GOD LOVES UGANDA

God Loves Uganda is a 2013 documentary about the horrid persecution of gays and lesbians in the African nation of Uganda in the name of religion, specifically Christianity or so-called Christianity. The movie examines the "influence" of U.S. evangelicals in this anti-gay fervor, most notably an evangelical/missionary outfit called--and, no, I'm NOT making this up!--International House Of Prayer. Yes, IHOP! Anyway, IHOP regularly sends missionaries to spread the Good Word to Uganda and other places in Africa. Now, to be fair, IHOP does seem to do some decent humanitarian work in Uganda and other places in Africa. Here's the specific issue I have with this and other evangelical/missionary work: whatever "humanitarian" work that "Christian" outfits like IHOP does more-often-than-not comes with a pricetag in that they'll provide said "humanitarian" work so long as the natives "listen" to their "Christian message" and whatnot. Of course, the documentary also focuses in on the rampant AIDS crisis in Africa, including Uganda, and how homosexuals have been blamed for said AIDS crisis and/or the perceived rise in so-called immorality in Uganda and Africa in general. And, yes, the documentary also zeroes in on the VERY controversial "anti-gay" law that was eventually passed in Uganda--which was largely "influenced" by so-called Christian activists such as the rather vile "anti-gay" U.S. minister named Scott Lively who actually had a meeting with Uganda officials (gee, I wonder what THEY were talking about!)--that calls for "practicing" homosexuals to be locked up and even given the death penalty in certain instances. Of course, one's own personal beliefs will no doubt largely determine how one views this documentary; like, for instance, a more religious person might view this film as "anti-religious" and one who supports LGBT rights will no doubt be appalled by what's going on in Uganda. Speaking strictly for myself, I am ALWAYS appalled whenever rampant persecution against a certain group is done in the name of religion regardless of what religion that may be (and, yes, that includes the rampant and sometimes violent persecution of Christians in predominantly Muslim countries, just so you know). Documentarian Roger Ross Williams lets his "bias" be known right from the very beginning and, there again, some--or most--in the religious community would probably see Williams as having an "anti-religious" or "anti-Christian" bias, although, to be fair, he does interview a couple of "pro-gay" bishops, including one in Uganda who himself has been "targeted" for his "pro-gay" beliefs. Williams was reportedly influenced to make this documentary by an Uganda gay-rights activist named David Kato who was featured in the film and who was bludgeoned to death presumably because he was a gay-rights activist. Again, God Loves Uganda might be an uneasy film to watch either for gay-rights activists or pro-religious types; again depending on what your point of view on this issue might be. I must say, I find it rather ironic when I hear so-called Christian evangelicals harp in the film and elsewhere about gay-rights advocates and gays and lesbians in general trying to "indoctrinate" others, especially young people, into the "gay" lifestyle when some--including, of course, myself--might point out that it seems like the MAIN ones who are doing the "indoctrinating" of young people and others, as portrayed in the documentary, ARE THE SO-CALLED "CHRISTIAN" EVANGELICALS THEMSELVES!!!! I mean, it's NOT like I've ever had any "gay" people coming to MY door handing out pamphlets and whatnot explaining about their lifestyle, you know what I mean?