All of us are sinners (except those who never reach the age of reason, whose only sin is the one inherited from Adam and Eve). Most of us have committed sins serious enough to deserve, not only physical death, but the spiritual death of eternal damnation. Why stop with homosexuals engaged in consensual sin? How about serial adulterers like Tiger Woods? And fornicators? You could empty out most dorms in the U.S. with that legislation. How about those who rob the taxpayers by diverting money to special interests? How many would be left on the floor of Congress? Then there are the abortionists, crime syndicates, and gangs perpetrating murder and mayhem. Who would be left at the end of the executions?
There are seven "deadly sins;" lust is only one of them.
Uganda and other countries in Africa are trying to protect the family and it's a laudable goal. It's one of the reasons the U.S. had anti-sodomy laws until they were overturned by the 6-3 2003 Lawrence vs. Texas Supreme Court ruling. Law is supposed to protect the common good and anti-sodomy laws are legitimate. At the very least they prevent homosexuals from recruiting the young which is one of Uganda's goals. (Isn't it interesting that most sinners like Tiger Woods are in the closet. Wouldn't it be nice if the homosexuals had stayed there instead of demonizing as homophobes everyone who deplores their behavior?)
The Ugandan legislator who introduced the bill, David Bahati, welcomes "constructive criticism" to improve the law, but thinks serious action is necessary to prevent homosexuals from "recruiting" the young. In view of the experience here in the U.S. with active recruitment efforts beginning in kindergarten it's easy to understand the concern of Africans over negative "western influence."
According to the Associated Press:
The Ugandan legislation in its current form would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. "Serial offenders" also could face capital punishment, but the legislation does not define the term. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act faces life imprisonment.
Anyone who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality" faces seven years in prison if convicted. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years and anyone with "religious, political, economic or social authority" who fails to report anyone violating the act faces three years.
Let's pray that Uganda alters their law to eliminate capital punishment for homosexuals, but criminalizing attempts to spread it to the young sounds like common sense to me. Sodomy pushers are at least as dangerous as drug pushers.
