Warren's comment is of a piece with his support for  Martin Ssempa, the Ugandan evangelist who has been a keynote speaker at a Warren conference, and who has received US global AIDS prevention funds. As I wrote in August, Ssempa wants to ensure that homosexuality remains illegal and that gays and lesbians are identified in the public mind as sexual abusers. Ssempa calls for media censorship against opposing views and the dismissal of dissenting academics, and last summer he organised a rally with the theme "A Call for Action on Behalf of the Victims of Homosexuality", at which he railed against "molestation and sodomy."

Another past Warren conference delegate is Janet Museveni, wife of Uganda's increasingly autocratic president. I discussed the dubious consequences of Mrs Museveni's evangelical approach to HIV and AIDS on Talk to Action here; Esther Kaplan has explored the issue in further depth. Warren is just one American evangelist to enjoy links with the Musevenis; soon after President Museveni dispensed with term limits Morris Cerullo declared his leadership to be blessed by God.

Warren is also influential across the border in Rwanda, which Warren wants to be the world's first "Purpose-Driven Nation". I explored Warren's links with President Paul Kagame here.



[ed: for some related Talk To Action stories, see:

Rick Warren And The New Evangelism: Won't Be Fooled Again?

Ugandan Pastor Leads Campaign Against Gay Rights

Orthodox Anglicans' Akinola: 'Five Years in Jail if You are Gay in Nigeria'

Ugandan Pastor Praised by Benny Hinn Accused of Sex Abuse Cover-up

US Evangelists Back Museveni

Episcopal Church Disciplines Akinola Anglicans

Schismatic VA Episcopalians OK With Anti-Gay Laws Worse Than Pre-WW2 Nazi's ?]