Gay hate on the rise in Africa attributed to Western Evangelicals and a New push to “Kill the Gays”
By Melanie Nathan, May 12, 2013.
After Uganda, we predicted it would spread. It seems that the Western Evangelicals have found their way into Ethiopia and are repeating the actions that are causing such strong anti-gay sentiments, that local Ethiopians are now lashing out and implementing the inevitable persecution. See Cathy Kristofferson’s Article here on OBLOGDEE, linked below.
A Ethiopian couple, together for five years, have reported being attacked for being lesbians, and alluded to the Evangelical presence when telling their story.
The couple told their story to Bikyanews.com and it had yet to be independently verified. Its is alleged that last week, while dancing at a local club in Addis Ababa, they were attacked by a group of presumably heterosexual women, beaten and forced out of the nightclub.
“The women just kept yelling at us and screaming and pushing when we started to hold hands,” Lucy told Bikyanews.com, her eye still dark from the marks of the assault. “They shoved and punched at us until we were forced to leave.”
Tina also has bruises on her arms. The couple said they were enjoying a night out of dancing at a club they often go to for relaxation. They said they’d never had any problems.
“It is shocking because we don’t show a lot of physical intimacy, but we do try to enjoy our time,” chimed in Tina. “And then all hell broke loose. It is becoming more and more common in Ethiopia to be attacked because people are gay or lesbian. The campaign against the community is growing.”
According to the report “both alluded to the recent calls from an Evangelical organization that is pushing for the death penalty against Ethiopia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.”
An anti-gay organization that held a recent workshop on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in Ethiopia is reporting that the death penalty against gay people in Ethiopia may be on the horizon.
The workshop reportedly looked with the social ‘evils’ and ‘disastrous’ effects of homosexuality in Ethiopia, and was led by United for Life Ethiopia, a Western Evangelical Christian organization with local representation.
Government officials, religious leaders, leading heath professionals, charities and members of the public attended the event at the Bethel Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa, last week.
An article recently published by Bikyanews.com has received virulent anti-gay sentiments from users inside the country. A number of comments and angry emails have been flowing in that call for the death of Ethiopia’s small lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Now it is being reported that the heterosexual “community as a whole seemed bent on attacking LGBT people.”
It seems that we may well find yet another case of direct harm caused via the persecution incited by the actions of Western Evangelicals, yet again in Africa.
Zambia and Ethiopia are the ‘next Uganda’
Anti-gay sentiment increases after the export of more Western Evangelical hate See Cathy Kristofferson’s Article READ HERE
Can you just see this?? Influence of the Western Evangelicals?? Why? Get your hands out of other people’s business!!! This can’t continue!!
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
:Gay hate on the rise in Africa attributed to Western Evangelicals and a New push to “Kill the Gays” .” …. We’ve heard this before. Stand up and be counted. Be informed, be aware. Stand up for the rights of the “voiceless” ….. Ever wonder if this could happen in the “West”??
I have …… WE can’t allow this!
They deserve death capital punishment.It’s difficult even to keep them in prisons because they might spoil or rape inmates in there. Killing them is the only solution. We need such a strong law against those people. They are a threat to our world like terrorism.
Max Gordon – are you a Christian? Do you call for death of someone because you think you are God? Or because your Church has taught you too be loving and kind? Or is because you fear that you may be gay yourself? What is your problem/. The only reason you have hate in your heart is because you probably hate yourself. Or did Christianity teach you to hate? Before the Christian missionaries and evangelicals came to Africa, no one was threatened by gays. Now that I have said that how do you compare a loving lesbian like me in a loving relationship to a terrorist. I have produced 2 children while being a lesbian because science can help me do that. Many gays I know have kids… so we are populating the world too. So whats your problem. Is it fear, your religion or are you just an unkind hateful intolerant person. All I can say is – the ONLY legitimate excuse you have is your ignorance. Now that would be a good excuse right?
this is Ethiopia mentioned in the bible more than 40 times we will never ever allow them to live on our land go to the western countries to live like animal but they can’t live in this christian nation God forgive us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And who made Ethiopia a Christian nation – Westerners?
Melanie, please read first before you talk like you know. Westerners were still pagans when Ethiopia adopted Christianity. In fact, it’s the second country to adopt Christianity next to Armenia. I do not know the role the west played in Uganda in this case, but homo-sexuality has always been seen as one of the biggest sins, even mortal. If anything, the west is helping the gay against the general population of Ethiopia.
Like I said, read some.
I think ots fair to say it was a mixture over time…… to attribute it the way you do is limited in scope…. ” explain – that is pure conjecture w/o an explanation
Reblogged this on Rainbow-Ethiopia Daily (RED) News Ltd.
since the LGBT is the senseless and meaningless activities , it will never
get place in our land ,rather they need somewhere else…so no one need to explain about LGBT to oppose it.. I hate it too..!!!!!
SO whats your point? That you hate your own people because they do not share your sexual attractions? So other countries should love your people because you do not have the heart to love your won? That yu reject those who G-d placed in your own land? I dont think Jesus will be very impressed with you – that is not what he preached. So whoi should take in yur OWN people to love the because you do not have the capacity in your heart? Sounds like you judge for God That you think you are God?
Melanie, let me tell you one thing. If we had a law that says “execute all the evil doing gays and lesbians that reside in our beloved land Ethiopia,” I would happily get rid of a dozen of them and have a calm and serene dinner after that. The only reason I am not doing it is just because it is against the law to do so at the moment.
Well that means you want me dead too, yet you are supporting my site by reading it. You are clearly uneducated about what it is to be LGBT. It is not evil doing and it is not a choice to be gay. You have been fed myth and lies and unfortunately that is clouding your ability to understand that we are equal whether heterosexual or homosexual. There is no difference and there is no harm, because none can make the other what they are not. So you need not fear us. The evil doings? The only evil doings I know are rape, assault, murder, theft, slavery, trafficking, etc ….. And those are crimes taken care of by the law. Being homosexual is a right to one’s sexuality – it is not an “act” and hence not a crime. I am sorry for your obscure and yet to be explained or justified – hate. I feel deep pity for you and have posted your comment here so my readers can see the dangers in criminalizing sexuality – it gives people like you license to kill.
Did I get this right: ” “execute all the evil doing gays and lesbians that reside in our beloved land Ethiopia,” I would happily get rid of a dozen of them and have a calm and serene dinner after that.”
Are you talking about “killing a few gays then having dinner”? Why?
What is so bad and wrong about being gay? Where are you coming from?
Please, help me understand because I feel a very calm demeanor from you when you write this!!
Seems it’s lucky for me that I don’t live in your beloved land of Ethiopia! SMH …..
I totally agree with Melanie’s response to you. Then I think I got your meaning correctly …. I feel sorry for you!
well, we will see which side is right at the END. till then keep “enjoying”
And by the way if you love Ethiopia so much what are you doing in Finland? I am sure the people who surround you in Finland would love to know how much you hate gays right?
I don’t think inhuman sexual lust desire is our heart bit right now for us. we have a lot priority. Nobody listen to you. I feel sorry for viewing your blog. sorry for not even read your respond. i am in a wrong place
Ethiopia has always been a religious country: historically the second country in the world to adopt Christianity as an official religion of the state, the country where the first followers of prophet Mohammed including his wife fled to from persecution, the country where the highest population of black Jews believed to be from Israelite tribes that came to Ethiopia during the times of king Solomon, the country that is home to dozens more smaller religions. Ethiopians have always been devout in their religion. However, this using religion as an excuse to persecute gay and lesbian populations is a recent issue. It may be that the lgbt community now is a little more out than it was before. I imagine that in the past, if a man or woman had desires to be in a relationship with the same sex, he or she would be isolated in the sense that first, as an adolesecent he/she may not even know or understand what they are going through because it was rare to see lgbt folks in the open and it’s not talked about. Then, if talked about you are told its a sin so you would be afraid to act on it.
I hear in many conversations in our community that “this gay thing” came from the west, it’s the influence of all the foreign aid workers that come to Ethiopia and “trick” or force or influence with financial compensation the Ethiopians to be gay. That may be the unfortunate case of how some people had the first same sex experience, but you don’t become gay or stay gay after that unless you were before. If you as a heterosexual were in that situation and were to somehow have gay sex? After that, do u stop liking the opposite sex? No! That is obsurd! Gay folks existed in Ethiopia before and they do now too, just like everywhere in Africa, everywhere in the world. The west didn’t bring this.
What the west did bring though are these religious groups with extremist views that are preaching hate and influencing violence. I’m an Christian, my religion doesn’t teach me to beat, kill, or punish anyone! In my opinion, no religion teaches that! If folks hatred of homosexuality is based on thinking its a sin, then let God do his job.
Don’t make it ok for bad people, for corrupt governments, for people with their own agendas to hurt innocent people who have done nothing wrong but love each other. If you’re a missionary group there to help with aid or building a school or whatever, do that and leave. The idea that you think that you need to bring your religious views and agenda as well is based on a condescending and racist outlook on the people you are trying to help. These groups that are preaching hate in the name of God should have no place in Ethiopia, or elsewhere for that matter.
I believe that having desires to be in a relationship with, of loving, of building a family with someone of the same sex is as natural and as human as wanting the same thing with someone of the opposite sex. It’s building a connection with another human being. There is nothing wrong with that. People who are not gay or lgbt need to stop focusing on the sexual aspect of same sex sex and stop basing hate filled laws on how horrible or unatural they think it is. It’s not horrible for the people who want to do it, it’s in fact damn good! And it’s something that comes naturally, just like the heterosexual sex. If lgbt folks aren’t complaining about it, why are you? Why do you want to stop it for them? How is it effecting you? Are you afraid you will “turn” gay by having a gay friend or neighbor or sibling? No! That does not happen. People don’t turn into something they are not. They may unleash what was hiding inside them but not ” turn” into something they are not.
The reason I think you are seeing more and more lgbt Ethiopians is not because they have been ” turned ” gay. It’s because, just like elsewhere in the world, people are not isolated anymore. With the information flow, modern technology, people are able to say “wait, I’m not alone or crazy in how I feel” , “there are others like me”. The ability to make a connection with someone else is there. And that is Huge! No one should feel isolated! No one should be beaten or emprisoned or killed for being who they are and for loving another human being. What if ur brother or sister, or your child is gay? do u applaud someone killing them? Those individuals, those religious groups, those governments who believe you have the right to hurt lgbt folks like that should really examine where that deep hatred is coming from and really try to work on your internal sick issues!! And just mind your own business in the meantime! There are so many issues to work on …like wait ..,how to eradicate poverty, improve education, end violence against women, …. Don’t you think these should be prioritized rather than creating dangerous and unnecessary laws that will cause more issues than solve them. Maybe I’m crazy and naive, I don’t know! Violating someone’s human rights should not be on anyone’s to do list!
What has always made me most proud about being Ethiopian is not really just our glorious ancient history or the fact that we had never been colonized, it’s how diverse we are! A country with three main and dozens other religions coexisting as brother and sister for centuries, over 80 vastly different ethnic groups and peoples! How amazing is that? We are trully the first and really unique! Yes, we have had our issues with each other in the past and today as well, but who didn’t cheer on our national soccer team in their fight for World Cup qualification, or our runners! At the end of the day, we are ethiopian and our diversity has always been our strength! As such, in my idealist rant, i think that we not only should accept the lgbt community by not creating such laws as in Uganda but that we should embrace our lgbt brothers n sisters by being who we as a nation are known to be: welcoming! Loving! And embrace the lgbt community as another layer of our diversity!
There is no space for lesbianism and gay actions in ethiopia becouse it is a cursed action for the religious country Ethiopia and we wiil fight for ever.
It is indeed very sad when a religious country fails to take care of ALL its people and when it develops hate towards any human being born in the image of God and and God’s creation. Do you think God is stupid? Do you dare insult God when you say there is no space for people HE created? Being gay or lesbian is a natural human sexuality born from God’s will. I do not know which religion you refer to because their are several in your country. But you live in a country where people kill each other over religious beliefs. Is that the WILL of your God? Murder and rape? The Jewish Bible – before Christ came along – speaks very clearly and does NOT condemn same sex relationship – but does speak out against men raping men in war. But in Africa men rape men as a power tool of war – that is what the Bible condemns. NOT loving relationships. So shape up- get the truth…