Russell Moore’s Condemnation of Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law is a Trainwreck of Deceit and Stupidity
What is the reality?
This is a Twitter thread from Paul Biegler, adapted into article form. Read Russell Moore’s full article for the context and then come back, as Moore makes a horrible case here.
First, he strawmans his opponents as arguing that Leviticus *mandates* civil penalties for homosexuality, when in fact, they argue that Leviticus *allows* civil penalties for homosexuality.
Second, he applies intra-church stories and teachings to the civil magistrate. Yes, Paul told us simply to purge homosexuals from the church. No, Paul never told the government to punish them, but neither did he tell the government *not* to punish them. Why would he?
Third, Moore’s thesis is near the end of the article:
“Unleashing the violence of state-ordained execution, imprisonment, and surveillance on gay and lesbian Ugandans is a condemnable act of authoritarianism and a violation of the self-evident and unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To do such a thing is a matter of power, not of conviction. It demonstrates not a commitment to the Bible’s authority but a rejection of it.”
This argument is laughable.
To Moore, the “self-evident and unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (obviously cribbing the U.S. Constitution) includes the right to homosexuality. This would have been a surprise to its drafters. These rights have natural limits – this is obviously the case, otherwise there would be no prisons.
The question is where a society places those limits. One example is murder. We take life and liberty when killing is perpetrated upon another – even consensually! Moore’s true issue is that he cannot conceive of a consensual act of homosexuality as a perpetration of evil upon another.
Ugandans do. The Bible clearly does, as well.
So, while different countries might disagree on the proper (if any) punishment for homosexuality, calling Uganda’s democratic decision a “condemnable act of authoritarianism” is, ultimately, taking a stand against God’s Word.
Also, as has been pointed out ad nauseum (but conspicuously left out by Moore) the definition of “aggravated homosexuality” warranting the death penalty makes the death penalty seem pretty warranted! Moore says:
“At issue is a harsh new law signed by Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni that would not only outlaw homosexuality but also mandate conversion-therapy-type “rehabilitation” for gay people who are arrested and require a kind of surveillance culture in which citizens are criminally liable for not turning in people they know to be gay. But most chilling of all, the law would impose the death penalty on categories deemed to be “aggravated homosexuality.”
But what is the reality?
Almost reflects the recent laws of *gasp* the United States.
Editor’s Note. We added the last quote by Moore. You can read the whole Twitter thread in its original form here, or read the full Uganda bill here. Here is what constitutes “aggravated homosexuality” It’s hardly chilling.
