Catholic Church Changes Mind Now It Back Kills The Gays bill

The Catholic Church in Uganda has apparently changed its position on the country’s so-called “Kill the Gays” bill, calling on parliament to pass the measure.

The Ugandan Daily Monitor newspaper reported that Catholics joined in that new stance at the recent ecumenical conference organized by the Uganda Joint Christian Council, which represents Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Bishops at the conference urged the parliamentary committee that is studying the bill to approve it and send it to the House.  They said the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Law is needed in response to “an attack on the Bible and the institution of marriage,” the newspaper reported.

Clergy approving that stance included archbishops Henry Luke Orombi (Anglican), Cyprian Kizito Lwanga (Roman Catholic) and Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga (Orthodox).

In the past, the Catholic Church in Uganda opposed the bill.

Lwanga previously said that, although he opposes homosexuality, the bill is “at odds with the core values” of Christians. He said in 2010:

 “The Church … teaches the Christian message of respect, compassion, and sensitivity. The Church has always asked its followers to hate the sin but to love the sinner… In our view, the proposed [law] is not necessary considering that acts of sodomy are already condemned in the Penal Code.”

Under current Ugandan law, homosexuals can be subject to life imprisonment.

“The Catholic Church had previously been the sole major religion in Uganda in opposition to the bill,” Gay Star News reported.