personally warned Kagame in late 1993 that mass killings would result if the RPF broke the February 1993 ceasefire, because of the example of the mass violence that erupted in Burundi in October 1993, when the first Hutu president was assassinated by RPF allies.

The documents also include sworn ICTR testimony of former RPF officers and members who testified that Rwandan President Paul Kagame ordered the assassination of the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi on April 6, 1994, that touched off the mass violence predicted by the U.S. ambassador. Affidavits from a former FBI agent and the chief ICTR investigators are also duplicated in the document.

The documents also show that U.N. Gen. Dallaire reported that “there was no coup” after the assassinations; Kagame repeatedly refused ceasefire requests to stop the killings; and according to Dallaire, Kagame would not use superior military force to stop the civilian killings touched off by the massacres because “he was winning the war.”

According to IHLI Director Erlinder, who served as lead defense counsel in the Military-1 case at the U.N. Tribunal for Rwanda and who was released from a Rwandan prison on medical grounds only after an international campaign in the summer of 2010:

“These U.N. documents are the reason Kagame had me arrested. I have never denied that tens of thousands of Tutsi were killed in ways that fit the definition of ‘genocide,’ but ICTR evidence shows that the RPF were the militarily superior aggressors and took advantage of the predicted civilian massacres as part of their war plan. Had the RPF not been made militarily dominant by outside support and the two presidents not been assassinated in the RPF assault for power, the ICTR evidence suggests that the Rwandan genocide would never have occurred.”

For more information, contact Professor Peter Erlinder, Director, International Humanitarian Law Institute, William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, MN, USA 55105, (651) 290-6384, www.rwandadocumentsproject.net. This story was first published by the France-Rwanda Tribune.

Rwanda Genocide: Erlinder v. Kagame in the court of public opinion

http://sfbayview.com/2011/rwanda-genocide-erlinder-v-kagame-in-the-court-of-public-opinion/

April 15, 2011

by Ann Garrison

KPFA Weekend News April 9, 2011

Law professor and former National Lawyers Guild President Peter Erlinder’s case against Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his official history of the Rwanda Genocide continues in the court of public opinion, with Erlinder refusing to return to work at the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda for fear Kagame might have him assassinated. Erlinder has also published an 80-page analysis of documents which he says prove Kagame’s culpability for the Rwanda Genocide and ensuing Congo Wars. KPFA News spoke to him on Saturday, April 9.

Transcript

KPFA Weekend News Anchor David Rosenberg: April 6 was the 17th anniversary of events that triggered the massacres that the world came to know as the Rwanda Genocide. The history of the 1994 genocide and the ensuing war in Rwanda’s resource rich neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo, are fiercely disputed by a growing number of scholars, journalists and human rights investigators and by Rwandan and Congolese opposition leaders, genocide survivors, exiles and refugees.

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, Rwanda’s 43-year-old opposition leader and mother of three, remains in Rwanda’s 1930 maximum security prison, charged with terrorism and disputing the official Rwanda Genocide history. And William Mitchell law professor and former National Lawyers Guild President Peter Erlinder has now published an 80-page footnoted and documented report in the DePaul University Law School’s Journal for Social Justice in which he argues that Kagame and his Rwandan Patriotic Front regime bear responsibility for the Rwanda Genocide and Congo Wars.

Last year Kagame arrested and imprisoned Erlinder in Rwanda after he had traveled there to defend Ingabire, and last week the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda came close to sanctioning him for refusing to return to Arusha, Tanzania, to defend another client. Erlinder had said that he would not return because Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front agents might well assassinate, kidnap or disappear him if he did. The court did not acknowledge Erlinder’s claim that his life would be in danger in Arusha, but they did excuse him after his doctor reported that he suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome as a consequence of his arrest and imprisonment in Rwanda last year.

KPFA’s Ann Garrison spoke to Professor Erlinder by phone from his office at William Mitchell College of Law, in St. Paul, Minneapolis:

On June 14, 2010, 17 days into his ordeal in the notorious Kigali prison known as “1930,” Peter Erlinder prepares a response while prosecutor Jean Bosco Mutangana argues that he should be denied bail. The American law professor is dressed in the pink Rwandan prison uniform.

Ann Garrison: Peter Erlinder, this story is still obscure to many KPFA listeners. Could you explain why Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, would conceivably want to assassinate, kidnap or disappear you?

Peter Erlinder: Well, during my work at the U.N. Tribunal, I had an opportunity to have access to the previously secret United Nations files that were kept by U.N. personnel in Rwanda during the time that’s known as the genocide. And those documents tell a completely different story than the story the world has heard about what happened in Rwanda during that time.

Also I was able to link that to U.S. documents from the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon and the documents from other countries. And I used those documents to defend my client and he and other military officers were acquitted of the charge of conspiracy to commit genocide, which means there was no plan on the part of the previous government and military.

Ann Garrison: And do the documents that you’ve assembled demonstrate that President Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front regime are most responsible for the mass slaughter of 1994, which came to be the principle justification of the Kagame regime?

Peter Erlinder: Yeah, what the documents show is that the RPF were the dominant military power in Rwanda. They were responsible for assassinating the Rwandan and Burundian presidents, which touched off the mass violence. They were in a position to stop the mass violence and didn’t do so because of their desire to win the war. And then once they did seize power, continued carrying out violence against civilians.

Ann Garrison: And what do those documents that you’ve assembled say about the ensuing Congo War?

Peter Erlinder: Well, the documents make clear that the RPF went on to carry out an invasion of the eastern Congo along with Uganda and then essentially to control the eastern Congo, which they do to this day. And that was accomplished because of ongoing support from the Pentagon, and then, unfortunately, it becomes clear that this support was covered up as the ICTR began to develop.

Ann Garrison: Links to Professor Erlinder’s report on the Rwanda Genocide and Congo War can be found on the websites of the San Francisco Bay View and AfrobeatRadio.net. For Pacifica, KPFA and AfrobeatRadio, I’m Ann Garrison.

San Francisco writer Ann Garrison writes for the San Francisco Bay View, Global Research, Colored Opinions, Black Star News, the Newsline EA (East Africa) and her own blog, Ann Garrison, and produces for AfrobeatRadio on WBAI-NYC, Weekend News on KPFA and her own YouTube Channel, AnnieGetYourGang. She can be reached at ann@afrobeatradio.com. This story first appeared on her blog.

Pastor arrested after conversion of Muslims in India

2011-11-28T00:19:00.000-08:00

Pastor arrested after conversion of Muslims in India

Posted: Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 12:26 (GMT)

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/pastor.arrested.after.conversion.of.muslims.in.india/28938.htm

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has called for the immediate release of a pastor in India accused of bribing Muslims to convert to Christianity.

Chander Mani Khanna, who pastors All Saints Church in Srinagar, was called before a Sharia court accused of converting Muslim children by offering bribes.

A video appeared on YouTube apparently showing him baptising Muslim converts. Witnesses claim that police beat the converts to make them give evidence against the pastor.

According to AsiaNews, police arrested Pastor Khanna for promoting enmity between religious groups and outraging religious feeling.

Although Pastor Khanna denies all charges, he remains in police custody and there are fears that a fatwa may be issued against him.

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), which his church belongs to, has written to the Government of Jammu and Indian Kashmir asking them to intervene on the pastor's behalf.

The GCIC believes the charges were brought against the pastor because he failed to get a local Muslim's son into the Christian school of his choice.

The church body said that tensions have risen in the region following the burning of a Koran in a Florida church this year.

Bishop Nazir-Ali, patron of Release International, knows Pastor Khanna personally. He described him as a "respected" priest who would "never use underhand methods to evangelise".

"I am astonished that such a person can be arrested by an India committed to religious freedom and democracy," said Bishop Nazir-Ali.

"I call not only for his immediate and unconditional release but also for protection for him and his family.

"Let us pray that freedom and justice will prevail in Kashmir for everyone: Muslim, Christian and Hindu."

Christians contemplate their future in secular Europe

2011-11-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

Christians contemplate their future in secular Europe

Posted: Saturday, November 26, 2011, 20:00 (GMT)

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.contemplate.their.future.in.secular.europe/28950.htm

Christians have been told they must find a framework for promoting their beliefs if they are to confront the challenge of aggressive secularisation and the erosion of Christian values across all spheres of life.

Opening the Beyond Individualism conference on Friday, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said it was “amazing” that a Christian nurse in Britain today could be suspended for offering to pray for a patient, when it was Christians who had set in place many of the institutions and public services now taken for granted.

He warned that the Christian values inherent in Europe’s heritage have been eroded by a process of “aggressive secularisation” that Christians must understand if they are to challenge it.

While politicians offer “thin” values like respect and tolerance, the bishop said such “political mantras” were “not enough for society to be cohesive”.

Instead, Christianity presents European nations with a means to move beyond the individualism they have come to be characterised by, he argued.

“To have individualism without any sense of mutuality is very damaging for society,” he said.

Bishop Nazir-Ali took issue with attempts to detach concepts like equality and diversity from their Christian roots, arguing that they could only be properly understood from the vantage point of Christianity, with its emphasis on the common origins of all human beings and their intrinsic value as God’s creation.

Diversity, he said, should be understood as “Christian hospitality”, rather than multi-culturalism, which has “led to the segregation and isolation of communities”, he maintained.

Bishop Nazir-Ali went on to say that respect for individual conscience “had not been in the fore” in recent legislation in Britain.

Reflecting concern over recent court cases involving Christians, he said it was “unacceptable” that the law had “ignored” the rights of Christians.

“We must respect the autonomy of public law but we also need to argue for law to respect conscience,” he told the conference.

Social critic and author Dr Os Guinness said that one of the greatest issues facing the whole world today was how to live with our differences.

He said the emergence of a global public square meant that Christians need to speak increasingly with one “constructive” voice.

Rather than contradict civil liberty, Dr Guinness said that strong religious convictions could complement it.

However, Christians must examine some of the “unwise” responses they have made in the past “to make sure we do better”.

He criticised Christians for being too politicised, partisan, and self-interested at times.

US hypocrisy Antics: From burning bibles, and cross removal to Obama's God-less Thanksgiving Speech

2011-11-28T00:15:00.000-08:00

First read:

But again which God should he thank, Christian, Hindu, Atheist, Jajja Muwanga, Native American, Allah? since "He is not a Christian" as US Conservatives claim, why then should he thank your God? And again is that not Christianity by FORCE rather than Grace?Kato Mivule

Obama's God-less Thanksgiving Speech Draws Ire

By Anugrah Kumar | Christian Post Contributor

The Christian Post > U.S.|Sat, Nov. 26 2011 09:21 AM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/obamas-god-less-thanksgiving-speech-draws-ire-63080/

Angry reactions are pouring in from across America and beyond after President Barack Obama chose not to thank God but referred to “luck” during his Thanksgiving address in defiance of the holiday tradition’s purpose as established by President George Washington in 1789.

Obama omitted religious references in his three-minute speech although Thanksgiving is “a holiday traditionally steeped in giving thanks and praise to God,” said Fox News Radio host Todd Starnes.

“The president said his family was ‘reflecting on how truly lucky we are,’” he added. “For many Americans, though, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how blessed and thankful they are.”

In his speech, Obama said his family would spend the day “eating great food, watching a little football, and reflecting on how truly lucky we are.”

“Somebody ought to remind Obama that when Americans sit down around a meal today and give thanks, they give thanks to God,” said The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s columnist Sherman Frederick.

Proclaiming the first national day of public thanksgiving, George Washington, America’s first president who also presided over the writing of the Constitution, said, “Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor … a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God …”

Conservative columnist Ben Shapiro was harsher in criticizing the president. “Unreal that Obama doesn’t mention God in Thanksgiving message,” reads his tweet. “Militant atheist. To whom does he think we are giving thanks?”

Britain’s Daily Mail also reported on Obama’s omission. “Any acknowledgement of a spiritual element to the holiday was conspicuousness by its absence, as the president called the festival ‘a celebration of community,’” it said.

Notably, Obama thanked God in his written proclamation before Thanksgiving. “As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives,” he wrote. “Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come.”

The president also thanked God explicitly in his address in 2010 and 2009. “Today, like millions of other families across America, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will sit down to share a Thanksgiving filled with family and friends – and a few helpings of food and football, too,” Obama said in his Thanksgiving address last year. “And just as folks have done in every Thanksgiving since the first, we’ll spend some time taking stock of what we’re thankful for: the God-given bounty of America, and the blessings of one another.”

Some find criticism of Obama misleading. “Wouldn’t it be nice if the GOP cared as much about jobs as they do about stuff like whether Prez said God in a speech?” tweeted Arianna Huffington.

ABC News pointed out that three of the GOP presidential candidates – former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Penn. Sen. Rick Santorum – also omitted God in the Thanksgiving statements they issued.

Removal of Cross From Army Chapel in Afghanistan Stirs Controversy

By Michael Gryboski | Christian Post Reporter

The Christian Post > U.S.|Fri, Nov. 25 2011 05:12 PM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/removal-of-cross-from-army-chapel-in-afghanistan-stirs-controversy-63053/

The U.S. Army has removed a cross that was prominently placed on the front of a chapel located at the remote base of Camp Marmal in Northern Afghanistan.

Although soldiers at the Central Asian base considered the cross to be an inspiring symbol, officials said that having a permanent sectarian image on the chapel violated army regulations.

As Army Regulation 165-1, 12-3k reads in part, “The chapel environment will be religiously neutral when the facility is not being used for scheduled worship. Portable religious symbols, icons, or statues may be used within a chapel during times of religious worship.”

Fox News interviewed American soldiers stationed at the base and found that some held issue with the decision to remove the cross.

One soldier referred to the decision and the regulation behind it as “a direct attack against Christianity and Judaism.”

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council also talked with Fox News and said the decision secularized a religious building.

“There’s a sole purpose of a chapel and it’s to worship,” said Perkins.

“The timing of this – what a way to celebrate Thanksgiving.”

Joe Conn, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told The Christian Post in an interview that the Army made the right decision.

“The American military includes personnel from many different faith traditions and some who follow no spiritual path at all. That diversity should be respected,” said Conn.

“It's perfectly appropriate to display sectarian symbols in military buildings when worship services are underway there, but those symbols should not be left there permanently. That would suggest that the faith represented is getting preferential treatment.”

In response to those who say that the military is targeting Christians, Conn said that if anything Christians in the armed forces receive preferential treatment.

“I know of no evidence that Christianity is being discriminated against in the military,” said Conn.

“As a matter of fact, there have been ongoing problems with military bias in favor of evangelical Christianity.”

The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers also welcomed the removal of the cross, considering it an example of protecting “civil rights and neutrality towards religion.”

“Christians are calling this an attack on their religion. This implies that putting up a 6-foot cross on a prominent military facility is not an attack on all competing religions,” reads a MAAF blog entry.

“A Star of David, Crescent and Star, Buddhist Prayer Wheel, or other religious symbol would be a violation just as a Christian cross is.”

The unidentified soldier who spoke to Fox News said he will comply with Army rules. But he cautioned, ““If they are able to erase Christian symbols from the military, then it can be pushed to be erased in the private sector.”

Military burns Bibles sent to troops in Afghanistan

Karen McCracken

Louisville Christian Examiner
May 20, 2009 - Like this?

http://www.examiner.com/christian-in-louisville/military-burns-bibles-sent-to-troops-afghanistan#ixzz1f4yklBBN

A story hit the media today, stating that the U.S. Military made a choice to burn Bibles sent to soldiers on base in Afghanistan. The military has a policy that unsolicited religious materials are not allowed to be sent or distributed by military personnel. Central Command General Order No. 1 specifically forbids “proselytizing of any faith, religion or practice” and is to be strongly enforced in sectors which are predominantly Muslim, for fear such material distribution will be taken as an attempt on behalf of the U.S. to proselytize and convert the local people. If such actions were perceived in this manner, the military says it could jeopardize the safety of their mission and cause possible harm to come to the soldiers on base as well as the local Muslims who might show interest in another religion.

Afghanistan is a devout Muslim nation. Although there are various Christian organizations that support professional career missionaries in the field, most missionary efforts in the area are not publicized or promoted, for safety reasons. The Bibles that were sent to a Sgt. James Watt on base in Bargram, Afghanistan were a rare find due to the fact that they were written in Pashto and Dari, the predominant languages in that particular region. The church that sent the Bibles saved and held fundraisers in order to afford the cost of the Bibles and shipping. Instead of sending the Bibles back to the church the military officials chose to burn the Bibles, stating that if they sent the Bibles back to the church they feared the church would turn around and send them to another organization within Afghanistan.

A Defense Department Spokesman stated that the soldier who received the Bibles from his church back in the U.S. was unaware of the policies concerning distribution of religious materials and verified that the Bibles were confiscated and eventually burned. Despite regulations, many Christian Evangelical Soldiers gather together on base and continue to pray for ways they can reach out and share their faith, even in such a war-torn situation as this.

Military policy or not, church-goers across the globe are disturbed by the fact that Afghanistan’s intolerance for other religions and reputation for persecuting Christians is being tolerated by the U.S. In light of the situation, did the military do the right thing? Should they have sent the Bibles back to the U.S. church rather than burning them? Should the church have been notified and given the opportunity to use the Bibles to reach Afghanistan people in other parts of the world? Or did the military make a sound decision?

Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-20/world/us.military.bibles.burned_1_bibles-al-jazeera-english-military-personnel?_s=PM:WORLD

Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday.

The unsolicited Bibles sent by a church in the United States were confiscated about a year ago at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan because military rules forbid troops of any religion from proselytizing while deployed there, Lt. Col. Mark Wright said.

Such religious outreach can endanger American troops and civilians in the devoutly Muslim nation, Wright said.

"The decision was made that it was a 'force protection' measure to throw them away, because, if they did get out, it could be perceived by Afghans that the U.S. government or the U.S. military was trying to convert Muslims," Wright told CNN on Tuesday.

Troops at posts in war zones are required to burn their trash, Wright said.

The Bibles were written in the languages Pashto and Dari.

This decision came to light recently, after the Al Jazeera English network aired video of a group prayer service and chapel sermon that a reporter said suggested U.S. troops were being encouraged to spread Christianity.

The military denied that earlier this month, saying much in the video was taken out of context.

"This was irresponsible and dangerous journalism sensationalizing year-old footage of a religious service for U.S. soldiers on a U.S. base and inferring that troops are evangelizing to Afghans," Col. Gregory Julian said.

The military says a soldier at Bagram received the Bibles and didn't realize he wasn't allowed to hand them out. In the Al Jazeera video, which shows the Bibles at the prayer service, an unnamed soldier says members of his church raised money for them.

The chaplain later corrected the soldier and confiscated the Bibles, Wright said.

Military officers considered sending the Bibles back to the church, he said, but they worried the church would turn around and send them to another organization in Afghanistan -- giving the impression that they had been distributed by the U.S. government.

That could lead to violence against troops or U.S. civilians, Wright said.

Al Jazeera English, a Qatar-based international news service, said its reporters tried to get a response from military officials for its story but were unable to do so.

The U.S. military air base at Bagram is home to thousands of troops from all branches of the U.S. military. The vast majority of the troops do not leave the base and are in various support roles for U.S. troops across Afghanistan.

A Tale of Two countries: Denmark to allow Gay Couples to Wed in church; in Nigeria it is still a big NO

2011-11-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

Gay Marriage OK in Denmark Churches

By Matthew Cortina | Christian Post Contributor

The Christian Post > World|Wed, Nov. 23 2011 09:50 AM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/gay-marriage-ok-in-denmark-churches-62818/

Denmark will allow gay couples to be married in churches starting this February, according to reports

The Lutheran Church of Denmark, to which 80 percent of Danes belong, already offers short blessing ceremonies at the end of masses, but the measure set to begin next year will allow gay couple to conduct weddings in churches also

A recent poll found that more than 60 percent of Danes are in favor of gay marriage.

New church minister of the Church of Denmark, Manu Sareen, said it was a long time coming for the Scandinavian country.

“The first same-sex weddings will hopefully become reality in Spring 2012,” Sareen said. “I look forward to the moment the first homosexual couple steps out of the church.”

Denmark has long been a leader in gay rights. In 1989, it became the first country to allow same-sex civil unions. One of the first two men to enter into a civil union anywhere in the world, Axel Axgil, died at age 96 in October.

Though the clear majority of Danes claim to belong to the Church of Denmark, only 5 percent regularly attend church services. A portion of tax dollars collected from Danish citizens is allocated to churches and religious groups.

About $1.1 million is allocated annually to churches and religious organizations.

Historically, Christian countries, like those in Scandinavia, are facing a congregational crisis – many can’t attract the numbers they used to. Last month, a Swedish pastor started “Techno Mass” at his church to lure in young worshippers.

Gay Marriage to Be Criminalized Under Nigeria Law

By Matthew Cortina | Christian Post Contributor

The Christian Post > World|Tue, Nov. 22 2011 07:55 AM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/gay-marriage-to-be-criminalized-under-nigeria-law-62663/

Nigeria is poised to ban and criminalize gay marriage in a bill that is gaining widespread support in the country’s legislature.

The bill would prohibit gay couples from marrying and punish offenders with up to five years in prison. Witnesses of gay marriage are also subject to up to five years of jail time.

"I am so confident because Nigeria is a society that is very, very godly," Sen. Domingo Obende, who sponsored the bill, told the AP.

Nigeria is a deeply religious country, split almost in half by Christians and Muslims. Though the two groups in Africa’s most populous country have clashed on a number of issues, sources say gay marriage is not one of them.

“There is no religion that welcomes the same-sex marriage, whether Islam or Christianity,” National Tourism Director Olusegun Runsewe told reporters. “We need to be careful and do all it takes to shun this practice, because same-sex marriage is satanic and it can destroy any system, as well as cause bad image for any country.”

Homosexuality is technically illegal in Nigeria. Sodomy is punished in the mainly-Christian south with jail time, and homosexuals in the Muslim north – where Shariah law prevails – may be stoned to death, though this practice has never officially been carried out.

Members of Nigeria’s legislature consider homosexuality a “foreign import,” but think banning the lifestyle would be a boon to the country’s foreign appeal.

“Homosexual and lesbian practices are considered offensive to public morality in Nigeria. (The) bill is crucial to our national development because it seeks to protect the traditional family, which is the fundamental unit of society, especially in our country,” wrote the influential newspaper, This Day, in an editorial on Nov. 10.

“It will be difficult to import practices and lifestyles which are alien to our country and the majority of our people,” the editorial continued.

Many countries in Africa have promoted legislation to curb homosexuality. Ugandan lawmakers proposed a bill several times to punish homosexuality with death – though the bill ultimately failed. Zimbabwe, with a population that is 75 percent Christian, has recently made efforts to criminalize homosexual acts such as holding hands and kissing.

Human rights activists say the bill would further abuse a demographic that is already at risk of physical and verbal abuse. The bill, some say, is an attack on all of humanity.

“This is an insidious bill that appears to be limited to same-gender marriage, but is actually an attack on basic rights,” Human Rights Watch spokesperson Graeme Reid, told the UN publication, IRIN.

“The definition of ‘same-gender marriage’ is so broad as to include anyone even suspected of being in a same-sex relationship. And it threatens human rights defenders by targeting people who support unpopular causes,” Reid said.

Opponents say a ban on marriage should be one of Nigeria’s lowest priorities. Among other issues, Nigeria faces an AIDS epidemic, of which the marriage bill may affect the treatment and perception.
“Same sex marriage may be a current demand in the United States, or in the U.K. where I now live, but it isn't in Nigeria,” the Rev. Ijeoma Ajibade wrote in the Huffington Post. “Nigerian LGBT people have never asked for marriage, what they have asked for is respect and acknowledgment of their fundamental human rights and I believe that they should be listened to.”

“They too are made in the image of God,” Ajibade continued. “They too are human and should be allowed to live without fear of death, harassment or discrimination.”

The bill will be voted on in the coming weeks.

End of a Prosperity Era: The Day the Crystal Cathedral Died

2011-11-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

The Day the Crystal Cathedral Died

By Angie Schuller Wyatt | Christian Post Guest Contributor

The Christian Post > Opinion > Opinions|Mon, Nov. 21 2011 12:23 PM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-day-the-crystal-cathedral-died-62568/

I liken my grief of the Crystal Cathedral’s death to grieving a loved one with a terminal illness. Now that it’s over, in this moment, I can breathe a sigh of relief.

In 2008, the first headline hit home hard, “Schuller Ousts Son as Senior Pastor.” The initial shock was crippling, spiraling me into denial, anger and despair. Only through counseling and prayer was I able to accept the situation, addressing it head on.

I am the only family member who has spoken publicly about the truth of what really happened.

Having to cope with an onslaught of never-ending headlines made my head spin as the prognosis worsened. There was nothing I could do to stop my misguided family members. Others in the family seemed to be holding on to “a miracle” that would come just in time. I knew better. Something that defined my life, something I hoped would define my children’s lives, was about to die.

Eventually the madness worsened to the point that death itself signaled relief. If you’ve ever held the hand of a dying loved one, you know that death becomes the final blessing. Yet, during that final moment, you pause in respect. It’s a holy moment to reflect on what was and to grieve what shall never be again.

Yesterday, Crystal Cathedral Ministries died. The music stopped playing. In its place, in three years time, will reside the Catholic Church. The namesake of the ministry will be no more. Just like Esau, their birthright was sold.

I’d like to tell you this brings me comfort knowing that orthodox Christians will continue to worship in this building. But I can’t say that. It’s like telling a grieving a widow there are many fishes in the sea.

In one respect, this human metaphor falls short. The Crystal Cathedral isn’t a person, it is an institution. As such, its problems were not terminal. They could have been solved. My father attempted to fix these problems during his short tenure as senior pastor. He saw the Crystal Cathedral was headed toward bankruptcy. He attempted to restructure the board, cut his sibling’s salaries and establish fiscal responsibility. For these actions, he was fired by the board, which consisted of . . . you guessed it, his siblings.

His siblings fired him because they wanted to control it and had been brewing for some time. Apparently, they thought they could do a better job. They were clearly wrong. Oddly enough, they believed they were more “anointed” than my father. That’s not an assumption; they actually told him that his sermons weren’t anointed. I know from other conversations, and from watching media interviews with Sheila Coleman, they thought God would bless them for taking over the reins.

Clearly, time tells all. God didn’t honor them or their actions.

Through their religious self-absorption, they convinced themselves they were “spiritually superior.” And in the process, they made a public mockery of Christianity and the Crystal Cathedral. A 50-year old institution that helped countless millions lay to waste.

This self-absorbed conviction, a toxic lie, prevented them from reaching out to my father for help. Had they stepped aside and put the Crystal Cathedral’s heir apparent back in the pulpit, I am positive my father would have rebuilt rapport with the congregation, audience and supporters. The Crystal Cathedral could have been saved.

Tragically, this didn’t happen.

I’m certain we’ve all learned from this disaster. It’s reinforced my desire to lead my life and ministry with integrity, humility and truth. May we all learn from my father’s example, and be willing to pursue the right course – even if it costs us what we love most.

Although I had no control over the situation, I can only express what my other family members will never say, “I’m sorry.” This week, as Christians, we are once again reminded that a building is not the Church. We, God’s people, are the church.

Angie Schuller Wyatt is the granddaughter of Robert H. Schuller, who founded the Crystal Cathedral, and the daughter of Robert A. Schuller. She is married to CEO of ComStar Media Chris Wyatt. She is also a prolific speaker, published author, pastoral counselor and professional singer.

Assemblies of God General Superintendent and other major denominational leaders join with New Ager Leonard Sweet

2011-11-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Dr. George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, is joining with major New Age Leader Leonard Sweet speaking at ‘the Synergize Pastors Conference’, January 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

Other denominational leaders involved who are joining with Leonard Sweet in the conference are the overseer of the Foursquare Church International, Dr. Bryan Wright; the president of the Southern Baptist Convention; Dr. Elmer Towns, the co-founder of Liberty University; the overseer of the Nazarene church, Dr. Burris; among many others.

All of these denominations have been traditionally Fundamentalist Bible believing which means they have believed in: the Virgin Birth; the Divinity of Christ; the Atonement by the Blood; the Bodily Resurrection of the Dead; the Inerancy of the Scriptures; and in The Ten Commandments.

Organizers claim that this conference held for the last ten years has taught 40,000 pastors and affected 400,000 churches.

Why have these major Christian denominational leaders invited a major New Age leader Leonard Sweet to speak at this conference and give him the platform to re-indoctrinate Christian leaders from around the world with his New Age teaching?

Dr. Ed Young, the pastor of Second Baptist Church of Houston, endorsed Leonard Sweet’s book ‘Jesus Manifesto’. Why is Dr. Young endorsing Leonard Sweet?

Leonard Sweet states, "There is no finer venue anywhere in North America where a Church leader or a local pastor can attend and return with a greater understanding of the global Church than the Synergize 3! Pastors Conference (http://www.Synergize.tv)."

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY GO TO THE LINK BELOW

http://www.combineharvesting.com/interfaith.html

More Christ like than most Christians: US professor teaching Mathematics in Gulu

2011-11-21T02:11:00.000-08:00

US professor teaching Mathematics in Gulu

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/30125-us-professor-teaching-mathematics-in-gulu.html

Publish Date: Nov 19, 2011

By Patience Aber and Alex Otto
IN 2009, when American Professor, Siong Ng offered to teach in Uganda, many thought it would be at a university. But the man with a doctorate from a US university, preferred to teach Mathematics at Gulu Public Primary School.

“I heard from the Ministry of Education and Sports that there was need for support in primary schools, so I offered to teach a P.7 class,’’ he says.

The professor is an experienced university lecturer and a chemical engineer with a background in teaching English, Science, Mathematics and Chinese Mandarin.

The headteacher of Gulu Public Primary School, Charles Odoki, says the first P.7 candidates who were taught by Prof Song sat in 2010 and for the first time in the history of the school, none of them got an F9.

‘‘Last year, students improved by 30%. We had no grade 3 and 4 since nobody failed maths,’’ Odoki says.

Siong said he unlocked the minds of the pupils by encouraging them that Mathematics is easy to pass.

Siong is an American of Chinese origin. He moved to the US in 1974, from China, and is currently pursuing a post-doctoral studies at the University of Arkansas in the US.

He lives in Gulu and rides a bicycle daily for 8km when going to lecture at Gulu PTC.

Early this year, he fractured his arm in a bicycle accident, but he has since recovered.

Siong also sponsors the needy students and has also secured a commercial baking oven to pioneer a baking class at the primary school.

USA Double standards :Seattle Police Pepper-Spray Pastor

2011-11-21T00:04:00.000-08:00

FIRST READ:

City of Sacramento criminalizes
peaceful Occupy protest

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article191.htm

THE ELITES ATTEMPT TO SHUT DOWN OCCUPY WALL STREET & OTHER SIMILAR MOVEMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article192.htm

University of California - Davis Protestors Pepper Sprayed by Cops!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCSBVNn6ltg

Ugandan opposition leaders sprayed pink to stop rally

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13360427
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltU9u6_pBzA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi5PGapdYMI

What example should President Museveni and other African autocrats follow? How can you then blame Museveni for pink spraying Walk To Work Protestors??? Western Double Standards?? Kato Mivule

Seattle Police Pepper-Spray Pastor

http://consortiumnews.com/2011/11/16/police-hit-seattle-pastor-with-pepper-spray/

November 16, 2011

U.S. authorities and major news media are quick to condemn leaders of foreign nations when they unleash police to rough up and intimidate protesting citizens, but a different standard applies inside the United States, as Rev. Rich Lang discovered when he walked with an Occupy protest in Seattle.

By the Rev. Rich Lang

You could feel the tension and raw energy crinkling throughout the air as the marchers once again began their journey into downtown Seattle.

The Occupy Movement is the prophetic voice of God calling out to the nation to “repent” and turn from its ways of corruption. Those who camp are a rag-tag, motley crew made up of mostly young adults, mostly unemployed, almost all of whom are alienated and cast out of America’s promise of liberty and justice for all.

They are … the first fruits being devoured by the Beast of Empire.

The police were once conceived to be a citizen force created to serve and protect the public. Today however, the police have been militarized and view the populace as enemy combatants, as threats to their well being. The police, like our Armed Forces, are well-trained, disciplined and exceptionally talented. They follow a chain of command and are increasingly apprenticed into a culture of institutional conformity.

Because America has always affirmed the right of dissent, the role of the police is to keep the peace. They are trained to enter the protesting arena as unfeeling protectors of property and people.

What has changed in our time is that the police are entering the arena of protest as agents of provocation. They push and shove at will, they ride their bicycles up the backs of protesters, they engage in verbal abuse. Their commanders allow this breach of discipline. Their comrades silently condone the bullying.

The police become the agitators encouraging violence. It is as if they are spoiling for a fight – a fight, mind you, against the citizenry, against the youth, the unemployed, and those who are trying to return America back to its promise, and dare I say it, return America to its covenant with God, “we hold these truths to be self evident …”

On Tuesday night, a small group of the rag-tag campers of Seattle’s Occupy Movement left their camp to protest the destruction inflicted upon the Wall Street Occupy site.

Throughout the march, I — as a Pastor in full clergy alb, stole and cross – acted as a peacekeeper placing myself between the police line and the Occupy Movement. On four occasions I stepped between verbal battles between the police and the protesters. The point being that it was evident to all who I was and what my role was in this non-violent march of the few escorted by the many.

The incident was minor in nature. A girl, dressed in Anarchist black waving the Anarchist black flag, was plastered side by side with an officer on the bike. They were jawboning each other. At one point her flag was thrust in his direction – a provocation yes – threatening? – no.

The officer grabbed the flag and in the pulling, pulled down the girl. Her friends reacted jumping in to pull her away from the officer. It was at this point that the first wave of pepper spray went off.

Point: One might think the officer acted within reason, that the officer was suddenly threatened. But with what? By whom? The friends of the offender were grabbing for the girl, they were not grabbing at the police. Basically the officer and his comrades were trigger-happy as if they couldn’t wait for just this moment. And so the spray went forth.

I leapt to the front and tried to place myself between the parties – with spray in the air the protesters were also fleeing. Separation between the police line and the protesters was clearly visible … there was certainly no threat of the “mob” suddenly rampaging into the well-armed police.

The separation had occurred (as can be clearly seen on the video captured by King 5 News). But the spray continued. I walked between the lines, I was alone, I was in full clergy dress, everyone knew who I was and what I was – with the protesters fleeing and the police line holding – with my back to the police and my hands waving the protesters to get back.

I was alone in full alb, stole and cross when six officers turned their spray on me thoroughly soaking my alb and then one officer hit me full throttle in the face.

I praise the courage and compassion, the discipline and the decency of the Occupy Movement. Out of the rag-tag mob came help, grabbing my hands, leading me (I was blind by then) to the wall and administering care and concern for my well-being.

The protesters were assembled around all the wounded, and maintained the discipline of nonviolence (granted the nonviolence was in behavior but not language). And they were not afraid.

The spraying had been a baptism sealing them into the security of knowing that their prophecy of repentance was indeed the Spirit-Word through them – it is as if they did not prophecy their very bones would melt within them. Against the wall in increasing pain and burning I realized I was in the midst of church.

The police, on the other hand, were afraid. Their quick use of chemical warfare reveals how cowardly they are. The unwillingness of their commanders to maintain discipline reveals how incompetent they are becoming.

The only tool in their bag is brutality and like a drunken-raging father beating wife and kids, the police have increasingly disgraced themselves. Step by step, they are being shaped into the front face of fascism, the emerging police state that protects the property interests of the Marie Antoinette’s who have seized control of our government, commerce, media, military and increasingly the Church itself.

My question to my clergy colleagues is this: “Where are you? How much longer can you preach without practice? How dare you remain protected in your sanctuary while your people (the rag-tag mob of the least, last and lost whom Jesus loved) are slaughtered doing that which God has commissioned you to do (prophecy!).

“Where are you? Who have you become in this age of baptism by pepper spray? Do you not know how much power you have to stop our national descent into chaos? Don’t you realize that the world is your parish and right before your eyes the Spirit of God is doing a new thing?

“Can’t you hear that God’s judgment is upon the land? God is against the thieves that bankrupted our nation. God is against the armies of the Beast who pillage other lands in our name, and turn and destroy our people on our own soil.

“Are you blind? – Perhaps you need a baptism of pepper spray in your eyes to restore your vision.”

And to the police I say this: “There are always the brutal ones in our midst. As colleagues you have the moral responsibility to police your own. If your commanders order you to brutalize your people you have a Higher Command that says, ‘disarm yourself, turn away from your sin, renounce the orders of unrighteousness.’

“And in doing so, cross the line, come over and join us because we are the winning side of history. And we welcome your repentance and heal you of your shame.”

And to the church, beloved church, I say: “You cannot sing the hymns of faith if you are too afraid to live that faith. In Amos it says to silence your sacred assemblies and let JUSTICE burst forth. Our nation, with the nations of the world, are under an assault of tyranny and treason of the 1 percent against Creation itself.

“You may not worship God until and unless you care for the image of God living in those tents and prophesying on your behalf. Once the Powers sweep the Tents away, if you dare to lift your voice even a peep, you too will be swept away.”

But the destiny of the church, the Body of Christ, is not one of quiet passivity and fear, our destiny is to bear witness having no fear of the Cross because even now we have crossed over into resurrection.

A PASTORAL LAMENT FOR MY COUNTRY:
America, America, my country ‘tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty
Of thee I sing
America, oh America
America the Beautiful has fallen.

The people versus the police

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 13:46 By Naomi Wolf

http://www.independent.co.ug/column/guest-column/4875?task=view

Would it not be easier…for the government to dissolve the people and elect another?
America’s politicians, it seems, have had their fill of democracy. Across the country, police, acting under orders from local officials, are breaking up protest encampments set up by supporters of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement – sometimes with shocking and utterly gratuitous violence.

In the worst incident so far, hundreds of police, dressed in riot gear, surrounded Occupy Oakland’s encampment and fired rubber bullets (which can be fatal), flash grenades, and tear-gas canisters – with some officers taking aim directly at demonstrators. The Occupy Oakland Twitter feed read like a report from Cairo’s Tahrir Square: “they are surrounding us”; “hundreds and hundreds of police”; “there are armored vehicles and Hummers.” There were 170 arrests.

My own recent arrest, while obeying the terms of a permit and standing peacefully on a street in lower Manhattan, brought the reality of this crackdown close to home. America is waking up to what was built while it slept: private companies have hired away its police (JPMorgan Chase gave $4.6 million to the New York City Police Foundation); the federal Department of Homeland Security has given small municipal police forces military-grade weapons systems; citizens’ rights to freedom of speech and assembly have been stealthily undermined by opaque permit requirements.

Suddenly, America looks like the rest of the furious, protesting, not-completely-free world. Indeed, most commentators have not fully grasped that a world war is occurring. But it is unlike any previous war in human history: for the first time, people around the world are not identifying and organising themselves along national or religious lines, but rather in terms of a global consciousness and demands for a peaceful life, a sustainable future, economic justice, and basic democracy. Their enemy is a global “corporatocracy” that has purchased governments and legislatures, created its own armed enforcers, engaged in systemic economic fraud, and plundered treasuries and ecosystems.

Around the world, peaceful protesters are being demonised for being disruptive. But democracy is disruptive. Martin Luther King, Jr., argued that peaceful disruption of “business as usual” is healthy, because it exposes buried injustice, which can then be addressed. Protesters ideally should dedicate themselves to disciplined, nonviolent disruption in this spirit – especially disruption of traffic. This serves to keep provocateurs at bay, while highlighting the unjust militarization of the police response.

Moreover, protest movements do not succeed in hours or days; they typically involve sitting down or “occupying” areas for the long hauls. That is one reason why protesters should raise their own money and hire their own lawyers. The corporatocracy is terrified that citizens will reclaim the rule of law. In every country, protesters should field an army of attorneys.

Protesters should also make their own media, rather than relying on mainstream outlets to cover them. They should blog, tweet, write editorials and press releases, as well as log and document cases of police abuse (and the abusers).

There are, unfortunately, many documented cases of violent provocateurs infiltrating demonstrations in places like Toronto, Pittsburgh, London, and Athens – people whom one Greek described to me as “known unknowns.” Provocateurs, too, need to be photographed and logged, which is why it is important not to cover one’s face while protesting.

Protesters in democracies should create email lists locally, combine the lists nationally, and start registering voters. They should tell their representatives how many voters they have registered in each district – and they should organise to oust politicians who are brutal or repressive. And they should support those – as in Albany, New York, for instance, where police and the local prosecutor refused to crack down on protesters – who respect the rights to free speech and assembly.

Many protesters insist in remaining leaderless, which is a mistake. A leader does not have to sit atop a hierarchy: a leader can be a simple representative. Protesters should elect representatives for a finite “term,” just like in any democracy, and train them to talk to the press and to negotiate with politicians.

Protests should model the kind of civil society that their participants want to create. In lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, for example, there is a library and a kitchen; food is donated; kids are invited to sleep over; and teach-ins are organized. Musicians should bring instruments, and the atmosphere should be joyful and positive. Protesters should clean up after themselves. The idea is to build a new city within the corrupt city, and to show that it reflects the majority of society, not a marginal, destructive fringe.

After all, what is most profound about these protest movements is not their demands, but rather the nascent infrastructure of a common humanity. For decades, citizens have been told to keep their heads down – whether in a consumerist fantasy world or in poverty and drudgery – and leave leadership to the elites. Protest is transformative precisely because people emerge, encounter one another face-to-face, and, in re-learning the habits of freedom, build new institutions, relationships, and organisations.

None of that cannot happen in an atmosphere of political and police violence against peaceful democratic protesters. As Bertolt Brecht famously asked, following the East German Communists’ brutal crackdown on protesting workers in June 1953, “Would it not be easier…for the government to dissolve the people and elect another?” Across America, and in too many other countries, supposedly democratic leaders seem to be taking Brecht’s ironic question all too seriously.

Naomi Wolf is a political activist and social critic whose most recent book is Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries.

Inside the American Dream

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 13:03 By Andrew M. Mwenda

http://www.independent.co.ug/the-last-word/the-last-word/4872?task=view

The folly and delusions of a nation that has forgotten the concerns of its ordinary citizens
And so it was that on Nov. 4, I flew to New York City from London via Amsterdam. Upon landing at JFK International Airport, I entered the longest queue in the history of international travel and immigration clearance; there, a hoard of not less 4,000 human beings snaked inside the terminal building waiting for clearance.

The process of entering this “free” country is possibly the most excruciating. First, you have to go through the most rigorous security checks at the port of boarding; in my case London.

Each passenger is individually taken out of the queue, questioned by a US government agent, documents thoroughly checked and finally cleared to go through security.

Going through security is itself another slow and agonising experience. Passengers have to remove everything piece by piece: wallets, handkerchiefs, watches, belts, shoes, laptops and iPads. They have to surrender any drinks or perfumes or lotion, enter a gigantic security X-machine, raise one’s hands in surrender as this piece of equipment takes a digital picture of your body, all your body.

And even then, with this ultra-modern technology, the process is not yet done. Once out of the machine, a security officer begins the process afresh, checking you slowly and meticulously by touching and feeling your body from shoulders to toes, emphasising areas around your pelvic region, literary feeling your dick – well because a Nigerian boy tried to use an underwear to blow up a plane. Funny that the security officials largely put in place measures to deal with past experiences rather than predict future ones. Why would the next terrorist use the methods that were used before and are therefore on the security radar screen? Anyway, after about 10 minutes, one is finally free to board the plane to visit America.

For most non-Americans, the agony of entering America today actually begins when applying for a visa. It takes a minimum three months to get an appointment online; as I write this article the nearest appointment for Kampala is in March 2012. Then one also has to fulfill cumbersome visa requirements: an invitation letter with a bank statement of your host to prove they can feed and house you; submit your own bank statements to show that you earn sufficient income at home etc. The visa application forms are clear that one is presumed a potential illegal immigrant into the US until they prove themselves otherwise. Although consular officials exempt me from all this (due to my regular travel to the US) most Ugandans go through it.

Then for your passport photo, you need a special size taken without your glasses if you wear them; otherwise the embassy will turn you away. And you have to submit your fingerprint and a picture of your eyes. The first time my fingerprint and picture were taken this way was when I was going to jail; the second was when I was applying for a visa to America and when I was entering the country. Now even at Entebbe airport, this process has begun. The world isn’t free anymore.

As I have been travelling to the US more than five times every year for the last five years, I have grown wary of what is happening to this country’s free spirit. Increasingly, I encounter a paranoid nation ruled by opportunistic politicians so desperate to cling onto or take a grab at power that they govern by pandering to public sentiments. Rather than lead on the basis of a set of values, they are instead led by public opinion, itself that changes every hour. And all the time, those who control the platforms of expression have perfected the art of selling fear to the population.

Americans are told from morning to evening that everyone hates them (and that everyone loves them at the same time). The politicians sing fear, the journalist repeat the chorus. All debate on terrorism is about fear and hence how to design even more draconian controls on how people travel. There is almost no debate to challenge the current obsession with tighter and ever tighter security arrangements.

In this free country with supposedly independent media, it is often difficult to distinguish the word of the government from the word of the journalist – one is a spokesperson of the other. It is also difficult to find people in academia and civil society who challenge these self aggrandising rules of the security system. Yet this is not a fear of death per se but rather a fear of a particular type of death – terrorism – that politicians and journalists have made a taboo even at the price of taking away peoples liberties.

For instance, over 115 Americans die daily in car accidents, that is over 43,000 per year. Over 2.9 million get injured in car accidents per year. Over 30,000 die per year of gunshot wounds. To date plane crashes – even with terrorists looming everywhere – hardly kill anyone in this country. So if it is the desire to protect life, surely, there should be a large campaign against drunk and other forms of reckless driving in America and there should be a large campaign against the Second Amendment on the right to keep and bear arms.

America’s response to protecting its citizens from another terrorist attack is disproportionate to the threat the country faces. The country is becoming one vast prison of fear; its freedom of speech greatly compromised by political correctness, its space for policy alternatives undermined by the hegemonic influence of a distorted free market ethic and the myth of “the American dream” and its politics polarised along this very narrow spectrum of policy ideas.

America today is almost a one party state and that one party is divided into two factions; one calling itself Republican, the other Democratic. The irony is that the two sides are increasingly finding it very difficult to compromise on almost nonexistent policy differences. In the battle for the American voter, each side sells fear perhaps because a paranoid population is easier to control than a free one.

Back to the queue to enter America at the JFK terminal: There, I watch hoards of humanity walking slowly and impatiently to the immigration desks; immigration officials painstakingly take their fingerprints, photograph the inside of their eyes, check their documents and finally stamp their passports. The unlucky ones are pulled out and taken to private rooms for questioning especially Muslim or anyone who writes articles critical of America. I suppose they keep such writers’ names in their databases so that when you are entering the country, you are taken care of.

I can feel the suppressed rage of all these non-American visitors to America – the sense that these procedures are far too out of proportion with the threat of terrorism. However, no one dares speak out for fear that the FBI may pick you out of the queue for questioning or that your visa might be cancelled. So when I attempt to share my irritation with a white couple next to me, they simply answer that all these excruciating processes are meant for our safety. An Australian businessman next to me interjects rejecting this defensive answer by announcing that this is his last time to America. “I just cannot stand this abuse of my rights anymore,” he says.

It is difficult not to imagine you are entering a Stalinist state, something akin to North Korea when you are entering the United States these days. The exception is that the flat screens on the walls have CNN reporting the trial of Michael Jackson’s former doctor. There, I watch Americans busy arguing and dissecting every bit of the trial – free, passionate and proud. This vibrancy of freewheeling debate brings back the America I dreamed of as a child, adored as teenager, embraced as an adult and are now growing to realize is only one aspect of that nation’s life.

But it is the America I want, not the one I am suffering. It also reflects the complexity of America’s political life – a combination of a growing Stalinism alongside Jeffersonian democracy; the existing sense of freedom but largely in entertainment, itself perhaps to divert Americans from loss of free debate about security.

The tragedy of America is the failure of its mass media, journalists, intellectuals and civil society to challenge the growing Stalinism of the security-industrial complex; the systematic dismantling of many individual liberties, the uncalled for intrusion into people’s privacy through wiretapping and other forms of electronic surveillance in the name of security.

Finally I leave the airport and begin driving to New York City. On radio, another heated debate about new regulations to govern city cabs; it is heated and polarizing but again reflects the America that I admire - an America of a free and proud people – vibrant and competitive. How has the concern over security blighted this once proud and courageous society to behave paranoid like cowards?

America is suffering from a crisis of leadership. It reflects Athens after the death of Pericles in 429BC. The democratic process produced a string of politicians who pandered to public sentiment. Unable to develop a vision for the city state, the leaders resorted to exchanging intellectual blows at the Ecclesia, or general assembly, in entertaining fashion to win popular approval rather than to provide solutions. Every intellectual argument would be cheered like the steady blows of boxers and wrestlers at the Olympic and Pethian games.

Thus, as philosophy gave way to oratory, Athens degenerated into mob justice. It was rule by the eloquent rather than the intelligent; sentiment overtook reason as the basis of decision making. Thus Athens went from one tragedy to another until, after 27 years of the Peloponnesian war it surrendered to Sparta. The defeat of Athens ended the democratic experiment and plunged the country into a tyranny of the council of 30 under Critius. And when the democrats wrestled power militarily back into their hands, their first objective was to kill Socrates – the one sane voice who stood consistently in opposition to the decisions of the mob.

As I drive to Manhattan, I encounter another ignored America: the Occupy Wall Street movement. For many years, the upper classes of this country have promoted the one-sided story of a prosperous nation and an invisible economy built on free market capitalism. It seems this message, more than the reality in people’s lives, has sustained the legitimacy of this arrangement for the last three decades.

In reality, however, even during the boom years of the Clinton administration, the real income of the average American has been declining, not growing. The vast majority of Americans have therefore enjoyed prosperity by association, not in their pockets. Instead, most of the growth in real incomes has gone to the top 20 percent of the population. The rest are kept hoping against hope that they too will benefit through the myths of the American dream. And because their incomes are not growing, the financiers of Wall Street decided to make them beneficiaries of this dream largely through credit – hence the rapid growth of consumer debt, now over 150 percent of an individual American’s annual income.

US democracy has been significantly undermined by these developments. For example, the top two percent control 20 percent of national income; the top 20 percent take 80 percent of total income. So 80 percent of Americans share only 20 percent of its income. The rich who take most of the benefits of growth have adeptly used the political process to block the benefits of a free market system from reaching those on the bottom of the ladder. Even my hero Frederic Von Hayek would not agree that a free market society should look like America.

The rich in America own the mass media and therefore control public opinion. They finance think tanks and therefore control the production of alternative policies. They fund universities and therefore control the production of knowledge. They pay for the campaigns of politicians to congress and the White House and therefore control power. And they hire lobbyists to promote the policies they want. The voice of the ordinary American is missing in almost every aspect of public life in this country as the rich goad themselves in opulence.

While in New York, I decided to use subway (underground train system) and that brings you face to face with the indifference of the rich to the concerns of the ordinary people of this wealthy nation. The tracks are littered with garbage and flowing with muddy water or sewage or both. The walls are peeling, the roofs leaking, the steel rusting, the wood rotting, the staircases breaking and the trains old and tired. Those who rule New York above drive in fancy cars and know little or nothing about the plight of the majority of their fellow citizens who use this subway – stuffy and smelly.

But why are most ordinary Americans content with the existing political system? Occupy Wall Street is not a big movement – I visited them and they are as few as it gets. Antonio Gramci had the answer in his famous concept of hegemony. The American political system has been extremely successful in “manufacturing the consent” (the phrase is from Noam Chomsky) of its citizens to the existing political and economic framework – largely using the power of propaganda (through the mass media), the production of knowledge (through the control of think tanks and universities) and the power of Christianity (by promising rewards in heaven).

amwenda@independent.co.ug

Ugandan opposition leaders sprayed pink to stop rally

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13355229

10 May 2011 Last updated at 14:29 ET

Ugandan police have sprayed opposition leaders with a pink liquid to stop them holding a banned rally in the capital.

After the drenching, Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao was then arrested.

This week, opposition parities have stepped up their campaign over high prices, which has led to recent clashes between the police and protesters.

Meanwhile, President Yoweri Museveni has said to curb riots he wants a new law to deny bail for six months to those arrested while protesting.

Mr Museveni, who has been in office for 25 years, is due to be sworn in again as president on Thursday.

Uganda's main opposition leader Kizza Besigye lost to Mr Museveni in February in polls he says were rigged.

Dr Besigye is in Kenya where he was receiving treatment after being assaulted in April by police during a "walk-to-work" protest over the rising cost of living,

The opposition have been taking part in a campaign for protesting about the high cost of fuel and food

The BBC's Joshua Mmali in Uganda's capital, Kampala, says the police and military blockaded the entrance to the city's Constitutional Square where the opposition parties wanted to hold their rally.

The police then intercepted the opposition leaders' procession, which was heading towards the square, with dogs.

When this failed to stop them, they were drenched in the pink liquid sprayed from nearby trucks.

Before Mr Mao was hauled into a police van he told the BBC there was "no justification" for the police action.

"I don't know what liquid it is. I don't know whether it is lethal or not, but there was no justification for pouring those liquids on us," he said.

"We were simply accessing this place and the police needed to exercise restraint."

The police first intercepted the opposition leaders' procession with dogs

The police say political gatherings have been banned at the square since 2007.
Last month, riots broke out in Kampala in protest at the rough treatment meted out to Dr Besigye by the security services during his arrest on 29 April.

Plain-clothed policemen beat up his supporters, smashed the window of his car and doused the inside with pepper spray and tear gas before manhandling him into a vehicle and driving off.

The authorities say Dr Besigye provoked them - and he was charged with inciting violence.

Before the polls, Dr Besigye had called for Egypt-style uprisings in the event of fraud.

1000 CHURCHES and 4000 HOMELESS??

2011-11-19T06:03:00.000-08:00

1000 CHURCHES and 4000 HOMELESS??
http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/2011/11/11/1000-churches-and-4000-homeless/
The poor and needy are a priority with God. The Bible makes this very clear, from the Old Testament to the New. The widow and the orphan are at the forefront of His concern. A timely comment on this topic is below-

1000 CHURCHES and 4000 HOMELESS
-by ‘Beres’.
I live in Nashville where more Bibles are printed than anywhere else in
the world. We have more Christian publishing houses in Nashville than
anywhere else on the face of the earth – more churches per square mile –
and, outside the Vatican, a greater percentage of bodies in buildings on
Sunday morning than anywhere else on earth. So we in Nashville have a
better chance to get it right, wouldn’t you say??

We have 1000 churches and 4000 homeless people living and dying under
bridges and in culverts.

I know because I have prayed with them and lain with them as they died,
and every week I feed and pastor them. We can’t even get it right enough
for every church to reach out to 4 homeless people. And yes, that includes
children as young as they get.

Nashville is the headquarters for a swag of church denominations,
and para church organizations like the Gideons, and from this
buckle on the Bible belt of the richest nation on earth, missions
go out all round the globe. Those missions are funded with .01
percent of all monies collected in North American churches.

Thats right! For every $1000 collected by North American churches,
ONE Dollar is sent to evangelize those who have never heard the
name Jesus – but from the latest stats, are probably well aware
of the name Coca Cola.

And frankly, whereas I once despaired of these manifest failures
of the church, now I say, Bring it on! Let the world see forever the
rich failures of putting religion before Jesus, ritual before relationship, rules before lives and liturgy before love.

When the world at large finally see that the emperor has no clothes,
so also will the light of the real gospel of grace and peace shine
the brighter. For where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!

Let it get darker, our Jesus will shine brighter.

-Please comment on this topic below-
Posted in Uncategorized by Andrew on November 11th, 2011 at 3:36 pm.

Prosperity Indeed!!!Catholic Church To Buy Famed Crystal Cathedral

2011-11-19T06:01:00.000-08:00

Catholic Church To Buy Famed Crystal Cathedral

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142518963/future-of-ministry-uncertain-after-cathedrals-sale

November 18,

The Roman Catholic Church is about to buy a beacon of Protestant televangelism.

The Crystal Cathedral, a temple of glass in Garden Grove, Calif., will be sold to the Catholic Church for $57 million — a decision that left some congregants furious and their future up in the air.

When the Crystal Cathedral declared bankruptcy last year, it soon became clear that the legendary building would have to be sold. There were several offers, but in the end, the church's board favored the Catholic diocese in Orange County.

Sheila Schuller Coleman, the cathedral's pastor, said in a videotaped message that it was the best way to save the church.

"The Catholic plan affords us the possibility of continuing all of our wonderful, beautiful ministries," she says. "And we all know that a church is not a building."

Of course, if any church is associated with its building, it's Crystal Cathedral, which was built by the architect Philip Johnson and became famous for its televised Hour of Power services, led by Coleman's charismatic father, Robert Schuller.

The cathedral shunned a bid by nearby Chapman University, which actually offered $2 million more than the diocese.

For his part, the Catholic bishop of Orange, Tod Brown, is thrilled. The diocese needed a cathedral. It didn't occur to him to try for the Crystal Cathedral, until some of his advisers pulled him aside and said, as he recalls, "Look, this is an incredible location and the iconic cathedral, and it will really serve our needs so well. And it would be much less expensive to acquire this property than it will be for us to build out a new cathedral."

About one-fourth of the cost, in fact.

The rise and fall of the Crystal Cathedral has many twists — from Schuller's message of positive thinking to his booming television ministry to the power struggle among his children when he retired. "But in the end, it's about living beyond your means," says Richard Flory, who teaches at the University of Southern California.

Flory says the church had enormous costs in maintaining the building and the services, which included professional musicians and a yearly Christmas pageant that cost $2 million. At the same time, Flory says, the Crystal Cathedral did not adapt to the times.

"They stuck with a particular model of what church was supposed to be and sound and feel like, and I think generationally people started to look for other things," he says.

In short, it lost market share — and the loyalty of congregants like Bob Canfield.

Canfield is angry that the board shunned Chapman University's offer. But he's furious about the Schuller family.

"It's a slap in the face," he says. "They've been taking exorbitant salaries, knowing for the last eight, 10 years that they were going down the tubes slowly but surely."
The family alienated many. For example, when they asked for food donations for Schuller's ailing wife, they announced that the donations would be delivered in a limousine.

It's not clear what happens to Crystal Cathedral's congregation. Coleman, the pastor, said they can stay in the building for up to three years, and she held out hope for a miracle.

"There is still time for God to step in and rescue Crystal Cathedral Ministries," she says.
But in all likelihood, they'll have to find a new place to rent, and hope that their congregants follow, even without the spectacular cathedral.

On Christians, Poverty, Occupy Wall Street, and Liberation Theology

2011-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

On Christians, Poverty, Occupy Wall Street, and Liberation Theology
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/471-on-christians-poverty-occupy-wall-street-and-liberation-theology.html

Kato Mivule | November 1, 2011

Recently, a number of protests dubbed “Occupy Wall Street”, have taken place in the USA , centered around issues of increasing poverty, lack of jobs, increasing disparity between the poor and rich, the unfair tax burden that seems to let the rich walk away without paying their dues in taxes, and excessive greed and capitalism among big financial institutions in the USA.

The protests that begun in New York City have not only spread around the USA but also in many other capitals around the world. While there is no central theme in the message conveyed by the protestors, the core content seems to be against excessive greed and injustice towards the poor.

However, of lately some evangelical leaders have come out openly and condemned the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, calling it among other things “socialists”, “evil”, “mobs”, “anarchists”, “neo-1960's hippies”, and “rebels”. Some of the evangelical leaders have gone to length in warning their members not to participate in the protests, noting that the occupy wall street protestors are simply “jealous” of the rich and with a socialist agenda to take over the USA.

Some christian leaders claim that any christian who joins in protesting or voicing against the injustices done to the poor, is engaging in “Liberation Theology”, a clever term re-coined by some evangelicals leaders as a slur against anyone who raises their voice to speak out for the poor and the injustices done against them.

The roots of Liberation Theology begun by a Roman Catholic in the 1950s, actually by Priests protesting the injustices done against the poor by the Catholic Church itself. The Roman Catholic Church then outlawed some of teachings of Liberation Theology inside the Catholic Church. However, in the 1960's, the civil rights movement in the USA included voicing against injustices done to the poor among the message of racial equality; black christian churches and other christian denominations took on this message.

On seeing this, some wealthy white evangelical leaders were quick to condemn the outcry as a “socialist Marxist movement”, and a “Black Liberation Theology” movement. Some of the rich white evangelical leaders taught that black christian leaders who voiced against black social injustices, like racism and poverty were teaching “Black Liberation Theology”, a “doctrine of devils”. This was done in part as a way to silence any Christian who voiced for the poor, from offending the wealthy capitalists who by large bankrolled most of the wealthy white evangelical churches and projects.

So, the basis of demeaning, degrading, and slurring anyone opposed to mistreatment of the poor by some of the rich white evangelical leaders had to do with securing their source of income and money but not because the Bible and especially the New Testament had anything to do with objecting to the poor crying out for justice.

This is not to say that the New Testament is a blueprint for a socialist economic framework. Yet while the New Testament does not speak in terms of “outlawing capitalism”, it does speak out against the mistreatment of the poor, and calls on the rich and wealthy to treat those not their equals with justice, fairness, and generosity. This is clearly spelled out in the Teachings of Jesus Christ and Book of James for example. To discard such teaching under the slur of “Black Liberation Theology” is a shame and a reproach by those who do so.

Luke 6:20 KJV
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Luke 14:12-14 KJV
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. (13) But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: (14) And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

James 5:1-6 KJV
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. 4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

It is very clear that James, was speaking out against injustices, mistreatment of the poor, and greed by wealthy “Job Creators” of his day; for they had engaged in withholding the wages of the laborers and God in Heaven had listened to their cry. This story is not so different from the financial injustices being committed by some so-called “Job Creators” today.

Luke 4:18 KJV The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised

While Jesus Christ does not tell His followers to go and legislate His teachings as secular law, it ought to be the duty of Christians, at least to take action as a Church in helping the poor and weak of our society and yes, speak out against the mistreatment of the poor and weak, peacefully and with none violence. The point is not to place trust in governments or man, as some evangelical leaders love to dismiss anyone voicing for the poor. However, if there is a possibility for governments to wake up and reconsider their conscience towards the poor, then it is a good thing, yet even if governments do not help the poor, the Church and Christians ought to.

Besides, this is an opportunity for Christians to reach out and do good, and help the poor do the fishing for themselves, after all, that is what they are asking, not some new Limousine, or million dollar house. It is certain that while Jesus Christ might not legislate anti-poverty measures today, He would certainly stand with the poor, the orphans, widows and those most maligned by today's materialistic society.

One reason why some Christians have taken part in the Occupy Wall Street protests, is to voice against the injustices done to the poor and to highlight the excessive greed that seems to be a source of the economic downturn in the USA. While many political motivations and self-interests might be behind Occupy Wall Street, using that as an excuse to slur all those who voice for the poor and those who speak out against injustices done to the poor is basically shortsighted and a way to ignore the bigger problem.

While some evangelical leaders see very “big problems” with Christians raising their voice against injustices done to the poor, again, I do not see anything wrong with Christians raising their voices to call for justice and fair treatment of the poor in our present societies, as long as Christians voice peacefully, lawfully, and with none violence.

It is clear that some evangelical leaders have positioned themselves with those who practice excessive greed at the expense of the poor, while condemning the poor folks who raise their voices against such injustices as being guilty of “Black Liberation Theology” and “jealousy”. In doing so, the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been tainted by such evangelical leaders who are seen as one in bed with the pushers of injustices towards the poor. Those who are engaged in “class warfare” are not the poor but those who deny them their due wages and institute structures that ensure that those who are poor not only stay poor but become poorer.

As Christians and followers of Christ, even while we might not be engaged with the Occupy Wall Street protestors, at least we can join in voicing against the mistreatment of poor people just like Jesus Christ would certainly do. We must remember that part of preaching the Gospel involves helping the poor, calling this “Black Liberation Theology” is a slur not just to the poor but a slap in the face to Jesus Christ, a thing that some evangelicals leaders are busy doing by disparaging and despising the poor.

Galatians 2:9-10 KJV And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. (10) Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Pastor Evans Mayambala a Prominent Kampala Prosperity Pastor in wife snatching scandal

2011-11-15T03:51:00.000-08:00

15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:15-20)

Pastor Evans Mayambala’s wife snatching saga

Recently, Elvis Singa 39, smashed Pastor Evans Mayambala’s car windscreen. Elvis suspects Pastor Mayambala(Pastor Robert Kayanja’s sheep) of having a love affair with his wife. Pastor Mayambala’s estranged wife died in 2007. Elvis says that in April 2011, he came home and found that his wife was not at home, however at about 4:00 o’clock in the morning, Elvis’s wife came back home in Pastor Mayambala’s car. Elvis put his wife to task to explain who the man(Pastor Evans Mayambala) who brought her home was. The wife said she was coming from a night prayer meeting at Seguku prayer mountain which made her run late. Because she was late, her pastor , Mayambala Evans gave her a lift

Pastor Evans Mayambala’s popular books are bogus to Christ’s kingdom

Pastor Evans Mayambala(pastor Robert Kayanja’s sheep) is a celebrity because he has become an expert as regards helping people to get rich. He has written two popular books; one is titled, The secretes of rich people and the other is titled, where do rich people get money. I tell you, Pastor Evans is a hero in Uganda. However, his gospel is at total variance with the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ. Precisely it is bogus to the kingdom of Christ. Instead of telling sinners to come to the savoir Jesus, pastors like Mayambala are telling them to love money, materialism and to work hard to become billionaires. Can you imagine. I tell you, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to expose these crooks one by one.

Pastor Mayambala Evans facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/people/Mayambala-Evans/100001044573649

Pastor Mayambala Evans’ Wealth creation Website

http://www.wealthcreation.co.ug

FAMOUS PUBLICATIONS OF PASTOR MAYAMBALA EVANS !!!!!!!!

•Secrets of rich people “Ebyama bya baggagga”
•Where do rich people get money “Wa a baggagga gye bajja sente”

Paasita Mayambala asimattuse okuttibwa lwa mukamusajja

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/news/13596-Paasita-Mayambala-asimattuse-okuttibwa-lwa-mukamusajja.html

Nov 15, 2011

Bya JOSEPH MUTEBI
OMUSUMBA Evans Mayambala asimattuse omusuubuzi w’omu Kampala amulumiriza okumusigulira omukazi.

Elvis Singa 39, agamba nti asanze Mayambala enfunda nnya ng’akukuta ne mukazi we Sauda Namata okutuusa lwe yeekyaye n’akwata oguyinja n’agukuba emmotoka mwe baabadde batambulira.

Mayambala addukidde ku poliisi ya Kampalamukadde okuggula omusango ku musajja eyabadde ayagala okusaanyaawo obulamu bwe era Singa naye yabadde agenze ku poliisi okuggula ku Paasita omusango gw’okumutabulira amaka; ate abaserikale ne bakwata mukwate ne bamuggalira.

Singa attottola nti:

Omulundi ogwasooka mu March w’omwaka guno nnasanga Mayambala ng’ali mu ddiiro ne mukazi wange mu maka gange e Nsambya mu Kirombe Zooni nga balaba ttivvi. Nnamubuuza nti “Ono tumuyita tutya?” n’anziramu nti “Musumba wange azze kunsabira.”

Ayongerako nti: Mu April 2011, nnatuuka awaka nga mukyala wange taliiwo kyokka ku ssaawa nga 4:00 ez’ekiro, mukazi wange yakomawo ng’ali mu mmotoka ne Mayambala era ne mubuuza nti “Oyo akuleeta ng’ani awaka?” n’annyanukula nti, “Obudde butuzibyeko nga tuli mu kusaba kw’oku Prayer Mountain e Seguku, Omusumba wange n’asalawo ampe ku lifuti.”

Singa agamba nti yatandika okwekengera era n’asalawo n’agulira mukazi we emmotoka okwetangira Mayambala nti kyokka obujoozi bwagenda mu maaso.

Omusajja ono alumiriza nti ne mu kuziika Omusumba Micheal Mugerwa e Katende ku lw’e Masaka, Namata ne Mayambala baatambulira mu mmotoka emu ey’ekika kya Big Horn era n’agezaako okubawondera ng’ali mu yiye, nti kyokka bwe baamulaba ne bagezaako okumutomera.

Ku mulundi guno, be yassaako okumulondoolera mukazi we baamutegeezezza ku Ssande nti mukazi we ne Mayambala ekyemisana baakiriira ku 2K Restaurant ewa Bakuli mu Kampala era n’ajja n’abateega.

Baabadde baakatuuka nga bapaakinga mmotoka y’omukyala ey’ekika kya RAV4, Singa n’ava mu wooteeri n’ayambalira Mayambala era mu kwerwanako n’amukoonya mmotoka n’agwa.

Olwasituse wansi n’akwata oguyinja n’akuba mmotoka n’agyasa endabirwamu era wano Mayambala kwe kusimbula mmotoka n’agyolekeza poliisi ya Kampalamukadde n’aggula omusango gw’okwonoona mmotoka ku fayiro eri ku CRB:5113/11.

Singa naye yazze okuggulawo omusango ku Mayambala okumusigulira omukazi n’okumutomeza mmotoka mu bugenderevu kyokka n’atakkirizibwa era n’ayingizibwa mu kaduukulu gye yasuze okutuusa akawungeezi k’eggulo lwe yakkiriziddwa okweyimirirwa.

Mayambala yategeezezza poliisi nti enkolagana ye ne Namata ekoma ku “Njiri” kubanga bombi basumba. Namata ye musumba w’Ekkanisa ya Faith Christian Centre e Makindye ate Mayambala musumba wa kkanisa ya Let There Be Healing Church e Kiwaatule mu Kampala.

Singa yagambye nti yagattibwa ne Namata mu 2009. Yasanga Namata alina abaana babiri be yasooka okuzaala nti kyokka okuva olwo omukyala ono tamuzaalirangayo mwana yenna.

Aduumira poliisi y’e Kampalamukadde, Siraje Bakaleke yategeezezza nti baakuwulira n’okwemulugunya kwa Singa era bamukkirize n’okuggulawo omusango ku Mayambala.

Ebikwata ku Mayambala

•Yazaalibwa 1972, wa myaka 39.
•Bazadde be ye Daniel Ssennoga ne Mary Nakandi ab’e Kawempe.
•Yasomera Old Kampala S.S ng’atambuza bigere okuva e Kawempe.
•Yasooka kusabira Lubaga Miracle Centre ewa Robert Kayanja gye yava n’akola ekkanisa ye eya Let There Be Healing e Kiwaatule.
•Alina ekkolero lya ssabbuuni n’ebizigo erya Destiny Roki Investments
•July 20, 2007 yasimattuka abakungubazi abaali bamulumiriza okusibira omulambo gwa mukazi we Margaret Nantongo mu nju olw’ebyobugagga.
•Awandiise obutabo obuyigiriza abantu okukola ssente era busomwa ku leediyo eziwerako.

Paasita Mayambala yeegaanyi okusigula omukazi

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/news/13616-Paasita-Mayambala-yeegaanyi-okusigula-omukazi.html

Nov 16, 2011

Bya MOSES JJAGWE
PAASITA Evans Mayambala agambye nti omukazi gwe bamulumiriza okusigula amulabidde wiiki ssatu zokka era tamwagala nga bba bw’akimussaako.

Mayambala ow’ekkanisa ya Let There Be Healing e Kiwaatule mu Kampala yannyonnyodde nti: Wadde omusajja ono (Elvis Singa) agamba nti yaakansisinkana enfunda nnya nga nkukuta ne mukaziwe, nze simulabangako era ogwasoose okumulaba nnamwekangidde wa Bbakuli (mu Kampala) ng’akuba emmotoka mwe nabadde.

Yayongeddeko nti: Bwe namubuuzizza lwaki agezaako okuntuusaako obulabe n’ang’amba nti alina obutakkaanya ne mukaziwe gw’alumiriza obwenzi.

Sirina nkolagana yonna ya mukwano ne Sauda Namata era emirundi esatu gye naakamusisinkana tubadde twogera ku nsonga za mwoyo.

Namata naye musumba akulira ekkanisa ya Faith Christian Centre e Makindye ate bba Singa musuubuzi wa mu Kampala ali mu bizinensi ya bya ntambula era alina loole ezisaabaza eby’amaguzi ezisukka mu ttaano.

Mayambala yattottodde nti: Omulundi ogwasooka yampita okugenda ku kkanisa ye e Makindye mbuulire (enjiri) era kino kyaliwo wiiki nga ttaano eziyise.

Omulundi ogwokubiri nti baasisinkana Katende mu Mpigi mu kuziika omusumba Micheal Mugerwa eyafiira mu kabenje e Kakira ku lw’e Jjinja omwezi oguwedde.

Nti Namata bwe yalaba Mayambala n’amusanyukira nti era yali n’abakazi abalala ne basaba Mayambala ‘abawe ku lifuti’ era n’abakomyawo n’abaleka mu Kampala.

Yagambye nti omulundi ogwokusatu (Singa we yabasangidde) yabadde agenda mu kivvulu ky’okutongoza olutambi “Nninda” olw’omuyimbi Solome Mirembe e Kawaala gye yabadde ayitiddwa ng’omugenyi omukulu n’asanga Namata ne muwalawe Patricia ne bamusaba abatwaleko era bwe yatuuse ewa Bakuli n’ayimirira okubaggyamu era wano Singa we yafubutukiddeyo n’atandika okukuba mmotoka nga bwe yeecwacwana.

Yatutte emmotoka n’agiteeka ku poliisi ya Old Kampala n’ategeeza abaserikale ebibaddewo era Singa kwe kukwatibwa n’aggalirwa.

Singa nga tannayimbulwa ku poliisi yakoze siteetimenti ng’alumiriza Mayambala okumusigulira mukaziwe Namata gwe yagattibwa naye mu 2009 era n’ategeeza nti abasisinkanye enfunda nnya omuli lwe yabasanga mu makaage (aga Singa) mu Kirombe Zooni Nsambya mu March 2011, olulala Mayambala n’akomyawo Namata mu mmotoka ekiro, lwe baaziika Mugerwa ne ku luno olw’ewa Bakuli era eggulo Singa yazzeeyo ku poliisi ya Old Kampala n’aggula omusango ku Mayambala ogw’okugezaako okumutuusaako obulabe olw’omukazi.

Pastor Evans Mayambala’s other scandals

Violence Erupts at Vigil

http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=12431

A silent vigil in memory of Pastor Evans Mayambala's wife, turned violent last night when the pastor confronted his in-laws demanding for the deceased's property.

Pastor Evans Mayambala, of iLet there be healing churchi in Kiwatule shocked mourners who had come for the vigil, when he stormed out of the house demanding for the keys of three cars which were owned by his deceased wife, Margaret Nantongo.

Pastor Mayambala also demanded for the land title of one of the houses which were owned by the deceased.

Shocked by the surprise demands, his in-laws led by the deceased's mother, Mirabu Nakalema, refused to hand over the keys and the land tittle, prompting a barrage of insults from the pastor.

Pastor Mayambala ordered all the deceased's relatives out of the house where the body laid during the vigil and warned them against showing up for burial.

The pastor then locked himself up in the house with the body, and asked the mourners to give him time to calm down as he settled his scores with his in-laws.

Police was quickly called in to control a possible outbreak of violence at the vigil.
Yesterday, the pastor and his in-laws clashed for more than 12 hours quarreling over the dead body.

The row erupted after the pastor demanded to burry his estranged wife.

Read more: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=12431#ixzz1drHOuKcy

Chaos At Vigil of Pastor's Wife

http://allafrica.com/stories/200707201119.html

Steven Kibuuka & Jude Luggya

The New Vision , 21 July 2007
Kampala — A NIGHT vigil for Margaret Nantongo, wife to Pastor Evans Mayambala, who died on Monday, turned violent on Thursday following a serious family dispute.

The deceased's relatives, with the help of sympathisers suddenly gathered at around 10:00pm and almost lynched Pastor Mayambala accusing him of attempting to inherit his wife's wealth.

Kampala Pastor in Furious Row over Dead Body

Read more: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=12421#ixzz1drCJAsjQ

The death of a pastor's wife in Kiwatule triggered off a furious row between the pastor and his in-laws.

The row erupted after Pastor Evans Mayambala, of iLet there be healing churchi in Kiwatule clashed with his in-laws, demanding for a right to burry his wife, Margaret Nantongo, with whom he separated from six months ago.

According to Roy Nalubega, a sister to the deceased, Nantongo had intimated to her family that she wished to be buried at her ancestral home in Mityana, following a series of marital problems with Pastor Mayambala.

Nalubega said that her sister had fallen out with the pastor with whom she had been married to, for ten years and had four children. Their relationship turned sour after the pastor doused her with petrol and allegedly threatened to set her ablaze.

The pastor is also alleged to have thrown his wife out of their marital home, forcing her to rent a room in Katwe, where she has been staying for the last six months.

Harbored with bitterness in their hearts, Nantongo's relatives stormed Mayambala's home in Kiwatule demanding for the body. They maintained that the pastor had no right to either claim for the body or defy her wife's wish to be buried at her ancestral home.
But Mayambala insisted that he would burry his wife at his ancestral home in Kawempe, despite the fact that they had fallen out.

The two parties were for more than six hours locked up in a verbal exchange, as the body lay in a coffin in the sitting room, and the couple's four children sat screaming confused about the scenario. They were quickly grabbed and locked up in a bedroom.

It took the intervention of the Former presidential aspirant, Dr Abeedi Bwanika, the Nakawa division Resident District Commissioner, Edward Sekabanja, and police to reconcile the two parties.

Dr Abeedi Bwanika, a friend to the couple advised that the body be transported to Mulago hospital mortuary, as the families sort out their misunderstandings.

But pastor Mayambala quickly shot up and refused to heed to Bwanika's advice. In response, Relatives of the deceased quickly grabbed hoes and started to dig a grave in the couple's compound, arguing that it would provide the only neutral ground.

Meanwhile, three other graves had reportedly been dug up in Mityana, in Kawempe at pastor Mayambala's home and in Mukono, the couples up country home.

Caught in a seemingly difficult situation, Dr Bwanika quickly convened a meeting during which the two parties finally agreed that the deceased will be buried at the pastor's ancestral home in Kawempe, because the couple had not divorced officially.
Nantongo, a prominent city businesswoman, succumbed to cardiac arrest yesterday.

Read more: http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=12421#ixzz1drC94pBs

Pastor Mayambala, Uganda’s next billionaire?

http://www.orumuri.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=5&newsCategoryId=10&newsId=641069

He shot to the limelight in July last year, when, following the death of his estranged wife, Margaret Nantongo, reports emerged that he was entangled in a property battle with his in-laws.

Police had to intervene and the burial was delayed for two days. Recently, Pastor Evans Mayambala of Let There Be Healing Church in Kiwatule seems to have embarked on motivational speaking.

During the Victoria Gospel Music Awards at Serena Hotel, Mayambala, said he was going to be Uganda’s next billionaire, to wild applause.

He recently published a book, Strategic Business Planning: Aspects You Ought To Embrace If You will Excel (Nissi Publishers Ltd). We guess he took a dose of his medicine.
Published on: Friday, 25th July, 2008

Get Rich By Investing
http://allafrica.com/stories/200808180215.html
Paul Tentena
The New vision, 16 August 2008

Kampala — PROSPERITY does not require supernatural powers. The opportunity is right under your nose.
In his book Strategic Business Planning: Aspects You Ought To Embrace If You Will To Excel, Evans Mayambala, the executive director of the School of Business Planning and Management, helps one create a successful business that could improve one's wealth.

Family Radio Founder Harold Camping Repents, Apologizes for False Teachings

2011-11-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Family Radio Founder Harold Camping Repents, Apologizes for False Teachings

Bible Teacher Confesses He Was Wrong to Predict Christ's Return; Says God Has Not Stopped Saving People

http://global.christianpost.com/news/family-radio-founder-harold-camping-repents-apologizes-for-false-teachings-59819/

The Christian Post > International > N.America|Sun, Oct. 30 2011 12:20 PM EDT

By Nicola Menzie | Christian Post Reporter

With his speech sounding somewhat slurred and labored, Family Radio Stations Inc. founder and chairman Harold Camping sought to address in a recent message why Christ failed to return on Oct. 21 as the Bible teacher had predicted. Camping confessed, after decades of falsely misleading his followers, that he was wrong and regrets his misdeeds.

In addition to attempting to correct his erroneous teachings on the Rapture and God's day of final judgment on the world, Camping, 90, also confessed, "incidentally," that he was wrong to claim that God had stopped saving people after May 21 – the date which God's so-called "spiritual" judgment had begun.

This is undoubtedly a radical shift for Camping, who has staunchly claimed since 1992 that he had discovered a special numerical system in the Bible that allowed him to calculate the exact dates of certain events, such as the Great Flood, the Crucifixion and the day of Jesus Christ's return to Earth.

Camping first falsely predicted that the world would end on Sept. 6, 1994, then again on May 21, 2011, and finally on Oct. 21.

When Camping's final doomsday predication failed to come to pass, Family Radio soon removed its teachings regarding the failed May 21 rapture, which also included the claim that God had stopped saving people after that date and that the world was headed for a final judgment on Oct. 21.

On Oct. 24, 2011, The Christian Post also reported in an exclusive interview with a member of Camping's Bible ministry that the Alameda, Calif., Bible teacher was no longer able to lead Family Radio or his ministry.

A transcript of the audio message, published to Family Radio's website on Oct. 28, 2011, is below:

We're living in a day when one problem follows another. And when it comes to trying to recognize the truth of prophecy, we're finding that it is very very difficult.

Why didn't Christ return on Oct. 21? It seems embarrassing for Family Radio. But God was in charge of everything. We came to that conclusion after quite careful study of the Bible. He allowed everything to happen the way it did without correction. He could have stopped everything if He had wanted to.

I am very encouraged by letters that I have received and [am] receiving at this time concerning this matter. Amongst other things I have been checking my notes more carefully than ever. And I do find that there is other language in the Bible that we still have to look at very carefully and will impinge upon this question very definitely. And we should be very patient about this matter. At least in a minimal way we are learning to walk more and more humble before God.

We're ready to cry out and weep before God: 'Oh Lord, you have the truth, we don't have it. You have the truth.' And this is another place where we have to cry out for... There's one thing that we must remember – God is in charge of this whole business, and we are not. What God wants to tell us is His business. When He wants to tell us is His business. In the meanwhile, God is allowing us to continue to cry to Him for mercy – oh my, how we need His mercy – and continue to wait on Him. God has not left us. God is still God. But we have to be very careful that we don't dictate to God what He should do.

In our search in the Bible, we must continue to look to the Bible, look to the Bible. Because there is where truth comes from. And God in His own timetable and in His own purposes will reveal truth to us when it's His time to do it. In any case, we do not have to have a feeling of calamity or a feeling that God has abandoned us. We are simply learning. And sometimes it's painful to learn. We are learning how God brings His messages to mankind, and my my, we have claimed to be a child of God, and therefore as we search the Bible, we're bound to feel the darts of the Lord. Sometimes He gives us the truth and sometimes He gives us something that causes us to wait further upon Him.

Whatever we do, we must not feel for a moment that we have been abandoned by God – that He is no longer helping us or interested in us. Oh my, what an encouragement it is to go to the Lord again and again – "Oh Lord, I don't know anything. You teach me." And that's the attitude that has to be apart of each one of us. And God will not abandon us, He will provide, but we have to be just very careful that we don't dictate to him when that has to happen.

Incidentally, I have been told that I said back in May that people who did not believe that May 21 should not be the rapture date, probably had not been saved. I should not have said that, and I apologize for that. One thing we know for certain, is that God is merciful, merciful beyond anything that we would ever expect. And so, we can pray constantly, and should be praying constantly: "Oh Lord, we look to Thee for Thine mercy, and we're so thankful that we know that Thou art so merciful."

How wonderful to know that God is still on the throne, that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that He hears every one of our prayers. And let's not hesitate, let's be, if anything, let's pray more than ever for God's mercy, and keep praying and God will provide. But God is in charge, and we must always keep that in mind.

The Sin of Racism: John Piper Confronts Sin of Racism, Including His Own

2011-11-05T06:36:00.001-07:00

John Piper Confronts Sin of Racism, Including His Own

The Christian Post > Church & Ministries|Fri, Nov. 04 2011 05:21 PM EDT

http://www.christianpost.com/news/john-piper-confronts-sin-of-racism-including-his-own-60575/

By Lillian Kwon | Christian Post Reporter

Evangelical theologian John Piper admits it: he was "racist to the core" and a born-again Christian at the same time.

But thankfully, he says, "God had mercy on this teenage racist who little by little was awakened to something beautiful – namely racial diversity – and to something horrible – namely my own sin – and to repentance as an ongoing way of life."

The influential pastor tackled the controversial issue of racism on Thursday at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, a predominantly black church in Minneapolis. He addressed a diverse audience as he spoke about his latest book, Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian, where he defined racism this way: The heart that believes one race is more valuable than another is a sinful heart.

While Piper has come a long way from his years as essentially a white supremacist, he made it clear that he was not there to lift himself up as a shining example for others to follow. But he wanted to convey the seriousness of the issue.

"I know that my tribe, my evangelical conservative white tribe, they're suspicious of social issues – 'that sounds like social gospel leading us away from Jesus and the cross' (they'd say)," Piper said. "So I'm playing to their music. I want to say this is not a social issue. This is a blood issue."

Piper grew up in Greenville, S.C., where racial segregation was enforced. Along with separate drinking fountains, schools and bus seating were also churches that excluded blacks. His home church voted in 1962 not to allow blacks into their services.

He writes in his book that he was "manifestly racist" during those years.

But God began to sow "seeds of deliverance" in his heart. Among those seeds was one sown during his senior year in college. He heard the general director of the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society respond to a student's question about the possibility of his daughter marrying a Pakistani while on the mission field.

His response was something like: "Better a Christian Pakistani than a godless white American!" Piper recalled.

Also, during his seminary years, Piper was given "shocking" readings on racial prejudice, detailing crimes of hatred toward blacks. He had a hard time coming away from the readings without trembling.

Such seeds have helped him to, as he says, "awake from [his] stupor." He has repented and grown in abhorrence to racism. But, he emphasized Thursday, he's not done. It's a process and he is continuously trying to bear the fruits of the seeds God sowed.

Piper is 65 now and currently serves as pastor for Preaching & Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. His church has grown in diversity and love but it's not a model church, he said.

Moreover, racism continues to plague America.

In fact, it was just in the year 2000 when Alabama removed its ban on interracial marriage. Piper's previous home state of South Carolina lifted its ban in 1998. And more than a quarter of the residents didn't favor it, the pastor lamented.

Piper also believes there are more "vicious white supremacists in America today than there were in 1968."

The longtime pastor, who adopted a black daughter 15 years ago, was commended by African-Americans on Thursday for his courage in addressing a controversial issue. Piper told the audience that he wrote Bloodlines because of some profound convictions on what the Bible says on this issue – an issue, he acknowledges, that many people choose to avoid – and because of longings for what he wants to see happen.

"There are many pointers in the Bible concerning the rightness, the goodness, the beauty, the justice, the preciousness of racial harmony and diversity," Piper said.

"The most important one is the Gospel," he stressed. "You can talk about all of us … being in the image of God but I’m going straight to the cross."

Backing his argument with Scripture, Piper said Jesus died and ransomed his people – and that includes all ethnicities, tribes and races.

"He's gathering them by the power of the blood of Christ. That's huge if you believe in the blood of Christ," he emphasized. "This is a blood issue. This is a why Jesus died issue."

"The bloodline of Jesus," he highlighted, "is thicker, deeper, stronger than the bloodline of race, ethnicity and family."

Paraphrasing Romans 3:27-30, Piper added, "I (God) have sent my son into the world to provide a righteousness that no human being can provide on their own. There's one way to get it, and it isn't Jewishness. It isn't white. It isn't black. It's faith.

"So right at the heart of the doctrine of justification by faith on the basis of the blood of Jesus is God saying I did it that way because .... I mean there to be a unity in the way of salvation and that means I mean to gather people of every stripe because those stripes don't matter."

Racism still in the church
Piper addressed the question of why the church isn't better at racial harmony if all that he presented was scriptural truth.

The answer he offered was that either the church didn't really believe in the Gospel or the issue is just a major blind spot for many believers. Satan, pride and guilt are also factors that can deter racial harmony.

"Why does God sanctify us so slowly?" he posed, not having an answer to the question but trusting in God's ways.

Not blaming God, however, Piper said, "We shouldn't make any excuses. Just say 'God, help me be part of the solution and not part of the problem.'"

After decades of wrestling with this issue, the Minneapolis pastor owes his life to the Gospel, which he views as the only solution to racism.

"Without it (Gospel) I would still be strutting with racist pride, or I would be suffering the moral paralysis of 'white guilt,'" he writes in his book.

But not boasting of his new self either, Piper pointed Christians to the cross.

"I am 65 years old. I'm going to meet Jesus real soon. I’m going to stand before my judge real soon and I will give an account for how I served him," he said.

"My confidence before Jesus at that day does not rest there (my actions)," he emphasized.

"If he says 'why should I let you in here you former racist sinner?' You won't say 'I cleaned up my act.' If you say that, you don't get the Gospel."

"You're going to say 'there's no reason you should let me in ... I am expecting you to let me in ... because I held on to Jesus and he held on to me."

Piper invited Christians to join him in "a desperate dependence on the blood of Jesus."

"You've got to stand, if you stand at all, on the cross."

Joel Osteen Says Mormons Are Christian

2011-11-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Joel Osteen Says Mormons Are Christian

http://www.newsuganda.net/opposition-leader-wants-imf-chief-dismissed/

Friday, October 28, 2011

Megachurch pastor Joel Osteen said he believes Mormon's are Christians, even though other denominations may disagree with some aspects of the faith.

"I don't know if it's the purest form of Christianity, like I grew up with. But you know what, I know Mormons," Osteen told The Washington Times in an article published Wednesday, regarding recent criticism of GOP candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon beliefs.

"I hear Mitt Romney -- and I've never met him -- but I hear him say, 'I believe Jesus is the son of God,' 'I believe He's my savior,' and that's one of the core issues," he added.

Romney's faith came to the forefront again after a prominent pastor backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry called Mormonism a "cult."

Osteen, who pastors Lakewood Church in Houston, was in Washington for a book signing for his latest release, "Every Day a Friday."

He plans to return to the nation's capital during election season next April for an "America's Night of Hope" event.

While in Washington, Osteen shied away from political questions, but did say he prays for Perry as both a candidate and friend.

Despite the dreary economy, Osteen also said America's faith and hope for the better is "at an all-time high" right now.

Osteen, who's widely known for his charisma and optimistic sermons, added that a positive attitude will eventually pay off for those who are struggling.

"Part of our core message is that seasons change, and when you believe, if you don't get bitter, and you don't get discouraged, you may not change overnight, but you can get peace," he said.

Osteen's 40,000-member Lakewood Church is the largest in the U.S.

At his book signing, Osteen said he wants everyone to know and believe God is "on our side" and "can help us overcome."

*Original post Oct. 26, 2011.

Bishop John Michael Mugerwa has died in a motor accident

2011-10-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

UGANDA: Bishop John Michael Mugerwa has died in a motor accident

It is sad that Pastor John Michael Mugerwa has passed on. This is a lesson for all of us to know that we are just pilgrims and sojourners in this world. We should be more concerned with the next life than this life on earth. Dear brothers and sisters we must repent and turn away from the American prosperity Gospel. It is just a lie. Let us preach the gospel of repentance and most important of all let us prepare the saints to meet their Lord.

My 2008 warning to Pastor John Michael Mugerwa

Another Pastor who amuses me is John Michael Mugerwa. According to his biography, he really had a humble beginning. But interestingly, after escaping poverty, instead of preaching the gospel of the kingdom, he is preaching, the blessing of the city on LTV (Omukisa gwe Kibuga). Hiiii!!!!. Dear John Michael, if apostle Paul lived during your time and had the chance to preach to millions of people, do you think he would tell people about the material blessings of the city, like you. Repent and preach the true gospel my dear brother in Christ. (http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html)

SAINTS GATE CHURCH KAMPALA-UGANDA WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR 2011 WITH BISHOP JOHN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxqJMPT-LL8

Two American evangelists perish in Jinja accident

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18725-two-american-evangelists-perish-in-jinja-accident.html

By Donald Kirya and Herbert Ssempogo
TWO American evangelists are among four people, who perished in a Thursday night accident along the Jinja-Iganga highway.

Dr. Reos Godzck, fellow citizen Leos Both and their hosts namely Bishop John Michael Mugerwa and Ronnie Ssebunya died after a trailer crashed their vehicle at Kakira at 7pm.

According to Jinja police spokesperson, Samsom Lubega, Paul, the driver of a Toyota Super Custom in which the deceased were, attempted to overtake two fuel tankers.

“As he overtook, he realized there was oncoming traffic so he decided to squeeze into a narrow gap between the two trailers,” Lubega stated.

Owing to humps on the road, the trailer in front reduced speed and Paul followed suit, Lubega said, adding that in the next few minutes, the trailer behind rammed into the Super Custom.

Godizic, Both, Mugerwa and Ssebunya died on the spot while Paul was rushed to hospital in Jinja. The police by Friday morning could not establish his state.

A fire brigade team from Jinja had to cut the wreckage to extract the bodies. The remains were taken to the city mortuary in Kampala.

From Phoenix, Arizona in US, the two Americans were here on the invitation of Mugerwa of Fast Assemblies Church located in Nkere zone, Katwe Makindye Division, Kampala.

Earlier in the day, they had attended a crusade for married couples in Namutumba district.

Saidi Nyogolo, the driver of the killer trailer disappeared but the police apprehended his colleague, Hamasi Kaizera. Kaizera disclosed that their vehicles contained jet fuel, which they were driving to Entebbe.

South Eastern traffic chief, Washington Labeja, who assessed the accident scene, attributed the crash to recklessness.

The vehicles were towed to Nalufenya police post traffic police continued investigating the tragedy continued. Accidents are among the leading causes of death in Uganda. Thousands of people perish in accidents annually.

Pastor John Michael Mugerwa's Personal Testimony

http://www.destinyschooluganda.com/Story/JMM.php

Hello my friends, my name is John Michael Mugerwa. I’m happy to introduce myself to you. I was born March 3, 1961 in the jungles, and raised up in those remote places. I grew up in a Catholic family. Both of my parents were Catholic and were also raised up as Catholic. I feared God, though I didn’t know much about salvation. When I was 16 years old, I moved to the city of Kampala, which was the only city we had in Uganda to further pursue my studies. Because by then I had finished my Primary section and I needed to join the Secondary level. I came to Kampala in 1977, but I didn’t go further as far as school was concerned. I ended up dropping out having lost my father who died in 1979. It wasn’t easy for my mother to pay for my school dues. Though she struggled and tried very much, she couldn’t push me ahead for long. She only pushed me for one year, and then in 1980 I dropped out due to the lack of school fees.

When I dropped out of school in 1981, I started working. I got a job washing cars and I started doing that as a source of my income. I washed cars many years, for almost 10 years from 1981 to 1991. However, in 1982 it was a Monday early in the morning, and I was on my way walking to work. One man who was a stranger to me asked me whether it was okay to join me, to walk together to town. I agreed, he joined me and we walked in company, and after we had walked for just a few meters, he asked me, “John, did you go to church yesterday?” Because it was Monday and yesterday was Sunday, so he wanted to know if I had gone to church. I told him “Yes”, and my yes was true because I had gone to church that Sunday. Then he asked me another question, “What did the priest talk about, what did he teach?” I had gone to the church, and attended only the mass, I wasn’t ready for that question, and I didn’t know much about the sermon. But this stranger wanted to know the sermon and I wasn’t able to answer that question. I tried to dodge it by trying to argue with him and say, “You don’t belong to my faith, and I don’t belong to yours, why should you like to know much about my faith?” But the fact is I was only trying to dodge him, I couldn’t answer his question. During that time we started arguing and when he saw that I was arguing even more, I don’t know how it came about, but he reached into his bag and pulled out a new bible and gave it to me. In my life I had never owned a bible so that gift simply shocked me, humbled me and I couldn’t argue with him any more.

When he realized that I had been humbled, he took the advantage of preaching to me and he went ahead and to tell me that I needed to clear my life, put my life right with Jesus. Remember, we are on our way walking but he was busy preaching to me. During that time he went ahead to ask me, “John, were you baptized?” I said, “Yes.” And he asked me, “When was that?” I told him that I was baptized as an infant, but he told me, “But John, you need to know that you must believe first so that you might be baptized.” He told me to open my bible, (because by then it was my bible) to the book of Mark, chapter 16, verse 15. But I didn’t know where the book of Mark was, so he helped me and we opened to the book of Mark, and we read “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel. Whoever believes shall be baptized.” He told me I must believe first so that you might be baptized.

During that sharing a light shone upon my mind and I knew I needed to believe in Jesus Christ to be my personal saviour. I told him, “I need to believe.” He was excited and he took me to the side of the road, it was a busy road. By then I was still a young man and this man led me to confess my sins and to repeat after him a confession prayer. I tried to argue with him, “Brother just give me the directions to your church, and I will come on Sunday”. But he couldn’t let me go, he wanted me to confess the sinners prayer. It was a bit of an embarrassment to me, I knew he wouldn’t let me go, and I didn’t want to disappoint him, thinking that he might even withdraw his bible from me. So I just agreed, he took me to the side of the street and I repeated after him and he told me to speak louder after him, though it was a bit of embarrassment to me, but you know I had to do it.

Then after that, he told me to close my eyes though people were looking at us. Most of them knew me, and they were surprised and wondered what I was doing. It was early in the day and they were wondering what had happened to me. He couldn’t let me go and he prayed over me, this was a Pentecostal man. He just shouted in his prayer and it was a long prayer, but what could I do. Then after that it was time for him to let me go and that is when I realized he wasn’t even going to town, he was just pretending, just using it as a trap to trap people like me. But good enough, he gave me money to catch a bus so that I didn’t have to walk to town. And the balance was enough for me to get lunch and supper for that day. What a blessing I received on the same day, salvation and money.

After that day, I went back home, by then I had entered into a traditional marriage with my wife Evah that happened in the same year. So I went back home and told my wife, she couldn’t believe me what happened, but it was the truth. And she told me “Okay, when you go to church on Sunday, then I will accompany you.” Sunday came and I dressed up and my wife did the same and she accompanied me and we ended up going to the church where that street preacher had directed us. We met him at the door, he introduced us to the pastor and the whole church was excited and received us with joy. When my wife saw what happened, how gladly they received us, she also surrendered her life to Christ on that day. So since then that was our turning point.

We stayed in that church, the pastor loved us, together with the street preacher, they loved us and he started to disciple me. Sometimes I would join him on the streets and we would preach together and then after, I became an interpreter for my pastor. He would preach and I would interpret in Swahili, sometimes he would preach in Swahili and I would interpret in Luganda, the local language mostly spoken here in Kampala. Being an interpreter of a man of God, I became acquainted with the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost would deliver the message some times through me. Then, in 1984 two years after my salvation, there was an apostle in the city, his name is Alex Mitala. Together with my pastor of the local church I was attending, they planted a church in one of the slum areas of Kampala, named Katwe. This was a place full of gangs, prostitutes, thugs, bandits and people of that calibre. So, I was to take the job of pastor to that newly established church. I accepted by the grace of the Lord though I was still young in the Lord and I didn’t know much about ministry. But I accepted by the grace of the Lord and on January 31, 1984 we took over the responsibility and the work of that church.

The church began with only two women, but we had to begin somewhere. It was only the might of the Lord which enabled me to stay. Just imagine, I was from a large church and now here I am beginning with only two women, that even shocked my wife and she went back to our former church. She did not like to come to my new church of only two women. But anyway, I stayed there and served those two ladies, the grace of the Lord was there and I ended up serving them and leading them what to do. One was the secretary, the other was the treasurer and I became the chairman, so the three of us were the elders. From time to time I wanted to quit, I thought that maybe this was not the right place, but spiritual fathers in the city told me to be faithful with few and the Lord would bless me with many.

One time I was attending a minister’s conference and I heard one preacher talking about how faithful Jesus was with one woman at the well, and after that faithfulness, the Lord poured out the whole city to him. That message changed my thinking and I went back and decided to be faithful with the two women, but as I am speaking now I have good news. The church started growing and growing. Right now the church has grown, we have given birth to many sister churches. I have many spiritual sons and have shown them how to plant churches around the nation. The church I started with is still growing and now if you visit us on Sunday morning you will see about 800 people and in the evening service you would see about 2,000 people. So God has just been taking us from glory to glory time after time. That is how the church has been growing, and the Lord has blessed us in that area.

To take you back, remember I had married my wife in 1982 the traditional way. We decided to renew our marriage vows in 1985, and that was a great blessing. As I am speaking right now, the Lord has blessed us so much, as I have told you. Our church has existed for 20 years and we have given birth to over 20 sister churches, and our church has grown to 2,000 people and the Lord continues to bless us. We constructed a church building which accommodated us for seven years, but we outgrew the building and the Lord gave us an additional piece of property. There we have set up a temporary shelter and by the year 2005 we will commence the work of constructing a new church building.

Ghana: Men of God Cautioned Against Materialism, Exploitation

2011-10-27T23:58:00.000-07:00

Ghana: Men of God Cautioned Against Materialism, Exploitation

http://allafrica.com/stories/201110260248.html

Sebastian R. Freiku

The Chronicle, 25 October 2011

Kumasi — Apostle Kofi Nkansah-Sarkodie, General Overseer of the Open Arms Ministries at North Suntreso in Kumasi, has admonished Ministers of the Gospel to stay clear of anything that relates to the power of Satan, with the view of performing miracles and wonders for material gain and fame.

The man of God condemned the negative expose of Christendom, following the misconduct of some men of God on the local scene.

Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie, who is also known as Brother Sark, noted that "Satan is seriously at work and infiltrating the ranks of Ministers of the Gospel," and cautioned them to beware and not allow the devil to use them perform miracles and wonders.

According to him, those men of God lose guard and fall to the tricks of Satan. He as well cautioned Ministers against resorting to lies, falsehood, and deceit, because they would be exposed, disgraced, and punished at the end of the day.

Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie pointed out that recent reported cases of fornication, rape, armed robbery, adultery, stealing, and fraud, among other vices allegedly involving some men of God, which situation, he said, was driving many Christians away from God.

"Our church leaders, who should be shepherding the flock towards salvation, are themselves shamefully leading ungodly lifestyles."

The General Overseer has therefore, admonished Christians to be wide awake, lead godly lives, and not sway in their faith, so as not to lose salvation. He also advised unbelievers to repent their sins, and take up to Jesus Christ, in order to escape hellfire.

In a related development, Prophet Emmanuel Amoah of Gentle Prayer Ministry at Atwima Kokoben in the Ashanti Region has cautioned colleague pastors not to exploit the membership of their churches.

He said pastors who exploit and extort monies from their members are doomed and hellbound, because it was not right in the sight of God.

Pastor Amoah said in radio evangelism on BOSS FM in Kumasi recently that men of God who defy divine directive and milk their members dry, would face the wrath of God, and be judged.

He said it was against God's design for pastors to feed fat on members of their congregation.

The concerned man of God pointed to the common feature among most pastors who take care of themselves by living ostentatious lives at the expense of their members as in Ezekiel 34:1-10. Quoting 1 Peter 5:1-4, Prophet Amoah said pastors were bound to willingly take proper care of the flock God entrusts into their care. "Do your work not for pay, but from a real desire to serve," so that they (pastors) will share in God's glory, he advised.

Referring to Ephesians 2:2 and James 4:1-5, Prophet Amoah reiterated that pleasure seekers were God's enemies, and admonished that pastors who desire pleasures and do what pleases them are destined to suffer God's anger.

The Prophet noted that it was common to see the flock shepherding the shepherd, instead of the other way round, and attributed this situation to the fact that some men of God follow and obey the world's evil spirits and disobey God.

"Pastors, who do not do the right thing to save souls are doomed," Prophet Amoah cautioned.

He noted that in the face of lack of proper shepherding, the flock, which is vulnerable, is scattered out of frustration, thus falling prey to from one such pastor to another.

Prophet Amoah has, therefore, urged pastors to respond positively to their calling, and preach salvation to save souls for God's Kingdom, instead of preaching prosperity which never comes to the flock, because in the true sense, they (said pastors) care for themselves.

Prophet Amoah said the admonition to cater for the vulnerable and weak equally applies to politicians, ministers of state, district chief executives, government functionaries, public officers, civil servants and people in positions of trust, including journalists.

Obama sends 100 US troops to Uganda to fight LRA: It is not what you think!!!

2011-10-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

First read:

THE MAIN REASON THAT THE U.S. IS TARGETING THE LRA IS THAT IT IS "UNSETTLING" AMERICA'S ATTEMPT TO RAPE THE AREA OF ITS OIL AND MINERAL RIGHTS.

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article026.htm

Crisis In The Congo: Uncovering The Truth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLV9szEu9Ag

Obama sends 100 US troops to Uganda to fight LRA

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18452-obama-sends-100-us-troops-to-uganda-to-fight-lra.html

US President Barack Obama said Friday he is sending 100 "combat-equipped" troops to Uganda to help and advise forces battling Lord's Resistance Army rebels accused of grievous human rights abuses.

The US troops, subject to the approval of national authorities, could also deploy from Uganda into South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, Obama said in a message to Congress.

LRA rebels are accused of terrorizing, murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations, and tens of thousands of people died in their 20-year war with security forces in northern Uganda.

"These forces will act as advisors to partner forces that have the goal of removing from the battlefield Joseph Kony and other senior leadership of the LRA," Obama said, but warned they would not lead the fighting themselves.

"Although the US forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces.

"They will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of US military personnel during their deployment."

According to AFP, the president said a small group of troops deployed on Wednesday and that additional forces will deploy over the next month.

Kony, accused of war crimes and wanted by the International Criminal Court, appears to have dropped any national political agenda and in recent years his marauding troops have sown death and destruction in the region.

The civil war effectively ended in 2006 when a peace process was launched, but Kony and his top commanders continue to commit atrocities in remote areas of neighboring countries.

General Carter Ham, the head of US Africa Command, said last week that his best estimate was that Kony was probably in the Central African Republic

AFP
An Excerpt from the letter President Obama Sent to the Congressional Leaders
For more than two decades, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has murdered, raped, and kidnapped tens of thousands of men, women, and children in central Africa. The LRA continues to commit atrocities across the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan that have a disproportionate impact on regional security. ...

In furtherance of the Congress's stated policy, I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield. I believe that deploying these U.S. Armed Forces furthers U.S. national security interests and foreign policy and will be a significant contribution toward counter-LRA efforts in central Africa.

On October 12, the initial team of U.S. military personnel with appropriate combat equipment deployed to Uganda.

During the next month, additional forces will deploy, including a second combat-equipped team and associated headquarters, communications, and logistics personnel. The total number of U.S. military personnel deploying for this mission is approximately 100.

These forces will act as advisors to partner forces that have the goal of removing from the battlefield Joseph Kony and other senior leadership of the LRA. Our forces will provide information, advice, and assistance to select partner nation forces.

Subject to the approval of each respective host nation, elements of these U.S. forces will deploy into Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The support provided by U.S. forces will enhance regional efforts against the LRA. However, although the U.S. forces are combat-equipped, they will only be providing information, advice, and assistance to partner nation forces, and they will not themselves engage LRA forces unless necessary for self-defense. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of U.S. military personnel during their deployment.

Sourced from: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/10/obama-dispatches-100-troops-to-uganda/1?csp=34news

US denies interest in Uganda oil

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18504-us-denies-interest-in-uganda-oil.html

THE US on Monday denied that its renewed interest in Uganda is a strategy to get hold of the newly found oil in the count.

The US government has announced that it will deploy troops to help Uganda fight the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) who are currently in the Central African Republic.

Critics have said that the only reason that America seems to be coming up strongly to offer troops to help in fighting Kony when they did not when he was killing people here was because of the oil.

But the Charge d’Affairs at the American embassy in Kampala, Virginia Blaser, said yesterday that the US has been helping Uganda with especially with the humanitarian situation in the North where Kony was killing people. She was addressing journalists at a press conference.

“The US is deeply committed to supporting Uganda’s effort to eliminate the threat of LRA and providing humanitarian assistance to LRA affected regions,” Blazer said. “Since 2008, the LRA has been responsible for at least 2,400 attacks and over 3,400 abductions. According to the UN, there have been approximately 250 attacks attributed to the LRQA this year.

She said that over the recent years, the Ugandan military has persevered through some of the most difficult terrain in the world and significantly reduced the LRA numbers and kept them from regrouping.

She insisted that the US troops will assume an advisory, not a combat role. She said that the continued stay of the US troops is dependent on the continued cooperation of regional governments i8n fighting Kony.

“The US military personnel will assume a supporting role to strengthen information-sharing and operational effectiveness against the LRA,” She said and added that the decision to do so was taken in 2009. She said that only a portion of the personnel will travel to the field locations, but also to advise and would only defend themselves if attacked.

President Yoweri Museveni also told journalists on Sunday that American soldiers will not fight Kony, but will advise the Ugandan army.

“We have American advisors not fighters so there are no American troops here,” Museveni said in answer to journalists’ queries at a press conference yesterday.

According to an earlier message by US president Barrack Obama, the , US troops, could also deploy from Uganda into South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

LRA rebels are accused of terrorizing, murdering, raping and kidnapping thousands of people in the four nations, and tens of thousands of people died in their 20-year war with security forces in northern Uganda.

According to AFP, the president said a small group of troops deployed on Wednesday and that additional forces will deploy over the next month.

Kony, is wanted by the International Criminal Court, over crimes against humanity appears to have dropped any national political agenda and in recent years his marauding troops have sown death and destruction in the region.

The civil war effectively ended in 2006 when a peace process was launched, but Kony and his top commanders continue to commit atrocities in remote areas of neighboring countries.

Mugabe urged to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe

2011-10-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

Mugabe urged to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe

http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/dded840048a5b01aa6d0a65c3e4e6c86/Mugabe-urged-to-end-attacks-on-Anglicans-in-Zimbabwe-20111011

Tuesday 11 October 2011 05:35

The Archbishop of Canterbury asked President Robert Mugabe to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe, where a renegade bishop has forced the faithful out of their churches.

Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, met for two hours with Mugabe at State House to lay out his concerns about the assault on the Church that has seen even teachers and nurses chased from schools and orphanages.

"We have asked in the clearest possible terms that the president use his powers as head of state to put an end to all unacceptable and illegal behaviour," Rowan Williams told reporters afterwards.

"It was a very candid meeting, disagreements were expressed clearly, but I think in a peaceful manner," he said.

"We deeply deplore the manner in which many of the historic assets of the church... hospitals, schools have not only been seized by the breakaway group but are no longer used for the purpose for which were designed."

The police must perfrom their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray

Mugabe, who at 87 has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980, made no comments either before or after the meeting.

Williams later met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's long-time rival who joined a unity government two years ago.

"The police must perform their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray," Tsvangirai said.

Renegade bishop and Mugabe ally Nolbert Kunonga broke away from the Anglican Communion three years ago in a dispute over homosexuality. His new grouping seized all the Church's property and forcefully evicted Anglicans from their places of worship.

Kunonga, who has praised Catholic Mugabe as a "true son of God", has backed the president's violent land reform programme and endorsed his condemnation of homosexuality.

Mugabe, Archbishop of Canterbury set for fiery meeting

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18307-mugabe-archbishop-of-canterbury-set-for-fiery-meeting.html

HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will question the Anglican Church's silence on Western sanctions against him and its position on homosexuality, and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will press him to end violent suppression of the church and its priests at a meeting expected on Monday.

Williams arrived in Zimbabwe on Sunday as part of a tour of southern Africa and is expected to meet 87-year-old Mugabe on Monday. Mugabe has yet to confirm the arrangement.

His spokesman George Charamba told the state-run Sunday Mail in an interview that "if ever" Mugabe and Williams were going to meet, Mugabe would ask why the church had not condemned the sanctions he says are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans.

"Has the Church consorted with the British State to impose sanctions against us?" said Charamba.

Western countries led by former colonial power Britain have maintained financial and travel sanctions on Mugabe and senior members from his ZANU-PF party since 2000 over charges of human rights abuse and electoral fraud. Mugabe denies the charges.

Charamba said that Mugabe had nothing to do with a dispute between the church and a rebel bishop who has taken over Anglican church assets.

The Anglican church is appealing against an Aug. 4 ruling that gave Nolbert Kunonga, a Mugabe supporter who leads a breakaway faction of the church, custody of the Anglican church's Zimbabwean properties.

Kunonga is a former head of the Anglican church in the country but resigned in 2007 claiming homosexual priests and congregants had gained influence in the church, although it does not conduct same-sex marriages or ordain gay priests.

"The second issue that the President wants this man of God (Williams) to clarify is why his Anglican Church thinks homosexuality is good for us and why it should be prescribed for us," said Charamba.

"He (Mugabe) thinks the Archbishop will be polite enough to point to him what portion of the Great Book sanctions homosexuality and sanctions."

Mugabe makes frequent verbal attacks on gays and lesbians and has previously said they are "worse than pigs and dogs".

On Sunday, a group of about 200 members from Kunonga's faction marched in central Harare denouncing homosexuality.

Reverse Psychology: Rwanda to send back minerals to the DRC

2011-10-13T03:38:00.000-07:00

FIRST READ: Impunity and Complicity in the Genocide in Rwanda and Congo: African Mercenaries for the American New world order system

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2011/09/impunity-and-complicity-in-genocide-in.html

Rwanda to send back minerals to the DRC

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18400-rwanda-to-send-back-minerals-to-the-drc.html

KIGALI,Rwanda - Government has announced that it will soon send back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 70 tonnes (70,000Kgs) of untagged minerals smuggled into the country.

The New Times daily published in Kigali yesterday quoted Dr Michael Biryabarema, the Director General for Mines and Geology in the Ministry of Natural Resources, saying the handover date was yet to be determined by the relevant ministers from both countries.

The minerals were seized by Revenue Protection Department’s anti-smuggling unit as they were sneaked into the country, from DRC, through the western corridors of Rusizi and Rubavu, over the last five months, Biryabarema said.

They include cassitarite and wolframite, tungsten and tantalum, he added.

“We no longer export untagged minerals. So, any minerals that come into Rwanda without a tag are impounded and taken back to the country of origin,” Biryabarema said.

In January, this year, Rwanda set up a mineral tagging and sealing scheme that is internationally recognised as the iTSCi project, which aims at curbing illegal trading of minerals, particularly from conflict areas in the DRC.

DRC is singled out as a conflict zone.

Between March and September this year, 91,000 Kgs of smuggled minerals have been impounded. 55,000kgs in Rubavu district, 27,000 in Rusizi and 9,000 in Kigali.

The 70,000kgs to be sent back to DRC are part of 91,000 kgs impounded. The ministry of Mines is in the process of identifying the origin of the remaining minerals.

The US passed a law putting an end to the exportation of untagged minerals in July 2010, with the aim of discouraging trading in ‘blood minerals’, a requirement that came into force in April, 2011.

Rwanda has the capacity to tag up to 98 percent of its minerals.

President Museveni calls for inter religious cooperation

2011-10-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

President Museveni calls for inter religious cooperation

http://www.256newsonline.com/index.php?category=stories&id=441&cd=1&hl=President%20Museveni%20calls%20for%20inter%20religious%20cooperation

9th,October 2011

President Yoweri Museveni has said that the movement of righteous people from all religions is good for society.

The President was this morning speaking during the annual Uganda National Prayer Breakfast held at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The 13th Uganda National Prayer Breakfast is a brainchild of the Uganda Parliamentarians that is traditionally held to give Uganda a spiritual strength as the country prepares for the annual Independence Day Anniversary celebrations that fall on October 09th.

This year’s Prayer Breakfast session was held under the theme: “For God and My Country: A Call for Excellence in service”. In reference to the Bible, the President urged Uganda Parliamentarians and leaders at large to “let your light shine before the people so that they may praise you for the good deeds.”

President Museveni commended Mr. Steven Akabway former Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Ms. Allen Kagina presently the URA Commissioner General and Ms. Jennipher Musisi a former employee at the national tax body, for having served as exemplary tax collectors in the Uganda Revenue Authority.

He noted that they were among the people who have served without stealing the tax payers’ money and attributed this to their commitment to their faith. He further commended Ms. Musisi, now the Executive Director of Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) for the good start in her new assignment of reorganizing the City of Kampala into a better place.

Mr. Museveni also challenged Africans to multiply their God-given talents adding that the continent’s major challenge is underdevelopment. He warned that Africans must not remain weak thereby offering a bait to greedy people to steal from the innocent ones. He strongly called for efforts to tame and dominate nature but also cautioned leaders against dividing the people along unprincipled sectarian lines.

The wife of the President, Mrs. Janet Museveni, prayed to God to visit Uganda with a heart of blessings as the country enters its jubilee year of Uhuru. She also prayed for permanent peace and harmony as well for all people to work with integrity.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, saluted the President for promoting African women. She also lauded him for facilitating and attending the national prayer breakfast.

The guest Speaker, who is the Ambassador of Zambia to Belgium, Dr. Inonge Lewanika, said that by attending the national prayer breakfast, became a dream come true. She challenged the leaders to work for the good of the future generations adding that “dig wells for the good of the people.”

The Minister of Health, Dr. Christine Ondoa in her testimony, revealed that she has achieved a lot due to her commitment to God. She noted that “we are blessed to have President Museveni who has a good vision for the country”.

Museveni wanted Musisi for judiciary

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15398&Itemid=59

Written by David Tash Lumu Monday, 10 October 2011 00:05

President Museveni has said Jennifer Musisi, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director, turned down an offer of an appointment to the judiciary and chose to take up the challenge of cleaning up Kampala.

“I wanted her to bring some Christianity and godliness to the judiciary, so I called her and told her to apply to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), but she said: ‘I cannot apply to be a judge’,” Museveni said.

The President, who was speaking at the 13th national prayer breakfast at Hotel Africana on Saturday, added that he did not give up on his quest to persuade the woman he describes as a “heroine”.

“I later told her that if you don’t want to go to the judiciary, why don’t you become a garbage cleaner? She agreed.”

Museveni said he does not regret having appointed Musisi as ED of Kampala and that very soon, he will write a letter congratulating her for “saving us from the floods at Clock Tower”.

“KCC had become a centre of filth, dirt, theft and disorganisation, but for the short time this woman has been there, you have all seen the work,” he said.

Musisi belongs to a group of people the President describes as “righteous” and whom he believes will change the way his government operates by restoring integrity. Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General Allen Kagina and Health minister Christine Androa are some of the other people in this group that Museveni mentioned.

He implored born-again Christians (balokole) to continue nurturing “a nursery of producing cadres who can deliver excellent service”.

But, in his usual humorous way, Museveni turned around and described the style of worship in balokole churches as “simply just jumping and dancing around”.

He was prompted to say this shortly after Androa’s testimony detailing how God compelled the President to appoint her a minister even when she had never had any connection to him.

“I didn’t know that Androa belongs to one of these churches where they dance and shout. They simply just jump and dance around. You see, I was tired of corrupt doctors and I told my network to look around and they contacted her,” Museveni said.

The joke sparked off some grumbling in the audience, but Museveni tactfully calmed the people when he reaffirmed that Androa’s appointment was ordained by God: “She told me that I was compelled by God to appoint her. It’s true that I was compelled; God compelled me”.

However, the President maintained that balokole are “mad”. Quoting from stories his grandmother used to tell him, Museveni said if she was still alive, she would say, “You are beyond madness”.

He said one of the reasons he remains close to balokole is the fact that they do not indulge in alcohol. “You are mad without drinking alcohol. Since you don’t drink alcohol, I welcome you. Anybody who is voluntarily mad without [the influence of] alcohol, I welcome,” he said.

The guest speaker, Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika, advised Museveni and other leaders to start planning for Africa’s future generation if they are to change the continent from “a problem to a solution”.

“Are we digging wells for the future generation? We are here because someone dug a well for us. What are we doing for our children?” she asked.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, said the prayer meeting cost Shs 90 million.

dtlumu@observer.ug

Museveni Warns on Religious Extremism

http://allafrica.com/stories/201008260067.html

Cyprian Musoke, John Ssemakula and Francis Kagolo

The New Vision, 25 August 2010

Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has warned against religious intolerance, saying it is one of the reasons that prompted him and his comrades to go to war in order to stabilize the country.

Addressing the All Africa Bishops Conference in Entebbe yesterday, Museveni said the formative years of religion in Uganda were characterised by friction between denominations. "There was friction between the Protestants and Catholics and later between the two and Muslims. Protestants came in 1877 and the Catholics in 1879, but by 1890, we already had a civil war. You can imagine the confusion allegedly in the name of God," he said.

From 1888, he noted, people were killing each other 'on behalf of God'. "I don't know where they met God to instruct them to go and kill each other, you should study this," he told the prelates, throwing them into laughter. That rivalry, Museveni added, went on into the 1970s, climaxing into the (former dictator) Idi Amin regime.

"This problem is one of the issues that formed my political awareness and together with my colleagues, we were determined to stop it. As a Christian, I challenged this and said: 'This is not what God told you to do; you are all wrong'," he said, to thunderous applause. He reminded them of the story of the Good Samaritan who helped a man who had been beaten up by robbers, yet he (Samaritan) was not of the victim's social caste.

"I am always looking for the Good Samaritan. Jesus said we shall know them by their deeds. Not clothes, titles or names, but by their deeds," he stressed. He described the religious wars going on in the world as okuhimbagira, "to disorient oneself in a very fundamental way".

"You fight this one, fight that one; what is your problem? That I am a Muslim? If you are, so what? If I am a Christian, what's your problem?" "You are what you are, I am what I am and everyone of us is here in their own right by the permission of God; so you must accept me the way I am."

He said there were some groups in Kawempe on the outskirts of Kampala some years ago who wanted to riot because somebody had eaten pork. "I don't eat fish because my people call it snake. I don't eat chicken because my people think it makes one unstable, don't eat pork and sheep but I am the number one promoter of piggery in the whole of Uganda.

"I think tolerance is firmly based on the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan," he said. The President, who was jolly and kept cracking jokes, invited the clergy to visit Uganda again, saying it is unique, being on the equator but experiencing permanent snow on Mt. Rwenzori because it is 5,000 metres above sea level. Only Kenya and Ecuador in South America, he added, have such an experience.

Addressing a press conference later, Orombi said they had met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, over homosexuality which has split the Anglican church. "He recognised that he has complicated work to do. We impressed it on him that he had totally gone in a different direction and he has to sort it out," Orombi said.

He said the church in Singapore, south-east Asia and Africa had decided to stick to the Word of God and the Anglican Communion was strengthening its ties with them. "We sympathise with his (Williams) position. It's like having unruly kids in his house and he can't sit down to eat food. We told him no more diplomacy on that matter," he said.

Experts on family issues, maternal health and HIV/AIDS also made their presentations. Dr. Peter Okaalet said the 10 killer diseases in Africa like malaria, HIV/AIDS and accidents are preventable. "Africa has failed to prevent these 10 killer diseases because its health system is overburdened to the extent that it cannot deliver anything," Okaalet said.

"Most of the budgets of the African countries offer $10 to $20 for health per person every year, which cannot do anything."

Sylvia Mwichuli said Africa has the potential to end poverty. "Africa is not doomed, it has a lot of potential and South Africa has just exhibited it when she hosted a successful World Cup recently," she added.

Mwiculi observed that the gap between the rich and the poor who struggle to live is very big and needs to be bridged urgently.

She challenged religious leaders to support people and groups of people who advocate for the positive change on the continent.

Museveni Warns Religious Extremists
http://allafrica.com/stories/200004270093.html
Jonathan Angura and Nathan Etengu
The New Vision, 27 April 2000

Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has said religious extremism will not be tolerated in Uganda. He said having fought the liberation war, he will ensure that Uganda remains a peaceful and organised society.

"We are not going to allow anyone to use religion to disturb the peace we have sacrificed our lives, energy and resources to bring about," Museveni said in a speech read yesterday by second deputy prime minister Moses Ali at the seventh graduation ceremony of the Islamic University in Uganda A total of 289 students, 93 of them women, graduated in various disciplines.

President Tells African Bishops - 'There Should Be No Room for Intolerance Because Everyone is Made in the Image of God'

http://allafrica.com/stories/201008271108.html

Uganda's President Museveni said today that tolerance was a biblical imperative and that Christians should not "have one minute of time wasted" by those promoting prejudice.

Speaking to almost 400 bishops and other guests at the All Africa Bishops Conference in Entebbe this morning, President Museveni used the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan to highlight the need to overcome difference and pursue peace and healing.

Drawing on Ugandan religious history, President Museveni explained it took only ten years after the first convert to Christianity in Uganda before Catholics and Protestants were fighting and killing each other.

"I don't' know where they heard God wanted them to fight and kill each other," he said. "A civil war between those calling themselves Catholics and those calling themselves Protestants! Then there was another war between the two of them and Muslims. They were all fighting on behalf of God, they said."

He recounted the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan to demonstrate that prejudice should not get in the way of peace and helping other human beings. In this New Testament story it is a traditional enemy of the Israelites, a Samaritan, who aids an injured Israelite when members of the Jewish religious elite fail to do so.

"I am always looking for the good Samaritan," he said. "Jesus says you shall know them by their fruits. You shall know them by their actions. Not by their words, not by their addresses, not by their titles, but by their works, by their deeds, by the products of their works."

The President said those of all denominations or faiths needed to recognise one another's right to exist: "If you are a Muslim, so what? I am a Christian. OK, so what's your problem? You are what you are, but I am what I am. We're different...I'm here by the permission of God. You must accept me the way I am whether you want it or not."

He added that anyone promoting intolerance should not "waste one of our minutes with this...We are all created in the image of god, so you are made in the image of god. I don't know whether God is black or white or Chinese, but we are created in his image-that's what the bible says."

He concluded his well-received speech by officially opening the CAPA-run conference for bishops of the Anglican Communion in Africa that is running until Sunday 29 August at the Imperial Beach Hotel, Entebbe. Aims for this conference include mobilising the bishops to tackle the obstacles that continue to keep the continent in conflict, poverty, corruption, poor leadership and disease.

U.S. condemns Iranian pastor's conviction

2011-09-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

U.S. condemns Iranian pastor's conviction

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/29/iranian-pastor-refuses-to-reject-religion-faces-execution/?hpt=hp_t2

By Dan Merica, CNN

Washington (CNN) – The White House Thursday condemned the conviction of an Iranian pastor, who may be executed in Tehran for refusing to recant his religious beliefs and convert from Christianity to Islam.

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani "has done nothing more than maintain his devout faith, which is a universal right for people," a White House spokesman said in a statement. "That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency and breaches Iran's own international obligations."

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent advisory group appointed by the president and Congress to monitor religious freedom around the world, Wednesday expressed "deep concern" for Nadarkhani, the head of a network of Christian house churches in Iran.

After four days of an appeals trial for apostasy, Nadarkhani refused to recant his beliefs, the commission said. Chairman Leonard Leo said the pastor "is being asked to recant a faith he has always had. Once again, the Iranian regime has demonstrated that it practices hypocritical barbarian practices."

While the trial is closed to the press, Leo said the commission collects information from sources in Iran and around the world.

The commission's statement also called the trial a sham and said Iran is violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which it is a party.

"A decision to impose the death penalty would further demonstrate the Iranian authorities' utter disregard for religious freedom, and highlight Iran's continuing violation of the universal rights of its citizens," the White House statement said. "We call upon the Iranian authorities to release Pastor Nadarkhani and demonstrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion."

Nadarkhani was first sentenced to death in November 2010, the commission said, and in order to avoid the death penalty, he is being asked to recant his beliefs and convert to Islam. Leo said an apostasy trial is rare in Iran; the last occurred in 1990.

Iran's claim stems from the pastor's Muslim parents. According to Leo, the court needed to verify if Nadarkhani had ever been a Muslim. In order to be given what Iran claims is the opportunity to recant his beliefs, Nadarkhani must have never been a Muslim before the age of 15, Leo said.

Because he was given the opportunity during the four-day trial, it is apparent that the Iranian court found he was never a Muslim and therefore Nadarkhani could have converted.

According to a source close to the situation within the Commission on International Religious Freedom, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, would have to sign off on the execution. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the subject's sensitivity, the source said such cases in Iran are difficult because of the lack of transparency in leaders' decision-making.

The source also said that in the past, political prisoners have had their prison time and punishment reduced by the Iranian government. Though they did not say that was guaranteed in this situation, the source indicated it was a possibility.

The American Center for Law and Justice, a right-leaning organization founded by television evangelist Pat Robertson, reported Wednesday night that Nadarkhani's death sentence had been overturned, meaning that the pastor would be receiving a lesser punishment. They sourced the claim to someone in Iran.

Those reports could not be independently verified by CNN. The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United Nations failed to comment on the ruling.

Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the ACLJ, said the outcry from Christians in America has been loud and sustained.

"American Christians, like never before, are engaged in this," Sekulow said. "This is evidence that Christians in America over the past decade have done a better job engaging in the persecution issue."

Are "Spiritual Fathers" Supported by The New Testament?

2011-09-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Are "Spiritual Fathers" Supported by The New Testament?

http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/470-are-qspiritual-fathersq-supported-by-the-new-testament.html

Kato Mivule | September 27, 2011

One of the popular teachings today in Evangelical circles is that of “Spiritual Fathers”, individuals who are supposed to act as mentors, guides, and accountability partners between a Christian and Jesus Christ. Often success, prosperity, fame, blessings, and attaining “the anointing” are tied to this mentor, a.k.a. Spiritual Father, without whom, the believer cannot attain the full blessings of God.

This teaching has become popular due to the trend that Christians today have in the pursuit of monetary success and prosperity. The teaching is also tied to the “Breaking the Curse” teaching, in that believers who don’t have a “Spiritual Father” often “suffer” the prolonged consequences of curses and lack of monetary success and prosperity.

However, the question that critical thinking Christians must ask themselves before submitting to one of the “Spiritual Fathers”, is this teaching biblical, is it supported anywhere in the New Testament? What did Jesus Christ say about “Spiritual Fathers”?

The New Testament does not at any time support the teaching on Spirituals Fathers. The word “Spiritual Father” is not found anywhere in the New Testament. Just like many other extra biblical teachings, the proponents of “Spiritual Father” often take one or two scriptures in the New Testament out of context and then build on that with heavy out of context reliance on the Old Testament as their back up.

Matthew 23:8-10 (NKJV)
8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

Jesus Christ was very clear that we do not call anyone ‘father’ here on earth as we have one Heavenly Father, our Heavenly Spiritual Father, God Creator of Heaven and Earth. The New Testament uses Father in reference to God in Heaven and He is the only one who has authorized blessing for us believers through Jesus Christ, by Grace and not works. No “Spiritual Father” on earth or inside your Church can grant you any blessing, none…

Ephesians 1:2-4(NKJV)
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

On the contrary, The New Testament does support Christian Church Leadership and that must not be confused with “Spiritual Fathers”. Yes, the New Testament speaks about leaders in the Church, Paul the Apostle appointed various leaders in the Churches he opened. However, never did he refer to them as “Spiritual Fathers”. Never did Paul state that blessings and success come from “Spiritual Fathers”.

The concept of "Spiritual Fathers" is used by some for control, manipulation, and monetary gain, driven largely by a Christian’s fear of being “cursed”. The more people who call some individual a “Spiritual Father”, the more that “Spiritual Father” can gain in terms of influence.

When it comes to “Receiving the Anointing”, there is no New Testament backing for such teachings and a Christian does not need a “Spiritual Father” to be anointed. As a matter of fact John the apostle tells us that we are all anointed by the Holy Spirit as Christians after we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

1 John 2(NKJV)
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

The anointing you received from The Holy Spirit is able to teach you all things, that is to say, The Holy Spirit should guide you through God’s Word and your mentor should be Jesus Christ and not a Man who will fail you the next day. The Teaching on “Spiritual Fathers” is about placing a level of trust in a human being but that is disastrous to your spiritual faith as you will discover that humans fail and therefore your true mentor should be Jesus Christ and what He taught and said.

Nowhere does it say in the New Testament that you receive an anointing from your “Spiritual Father”. Yes, we do have Church leaders and their duty is to guide you in your PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ so that you receive directly from The Lord and relate with Him personally, not to serve as intermediaries between you and Jesus Christ.

The most misquoted verse by the proponents of the “Spiritual Fathers” teachings is 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 in which Paul tells the Christians in Corinth that they may have many instructors but not many fathers …

1 Corinthians 4:15 (NKJV)
15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

Paul was not trying to act as an intermediary between Christians and Jesus Christ, he was not telling them to emulate to him per say, but rather that they should submit to Jesus Christ just as Paul had submitted to Jesus Christ. It is reason that Paul used the phrase, “imitate me”. Many proponents of the “Spiritual Fathers” teaching stop there but in 1 Corinthians 11: 1, Paul completes that phrase, “imitate me as I imitate Christ”.

1 Corinthians 11(NKJV)
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

The teaching on “Spiritual Fathers” is not found anywhere in the New Testament and contradicts the Teachings of Jesus Christ on that subject. You don’t need a “Spiritual Father” to be anointed and blessed. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ and anointed us by The Holy Spirit with an anointing that abides with us. Cultivate your personal relationship with Jesus Christ and have no spiritual intermediaries, let Jesus Christ and His Words be your Mentor, and let God of Heaven be your Spiritual Father.

God Bless You.
Kato Mivule
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Are we giving fellow humans God’s glory?

Sunday Vision | 25th September, 2011| http://tiny.cc/it29q

THE FAITH DEBATE

Moses Mulondo explores the concept of spiritual fathers
LAST month, I attended a pastor’s conference at Zion Wakening Centre in Bweyogerere, where a Pentecostal bishop from Kenya told believers that those who wished to be successful in church ministry should have both a vision and a spiritual father. One of the participants opposed him, citing St Paul who never had a spiritual father nor any spiritual leader who taught him salvation, yet became one of the greatest apostles.
The pastor was referring to Galatians 1:11-17 where Paul says: “I want you to know, brothers the Gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” Pastor Martin Ssempa also opposes the doctrine of calling fellow believers spiritual fathers. “This question needs to be resolved once and for all. There are many people calling themselves our spiritual fathers but let it be known that our one and only spiritual father is God the creator of heaven and earth,” Ssempa argues. The teaching of spiritual fathers has, for long, been emphasised in the Catholic Church more than in any other denomination, as evident in the head of the Catholic Church — the Pope, called the Holy Father.
The Pentecostal church, which started at the beginning of the 20th Century, never classified Jesus’s followers into fathers and children or sons and daughters. They believed that all believers related as equal brothers and sisters working together. They carried the notion that calling some spiritual fathers created inequality in the Church. But today, they teach the importance of having spiritual fathers.

Impunity and Complicity in the Genocide in Rwanda and Congo: African Mercenaries for the American New world order system

2011-09-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

Impunity and Complicity in the Genocide in Rwanda and Congo: African Mercenaries for the American New world order system

http://www.antipasministries.com/other/article181.htm

'Dear Brother Jean Baptiste Bagaza, we have the greatest honour to extend our sincere gratitude to you both for your financial and technical support in our struggle that has just ended with the taking of Kigali.

'Rest assured that our plan to continue shall be pursued as we agreed at our last meeting in Kampala. Last week I communicated with our big brother Yoweri Museveni and decided to make some modifications to the plan. Indeed, as you have noted, the taking of Kigali quickly provoked a panic among the Hutus who fled to Goma and Bukavu. We have found that the presence of a large number of Rwandan refugees at Goma and the international community can cause our plan for Zaire to fail. We cannot occupy ourselves with Zaire until after the return of these Hutus. All means are being used for their return as rapidly as possible. In any case, our external intelligence services continue to crisscross the east of Zaire and our Belgian, British and American collaborators, the rest of Zaire. The action reports are expected in the next few days.

Obama requests immunity for Kagame re Rwanda Genocide and Congo wars

http://sfbayview.com/2011/obama-requests-immunity-for-kagame-re-rwanda-genocide-and-congo-wars/
September 14, 2011

Reporting on the mass protest on Tuesday, Sept. 13, in Paris against Kagame’s visit, Susana Sanz Guardo of Basta de Impunidad en Ruanda (Stop Impunity in Rwanda) wrote that an unprecedented 1,300 people from several European countries marched to the Parliament Building protesting Kagame’s human rights abuses in Rwanda and Congo, calling him “genocidaire (someone who commits or advocates genocide).” “The biggest success has been, without doubt, that for the first time Rwandans and Congolese living in Europe, being victims of the policy of Kigali, have joined together in the same march and with one common voice,” she wrote. “For the first time the protest has been massive. This means that they have lost the fear, that we will not stop and that there is no turning back.”

KPFA Weekend News report broadcast Sept. 10, 2011

On Aug. 29, Barack Obama’s State Department filed “Suggestion of Immunity Submitted by the United States of America,” a request for immunity for Rwandan President Paul Kagame in the civil lawsuit Habyarimana vs. Kagame, which alleges Kagame’s guilt in the Rwanda Genocide and Congo wars and demands damages for the widows of assassinated Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira.

Obama seems to be requesting more legal immunity for a foreign head of state than he himself enjoys, after the landmark Supreme Court case Clinton v. Jones, which established that a sitting president of the United States has no immunity from civil litigation against him for acts done before taking office and unrelated to the office.

Plaintiffs' complaint in Habyarimana vs. Kagame promises to prove that then Gen. Paul Kagame, now president of Rwanda, ordered the assassination of Rwandan President Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira on April 6, 1994. The crash triggered the ethnic massacres known as the Rwanda Genocide.
Or will the Obama team argue that Kagame is immune from legal action for assassinating the Rwandan and Burundian presidents because that was part of Kagame’s path to seizing power and is therefore related to his office as president of Rwanda?

Plaintiffs’ counsel say they can prove that Kagame ordered the assassination of the Rwandan and Burundian presidents by shooting down their plane, which crashed into the presidential palace in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 6, 1994, triggering the panic and subsequent massacres that came to known as the Rwanda Genocide. The two presidents were returning from peace talks in Arusha, Tanzania, called to try to bring an end to the Rwandan civil war of 1990-1994, which began when then Gen. Paul Kagame and his Rwandan Patriotic Army invaded Rwanda from Uganda on Oct. 2, 1990.

Habyarimana v. Kagame
Habyarimana v. Kagame alleges that Gen. Paul Kagame and nine of his top military commanders and officials are guilty of “wrongful death and murder, crimes against humanity, violation of the rights of life, liberty, and security, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, torture, and continuing conspiracy in furtherance thereof” in Rwanda and its neighbor, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Plaintiffs allege that many of these crimes, including the assassination of the Rwandan and Burundian presidents, were committed before Kagame succeeded in overthrowing the government and becoming first a government official and then president.

The suit demands a jury trial, in which evidence would become public record, and might then be included as evidence in a criminal trial.

Peter Erlinder and lawyers Kurt Kerns and John P. Zelbst filed the suit on behalf of Mesdames Habyarimana and Ntaryamira in the federal District Court of Western Oklahoma in Oklahoma City prior to Kagame’s April 30, 2011, commencement address at Oklahoma Christian University.

Kagame failed to answer the complaint within the time allowed, and the court thus declared a default judgment in favor of Mesdames Habyarimana and Ntaryamira.
This judgment could, however, quite likely be overturned if Kagame, Obama and the State Department were willing to let the case proceed on its merits to a jury trial.

Pierre Prosper, a lawyer who served as George Bush’s second United States ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues from 2001 to 2005, is representing Kagame in his claim that he was not properly served with the lawsuit and that he therefore cannot be expected to answer the lawsuit or be declared in default for failing to answer.

Kagame was not properly served?
It seems unlikely that the State Department would have intervened had they expected Pierre Prosper’s challenge of proper service, by a team of experienced lawyers and private investigators, to succeed.

Claude Gatebuke, with other Rwandans and supporters, protested the April 30, 2010, visit of Kagame to Oklahoma Christian University, where he was served with the lawsuit on behalf of the assassinated presidents’ widows. – Photo: Kendall Brown
But it’s difficult to argue that Kagame was not properly served and remains unfamiliar with the lawsuit, considering that his own prosecutors presented portions of it as evidence against law professor Peter Erlinder following his arrest in Kigali, Rwanda, in May 2010, after he arrived to defend opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza.

Kagame’s prosecutors’ use of the lawsuit now as evidence against Ingabire herself make it even harder to argue. Ingabire stands in the dock in Kigali, facing a possible sentence on charges of terrorism and “genocide ideology,” i.e., refusing to deny that Hutus as well as Tutsis died in ethnic violence before, during and after the genocide.

Executive immunity after Clinton v. Jones

This is the first time that the U.S. State Department has requested immunity in a civil lawsuit for a foreign head of state in U.S. courts beyond that which U.S. presidents can claim after Clinton v. Jones, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case establishing that a sitting president of the United States has no immunity from civil litigation against him for acts done before taking office and unrelated to the office.

The State Department has claimed immunity for Kagame’s alleged wrongful acts before he became the president of Rwanda, an immunity which Bill Clinton could not claim from Paula Jones’s lawsuit, which she filed when he was president of the United States, suing him for what he allegedly did while he was governor of Arkansas.

On Monday, the wives of the assassinated Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi filed their “Objections to the August 29 State Department Suggestion of Immunity on Behalf of Rwanda’s President Kagame” and cited the State Department statement of interest of the United States of America, No. 1:104 CV 1360 (Feb. 14, 2011) (LMB), declaring that immunity is only applicable to “official acts by a sitting government,” with which all parties agree.

Law professor Peter Erlinder
“It is astounding that the Obama-Clinton-Koh State Department would choose Paul Kagame as the first head of state on whose behalf to assert immunity for unofficial actions,” observes law professor Peter Erlinder, “wrongful acts before becoming head of state, in light of the clear legal guidance of Clinton v. Jones and the factual record of massive crimes committed by Kagame before he became titular head of state under questionable circumstances in 2000 and again in 2003 and considering negative White House comments that ‘an election is not democracy’ after opposition parties were outlawed and journalists expelled and assassinated in the rigged election in August 2010.

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, who would likely have prevailed over Paul Kagame had he allowed her to run in last year’s presidential election, has endured nearly a year in Rwanda’s maximum security prison and is now on trial.

“The objection on behalf of the presidential widows filed today lists French and Spanish indictments; four U.N. Security Council reports from 2001-2008; a 600-page UNHCHR report of Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity between 1993 and 2003 issued Oct. 1, 2010; and U.N.-ICTR prosecutor reports from 1994 to 2003, all of which confirm massive crimes committed by Kagame and his Rwandan Patriotic Front that are in the public record.

“The irony of the ‘Suggestion of Immunity’ is compounded because Victoire Ingabire, the would-be presidential candidate against Mr. Kagame whom I attempted to advise in Rwanda in May 2010, which resulted in my own arrest by Kagame on charges of ‘genocide ideology,’ is now in the dock in Kigali facing trumped-up terrorism charges, as reported in the New York Times Sept. 10, 2011, during the same week that the Obama administration has asserted immunity for massive crimes for which Mr. Kagame is charged in multiple criminal indictments and U.N. reports.

“The question is, why IS protecting Mr. Kagame so important for U.S. policy-makers, anyway?”

Habyarimana vs. Kagame, the civil lawsuit, is available here.
Suggestion of Immunity [Kagame’s] submitted by the United States of America is available here.
Objections to the August 29 State Department Suggestion of Immunity on Behalf of Rwanda’s President Kagame is available here.
Ingabire on trial, Kagame in France, Obama for Kagame immunity
Transcript of KPFA Weekend News report broadcast Sept. 10, 2011
KPFA Weekend News Host Cameron Jones: Victoire Ingabire’s trial will resume in Kigali, Rwanda, on Monday, where Ingabire is expected to testify in her own defense. Ingabire is on trial for terrorism and genocide ideology, which, in her case, means refusing to deny that Rwandan Hutus as well as Tutsis died in ethnic violence before, during and after the 1994 Rwanda Genocide.

Law professor Peter Erlinder, arrested last year when he went to Rwanda to defend presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire, is featured in this poster worn by a protester against Rwandan President Kagame’s visit to Paris Sept. 12, 2011.

As Ingabire prepares to testify, Rwandan President Paul Kagame is on his way to France in response to the invitation of French President Nicholas Sarkozy and President Obama has requested immunity for Kagame as a head of state in the civil case, Habyarimana v. Kagame, which alleges Kagame and his officers’ guilt in the Rwanda Genocide and Congo wars and demands damages for the widows of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira. Ann Garrison has this report:

KPFA/Ann Garrison: As Victoire Ingabire prepares to testify in her own defense, Rwandan President Paul Kagame is on his way to France at the invitation of French President Nicholas Sarkozy. Sarkozy has sent French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé to Asia for the duration of Kagame’s visit.

Juppé has publicly disapproved of the invitation and said that the official Rwandan report on French involvement in the genocide is a collection of lies assembled to stop the investigation of Kagame and his senior officers and government officials’ crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, an investigation conducted by the French court of Jean-Louis Bruguiere.

Susana Sanz Guardo is a principle organizer with Basta de Impunidad en Ruanda – in English, End Impunity in Rwanda – an international organization based in Spain. KPFA spoke to Sanz Guardo as she prepared to travel to France to join Rwandan, Congolese, Burundian and international human rights activists in protesting Sarkozy’s invitation and Kagame’s presence in France.

Susana Sanz Guardo: His visit is really surrounded by a strange atmosphere, and has awakened most human rights organizations, who have asked to be mobilized. Military diplomatic French people are also doing their work, who are all against Kagame’s visit.
KPFA: On Friday, in the United States, President Obama asked a federal court in Oklahoma City to grant Kagame immunity in the civil suit alleging his guilt in the Rwanda Genocide and Congo wars filed by William Mitchell law professor Peter Erlinder and Wichita lawyer Kurt Kerns. Rwandan American legal scholar Charles Kambanda, a professor at St. John’s University Law School in New York City, had this to say about Obama’s request:

Charles Kambanda: In this case, in my opinion, the interests of the people who have come to this court – of the United States court – are far greater than the interest the United States might have in protecting Kagame. Also the interest the United States has in protecting its image as the pioneer of fighting for the helpless people who are denied their rights by their leaders is far compelling to any interest the president of the U.S. can possibly think of in Kagame’s case.

Are Christians Bound By Generational Curses? No!

2011-09-27T03:24:00.000-07:00

Are Christians Bound By Generational Curses? No!

http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/469-are-christians-bound-by-generational-curses-no.html

Kato Mivule | September 20, 2011

An article appeared in the Ugandan Weekly, Sunday Vision September 17, 2011 that questioned if Christians are cursed. There is a popular teaching among Evangelical Christians in Uganda that Christians remain cursed until those curses are “broken” by some anointed Man or Woman of God. Usually, those who are deemed cursed are the poor, weak, destitute, unemployed, sick, and those facing various challenges of life.
One of the remedies for “breaking” the curse is to give “seed” money to preachers so as to “break” the curse. The teaching has become very popular given the current global economic malaise, that poor Christians will take the little savings they have and “sow the seed” into the ministries of these predatory preachers.

The popularity of these “breaking the curse” teachings caught the attention of media that the Ugandan Weekly, Sunday Vision published an article on the subject (see below). The catch phrase that these predatory preachers use is “if you are poor then you are cursed”. Thus many ignorant poor Christians give all they have as “seed money” so as to “break” the curse in hopes of getting a job.

However, the New Testament is very clear when it comes to the subject of being cursed. The only time the New Testament mentions about curses and deliverance is in Galatians 3; the New Testament is very clear that those who are in Christ Jesus have been redeemed from the Curse and by Grace and not works. This means that no one can buy their way out of being cursed by giving “seed money” to preachers for deliverance. Redemption from the Curse is a free gift from God through Jesus Christ by Grace and not works.

Galatians 3: 10- 13 (NKJV):
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Therefore don’t waste your time and money by giving it to predatory preachers who mentally try to sway you that you are cursed. You have been redeemed from all curses in Christ Jesus as a free gift and that comes with your Salvation in Jesus Christ.
Now, this does not mean that you will not go through hard times, yes, you will face challenges in life but that does not mean you are cursed. Jesus Christ suffered and endured, Paul the apostle endured sufferings and difficult times, many Christians have had to endure suffering and pain but that does not mean that they were cursed.
In fact they turned those life challenges into good. They saw those life challenges as stepping stones for the better. Remember that Jesus Christ did not save His own to turn around and curse them; that is a lie from Satan and not from Jesus Christ. You are blessed, yes, even when you go through hard times, and face difficult challenges of life; you are blessed in Christ Jesus.
Are Christians bound by generational curses?
http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=525&newsId=765923

Sunday Vision September 17, 2011

THE FAITH DEBATE
Maureen Nakatudde asked several religious leaders to offer their advice... JONATHAN has been in the church for five years. He is a born again Christian, but has failed to find a job. Many of his schoolmates got jobs as soon as they graduated. He wonders what went wrong. To make matters worse, when the pastor comes to the pulpit, he says if you have been in a bad situation for long, you have generational curses. Jonathan’s pastor is not the only one who lauds the songs of generational curses. Many religious leaders do. But many other church leaders argue that immediately a person becomes born-again, the generational curse stops. So, what is the truth?

VINCENT KASHAIJA New Hope Missions, Matugga: “The Bible says all things become new when a person accepts Jesus Christ as his personal saviour. Therefore, there is no way a person can have generation curses if he or she is born again.” In addition, the Bible forbids people to say children pay for their parents’ sins. Jeremiah 31:29 states: “In those days, people will no longer say, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”

Pastor Vincent Kashaija: Deuteronomy 24:16 says fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; instead, everyone will die for his own sin. The preachers who dismiss this teaching of curses among Christians also always make reference to John 8:36, where Jesus said: “He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!” Kashaija says today people have different doctrines, depending on the churches they belong to.

JAMES MBALIRE, Universal Church of God: “If a person gets saved and is not filled with the Holy Spirit, he or she can continue having the generational curses. In order to break the spell of a generational curse, Mbalire advises one to devote him or herself to prayer and repentance of all the sins committed. He adds that the person should turn away from evil; otherwise the curses will return and the person shall be worse off than before, so the Bible says. Even though as a Christian you have been sanctified, make sure that you leave no gap for the devil. Kashaija says the demons always look for an empty gap to fill and this time when they return, they will be more. (Mathew 12:45: The spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself). Mbalire concludes: “When you pray, always believe that God has answered your prayers and you are free from all the curses of the enemy.” He adds: “Christians should look out for any familiar traits in their families and tackle them so that they do not follow them or their children.”

Have you seen traits such as fornication, witchcraft, illiteracy, poverty and theft in your family? Analyse your life and see where it is heading to. If it inclines towards that direction, the best option is to have a will not to be like your relatives with those traits. Also, ask God to transform you. Remember God will help you if have faith in Him.

Published on: Saturday, 17th September, 2011

Lawrence Brewer Executed: White Supremacist Executed For Texas Dragging Murder

2011-09-27T03:20:00.000-07:00

Lawrence Brewer Executed: White Supremacist Executed For Texas Dragging Murder
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/21/lawrence-russell-brewer-executed_n_974926.html

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- White supremacist gang member Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed Wednesday evening for the infamous dragging death slaying of James Byrd Jr., a black man from East Texas.

Byrd, 49, was chained to the back of a pickup truck and pulled whip-like to his death along a bumpy asphalt road in one of the most grisly hate crime murders in recent Texas history.

Brewer, 44, was asked if he had any final words, to which he replied: "No. I have no final statement."

He glanced at his parents watching through a nearby window, took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. A single tear hung on the edge of his right eye as he was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m., 10 minutes after the lethal drugs began flowing into his arms, both covered with intricate black tattoos.

Byrd's sisters also were among the witnesses in an adjacent room.

"Hopefully, today's execution of Brewer can remind all of us that racial hatred and prejudice leads to terrible consequence for the victim, the victim's family, for the perpetrator and for the perpetrator's family," Clara Taylor, one of Byrd's sisters, said.

She called the punishment "a step in the right direction."

"We're making progress," Taylor said. "I know he was guilty so I have no qualms about the death penalty."

Appeals to the courts for Brewer were exhausted and no last-day attempts to save his life were filed.

Besides Brewer, John William King, now 36, also was convicted of capital murder and sent to death row for Byrd's death, which shocked the nation for its brutality. King's conviction and death sentence remain under appeal. A third man, Shawn Berry, 36, received a life prison term.

"One down and one to go," Billy Rowles, the retired Jasper County sheriff who first investigated the horrific scene, said. "That's kind of cruel but that's reality."

It was about 2:30 a.m. on a Sunday, June 7, 1998, when witnesses saw Byrd walking on a road not far from his home in Jasper, a town of more than 7,000 about 125 miles northeast of Houston. Many folks knew he lived off disability checks, couldn't afford his own car and walked where he needed to go. Another witness then saw him riding in the bed of a dark pickup.

Six hours later and some 10 miles away on Huff Creek Road, the bloody mess found after daybreak was thought at first to be animal road kill. Rowles, a former Texas state trooper who had taken office as sheriff the previous year, believed it was a hit-and-run fatality but evidence didn't match up with someone caught beneath a vehicle. Body parts were scattered and the blood trail began with footprints at what appeared to be the scene of a scuffle.

"I didn't go down that road too far before I knew this was going to be a bad deal," he said at Brewer's trial.

Fingerprints taken from the headless torso identified the victim as Byrd.
Testimony showed the three men and Byrd drove out into the county about 10 miles and stopped along an isolated logging road. A fight broke out and the outnumbered Byrd was tied to the truck bumper with a 24 1/2-foot logging chain. Three miles later, what was left of his shredded remains was dumped between a black church and cemetery where the pavement ended on the remote road.

Brewer, King and Berry were in custody by the end of the next day.

The crime put Jasper under a national spotlight and lured the likes of the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers, among others, to try to exploit the notoriety of the case which continues – many say unfairly – to brand Jasper more than a decade later.

King was tried first, in Jasper. Brewer's trial was moved 150 miles away to Bryan. Berry was tried back in Jasper. DNA showed Byrd's blood on all three of them.

Brewer was from Sulphur Springs, about 180 miles to the northwest, and had been convicted of cocaine possession. He met King, a convicted burglar from Jasper, in a Texas prison where they got involved in a KKK splinter group known as the Confederate Knights of America and adorned themselves with racist tattoos. Evidence showed Brewer had violated parole and was involved in a number of burglaries and thefts in the Jasper area.

King had become friends with Berry and moved into Berry's place. Evidence showed Brewer came to Jasper to stay with them.

THE DAY THE UGANDA MEDIA CONFRONTED THE ROTTEN PROSPERITY GOSPEL IN UGANDA

2011-08-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Prosperity and the gospel

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=525&newsId=577140

The Sunday Vision undercover report on prosperity preachers has ignited a debate about the authenticity of the prosperity gospel. Moses Mulondo sought out the views of Francis Katongole, a prominent prosperity preacher, and Alex Mitala, the chairman of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches...

------------------------------------
Apostle Francis Katongole
-------------------------------------

Is the prosperity gospel in line with the Gospel?

If the prosperity gospel is removed from salvation, then Jesus’ coming was in vain. Salvation is not only about one thing: it includes holiness, healing, faith, hope, and prosperity as well.

In Galatians 1:8, St. Paul tells the Galatians that if anyone preaches a gospel different from the one that he preached to them, should be cursed.

Paul was not referring to the prosperity gospel. This is because Paul himself was a preacher of the prosperity gospel. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Apostle Alex Mitala recently advised Christians to run away from a church where a different gospel overshadows the gospel of repentance. What is your take on that?

Well, when what is preached overshadows the repentance gospel, it doesn’t mean that what is being preached is wrong. That doesn’t remove the truth. That doesn’t mean it should not be preached. All we need is to balance the different gospels preached. You have to preach about holiness, faith, healing and money. You get it, sow it and keep some.

What is repentance? I think repentance should be preached to the non-believers. Do you think people come to church to repent? Do you think we always have to be preaching repentance in the church to people who repented? The answer is no. If the dominant gospel preached in the church is of repentance, that means we are not yet saved.

But 1John 1:8 says: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

That means whether you are a pastor or an apostle we all sin somewhere somehow. What about that? I think the kind of repentance talked about in that scripture is that you don’t have to judge others, while thinking you are so holy.

So do you mean there are some people in the church who have reached a level where they no longer need repentance?

No. If the need of a person is repentance and yet there is no repentance gospel in the church, one is free to leave the church.

What did Jesus mean when he said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and the rest shall be added unto you”?

The Kingdom of God is not only about holy living. It embraces a lot of things including the material wellbeing of believers. Seeking his kingdom, therefore, means seeking all the knowledge about his kingdom, including the prosperity knowledge. It is through the preaching of the gospel of prosperity that a person acquires the knowledge that will lead him to a prosperous life.

So if you are putting material things in the bracket of the Kingdom of God, what then is in the category of the rest that shall be added unto us?

The answer to that is simple. Once you have acquired the knowledge about how to become rich through the prosperity gospel, then afterwards riches will come to you if you have put that knowledge in practice. The kingdom is a package.
The gospel of repentance should be preached everywhere, but for those who are already saved, they need more than a repentance gospel. They need the gospel of hope, faith, healing, and prosperity as well. It is the combination of all these that makes up the salvation that Jesus brought.

If a person sows, gives, and tithes but when he or she is still walking under sin, will that person reap?

Instead it is an abomination and a sin for a person who is still a sinner to give and tithe. God is holy and looks at the purity of the hearts of those that give. He doesn’t reward those with impure hearts.

Is it true that the more money one sows in the church the more one prospers, as some prosperity gospel preachers say?

It is true. But it is matter of time. Some reap soon, others take longer. It is God, to whom the gifts are given, who decides the reaping time. In Luke 6 Jesus said, “Give and it shall be given back to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your lap. Another scripture in 2 Corinthians 9:6 says: “He who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he who sows plentifully shall reap plentifully.

But there are many people who become rich without sowing.

That’s true. Actually there are three major ways of getting rich: working, begging, and stealing. You can get rich in any way, but once you are a child of God who has been washed by the blood of Jesus, God asks you to give to Him back part of your wealth. If you fail to do that, then there is a problem between you and your Maker. You are expected to use your money for the work of God and through that God, blesses you.

-----------------------------------
Apostle Alex Mitala
------------------------------------

Is the prosperity gospel the Gospel of Jesus?

First of all, people need to understand that there is nothing called the prosperity gospel. That description is a creation of the media and other misinformed people.
As a theologian, I know that the Gospel of Jesus is one but with different components or ingredients. It would be a serious mistake if I said sowing and giving offerings are not biblical. The truth is that they are components of the Gospel of Jesus. The mistake only comes in emphasising a particular component of the Gospel.

Does that mean that you believe in the teaching: The more you sow in a church the more you will reap?

The Bible doesn’t restrict sowing to the Church. That is the major thing people need to know. While the tithes and offerings are restricted to the Church, giving or sowing is not restricted to the Church.
You can sow outside the Church by feeding the hungry, helping needy people like orphans and widows, and in many other ways as you please. The Bible says God will reward you for that.

What is your interpretation of the scripture: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

To seek the kingdom of God is to do godly acts that propel you towards becoming a new creature that is in the nature of God. Jesus was mainly referring to nonbelievers who had not yet accepted him as their personal saviour. But after one has embraced the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, then all the benefits that are supposed to be enjoyed by the children of the kingdom come to them.

Is seeking riches part of seeking the kingdom of God?

Riches, cars, marriage, etc, are in the category of the rest, which have to be added unto us afterwards. It is God’s desire that your life is transformed before you can get all these things. That is because if you are not transformed you cannot be a good steward of these things. Even marriage cannot stand the storms of life if the marriage partners don’t have the character of Jesus Christ.

Many churches teach more on wealth than holiness. Is that okay?

It is not okay. The foundation of Christianity is the gospel of holiness. However, my message on this goes to all religions. I warn anyone who claims to be following Jesus Christ: If there is no move in your church to abandon our sinful nature, then run away from it. You can only claim to be a child of God if your deeds are godly.
In Romans 6, the Bible says the Kingdom of God is about holy living. That is what it means to be born again. And that is what Jesus meant when he said: “By their fruits you shall know them.

The media leaves out the positive news — like stories about people who were drunkards, prostitutes and witchdoctors, but who have changed their lifestyles after getting saved. When a mulokole steals it is news, but when a Catholic or Muslim steals, it is not news.

You are the leader of born-again churches in Uganda. What are you planning to do to counter the acts of pastors robbing their flock?

That is a common mistake the media makes. I am not the leader of all born-again churches. There are many umbrella organisations for balokole. I only lead one of them, called the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches. There are others like the Evangelical Fellowship. It doesn’t mean those who don’t belong to my organisation are not born-again Christians, and there are also many churches that don’t belong anywhere.

Pastors of such churches act independently for fear of checks and balances from the codes of conduct of the existing umbrella organisations. It is in that category that you get many churches like that of William Muwanguzi in Namulanda.

What you have said seems to give a picture of a church that is segmented. Don’t you think there is need for unity to bring all these churches under one leadership?

The thinking that churches are segmented is your assumption. The purpose of the umbrella groups I have talked about is for checks and balances, not leadership. Pentecostals don’t operate like the Catholics, who are under the leadership of one Pope.

We reserve that glory for Jesus Christ as the leader of the Church, because that is what the Bible teaches us.

For instance, the Anglican Church, which is under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is currently grappling with the problem of gay bishops. Spiritual leadership is therefore not the problem.

What should be the way forward for the mushrooming fake churches you have talked about?

We have come up with a resolution requesting the Government to formulate an Act of Parliament regulating and guiding all religious denominations in the country. The act of registering churches or mosques as NGOs and companies should also stop.
Registration of churches should be removed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity. In this ministry, there is need to establish a strict religious affairs department to monitor religious activities in the country.
Otherwise, our people will continue to fall prey to the predatory hands of these ill-intentioned churches similar to that of Joseph Kibwetere in Kanungu. But of course these regulations should not deprive people of their freedom of worship.

Published on: Saturday, 21st July, 2007

Cabinet drops Bahati’s gay Bill

2011-08-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Cabinet drops Bahati’s gay Bill

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1223104/-/bjwa2vz/-/index.html

By SHEILA NATURINDA

Posted Monday, August 22 2011 at 12:57

Cabinet has finally thrown out the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009 on the advice of Mr Adolf Mwesige, the ruling party lawyer. However, Ndorwa West MP David Bahati, the architect of the Bill, insists the proposed legislation is now property of Parliament and that the Executive should stop “playing hide- and- seek games” on the matter.

The decision to throw out the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was made at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday where Mr Mwesige, according to sources, told ministers that the Bill was unnecessary since government has a number of laws in place criminalising homosexual activities.

“We agreed that government should search the law archives and get some of the laws, enforce them rather than having another new piece of legislation,” a source said. “He [Mwesige] said the Bill is overtaken by events and that donors and other sections of the public were not comfortable.”

The Bill seeks to criminalise all same-sex relations in the country and proposes the death penalty for sodomy. Mr Bahati and his group maintain that the country should have stronger laws against homosexuality in order to protect the moral fabric that holds society intact.

“The future of this country’s children will be determined by the peoples’ representatives in Parliament,” Mr Bahati said during a phone interview on Saturday.

snaturinda@ug.nationmedia.com

Uganda strikes down bid to revive anti-gay bill

http://af.reuters.com/article/ugandaNews/idAFL5E7JN1YS20110823

Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:46pm GMT

KAMPALA Aug 23 (Reuters) - Uganda's cabinet has blocked an attempt by some legislators to reintroduce a bill that called for the death penalty for gays who are considered "repeat offenders".

The small but vocal anti-gay movement in Uganda, spearheaded by several MPs and a group of bishops, won notoriety when the legislation was originally introduced in 2009.

U.S. President Barack Obama denounced it as "odious" and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject it.

"We discussed that bill in cabinet last week and after views from everyone were heard and debated, a decision was unanimously taken to drop that proposed law," Ugandan Attorney General Peter Nyombi told Reuters on Tuesday.

"The position of the cabinet is that there's already sufficient law to take care of all crimes envisaged by the proposed anti-homosexuality bill."

The legislation was not passed during the east African country's last parliamentary session but a group of government MPs had vowed to reintroduce it. Political analysts in Uganda say the decision by the cabinet to come out publicly against it should mean it cannot be passed in the near future.

The bill had been quietly shelved under pressure from foreign governments and gay rights groups before, but activists feared it would end up being passed after President Yoweri Museveni's February election victory. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Writing by Barry Malone; Editing by Richard Lough and Mark Heinrich)

Girl in Uganda Loses Use of Legs After Leaving Islam for Christ

2011-08-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Girl in Uganda Loses Use of Legs After Leaving Islam for Christ

Muslim father locked 14-year-old in room with almost no food or water for months.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/girl-in-uganda-loses-use-of-legs-after-leaving-islam-for-christ-54057/

Wed, Aug. 17 2011 09:44 AM EDT

NAIROBI, Kenya – A 14-year-old girl in western Uganda is still unable to walk 10 months after her father tortured her for leaving Islam and putting her faith in Christ, according to area Christians.

Susan Ithungu of Isango village, Kasese district, has been hospitalized at Kagando Hospital since October 2010 after neighbors with police help rescued her from her father, Beya Baluku. He was arrested shortly afterward but quickly released, sources said.

Susan and her younger brother, Mbusa Baluku, lived alone with their father after he divorced their mother. In March 2010 an evangelist from Bwera Full Gospel Church spoke at Susan’s school, and she decided to trust Christ for her salvation.

“I heard the message of Christ’s great love of him dying for us to get everlasting peace, and there and then I decided to believe in Christ,” she said from her hospital bed. “After a month, news reached my father that I had converted to Christianity, and that was the beginning of my troubles with him. Our father warned us not to attend church or listen to the gospel message. He even threatened us with a sharp knife that he was ready to kill us in broad daylight in case we converted to Christianity.”

Pastor Joseph Baluku of Bwera Full Gospel Church in Kasese said neighbors took her to the government hospital about 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Kasese town after she was freed.

“He locked her up in a room of the semi-permanent house for six months without seeing sunlight,” the pastor said. “The younger brother was warned not to tell anyone that Susan was locked up in a room and was not given any food.”

Young Mbusa said that when their father was away, he roasted bananas for his sister.

“I also dug a hole under the door, where I could pour water through,” he said. “My sister could drink the water using her tongue. But most days she could only feed on mud.”

A nearby resident who requested anonymity said neighbors became concerned after not seeing her for several months.

“Her brother then disclosed to us that Susan was locked up in one of the rooms in the house,” the area resident said. “We then reported the case to the Harukunggu local council and then to the Bwera police station. The police went to the house and broke the door.”

Susan was immediately taken to the provincial government hospital about 17 kilometers (11 miles) away near Bwera town, where Pastor Baluku visited her.

“The miserable young Susan was bony, very weak, and not able to talk or walk,” said the pastor. “Her hair had turned yellow, she had long fingernails and sunken eyes, and she looked very slim, less than 20 kilograms [44 pounds].”

Members of the Full Gospel Church in Bwera prayed for her and visited her in the hospital, which like many government-subsidized hospitals in the region does not customarily bill until the patient is discharged, and at rates well below those of private hospitals. It is unknown when Susan will be released, but Pastor Baluku said area residents and church members will try to gather funds for medical costs incurred.

The pastor said billing from such government hospitals can often be deferred until enough money is raised.

“It could be a challenge, but we will try to do our best,” he said.

“By God’s grace Susan is still alive,” he said after a visit last week. “Though she can’t walk, she can now talk. She is still feeding on soft foods. The great news is that Susan is still strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. She needs prayers and support, so that she can resume her education soon.”

Bachmann Staffer Was Accused Of Trying To Start A Christian Nation In Uganda

2011-08-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

Bachmann Staffer Was Accused Of Trying To Start A Christian Nation In Uganda

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/tremendous-bachmann-staffer-arrested-on-terrorism-charges-in-uganda-in-2006-2011-8#ixzz1VSN8UG4t

Zeke Miller and Grace Wyler | Aug. 17, 2011, 5:03 PM

An evangelical organizer whose "tremendous" effort helped Michele Bachmann win the Ames Iowa Straw Poll last weekend was arrested on gun possession charges in Uganda in 2006, The Atlantic reports.

The staffer, Peter E. Waldron, like many American evangelicals working in Uganda, has ties to the country's anti-gay movement, which last year sought to pass a law that would make homosexuality a capital crime.

According to NPR, Ugandan police suspected Waldron of seeking to establish a political party based on Christian values. He was arrested for possession of assault rifles and ammunition in February 2006, just days before the country's first multi-party elections in two decades.

Waldron, a longtime Republican operative, had apparently been in Uganda since 2002, where he worked with the born-again Christian community distributing anti-retroviral drugs to HIV/AIDS patients. According to a 2004 story in The New Republic, Waldron has ties to Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa, a major proponent of criminalizing homosexuality. Waldron also claimed to have a relationship with Uganda's autocratic president, Yoweri Museveni, and his wife, a well-known born-again Christian.

In 2006, according to the Kampala Monitor, police arrested Waldron at his house in Uganda, where they found four sub-machine gun rifles and 184 rounds of ammunition. A Ugandan police official told the Monitor that the seizures confirmed "suspicion of the terrorists."

The charges against Waldron apparently stemmed from his work for The African Digest, a newsletter apparently published in partnership with Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church (Waldron has written for The Washington Times, another Moon publication).
The Atlantic reports that "the charges, which could have led to life in prison, were dropped in March 2006 after a pressure campaign by Waldron's friends and colleagues and what Waldron says was the intervention of the Bush administration."

Waldron's website says he was a consultant to the 1980, 1988 and 2000 Republican presidential campaigns, and the Republican National Committee. In 1998, he helped organize the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Alaska.

Bachmann spokeswoman Alice Stewart told reporter Garance Franke-Ruta that Waldron was a valued member of the Bachmann campaign team, organizing evangelical outreach in Iowa and South Carolina.

"Michele's faith is an important part of her life and Peter did a tremendous job with our faith outreach in Iowa," she wrote in an email. "We are fortunate to have him on our team and look forward to having him expanding his efforts in several states."

American citizen arrested over illegal guns

http://web.archive.org/web/20060305053348/http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news02228.php

The Monitor , News | February 22, 2006

PETER NYANZI & ALEX B. ATUHAIRE KAMPALA

police in Kampala are holding an American national who was allegedly found with four illegal guns and 184 rounds of live ammunition. Police Spokesman Assuman Mugenyi told journalists at a press conference at Kibuli Police headquarters yesterday that Dr Peter E. Waldron was arrested at about 8pm on Monday.

Waldron, 59, works as an Information Technology consultant for the Ministry of Health and has been living in Uganda since 2002. He was arrested at his home in Kisugu near International Hospital after a tip off.

Documents found on him indicate that Waldron is also an advisor to the President of Rocky Mountain Technology Group, Contact America Group Inc and Founder of City of Faith Ministries in Kampala.

Mugenyi told journalists that a good citizen saw three people carrying two bags from Waldron's house and they dropped them. When he inquired why they had dropped the bags, one of them drew a gun at him. The man made an alarm, which attracted the neighbourhood.

The suspects reportedly attempted to run but the boda-boda riders pursued them until they were arrested. "On searching the bags they were in possession of two SMG rifles and 90 rounds of live ammunition," Mugenyi said.

They pleaded with the mob not to lynch them saying they would show them where more guns were hidden. "The suspects led the police to Waldron's house in Kisugu and on conducting a search, two more SMG rifles were recovered with 94 rounds of ammunition in a wardrobe in his bedroom and copies of The Africa Dispatch newsletter," he said. One of the men who were arrested was a Congolese national.

Mugenyi said investigations were still going on and Waldron's girlfriend and his house girl were also being questioned. This brings the number of people arrested to five in the case. Mugenyi could not divulge their names pending the completion of investigations.

He said Waldron, also a freelance journalist, is the publisher of the newsletter. He said Waldron was among the diplomats at the High Court during the trial of Dr Kizza Besigye.

Terrorism

"This confirms our suspicion of the terrorists at the High Court and the subsequent deployment of the Joint Anti Terrorism Squad," Mugenyi said. Some of the pictures in the magazine show Waldron with diplomats in the High Court during the trial of Besigye. "You remember even at the Court Martial at Makindye, this gentleman was always moving with the diplomats," he said.

"We always thought he was a diplomat because he was so close to the ambassadors but we have just established that he is not."

Asked what charges Waldron is likely to face, Mugenyi said, "Definitely even before we investigate, there is the (offence) of illegal possession of firearms. I do not know what the Director of Public Prosecutions might advise.""If he says it is terrorism, I do not know but right now, the offence of illegal possession of firearms is very clear."

He cannot justify how he got those rifles because we do not license SMG rifles."

Friend to First Family

Mugenyi could not say what Waldron's Contact America Group is involved in or whether it is registered in Uganda. "We suspect that it could be either an NGO or a lobby group," he said. Despite Mugenyi's attempt to link Waldron to Besigye, Waldron says he has close relations with State House.

In an article titled Evangelicals v. Muslims in Africa: Enemy's Enemy and published in the US news magazine The New Republic in August 2004, Waldron says he had met President Yoweri Museveni. The American doctor also says he is a friend of the first family and a friend of Pastor Martin Sempa, according to the article, written by one Stuart Price.

The story in The New Republic says Waldron, who comes from Wyoming, told the congregation that he had once been a military man and that he used to travel around Africa a lot in the 1960s.

"He was vague about the nature of his work. ("I'm not at liberty to say," he later told me.) But he claimed that, on one occasion, it resulted in some good people getting executed by a firing squad. After that, he contemplated suicide, he told the audience. Then he found Jesus," the article reads.

The writer says after he met Waldron at a Kampala hotel several days later, the American doctor-cum-pastor told him more of his story. "At different times in his career, he said, he'd been a syndicated talk-radio host, a lobbyist, and a Republican political consultant. More recently, he had run sports programmes for underprivileged youths in Tampa, Florida. Now, he was in Uganda, trying to sell computer software to government ministries while preaching on the weekends," the article reads, adding:

Admired

"They embrace Americans here," he said enthusiastically. Indeed, as we sat together, a steady stream of young admirers who had seen Waldron in church came up to greet him. They made complicated handshakes, the way Ugandans do, and Waldron boasted to me that he had met privately with President Museveni and his born-again wife.”
“It struck me that, for many Americans of faith, Uganda - a country where homosexuality and abortion are outlawed, where politicians freely mix church and state, and where outward displays of religious devotion are the norm - represents a kind of haven." Waldron is said to have talked to several high-ranking government officials on arrest including some powerful ministers.

Efforts to talk to the ministers including Pastor Sempa , however, proved futile by press time. At one point Waldron was introduced as a friend of the first family at a high-profile function at Kampala Casino.

He is also said to have played a key role in setting up a meeting between the President and US billionaire Bill Gates of Microsoft on one of Museveni's visits to the United States.

It was not possible to check out some of these details by press time.

IS IDENTIFICATIONAL REPENTANCE BIBLICALLY SOUND ?

2011-08-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

FIRST READ:

Leaders repent on Uganda’s behalf

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=478&newsId=762063

Pentecostal leaders repent on behalf of Uganda:

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2011/08/pentecostal-and-anglican-leaders-repent.html

IDENTIFICATIONAL REPENTANCE

By Stephen Green

First published in Christian Voice March 2009

www.christianvoice.org.uk/Articles/27%20Daniel%209.doc

Neh 1:6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

Identificational Repentance is the belief that Christians can and should repent on behalf of their nation. In this article I want to ask if Identificational Repentance is a Biblical concept.

Identificational Repentance is normally associated with groups of evangelicals who are interceding for the nation, in line with Paul's injunction to Timothy:

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

But some intercessors go further, confessing the nation's sins and, as they believe, repenting on behalf of the nation, and regarding all that as part and parcel of intercession. Their proof texts are those above, the prayers of Nehemiah and Daniel, although Moses is often cited as well.

A few will even go as far as to say that theirs is the only way to turn our nation around, and that everyone else is wasting their time in witness, letter-writing, protesting in front of Parliament and so on. In Christian Voice we believe that everyone has a part to play, and that other ministries should not be belittled for doing according to what they honestly believe the Lord has laid on their heart, even if we believe they are not being effective or just plain doing it wrong. Is any of us the fount of all wisdom? Who knows what the Lord may do with a believer's prayers and actions? If every pot will have 'holiness to the Lord' on it, then He is gracious enough to let us get it wrong, see our heart, and turn it to His glory. Of course, it is better to be doing things according to His word than in opposition to it - time is precious. But I digress.

THE PROBLEMS WITH IDENTIFICATIONAL REPENTANCE

I see two problems with the examples of Nehemiah and Daniel cited in support of Identificational Repentance. The first is that although they confessed their nation's sins before God, they did not repent. They cried to God for mercy instead. Moses did not repent on behalf of his nation either; he told the people to repent.

The second problem is that none of us is in the position of Nehemiah or of Daniel (let alone that of Moses). Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judea by the Emperor of Persia. Daniel was a prince in Judah and Prime Minister of Babylon. They were like the Gordon Browns of their day, not the Stephen Greens. But even then, they did not repent on behalf of their nation. And why not? Because one person, or one corporate body, can not repent on behalf of another.

Let me put it this way. Let us try something a bit easier than repenting on behalf of our nation. Let's just repent on behalf of our next-door neighbour, who is a compulsive gambler who is leaving his wife and children destitute. Does our repentance on his behalf stop him gambling? Of course not. Our prayers might, but our repentance will not bring forth fruits, which is what God requires:

Luk 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance ...

The word of the Lord in the mouth of the prophet Isaiah says:

Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

GOD WANTS THE EVIL TO STOP

Indeed, I believe God deals with us according to the lines of authority He has ordained. Each individual is responsible to Him. So is every family, every church (or denomination), and every nation. We simply do not have the authority to repent on behalf on our next-door neighbour, and no church, and no group of intercessors, has the authority to repent on behalf of the nation. It is almost verging on arrogance to think we can; it is certainly a diversion of the Lord's valuable time and resources.

When I asked one lady what had been the fruit of her identificational repentance over abortion in this land, she said it was the fact that in the recent Human Fertilisation Bill, the required permission of two doctors had remained and it had not been downgraded to just one.

I have to say, the fruit of repentance in the case of abortion would be to stop the evil of abortion and somehow to atone for it, not simply to carry on as we are. And such a massive change of heart can only happen in our land at the direction of the Queen in Parliament.

In every case of genuine repentance in the Bible, the person or nation in question stopped doing bad and started doing good. Zacchaeus is a prime example (Luke 19:8). And in every case where a nation turned away from evil and towards God and His righteousness that action was led by a king or judge in authority over the nation: Moses, Gideon (who started humble but became leader - Judg 8:22), Samuel, Asa, Josiah, the king of Nineveh all spring to mind.

INNOCENT BLOOD POLLUTES THE LAND

Repentance involves not just humbling ourselves and a sense of shame, but a turning away from evil and a doing of right. See 2Chr 7:14 (turn from their wicked ways) 2Kgs 17:13; Jer 18:8, 25:5, 26:1-4; Eze 18:21, 33:11,14,19; Dan 4:37, 9:13; Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:8; Zech 1:4; Luke 19:8; Acts 8:22, 26:20; Rev 2:5.

In fact 2Chr 7:14 is often quoted as the cure-all for a nation's sins. It is taken as if it means that when the Church (or even a small group of believers) humbles itself, prays, seeks His face and turns from its own wicked ways, then God will heal the land. But the word of God says innocent blood defiles, or pollutes, the land. (Psalm 106:38) Sheer common sense says that if God did heal the land today, tragically it would be polluted again tomorrow. Of course a Church which en masse was in mourning and sorrow and genuine repentance for the blood of those innocents would in all probability be part of a repentant nation, in a revival bigger than anything we have ever seen in this land, with the possible exception of the great Evangelical Awakening of the 18th Century.

So I am sorry to say there are no short cuts. Identificational Repentance will not bring about the repeal of the Divorce Reform Act or the Sexual Offences Act or the Sexual Orientation Regulations or reinstate the Blasphemy Law. So what - or who - will?

SCRIPTURAL PRAYER AND WITNESS

Well, God will do it, but I believe He will want to see us doing the practical things He has called us to do specifically in His word, the Bible, before He will send the miracle we need. Now, I cannot see anywhere in Scripture where we are commanded to repent on behalf of another. That is because it is their responsibility to obey the command of the Lord, not ours. But we are commanded to pray and intercede, to seek the Lord, and to proclaim the truth of God's law-word in our nation. Isaiah (and his example is also to be ready to stand for political office!) is told:

Isa 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

That involves steadfast witness. It also involves cleansing ourselves of our own sins so that we shall not be hypocrites when showing the people - and the politicians - of this nation their sins. But I am sorry to say Identificational Repentance is a blind alley. I just pray that the Lord will see hearts of those who do it and mould their prayers into the ones he wants.

Churches fast for Independence

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1224876/-/bjvf39z/-/index.html

By Andrew Bagala

Posted Thursday, August 25 2011 at 14:40

The Christians say it is important to kick-off the country’s jubilee celebrations by prayer and repentance because the political landscape has been marred by bloodshed since independence in 1962. They said prayer avails much as it unlocks hidden opportunities.

Addressing journalists in Kampala, Christian leaders from various churches led by Dr James Magara, the chairman of the Church Jubilee committee and Coordinator of Intercessors for Uganda, said since attainment of self-rule from the British, the country has been shedding innocent blood that has “defiled” the land.

“From the teachings of scripture, innocent blood brings defilement on the land,” Dr Magara said.
During the fasting period, which starts on Tuesday next week, Christian believers will be expected to eat just one meal a day as they focus on petitioning God to usher in liberty, family reunion, amnesty and justice in the country.

The Church leaders also asked Christians to focus their prayers on others areas like debt release, economic emancipation, rest and restoration, which the clergy said will help to give “a chance to reset the clock and start again”.

Anglican Archbishop Henry Orombi called for repentance by every Christian. Apostle Julius Oyet of the Born-Again Federation, said prayer would help restore the love of God so that Jesus can uplift Uganda.
Apostle John Mulinde of World Trumpet Mission and Prayer Mountain, Sseguku said while Ugandans have made mistakes, they are and still remain one nation.

“The growing return of idolatry and witchcraft in the society is worrying. We hearing things on the airwaves that were never said in public. These are things that we should refrain from after the Jubilee celebrations,” Apostle Mulinde said.

Dr Magara said evil reigns in the country today, with several believers immersed in immorality, corruption, witchcraft and human sacrifice. The Church trusts that with God’s hand, these evils will be discarded after the jubilee celebrations.

“The vices mentioned have occurred despite a recorded Christian population of 84 per cent of the whole population in the country,” Dr Magara said. “But one major key that the scriptures give us is the healing of any nation if God’s people, called by His name, will humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways.”

The General Secretary of National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda, Pastor Joshua Lwere, said celebrating jubilee in the Biblical sense is not only washing ourselves of past evils, but preparing for a new season.

“If we don’t prepare for the new season, it will be like a farmer who failed to sow seeds during planting period,” Pastor Lwere said. Health minister Christine Ondoa, a born-again Christian, graced the clergy’s meeting.

abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

Pentecostal leaders repent on behalf of Uganda: How about repentance for participating in Ecumenism, the prosperity gospel, false doctrine

2011-08-10T02:08:00.000-07:00

My analysis

Recently Pentecostal and Anglican leaders in Uganda participated in a repentance retreat at Seguku Prayer Mountain. They forgot to repent for participating in Ecumenism, the prosperity gospel and false doctrine. The participants in this ‘repentance spree’ such as Pastor Kiganda continue to promote the false American prosperity gospel .They continue to Promote American Heretics such as; Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Copeland etc . The participants in this repentance continue to promote political Christianity, the false doctrine of generation curses, tithing, Christmas celebration, Easter celebration, Infant baptism etc. etc . Apostle Alex Mitala has always criticized Ecumenism(Ekipooli) but now it is evident that he has been over powered. Apostle Alex Mitala has always argued that repentance means(abawutani) changing course . These days repentance in the Pentecostal movement in Uganda is simply saying; we sorry God but we will not change anyway.

Apostle John Mulinde and George Otis, Peter Wagner false Transformation Revivals in Uganda

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/02/apostle-john-mulinde-and-george-otis.html

No Revival No Rain in Uganda but Spiritual Drought and Barrenness

http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/324-no-revival-no-rain-in-uganda-but-spiritual-drought-and-barrenness.html

Open Letter To Pastor Alex Mitala NFBAPC Chairman

http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/156-open-letter-to-pastor-alex-mitala-nfbapc-chairman.html

Bishop David Kiganda calls John the Baptist a fool: When Uganda Prosperity Preachers turn into Zombies

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2011/03/bishop-david-kiganda-calls-john-baptist.html

Bishop David Kiganda’s stinking Prosperity Gospel: Money in one hand and the bible in the other

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2010/07/bishop-david-kigandas-stiking.html

Leaders repent on Uganda’s behalf

http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=478&newsId=762063

By Moses Mulondo

WHEN missionaries introduced Christianity in Uganda about a century ago, many people embraced the new faith, but remained rooted in their traditions and norms connected to evil spirits and their ancestors.

On the other hand, when the Pentecostal faith was introduced, it focused on promising people heaven and forgetting the need to establish God’s kingdom in our tribes and communities.

According to Apostle Alex Mitala, the head of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches in Uganda, this has led many Christians to remain bound by things they do not know.

It is because of this paradigm shift that Church leaders have resolved to take the call to repentance down to the tribal level.

Leaders from various parts of Buganda gathered to repent on behalf of the region at Sseguku Prayer Mountain from Thursday to Saturday last week.

The leaders repented of various sins in the church like commercialisation of the gospel, pride, selfishness, divisions, homosexuality and other immoral practices, as well as the sins like tribalism, arrogance, treachery, witchcraft and corruption.

Many of the speakers made reference to the great East African Revival, whose strength came from the focus on transformative messages of repentance, forgiveness, holiness and unity. They prayed that what had started at Sseguku last week would result in another much more infectious revival, which will spread to different parts of the world.

The idea is said to have been conceived in the spiritual fathers’ monthly meetings which started a year ago to discuss how Uganda can become a morally upright God-fearing nation.

The meetings, which are convened every first Monday of the month at Namirembe Guest House, bring together both Anglican and Pentecostal church leaders.

According to Pastor John Ngendahayo, leaders of the two denominations repented for fighting each other, yet they are all promoting God’s kingdom.

“God is doing something in our country. Different groups of people have come up advancing repentance and revival to be the priority of all churches. I have a lot of optimism that the salvation of Uganda is in the offing,” Ngendahayo said.

Speaking at Sseguku on Monday, Mitala attributed the loss of Buganda’s glory, from 1966 to date to wickedness and rebellion against God’s call, which started in 1960 when a new Pentecostal revival started and the people of Buganda rejected it. The spiritual fathers have planned to take the repentance and revival drive to the districts, sub-counties and villages.

“Our next focus after Buganda will be Ankole and after that, we shall take this move to all the other tribes of Uganda.

Our key message is repentance of all ungodly tribal and individual practices that Christians have been involved in. At the end of this mission, we want to see Ugandan Christians detached from all kinds of evil strongholds holding them captive so that they can truly be the light and the salt of the world,” Mitala explained.

Although the Archbishop, Henry Luke Orombi, was out of the country, he, reportedly, promised to take a leading role in mobilising his home area and other communities in the northern region into repentance and to seek reconciliation with the south.

The church leaders at Sseguku took seriously a warning from a Kenyan prophet about an earthquake and Apostle John Mulinde led them in praying to God to save the country from the catastrophe.

Dr. James Magara, the leader of Intercessors for Uganda, presented a plan aimed at mobilising Uganda to observe the 49th and 50th independence anniversaries as a season for repentance, revival and reconciliation among Ugandans to usher in a new Uganda established on God’s principles of justice, righteousness and divine love.

Plans are also underway for a National Consultative Conference on how to bring the nation into genuine and fruitful repentance.

It targets church leaders, political leaders, and Christians occupying influential public offices in the country.
Published on: Sunday, 7th August, 2011

London Riots: Symptom of a deeper Malaise

2011-08-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

London Riots: Symptom of a deeper Malaise

http://www.christianconcern.com/blog/london-riots-symptom-of-a-deeper-malaise

Published: August 9th, 2011

The riots which are taking place in London are a symptom of a deeper malaise. A heavier police presence tonight may bring them under control, but it will only be dealing with an expression of a far deeper problem.

Britain is a power-keg of frustrations. Despite the incredible increase in living standards in the last 50 years, UK citizens are increasingly unhappy. Mental health problems are on the rise and people are feeling lost and isolated without family, community and faith.

The rioters are unlikely to have been taught to take responsibility for their actions or to respect authority. They do not mind if they destroy their own communities because they have little to lose. They will have been in schools which lacked discipline and where they learnt that they can behave how they like with few consequences for their actions.

People will say that the State needs to spend more money to solve the problem. The Government certainly needs to restore discipline in schools as part of its solution to these problems. Yet ultimately the answer does not lie with the State - we need a moral revolution.

In the past, the authority of teachers was respected in the classroom – can’t that be restored? How was it lost so quickly? As a nation we need to look after each other, but not create welfare state dependency without teaching people to take responsibility for their lives.

Then we have the breakdown of the family – how many of those rioting have fathers who take an interest in their lives? I would guess at very, very few. The breakdown of the family is a result of the nation choosing sexual liberation over sexual restraint, causing a huge surge in the divorce rate and in fatherlessness. The consequences have been disastrous for society. The Government needs to support marriage as a priority and address the decline of the family. But again, we need a complete moral revolution that will encourage people to take responsibility for their sexual behaviour, their marriages and their children.

The deepest problem of all is that Britain has, largely, rejected the Christian faith. This is why we now exist in a moral void. The Bible teaches us to train the young from an early stage to honour their parents, to honour authority and to honour God. If we do this, it will go well with the nation.

Yet instead of Christianity we have political correctness which providers the ‘moral’ compass for our political class and much of the establishment. What a terrible exchange. As discussed here, political correctness is a concept that arose from a Marxist Institute in the 1920’s. It is an ideology that is man-made and which is utterly hostile to the Christian faith. It is a morally relativist system which makes excuses for those who commit crime and portrays them as the victims. Political correctness is responsible for schools where the teachers cannot discipline the pupils and for an undermining of authority.

As we see the bad fruits of rejecting God, my prayer is that there will be a window of opportunity for this nation to wake up to the damage that has been caused and change direction.

And if these youngsters could be brought to Christ then that would be the greatest victory of all. They would have a new identity, a new purpose and a new calling in life. They would be able to live for Christ, not just live for cheap thrills.

Let’s start praying. We need a revival in this nation. We need a moral revolution.
Andrea
Andrea is the CEO of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre. She is married with four children.

Mental health remains the poor relation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2011/jul/21/mental-health-problems-increase

GPs are having to deal with the rise in mental illness, and a more integrated approach to physical and mental health is vital, say Martin Lindsay and Marc Lester

The gulf between physical and mental health is huge, with just £11bn of the National Health Service's annual budget spent on the latter.

It's the classic iceberg syndrome, and what is starting to emerge from beneath the waterline of public awareness is just how many people are affected by mental illness at some time in their lives.

The rise in mental illness and its impact on society has long been predicted by bodies as diverse as the World Bank, British Medical Journal and Royal College of Psychiatrists. One in four of us will be affected by mental illness during our lives. Dementia will beset more than one million people in the UK by 2015, and many GPs see as many patients for depression as high blood pressure, which is the commonest physical ailment.

This increase is evident in the number of patients showing up at surgeries across north London with mental health problems.

This is reported to be as many as 50% of consultations in some surgeries, with common conditions including depression and anxiety.

It is a major concern within our profession, because GPs are often isolated and at the coalface of the problem. We see the impact of poor mental health on a daily basis and wrestle with the dilemma of what can be done within the confines of a 10-minute appointment slot.

It may be that the newly emerging clinical consortia boards provide an opportunity to redress the balance if given adequate financial resources.

One solution would be for primary and mental health trusts to pay greater attention to what GPs have to say. This would improve efficiencies without necessarily increasing costs.

A positive experience of this is our work with Barnet, Enfield and Haringey mental health NHS trust, which asked GPs what sort of additional training and support they needed.

This is, of course, limited by financial austerity, but includes the recent launch of a "one-stop" mental health referral service offering a faster, more responsive service that triages, screens and signposts patients to the appropriate service within 24 hours. This co-operative and practical approach to problem-solving is the way forward.

The trust is increasingly shaping services in alignment with primary care physicians and their day-to-day needs. This includes a primary care academy, which will provide GPs with training days, workshops and interactive multimedia events where they can learn more about various areas of mental health and share experience and best practice.

There are many reasons for the rise in incidence of mental illness, but two of the biggest contributing factors we see are the stress caused by increasing the age of retirement and the dynamics of the modern family.

Our society's fixation on material wealth and status is exacting its price as we work longer and harder, to the detriment of our own wellbeing. The global recession, and some employers' unspoken expectation that we work longer and harder, are contributing to the problem.

In our increasingly busy lives, it is worth stepping back and realising that our most valuable possession is our health. It may be a cliche, but the majority of us really don't understand that until something goes wrong.

We often give our house or car more attention than our bodies, and we see all around us the devastating impact of that behaviour reflected in the steady rise of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and a host of other largely preventable conditions.

People need to really understand that physical and mental health are interwoven. If your body is run-down and unhealthy it will affect your mental wellbeing, and vice versa.

It's about greater self-education and awareness, but it's also about ensuring that health services work more closely in partnership with one another and reflect the synergy of our own bodies and minds.

• Martin Lindsay is GP lead for mental health in Haringey, north London, and Dr Marc Lester is clinical director of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey mental health NHS trust

What's Behind the London Riots?

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/08/whats-behind-london-riots/41021/

Uri Friedman Aug 09, 2011 2,652

As thousands of policemen prepare to confront a fourth night of rioting and looting in and around London, law enforcement officials and Londoners are scrambling to identify the hooded, masked young people who have been wreaking havoc following the fatal police shooting of a black man named Mark Duggan in Tottenham. The authorities are uploading images of rioters to Flickr as unofficial sites like Catch a Looter, Identify the London Rioters, and London Riots Facial Recognition spring up (there's even a debate about whether the perpetrators should be called "thugs" or "protesters"). Against that backdrop, British commentators and politicians are taking a step back from the minute-by-minute updates to ask three critical questions: Who are the protesters? What do they want? And what explains their behavior? Let's take a look at some of the most prominent theories to answer these questions (several analysts combine several of these points:

•'Opportunistic Criminality' London's acting police commissioner Tim Godwin has characterized the rioting as "pure criminality" capitalizing on the Duggan incident--a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister David Cameron. Lindsay Johns at The Daily Mail argues that there is "no 'legitimate grievance' behind the mass thuggery, only feral mob rule which should have no place in a civilised society."

•Austerity Measures Over the weekend, Labour Party MP Chris Williamson suggested that the ruling Conservative Party's austerity measures--a mixture of spending cuts and tax hikes--could in part be to blame for the unrest. "Why is it theTories never take responsibility for the consequences of their party’s disastrous policies," he tweeted.

•Simmering Problems Among Black Youth Stafford Scott, who was one of the first to learn of Duggan's death, notes at The Guardian that this weekend, "instead of imploding and turning inward and violent among themselves, as they have been doing for the past decade, the youths exploded." While the "trigger may well have been the killing of Mark Duggan and the insensitive treatment of his family," he adds, the "warning signs" "have long been there for those of us who engage with black youths."

•Simmering Problems Among All Youth The Globe and Mail's Doug Saunders claims the events of the past few days aren't "race riots" or "political riots" but rather an explosion of violence from Britain's "futureless youth"--a "'lost generation' of young high-school dropouts" that is "far larger than most other Western countries." He points out that the rioters, who are almost all under 20, hail from mostly poor neighborhoods, "thick with public-housing towers and short on employment opportunities."

•Hard Economic Times After dismissing police failures, ethnic tensions, unemployment, and spending cuts as root causes, The Telegraph's Mary Riddell points an accusing finger at a "global economy poised for freefall." London's riots, she explains, "are the proof that a section of young Britain--the stabbers, shooters, looters, chancers and their frightened acolytes--has fallen off the cliff-edge of a crumbling nation."

•Wealth Disparities The "policies of the past year may have clarified the division between the entitled and the dispossessed in extreme terms," writes Nina Power at The Guardian, and poverty, high unemployment, and resentment toward the police are all factors. But the bigger pictures is that the riots are taking place in "a country in which the richest 10 percent are now 100 times better off than the poorest" and where, "according to the OECD, social mobility is worse than any other developed country."

•No Silver-Bullet Explanation "The media is showing us hour after hour of Outraged Upstanding Citizen all saying the same thing because Upstanding Citizens tend to hit journalists less," British-Egyptian journalist Sarah Carr writes. "There is an echoing void when it comes to the other side of the story, a void that is being filled with image after horrible image and calls for looters to be flogged in public squares and theorising about the legitimate social political grievances that drove them to commit inexcusable acts. Both camps are as bad as each other."

Anders Breivik a Christian Fundamentalist !!!Give me a break

2011-08-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

My Commentary

Christian Fundamentalism is in no way synonymous with violence. Christian fundamentalism is premised on the teachings of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:43-46 and Paul's Teaching in Roman 12:19-21. Let us check out these verses:

Matthew 5:43-46

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Roman 12:19-21

19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Christian Extremism

http://www.christianconcern.com/blog/anders-breivik-not-christian-extremist

Published: July 28th, 2011

I have been asked to film for Channel 4’s ‘4Thought TV’ on the subject of extremism.
It has been reported that Anders Breivik, the man who has admitted to carrying out the murders, described himself as Christian on his facebook page.

Whatever motivated this man to commit these atrocities, it was not the teachings of Christ.

Some in the media have begun to use the term ‘Christian extremist,’ a term which suggests that if one takes the teachings of the Bible seriously or holds them with any kind of conviction, it will result in violent behaviour.

This is a Satanic deception for the opposite is true; those who follow Jesus ‘in the extreme’ live lives of sacrifice and service.

Jesus taught His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. He taught them to renounce violence. He taught them that His kingdom is not of this world.

More than this, he practiced what he preached by laying down His life as a ransom for many.

The power of Jesus’ message is found in Him giving His life, not in taking the lives of others. This is how His kingdom grows.

This is at the heart of the Christian faith and therefore in direct opposition to Breivik’s violent attacks.

Those who bandy about the phrase ‘Christian extremist’ should be more responsible; they cannot show how Christian teaching would ever justify such violence so they should stop using it.

There are many secularists who think that any kind of religion simply ends up being oppressive and violent. This is expressed in the subtitle of Christopher Hitchens’ book God is Not Great, which simply reads: How Religion Poisons Everything.

This ignores not only Jesus’ death in the place of others but also the deaths of so many Christians throughout history and throughout the world today who are killed for their faith.

All the great social movements show that Christian devotion results in sacrificial service, not violence. Think of Wilberforce, who fought the conventions of his day to abolish the cruel practice of slavery; Lord Shaftesbury, who strove to alleviate the injustices caused by the Industrial Revolution and ensured more humane working conditions; Florence Nightingale, who laid the foundations for modern nursing, or George Muller, who devoted his life to caring for and educating orphaned children. The list goes on.

Secularists are trying to give the impression that the violent attacks in Norway are a Christian equivalent to Islamic extremism. The Quran clearly advocates jihad, whereas it is the duty of all Christians to lay down their lives for others.

Let us be mindful, as His followers, to adorn the gospel in the way that we speak and act, bringing change through service and sacrifice, taking up our crosses and following Him.

Andrea
Andrea is the CEO of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre. She is married with four children.

Denouncing The Norway “Christian” Terrorist, Hate, and Violence

http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/465-denouncing-the-norway-christian-terrorist-hate-and-violence.html

Kato Mivule | August 2nd 2011

For the past two weeks the mass media has been awash with references to the Norway killer, Anders Breivik, who murdered more than 70 people as a “Christian Terrorist”. Many Evangelicals, especially in the USA have been greatly disturbed by such references. Other media circles spoke of Anders Breivik as a “Christian fundamentalist”, a phrase that has received considerable opposition from Christian Evangelicals in America.

Of course the use of term “Christian fundamentalist” by the mass media was used with a connotation of violence as in Muslim “fundamentalist” or Muslim “extremist”, that is, one who uses religion to justify violence. Yet, “fundamentalist” could mean one who simply believes in the fundamentals of a religious belief and not necessarily violence. US Evangelicals did not want to associate Christian fundamentalist with violence but simply Christians who believe in Christian Bible fundamentals, and which is very understandable and notable.

The mass media is not without blame as they tended to get into exaggeration and hype to sell their stories. Yet still, the mass media's use of the terms “Christian fundamentalist”, “Christian terrorist”, and “Christian extremist”, was not from a vacuum but a Christian history that is filled with numerous shameful counts of Christians who used Christianity to justify their violent acts contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Anders Breivik, in his 1500 page manifesto claimed he is a “Christian”, and used terms such as “Knights of Templar”, in reference to the Crusaders, a hoodlum of Christian militants that raced and raged across Europe with violence, mayhem, murder, and slaughter of Muslims, driving the Muslims away from Europe all the way to Palestine and capturing Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, when the Crusaders arrived in Jerusalem, and having driven Muslim forces from Europe, the Crusaders then turned against the Jews in Jerusalem and slaughtered them, accusing them of crucifying Jesus Christ and not converting to Christianity.

These Christian Crusaders perceived themselves as in defense of Christianity in Europe being sanctioned and approved by the Roman Catholic Church then. The Knights of Templar were the leaders and captains of the Crusaders, they oversaw the Christian militant hordes that racked violence not only against the Muslims but other European residents who stood in their way to Jerusalem.

Some Christian Evangelicals have called on the mass media to self-examine and deal with all the bias and unfair treatment of Evangelicals in the liberal press. While such a call might have some merit, Evangelical Christians might be missing a great opportunity here, and that is to denounce ALL types of hate, violence, and injustices that are done in the name of Christianity.

Those who seriously need self-examination are not actually the mass media but Christians themselves. Many Evangelical Christian apologists miss the point that the mass media did not use the term "Christian Fundamentalist" with a connotation of violence from a vacuum. First, as we stated earlier, Christian History as is very well known, is filled with numerous counts of “Christian extremists” who used violence in the Name of God.

The contemporary Church is not without blemish in this, from the Crusades to present day hate groups in North America that strongly carry the Christian label, for example. Then look at the Tea Party campaign during Health Care Debate in America and the 2010 elections, recall all the Hate speech and buying of guns, recall the Pastor who burnt the Koran, Christian Preachers who came to Washington DC with a Bible in one hand and a concealed gun in their fight to "Take America Back", Talk Show Radio hosts and TV personalities who have used Christianity to justify their spew of hate, are all examples of folks using Christianity as cover for hate, and it is such hate that we must strongly denounce as Evangelical Christians.

Lastly, the Norwegian Killer called himself a "Christian" in his 1500 page manifesto. Now, his type of "Christianity" is certainly not your US Evangelical type. However, this is no excuse to blame the mass media but rather true Christians must stand out and speak out against ALL types of HATE and tell the world what true Christianity is all about, the rest is mere scapegoating and playing the victim card.

We do very well to remember that Jesus Christ calls us to be peace makers. This does not mean to agree with everyone, becoming sycophants, or letting go of your distinct convictions but having room to agree to disagree peacefully and not threaten violence or hate, returning good and not evil. There is no New Testament justification for any type of hate or violence as a Christian virtue.

In this world filled with wars, hate, violence, retributions, murders, slaughters, and killings, Christians ought to stand out and denounce any form of violence and call for peace and work towards peace. It is better to be known as a peaceful people rather than be associated with the hateful and violent.

Kato Mivule

Notes
[1] S. Scharfstein and D. Gelabert, Chronicle of Jewish History: From the Patriarchs to the 21st Century. Ktav Pub Inc, 1997.

[2] I. Singer and C. Adler, The Jewish encyclopedia: a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature, and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times to the present day. Funk and Wagnalls, 1912.

[3] C. H. MacEvitt, The crusades and the Christian world of the east: rough tolerance. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008.

[4]“‘Christian terrorist’? Norway case strikes debate - Yahoo! News.”[Online]. Available: http://news.yahoo.com/christian-terrorist-norway-case-strikes-debate-181559379.html. [Accessed: 02-Aug-2011].

[5]“Norway attacks: Was Breivik a Christian terrorist? - CSMonitor.com.” [Online]. Available: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2011/0801/Norway-attacks-Was-Breivik-a-Christian-terrorist. [Accessed: 02-Aug-2011].

[6]“Norway Massacre: A Christian Terrorist Debate, Christian News.” [Online]. Available: http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-terrorist-norway-case-strikes-much-needed-debate-53177/. [Accessed: 02-Aug-2011].

[7]“Christians Belong Inside the Tea Party | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction.” [Online]. Available: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/october/31.54.html. [Accessed: 02-Aug-2011].

Dr.Scott and Political Correctness

2011-08-10T00:48:00.000-07:00

Dr.Scott and Political Correctness

http://www.christianconcern.com/blog/dr-scott-and-political-correctness

The investigation against Christian GP Dr Richard Scott for talking about Jesus to a patient would not have been taken seriously by the General Medical Council were it not for our culture of ‘political correctness’.

We all know about the insidious effects of political correctness - how it controls people through creating a climate of fear and how it seeks to shape political and social discourse.

Throughout history, ideologues have sought to impose their views, and their power, onto others, and to control what people can and can’t believe. It is nothing new, and it is always opposed to the Gospel.

Political correctness in its modern form was developed, refined and promoted at the Institute of Social Research in Germany, which was founded in 1923. Later, the Institute moved to the USA.

It was a Marxist organisation and it sought to spread Marxist ideology. The ‘thinkers’ at the Institute believed that Western Civilisation wasn’t embracing communism because of its strong belief in the individual, and individual thinking. This supposedly had to be torn down in order for Western Europeans to embrace Marxism.

If individualism and free thinking were to be brought down then speech and thought needed to be controlled. Thus political correctness has been used to control people by controlling language and attempting to change the way people think.

Political correctness propagates a particular social narrative based on grievance and power, and advances the belief that nothing you say must offend another, especially if that other can be identified as belonging to a victim group.
Being politically correct means subscribing to the fashionable, progressive political orthodoxy of the day.

It is an orthodoxy based on the rejection of God and is utterly opposed to Christianity. It is totalitarian in nature and you are castigated if you do not subscribe to it. That’s why a doctor can get in trouble for talking about Jesus to a patient.

Britain is labouring, indeed groaning under this yoke. We have created a society in the UK where people are genuinely afraid of what they can and can’t say at work and where people lose their jobs for expressing Christian views (views which were considered mainstream until recently).

At the Christian Legal Centre we have many clients who have faced problems at work due to mentioning their faith, including Duke Amachree, Caroline Petrie, David Booker and Kwabena Peat. Mentioning Jesus is not politically correct!
Right now the screws are continuing to tighten in the public sector, and those with Christian views on sexual ethics in particular are going to find it harder and harder to maintain a faithful witness at work.

A recent high profile case was that of Christian Dr Hans-Christian Raabe,who was sacked by the Home office from its Drugs counsel because he had unfashionable views about sex and homosexuality. Then of course we have Eunice and Owen Johns, whose fostering application stalled because of thought crime – they would not agree to tell a hypothetical child aged 5 to 9 years old that practising homosexuality was a good thing. Thus, they were not fit to foster. In fact, their views were an infection that might harm a child.

A robust society values individuals and individual free thinking. We can’t let this virus of political correctness crush freedom in this nation. It will take huge courage to overcome it but it must be done. When are the British public going to realise that their society is being influenced by a totalitarian ideology that, in its modern form, explicitly came out of Marxism?

In the meantime, whilst under official investigation by the GMC, Dr Scott has been given lots of media airtime and has used it to speak about Jesus and articulate his right to freedom of belief at work.

We need more Dr Scotts.
Thankfully, the Lord is raising up Gideon’s men in this hour.

Published: May 26th, 2011

Christian Doctor Under GMC Investigation for Sharing faith

http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/religious-freedom/christian-doctor-under-gmc-investigation-for-sharing-faith

Published: May 22nd, 2011

A Christian doctor of 28 years standing has been reported to the General Medical Council (GMC), and may be disciplined for sharing his faith with a patient.

Dr Richard Scott, who works at Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent – a practice well-known for having Christian partners - has been threatened with an Official Warning by the GMC and is currently under investigation.

In 2010, Dr Scott saw a patient on the practice list at the request of the patient’s mother. At the end of the consultation, the patient and doctor discussed religion, each being of different faiths. The patient has continued to seek treatment from the practice, but his mother filed an official complaint, claiming that the GP had not offered medical advice during a consultation, but instead, talked about Jesus!

The GMC has written to Dr Scott offering a ‘compromise’ decision to the disciplinary complaint of placing an Official Warning on his file. However, the GP is calling on his professional body to strike-out the complaint on the basis that the complaint was from a mother who was not medically qualified to comment on what treatment, if any, a medical practitioner should prescribe and, the GMC’s own guidelines state that it is acceptable to present faith to a patient as long as it is done gently and sensitively.

Dr Scott, who has an unblemished record as a medic, says it is totally unacceptable for his professional reputation and official file to contain a rebuke for acting both professionally, and within the guidelines. He claims the complaint has been made knowing that professional bodies are nervous about claims of a religious nature, and therefore it is a way of getting back at the GP.

Dr Scott said: “I only discussed my faith at the end of a lengthy medical consultation after exploring the various interventions that the patient had previously tried, and after promising to follow up the patient’s request appointment with other medical professionals.

“I only discussed mutual faith after obtaining the patient’s permission. In our conversation, I said that personally, I had found having faith in Jesus helped me and could help the patient. At no time did the patient indicate that they were offended, or that they wanted to stop the discussion. If that had been the case, I would have immediately ended the conversation.

“This complaint was brought to the GMC not by the patient, who has continued to be a patient at this practice, but by the patient’s mother.”

The medical practice at which Dr Scott works is well known in the community for having Christian partners and is named after a Biblical name. Dr Scott says he has talked about his faith with many patients over the years, and many of them have been encouraged. Dr Scott, who for seven years has been a worshipper at St Paul’s Church, Cliftonville (CofE), is so determined to clear his professional name that he has instructed the Christian Legal Centre to advise him in his case. They, in turn, are using the leading human rights lawyer, Paul Diamond as lead counsel.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “It is a shame that Dr Scott has been reported to the GMC because of his Christian views. Dr Scott is an experienced GP who has helped thousands of patients over the years.

“The complaint, on religious grounds, appears to be a smokescreen to express frustration and to disagree publicly with the professional treatment offered. However, the GMC must not bow to political or emotional pressure in this case and should back the GP 100 per-cent, as he acted within their own guidelines, and his unblemished record should not be tarnished – even by a letter on his file.”

"Many patients are helped when a Doctor, in the natural course of a discussion, talks about their spiritual needs. This is all Dr Scott was doing and he should not be punished for this or prevented from doing so in the future.”

Which Jesus! Driver of ‘Born Again’ Kampala Capital Authority executive director gets a higher salary than the Lord Mayor.

2011-08-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

My analysis

The ‘born again’ Kampala Capital Authority Executive Director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, has always assured Ugandans that she came in to clean up the city, but how can some who has come in to clean up the city take such a high salary. How can a driver of the Executive director earn more than the Lord mayor? Where is Jesus in all this? It is sad that born again Christians in Uganda are being used by government to fight against the opposition. The gospel being preached by the balokole in Uganda has been greatly watered down because of this hypocrisy. The hatred of balokole is boiling up because of this hypocrisy.

City boss to explain ‘huge’ salaries

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1215792/-/bkhae7z/-/index.html

Posted Tuesday, August 9 2011 at 00:00

Kampala

The city executive director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, is expected to appear before the parliamentary Presidential Affairs Committee today to explain her ‘huge’ monthly salary.

Ms Musisi, who will appear together with the Minister for Presidency and Kampala Affairs, Ms Kabakumba Masiko, is also expected to explain her aides’ salaries. This follows claims that Ms Musisi, who has been in office for four months, receives Shs11 million as monthly salary, which is five times more than that of the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago.

Ms Musisi declined to comment on her salary and that of her aides, saying she will divulge details only when she appears in Parliament. “I will not comment on that now. Wait until Tuesday when I appear before Parliament,” she said.
Gigantic pay

According to Kampala Capital City Authority records, the Lord Mayor earns a basic salary of Shs2.8million yet Ms Musisi’s driver Shakarim Male receives Shs7 million.
The matter was brought to the fore last week in Parliament following complaints by city divisional mayors that they had not received their salaries since they assumed office three months ago. The legislators wondered where Ms Musisi derives the mandate to appoint her team and offer them ‘fat’ salaries.
Evidence

Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze, who provided documentary evidence on the huge salary, said Mr Patrick Mugenyi, who works as Ms Musisi’s personal assistant, and Ms Judith Tumusiime Tukanirwa, her Advisor, receive Shs10million each. The least paid employee who is a cleaner earns more than Shs1million.

Last Week, Mr Mugenyi defended the figures, saying the team had a heavy workload.
“We are looking at the total compensation in terms of overtime and lunch. People should know that there is credible work going on. The driver for example works from 3am to 11pm. The rates applied are lower than the projects former KCC handled and new instruments are being developed from scratch,” Mr Mugenyi said last week

KCCA Boss Jennifer Musisi receives death threats

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1216028/-/bkgqq9z/-/index.html

By Mercy

The executive director says she has survived a number of attempts to kill her, including a failed plot to poison her at office.

Appearing before the Parliament’s Physical Infrastructure committee on Tuesday, Mr Musisi says she is in trouble apparently for implementing the law to the letter. “There is one time, when through my (office) messenger, some people wanted to poison me, she tells MPs. “But we are willing to pay the price because we want to see a new Authority.”

Musisi claims she is resisting advice from close family members and friends to resign in order to avoid being snuffed out. Without giving names, Ms Musisi alleges many prominent politicians have been turning up at her office and asking her not to attach certain buildings that KCCA has condemned or might in the near future. She says that certain “armed persons” regularly turn up at her office as well to intimidate her.

The ED reveals that preliminary report of on-going investigations activities of Kampala City Council, the precursor to KCCA, show City Hall has no publicly known bank accounts. She says the KCC accounts cited in the press to hold Shs. 51bn were deliberately kept secret by former KCC officials who “regularly swindle money from those accounts”.

“There are some people who were entrusted to collect revenue on behalf of KCC. Ms. Musisi says that however the findings so far indicate that they are a cartel of persons who are collecting the taxes and depositing them on private bank accounts because they are not definitely identified. Consequently, KCCA officials are unable to tell who is in charge of collecting revenue from the public toilet system, for example.

Speaking before the committee that had summoned her to explain, among other matters, the high salaries reportedly received by her aides, Musisi said that she is simply a victim of the KCCA act. She said that she is the only technical person who has so far been appointed and approved. More technical members are supposed to be appointed by Minister responsible for Kampala. However such a minister has yet to be appointed.

Ms. Musisi is still locked in a meeting with the MPs.

MPs send city authority boss out of House

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1216378/-/bkgo9gz/-/index.html

By Mercy

Kampala Capital City Authority Executive Director Jennifer Musisi and her team were yesterday thrown out of Parliament over the inconsistencies in the budget for city roads. Trouble started after the lawmakers accused KCCA officials of inflating the budget. The MPs on the infrastructure committee said although Shs30 billion had been budgeted for work on city roads, Ms Musisi’s group now wants Shs1 trillion.

“The KCCA budget cannot be approved because they have exaggerated their budget and there are so many inconsistencies,” said Eng. Gabriel Aridru (Arua Municipality), the committee chairperson. “We cannot accept the figures they have presented. Let them go back and sort out these inconsistencies.” Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko pointed out some inconsistencies and alleged inflation in costs.

“Just imagine repairing 1.9 kilometres on Yusuf Lule Road and they are demanding Shs8b. This is unheard of!” said Mr Nsereko. Mr Aridru wondered why there was a request of Shs78b to construct a 94-kilometre from Mukono through Kayunga to Jinja. “The Shs78 billion translates to about Shs1 billion per kilometer which is an exaggeration,” Mr Aridru said.

The costs

The unit cost of constructing a standard road goes for about $200,000 (about Shs520million) per kilometre while repairing goes for about $100,000 (about Shs260million) per kilometre. There were also inconsistencies regarding how much money was released to KCC last financial year for roads. In the document presented to the committee, Shs1 trillion had been budgeted for revamping 350 kilometre roads within Kampala city yet in the same document is an indication that fixing the roads would cost Shs30 billion.

Ms Musisi, however, apologised and withdrew the document. “I am withdrawing the document in its totality and apologising for the time I have taken with you,” Ms Musisi said as she disowned the document. “I am not a civil engineer but the team in KCCA is the one that prepared this document with stakeholders. I have also been alarmed.” She was given up to mid next week to produce a realistic budget.

Death threats

Meanwhile, Ms Musisi has disclosed that she has survived a number of attempts on her life and a failed plot to poison her at office. “People are coming to my home and threatening to kill me,” Ms Musisi said. She, however, declined to give details of the individuals threatening her. “There is one time, when through my (office) messenger, some people tried to poison me,” Ms Musisi told MPs. “But we are willing to pay the price because we want to see a new Authority.”

KCCA was established by the KCCA Act which commenced on March 1, 2011. Ms Musisi, who took over office on April 18, told MPs she is resisting advice from close family members and friends to resign for her safety.

Kabakumba annyonnyodde ku musaala gwa Musisi

http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43047:kabakumba-annyonnyodde-ku-musaala-gwa-musisi&catid=29:amawulire&Itemid=127

Written by James Kabengwa Thursday, 04 August 2011 21:01

MINISITA Kabakumba Masiko agambye nti omusaala omunene ogusasulwa Dayirekita wa Kampala Jennifer Musisi n’abakozi be mu KCCA gwakakasibwa gavumenti era guli mu mateeka.

Kino kiddiridde ababaka ba Palamenti okulaga obutali bumativu ku musaala gwa Muky. Musisi ogw’obukadde 11 buli mwezi kw’ossa n’abakozi be 25 mu KCCA abafuna ensako esussa obukadde 5 buli omu nga mw’otwalidde ne ddereeva Shakrim Male afuna obukadde 7 buli mwezi ate omuyambi Godwin Katugume akwata fayiro za Dayirekita n’asasulwa ensako ya 3,500,500/=

Kino kiviiriddeko KCCA okusaasaanya obukadde 138 buli mwezi ku misaala n’ensako z’abakozi 26 bokka.

Wabula Kabakumba nya ye minisita avunaanyizibwa ku ofiisi y’Obwapulezidenti etwala Kampala yategeezezza nti ensako n’omusaala gwa Musisi n’abakozi be mu KCCA gufunibwa mu mateeka oluvannyuma lwa gavumenti okugukakasa ng’egeraageranya n’emirimu emingi egyabaweebwa okugogola Kampala.

Omuwandiisi wa minisitule y’ebyensimbi Keith Muhakanizi yagambye nti: Tubasasula okusinzira ku miwendo minisita abavunaanyizibwako gye yakakasa n’agituweereza.
Patrick Mugenyi omwogezi wa Dayirekita yagambye nti omusaala gwe bafuna gusaanidde kubanga baakola emirimu mingi nnyo mu ntegeka ey’okukyusa KCC okufuuka KCCA era ennaku ezimu bakolera essaawa 16 wadde bateekeddwa kukolera ssaawa munaana olunaku.

ENGERI GYE BASASULA ABA KCCA

Jennifer Musisi 11,030,000/-
Kabugo Raymond 10,648,000/-
Judith Tukahirwa 10,367,000/-
Patrick Mugenyi 9,665,500/-
Prisca Asiimwe 8,226,200/-
Margret Ngulumi 8,788,000/-
Musoke Kibuuka 7,452,000/-
Charles Ouma 7,454,000/-