Q&A w/Rick Warren About Uganda

This will probably be my last post on Rick Warren and Uganda.  Here is a Q&A with Warren that was posted on his website, www.rickwarren.com.  I think between this and the video message to Ugandan pastors, should clear up any misunderstandings.  I am curious if people like Rachel Maddow will admit that they were wrong on this one and apologize to Warren… I am guessing not.

Key Facts Concerning Recent Media and Blog Reports on Rick Warren’s Position on Uganda

(1) Do you support the death penalty for homosexuals?
Absolutely not.  ALL life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God. My wife, Kay, and I have devoted our lives and our ministry to saving the lives of people, including homosexuals, who are HIV positive. It would be inconsistent to save some lives and wish death on others. We’re not just pro-life. We are whole life.  

(2) Do you support life imprisonment for homosexuality?
Of course not.  I oppose the criminalization of homosexuality. The freedom to make moral choices is endowed by God.  Since God gives us that freedom, we must protect it for all, even when we disagree with their choices.  

(3) Are you a friend of the President of Uganda? 

No. I’ve never met him, and never had any kind of communications with him, or with any member of the Ugandan Parliament.

(4) Did the President of Uganda say he wanted his country to be Purpose Driven?  
No, he didn’t.  That was said by the President of RWANDA, not Uganda, at a national rally in Rwanda in 2005.  Years later, the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda made a similar comment so people are confusing Uganda with Rwanda, the country next to Uganda.  While we have just begun to train pastors in Uganda, we are very involved in Rwanda, creating a nationwide P.E.A.C.E. plan at the invitation of the churches there. Over 1,000 Saddleback members have served on humanitarian projects in Rwanda.

(5) What did you do when you heard about the proposed Ugandan law?  
I wrote to the most influential leader I knew in that country, the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, and shared my opposition and concern.  He wrote me back, saying that he, too, was opposed to the death penalty for homosexuals.  There are thousands of evil laws enacted around the world that kill people (For instance, last year, 146,000 Christians around the world were killed because of their faith).  In this case, I knew the Archbishop in Uganda, so I did what I could, but my influence in that nation has been greatly exaggerated by the media.

(6) Is Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa an associate who represents you?  
Not at all.  At each of our Global Summits on AIDS (on World AIDS Day) we’ve invited speakers from a wide spectrum of religions, beliefs, political views, and health care expertise. We’ve had believers and atheists, liberals and conservatives, gays and straights.  Ssempa was just one of over 200 speakers we’ve invited. At each Summit we make it clear that no speaker represents us, and that we don’t control, endorse, or agree with all that is said.  Our desire is to encourage everyone to work together in ending AIDS and caring for those infected and affected.  Ssempa was one of many speakers in 2005 and 2006.  In 2007, when we learned that Ssempa’s beliefs and actions were vastly different than ours, we disassociated ourselves from him.

(7) Did you say that homosexuality is not a human right?
Absolutely not.  What I said in an interview in Uganda was that there is no civil right to gay marriage guaranteed by the United States Constitution.  All Americans, and I believe all people, are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” as spoken by the United States Declaration of Independence.

(8) Do you know Scott Lively?
No.  I do not know Scott Lively and have had no contact with him regarding Uganda or any other issue.  I would certainly not associate with anyone who denies the Holocaust, one of the greatest tragedies in human history.

(9) Are you and Peter Wagner attempting to rid the world of homosexuals?
Absolutely not.  Peter Wagner was a seminary professor of mine, but not my doctoral dissertation advisor.  I have not had contact with Peter Wagner for many years and am certainly not conspiring with him for any purpose.  Additionally, the event chronicled at Angels Stadium in 2005 has been grossly misrepresented.  I was simply arguing that Christians could have a tremendous effect for good in the world if they had the same dedication as the followers of Mao.  I would never argue that anyone should emulate or espouse the views of Mao, Hitler or Lenin.

Source.