Thursday 27 February 2014

Museveni Signs "Kill the Gays" Bill

The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has signed a law which means homosexuality now carries a life sentence.


It was already a crime to be gay in Uganda. Adults found to have had same-sex relationships used to face seven years in prison. But this new law builds on the existing laws and goes even further to criminalise LGBT individuals - lengthening sentences for adults found 'guilty' of same-sex relationships, and extending punishments to people involved in 'promoting' homosexuality. Under the Anti-Homosexual Bill, anyone found guilty of same-sex relations would automatically be sentenced to a lifetime behind bars. It also includes prison sentences for anyone who does not report homosexual colleagues or family members to the authorities.

It is a dangerous and draconian piece of legislation and an affront to the human rights of all Ugandans. This legislation will institutionalise hatred and discrimination against LGBT people in Uganda. Its passage into law signals a very grave episode in the nation’s history. Uganda has made important progress on human rights in recent years, including criminalising torture, but this Bill is a colossal step backwards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26320102
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/ugandas-anti-homosexuality-bill-becomes-law#.Uw5Z1Pl_v84
http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2014/02/24/ugandan-president-museveni-signs-kill-the-gays-bill/

Museveni signed the bill despite opposition and appeals from a number of sources, including over 100 UK MPs and Peers, US President Barack Obama and Desmond Tutu, who compared Museveni's behaviour with Hitler's in Nazi Germany.

He has since faced criticism from the likes of UK Foreign Secretary William Hague who said he is ‘deeply saddened and disappointed’ with Uganda’s President for signing the law, EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton , who caled the law "draconian," US ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi and UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg:-


The Ugandan anti-gay law is an abhorrent backwards step for human rights. It should never be a crime to be LGBT.

Norway and Denmark have cut aid to Uganda, while others including US will review budgets over the new law. The US described the adoption of the law as a tragic day for Uganda, and the secretary of state, John Kerry, announced that "all dimensions" of US engagement with the country would be reviewed, including the aid budget.

There have been at least eight suicide attempts in Uganda in last two weeks over the anti-gay law, 3 of which were successful. 


He said: ”I have failed to understand that you can fail to be attracted to all these beautiful women and be attracted to a man... That is a really serious matter. There is something really wrong with you... Homosexuals are actually mercenaries. They are heterosexual people but because of money they say they are homosexuals. These are prostitutes because of money... No study has shown you can be homosexual by nature. That man can choose to love a man… is a matter of choice. After listening to the scientists, I got the facts. Can somebody be homosexual simply by nature? The answer is no.”

Blaming the West for the presence of gay people in Uganda, he said “arrogant and careless Western groups [had been] coming in our schools and recruiting homosexuals into homosexuality and lesbianism”.

He also said, “I advise friends from the West not to make this an issue because if they make it an issue the more they will lose... This is social imperialism. To impose social values of one group on our society... I would advise Western countries, this is a no-go area… I don’t mind being in a collision course with the West. I am prepared.”

Despite the criticism from many in the west, there are those who support this anti-gay legislation. One such individual is UK based Evangelist Paul Shinners (trustee of Cornerstone Cafe, St Neots, Cambridgeshire), who was quoted an an Ugandan newspaper while speaking at an anti-gay rally commending Uganda for the Bill, saying it was a clear stand for God and saying, “There is no other nation world over that has such a plan and through this, Uganda is going to be blessed.” 



Despite this, Shinners denied his comments to the local UK press (but not to the press, politicians or people of Uganda) and claimed the event was not an anti-gay event, but this was a lie. The following articles and video, prove that Bishop David Kiganda, the host of the event Shinners attended in Uganda is deeply involved in Uganda's anti-gay movement:-


The video shows Kiganda with the vile Martin "eat da poo poo" Ssempa and David "Kill the Gays" Bahati who first presented the Bill to Parliament in 2009.

Shinners has repeatedly lied and deceived to cover his tracks. He claimed in the Hunt's Post he had demanded an apology from the other bloggers, which was a lie. He lied to me about constantly rescheduling a meeting I had set up with him. He lied to other protesters claiming he had not gone to Uganda and was being confused with someone else. He told me that he had a recording of the event that proved he was innocent, but when a reporter for the Cambridge News asked him if he had a recording, he said that they didn't make one. He was lying to one of us. Exodus 20:16 comes to mind.

He has made ludicrous claims like he can cure the blind and cure cancer, that god pays for his petrol and mortgage and that gravity only exists on earth. He has also betrayed the confidence of members of his church and spread information told to him in private, which has lead to a great deal of pain, suffering, injury and the breakdown of relationships.

He told me he could use his influence to stop the bill, but has done nothing to help the people of Uganda who face persecution, mob violence and life in prison. His only actions have been to cover his tracks in the UK and protect his business.

Matthew 7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

Shinners: A wolf in sheep's clothing

Anyone with any knowledge of the situation in Uganda and similar countries in Africa would know of the vile homophobic propaganda and building anti-gay sentiments caused by the influence of Western Evangelicals. For Paul Shinners to repeatedly travel to Africa to preach over the last decade and not witness or be aware of this is a ludicrous lie. His colleagues are some of the driving forces behind the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The following video shows the situation in Uganda in 2010, one year after the bill was first introduced. Since then Shinners has been to Uganda at least twice and the situation has only got worse since then with beatings, rapes and murder of homosexuals becoming an increasingly regular occurrence. 



Shinners needs to stop playing both sides and either come out of the homophobia closet and stand by his principles and beliefs or condemn his Evangelical colleagues in Uganda and appeal to them to stop this vile law that is based on lies, prejudice and propaganda.

Thursday 20 February 2014

The lies and deception continue from Anti-Gay Evangelical Paul Shinners

A sadly one sided account of the recent protest of and controversy surrounding Anti-Gay Evangelical Paul Shinners...

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Huntingdon-St-Ives-St-Neots/Protest-against-St-Neots-evangelist-Paul-Shinners-accused-of-supporting-controversial-anti-gay-legislation-poorly-attended-20140220070000.htm



Paul told the protesters in the Cafe that he had not been to Uganda and he was being confused with somebody else. This was a lie.

He told me he had a recording of the event, but told the reporter for the Cambridge News he did not.

He makes false claims of being able to cure cancer and the blind.

He told the lesbian lgbt human rights campaigner that "god loves her despite what you do."

He is willing to deny what he said to local papers, but has done nothing to reach out to his contacts in Uganda to condemn the bill. Shinners told me he could use his "influence" in Uganda to stop the bill almost a year ago, but has done nothing.

“There were about 60,000 people in the stadium and not one single person made an allegation."
“If I had said that I would have been headline news around the world.”

All 60,000 were in support of the bill, why would any of them have made an allegation against him. He is just one of many who support this type of legislation in Africa. Evangelical Scott Lively was instrumental in the crafting of the bill in Uganda and Russia's new anti-gay legislation, but he has not made headlines around the world.

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill To Become Law, Shinners Still Silent

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is believed to have signed the anti-gay bill into law, punishing gay people with life imprisonment...
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/reports-ugandas-anti-gay-bill-now-law180214

The following video shows Museveni declaring war on the "Homosexual lobby"....



He said, “We shall have a war with the homosexual lobby, in the world, backed by these people and you.”


This new law will make the lives of Ugandan homosexuals even more difficult, who already live in fear for their lives.
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2014-02-17-ugandas-gays-are-just-the-latest-victims-of-musevenis-lust-for-power/#.UwOVi_l_uNM

UK based Evangelist Paul Shinners stood on a stage and joined with other Evangelical Leaders in calling for this bill to be passed. He has shown no repentance and has done nothing to reverse the effect his words have had on Uganda and the LGBT community.


This is what happens to innocent Ugandan homosexuals, on the street in broad daylight. This is what happens in the name of God when the bible is twisted and used to spread hate in the world. This is the fault of a number of Christian Evangelicals. People whose extreme homophobic rhetoric is no longer tolerated in the Western world, so they take their vile propaganda to Africa and prey on the impoverished, misinformed and ill-educated people of the world. They drum up so much hate and anger that things like this are unfortunately a regular occurrence...


Another Ugandan Gay Man Killed in Uganda - Kampala



Any good Christian person would be appalled by what is happening in the name of Christianity, God and the Bible...


While the West is making great strides and breakthroughs in LGBT rights, Russia and many parts of Africa are moving in the wrong direction. When will the world learn that regardless of race, gender, sexuality or disability, we are all human and all deserve to love, be happy and have our human rights respected.

Paul Shinners has been travelling to Africa for around 10 years and at an Anti-Gay rally in Uganda was quoted as saying Uganda will be "blessed" if they pass the Anti-homosexuality Bill, which at the time included the death penalty. Last year he claimed he could use his influence to stop it, but has done nothing. He has shown complete apathy to the plight of the Ugandan homosexuals who have suffered in part due to his actions. Paul Shinners has a recording of the Anti-Gay rally he attended, but he refuses to make it public. He has been shown to be an untrustworthy liar on countless occasions, but wants people to take his word on the contents of the tape. Why won't he release the recording?



He continues to have a thriving business (Cornerstone Cafe, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK) that he runs under the umbrella of his charity (Passion for Souls), relying on volunteers to staff it and taking money of the unaware, good Christian community of St. Neots, as well as those who support his actions in Uganda and the rest of Africa.


St Neots residents... please boycott the Cornerstone Cafe in St Neots. Show Paul Shinners that his beliefs and actions will not be tolerated in out town...


Sunday 16 February 2014

Shinners Supporter Assaults Protester at Peaceful Demonstration

Yesterday a protest took place outside the Cornerstone Cafe in St Neots. The peaceful demonstration was marred by violence from one of the Cafe's supporters...


When I arrived for the protest Paul Imrie one of the cornerstone trustees who sat in on my discussion with Shinners the other week. He was standing across the road for a while with a video camera as some sort of intimidation tactic, similar to those i have seen used by the Scientologists. Imrie is an ex-police officer who confirmed Shinners' lie that you need police permission to protest (which you don't) and that I could be arrested.


One of Shinners' customers (pictured below) verbally and physically assaulted me. He called me a "fucking arsehole" as he entered the cafe and then left and as he walked past me he aggressively slammed into me with his elbow and shoulder as he passed me. Given my spine injury this was very painful and I have been in a lot of pain since and am finding it difficult to stand and walk. I reported the incident to a couple of police officers who were nearby and when they couldn't see the guy down the alley he went down, they went in the cafe and Shinners said he didn't know anyone by that description. As the police were telling me this the man had circled round and was approaching the cafe again, so one of the officers took him aside and took his details. There are CCTV cameras on the street that recorded the incident and rather than leave the protest then, I have a appointment to give a statement at the police station at today. The man reentered the cafe after talking to the police and I popped in and asked Shinners if he knew the man, but he claimed he was just a customer, but didn't know him by name. I informed Shinners that the man had assaulted me, but the man remained in the cafe until after I left at 3.20pm, 20 mins after the cafe had closed. I took a couple of pictures of him, just in case he had given false details to the police. When I was taking a few pictures of the cafe from across the street he left and walked round the back and at one point I saw him peering around the corner of the building, staring at me.


While the protest was mostly just myself there were a few protesters who were in the cafe staying out of the cold and wind as they had young children with them. Early in the protest they got my attention and gestured to their phone to take a photo and took a picture from inside the cafe and shortly afterwards the police arrived as someone had complained that I was holding up signs AGAINST the window, (which was not true) in an attempt to get me moved on. The protesters joined me outside for a while before leaving and we discussed the situation in Uganda and what Shinners had done. I spoke to a number of people leaving the cafe about Shinners actions and the situation in Uganda. One man looked at my sign and said "no, the Russians got it right, give them the elbow."

A number of local business owners and employees approached me throughout the day to praise what I was doing, give me encouragement and support and offer me a hot drink.
I would have hoped for a better turnout but the weather was pretty terrible and a lot of people were waking up to blown down fences after the stormy weather last night and apologised that they could not attend.
Thank you to everyone who could make it and thank you to everyone who gave me support and encouragement. Please spread the word and boycott Shinners' Cafe and make sure that the good people of St Neots no longer help finance Shinners' Homophobic message of hatred towards gay people.

Please click below to read the rest of the blog...

stopugandanantihomosexualitybill.blogspot.co.uk

Friday 14 February 2014

Ugandan President To Sign Anti-Homosexuality Bill... Time Is Running Out!

Members of the party of President Yoweri Museveni have “welcomed the development as a measure to protect Ugandans from social deviants,” tweeted his spokesperson when announcing his decision.

www.buzzfeed.com/lesterfeder/ugandan-president-to-sign-anti-homosexuality-bill

world.time.com/2014/02/14/uganda-to-pass-anti-homosexuality-bill


The time to act is now, before it's too late!

Proof that the Ugandan Day of Prayer is an Anti-Gay Event

The following image is of Paul Shinners attending the 6th Annual National Day of Prayer in Nakivubo Stadium...



It was the 7th Annual National Day of Prayer where Shinners spoke in favour of the "Kill the Gays" Bill, saying that Uganda would be "blessed"...



The following video proves that the National Day of Prayer in Uganda is in fact an Anti-Gay event. 45 seconds in you see footage from the most recent event where they thank the government for passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjOlxNPQafU





For more information and details of the peaceful protest to be held on Saturday 15th February, please read the rest of my blog...
http://stopugandanantihomosexualitybill.blogspot.co.uk/


Please sign as many of the following petitions as you can...
www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/stop-antihomosexuality-bill
www.avaaz.org/en/uganda_rights_3
www.allout.org/en/actions/uganda-now

www.avaaz.org/en/uganda_stop_gay_death_law
action.groundswell-movement.org/petitions/reject-anti-homosexuality-bill-in-uganda-1
www.change.org/petitions/citibank-and-barclays-condemn-uganda-s-kill-the-gays-bill
www.thepetitionsite.com/593/809/416/president-museveni-dont-sign-ugandas-anti-gay-bill/?TAP=1007
action.sumofus.org/a/uganda-bill/
www.thepetitionsite.com/125/682/862/tell-the-un-pressure-uganda-to-abolish-anti-homosexuality-bill/
www.standforuganda.com/
www.ipetitions.com/petition/Uganda_Christians/?e/
www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/international-criminal-court-investigate-and-prosecute-the-top-3-homophobic-ugandans-for-crimes-against-humanity
www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/stop-uganda-anti-homosexuality-bill

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Peaceful Protest outside Cornerstone Cafe Saturday 15th February 12pm to 3pm

There will be a protest outside the Cornerstone Cafe, 2-6 Cambridge Street, St Neots on Saturday 15th February from 12pm to 3pm. We will be protesting Paul Shinners' involvement in the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda and his refusal to answer questions or reach out to his contacts in Uganda to condemn the bill.



Here is a link to the protest on facebook...

https://www.facebook.com/events/667950623247340/

Spread the word and bring your friends. All are welcome!


A bit of background...

In December 2012 Paul Shinners attended an anti-gay rally in Uganda calling for the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. It has been about since 2009, but It finally passed in December 2013 and is likely to come into effect within the next week when the Ugandan Parliament resumes. It was known as the "Kill the Gays" Bill and though there are rumours that the death penalty has been removed, no final draft of the bill has been made public. The bill also included a prison sentence for any family member, friend or colleague who doesn't report anyone for being homosexual within 24 hours and a ban on "gay propaganda" similar to the recent law in Russia, which will have a devastating effect on HIV prevention and treatment. 

For years homosexuals have been subject to public outings in the tabloids and many have been beaten and some even murdered. Lesbians have been the victim of "corrective rape" to cure them of their homosexuality. Since the passage of the bill the number of attacks have escalated dramatically. 

There were two small protests in January of last year when Paul Shinners was still in Africa and he put out a statement claiming not to be homophobic, but the phrase "hate the sin, not the sinner" is often used by people in Uganda and elsewhere to distance themselves from the homophobe label. When I asked Paul what he thought Homophobia meant he said "nothing." He claimed not to have seen or heard any homophobia on his many trips to Africa over the last decade, which is very suspect given he has visited a number of aggressively homophobic countries many of them with Anti-Gay laws. 

A number of people have tried to contact Paul regarding his actions/views but had no response and he has been deliberately evasive and vague in any response he has given me.

When the story broke last year, I contacted Paul to get his side of the story and he agreed to meet me but then rescheduled a number of times over a couple of weeks, so I sent him an email asking a few questions to better understand his opinion on homosexuality and his contacts in Uganda. He replied saying that he would put out a "clear statement" regarding his beliefs and actions in the next few days, but one never materialised. He also told me that if I had contacted him sooner he could have used his influence to stop the bill, yet he has since had a whole year and has done nothing.

Since the bill has now passed I tried to engage Paul in a dialogue again. After a number of evasive emails I held a small protest outside his shop the other week and he agreed to a conversation with me.






Here are two recent articles from the two bloggers who initially brought this issue to the public's attention...



This is the initial report covering the rally in Uganda...


There are some more articles here...



Here are a couple of documentaries on the subject...

Missionaries Of Hate Vanguard


The World's Worst Place To be Gay




Please join me at the protest and invite your friends...


 and read the rest of my blog...

Monday 10 February 2014

Shinners' continued lies and apathy towards the plight of the Ugandan LGBTI community



After weeks of evasive email responses from Paul Shinners regarding his beliefs and actions in Uganda, I held a small protest outside his shop on St. Neots High Street.

Shinners invited me into his "Healing Room" for a conversation under the supervision of one of the charity Passion for Souls' fellow trustees Paul Imrie.



He talked rather convincingly until I began to ask questions and then his lies, hypocrisy and apathy became very self evident.

He played the victim and claimed he was being persecuted (rather ironic given the situation in Uganda) and said that he was unwilling to do anything to help the people of Uganda as he had already been judged and it wouldn't benefit his reputation. He was only concerned with himself and had no sympathy or concern for the people in Uganda.

When I asked him his opinion on homosexuality he and his college just openly laughed in my face. He refused to answer a few simple questions like whether he views homosexuality as a sin and if he agrees that homosexuals should be able to marry or adopt. He has claimed not to be homophobic, but when I asked him what he defined as homophobia, he said "nothing." He was consistently vague and evasive and always brought the conversation back to how he was a victim.

He accused me of attacking him online without getting his side of the story first, but last year I did attempt to contact him first and he agreed to a meeting but then kept on rescheduling over a couple of weeks until it was clear that he was unwilling to have a conversation, something he denied which is nothing but a blatant lie. He was also approached for answers from a number of other individuals both locally and internationally and has been unwilling to respond. His only communication appears to have been to the local paper the Hunts Post and a couple of online bookshop blogs/websites to cover his tracks and protect his business.

He distanced himself from the views of River Church, which openly state a homophobic view on a link from their website, despite the fact that this time last year his website stated he was a "proud member" of the church and the head of the church Rob McFarlane (pictured below, bottom right) used to be a fellow trustee of his charity.



The conversation quickly descended into farcical nonsense. Shinners claimed to be able to fully cure the blind and his website also claims they can cure cancer. He also said that he would be able to heal my spine injury. When I asked him why there were no scientific papers regarding this he said that they would rather keep it quiet to avoid ridicule. Religious "healing" has been shown to be a hoax or at the least purely psychological. The placebo effect can be a powerful if only temporary effect.

He claimed to take no salary from his charity and when I asked him how he pays his mortgage on his £500K house or pays for petrol he said that god pays for it. I don't know whether he was just being facetious or just has a very loose grip on reality, though I suspect the latter given some of his other comments.

Paul Shinners appears to have a literal, fundamentalist view of the old testament and said that "evolution is just a theory." The mistake he made is that the word "theory" has a different meaning in science than how it is used in common language. I pointed out that Gravity is a theory too and he showed himself to be completely ignorant on the subject by stating that there was no gravity in space or on the moon. Without gravity on the moon astronauts would be unable to land, walk or drive on the moon and without gravity in space the moon wouldn't go round the earth, the earth and other planets wouldn't go round the sun and galaxies wouldn't have formed around black holes.

He appeared ignorant of many parts of the bible and holds the worrying belief that children who are born disabled are born that way because of the actions of the devil. He also said that "spirits can't create spirits" and believes that like god, the devil always existed, rather than the generally accepted christian view that the devil is a fallen angel created by god.

Throughout our conversation he was continually evasive of the important questions regarding his views on homosexuality, showed complete apathy and (apparent) ignorance regarding the plight of the Ugandan people. He also claimed to have a recording of what he said in Uganda but refused to make it public. Why would an innocent person hide the truth or be unwilling to clearly state his beliefs?

I would hope that anyone who uses his cafe would boycott it to stop supporting and funding his questionable activities in Uganda and the rest of Africa.


I will be organising a protest outside the cornerstone Cafe on Saturday 15th February to call for answers and action from Paul Shinners and raise public awareness of the situation. If anyone would like to join me or help me organise it please contact me via my email: danielblaw2014@gmail.com

Please feel free to contact the Hunts Post on 01480 443451- news@huntspost.co.uk or 01480 411481- editor@huntspost.co.uk if this is an issue you believe is in the interest of the local community.