HOMOPHOBIC PASTOR CONDEMNS UGANDA BILL

Controversial American pastor Rick Warren has finally come out against Uganda’s anti-gay bill, which is being debated in that country’s parliament.

Warren, said to be one of the most powerful Christian leaders in the US, released a video message urging pastors in the African country to reject the proposed legislation which would impose the death penalty on “aggravated homosexuality.”

“While we can never deny or water down what God’s Word clearly teaches about sexuality, at the same time the church must stand to protect the dignity of all individuals – as Jesus did and commanded all of us to do,” he said.

“The potential law is unjust, extreme and un-Christian toward homosexuals… all life, no matter how humble or broken, whether unborn or dying, is precious to God.”

Warren had been asked last month to comment on the bill but at that point refused to do so, saying only that he wouldn’t “take sides.” He now claims that he was instead engaged in “quiet diplomacy.”

The pastor, who is reported to have close to ties to anti-gay Christian leaders in Africa and Uganda, was the subject of much controversy when he was asked to speak at President Obama’s inauguration earlier this year.

According to some reports on Thursday, the Ugandan government is preparing to drop the death penalty and life imprisonment from the proposed bill in the face of mounting international outrage.