A MUSLIM he may not be, but major league crazy Lou Engle, according to The Gospel According to Hate blog, “repeatedly looks to radical Muslims as his guide” – even though he regards Islam as “demonic”.
The US evangelist laments that fact that Islam’s followers know how to die for their faith, while Christians have become soft and forsaken martyrdom. He’s also called for a second civil war in the United States and speaks of an “underground” Christian church that plans to take over the world.
Engle, who has been calling for young Christians to take up the cause and become martyrs for their faith in their stand against “immoral” secularism, healthcare for all US citizens and abortion, is particularly exercised over homosexuality (now there’s a surprise) and now we learn that he is exporting his vicious brand of homophobia to a country already in the grip of anti-gay fervour – Uganda.
Evangelical firebrand Lou Engle in full cry
According to the Huffington Post, Engle today staged an all-day anti-gay event - TheCall Uganda Rally – at the Makerere University Sports Field on Kampala.
If both Engle and TheCall sound familiar, it’s because a similar event, a 12-hour rally to boost support for Yes on 8, was held in San Diego’s Qualcomm stadium during the Prop 8 battle in California.
A major figure in the New Apostolic Reformation, Engle has close ties with the violent anti-abortion movement called The Army of God, who stirred up such a frenzied atmosphere of attacks on abortion clinics that they finally incited someone to assassinate the well-known doctor George Tiller.
His own movement also calls for acts of “martyrdom” – meaning followers who are willing to commit violent acts, including murder, who will willingly go to prison or be shot down by police, so they can rid the world of the movement’s “enemies,” namely prominent abortionists and LGBT leaders and the like.
The web site for “TheCall Uganda” announced the stadium rally and encouraged those attending to fast for twenty-one days before the massive rally in Kampala. Their goals are to fight against:
- Witchcraft and human sacrifice
- Homosexuality and increased immorality
- Disasters and the resultant suffering of the people
- The decay of morals and infrastructure of Kampala
The LGBT/SOGI Human Rights Program at the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office indicates that Engle’s plan was to scapegoat LGBT people for all the ills listed above, a common theme that Ugandan pastors like Martin Ssempa have picked up on used to increase support for violence against LGBT people.
With the Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill under consideration, TheCall: Uganda is exporting more homophobia at a time when threats and violence against gay people are already increasing. Many have had their photos in Ugandan newspapers with headlines describing them as “Top Homos.”
Frank Mugisha, President Sexual Minorities of Uganda, said
Gay people are already fleeing their homes and have to move from house to house because of threats to their lives. Americans need to stop Lou Engle from coming to Uganda.
Lou Engle is just the latest American Evangelical to go to Uganda. ABC Nightline News has a good piece on the Ugandan “Kill the Gays” Bill and the direct connection to the rabid anti-gay movement in the US. Three evangelicals from the United States – Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, and Don Schmierer – held a three-day conference on homosexuality in Kampala, Uganda, in March 2009.
ABC focuses on Scott Lively – a professional gay-hater, holocaust revisionist, and recognised hate group leader from the US who has traveled to Uganda to whip up anti-gay animus in the country, leading to the “anti-homosexuality” bill. Video of Lively at this conference shows him saying gay people were behind the Nazi holocaust and labeling all gay people as child molesters.
Rev Patricia Ackerman of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office said:
Only a public outcry will be able to stop TheCall from exporting more hate from the United States to Uganda in the name of religion.
Hat tip: Alan
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
May 2nd, 2010 at 10:40 pm
So he calls for Christians to be literally willing to take bullets for the cause while listing ‘human sacrifice’ as a top target to fight against. Why even expect coherence from such a straitjacket dodger?
May 2nd, 2010 at 10:55 pm
The whacky world of Religion . These anti-abortion terrorists are as dangerous as Al-Qeda or the Peado protecting Catholic Church. It never ceases to amaze me how there are so many loonies and so many crazy people prepared to follow them
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
It’s scary really. It makes as much sense as those Moslems waving placards that says: ” Behead those who say Islam is violent.” Why are there so many deluded people who incite their followers to violence all in the name of some imaginary god of peace?? I looked at the videos and you could substitute politicians like Palin who has a large following as if she is a Messiah for him and that is what is scary. For if ever they came to wield great power….
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:35 am
http://www.theage.com.au/world.....0-tzcp.htm
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:53 am
I hate to be a wet blanket on an already wet Bank Holiday, but that may have been a (brilliant) Photoshop job. http://sciencenotes.wordpress......s-violent/
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:28 am
You’d think that the USA would stop these loony tunes from travelling to other countries when they spout this sort of thing. Free speech does have its limits as far as I’m concerned.
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:38 am
I for one would encourage as many of these people as I possibly could to embace martyrdom, so long as it is consists predominantly of chasing lions or re-enacting that supposed cross-nailing stuff. Lets see them resurrect themselves.
May 3rd, 2010 at 5:15 am
Engle could always set the example for his followers.
May 3rd, 2010 at 6:25 am
I wonder if this has anything to do with religion. Could this just be a list of everything Engle hates wrapped up in piety to make it more palatable for the masses?
On the martyrdon issue. Xian lemmings, now there’s a thought. I could be an annual event watched with pleasure by the sane.
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:14 am
Expanding on “RussellW”‘s brief comment – I always find it interesting how these idiot preacher types always exhort their followers to “take a bullet” for the cause but never seem to have the moxie to practice what they preach. Even more interesting is how stupid the followers are not to notice that the boss man never steps up and “takes one for the team.”
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:03 am
How would fasting stop a disaster and the resulting suffering of the preople?
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:23 am
They want to die? Happy to oblige.
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:35 am
I remember saying it before, that any christian (graham) who accuses islam of being an evil religion, has either achieved the epitomy of hypocrisy, or has never opened a history book.
So let’s take a glance elsewhere, the Buddhists. Nichiren Buddhism believes in world peace, but, their past is stained by “bushido”, unquestioning loyalty to one’s warlord, the code of the samurai, murderous thugs with a license to kill.
I know little of hindus, other than the reports that they, the muslims, and the christians like to occasionally slaughter each other in India. And the bristling posturing between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
The real heart of the matter is that all religion, no matter how it may try to disguise itself otherwise, is eventually exposed for what it is, a hate machine. Perhaps, better put, “a war machine”.
NeoWolfe
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:44 am
Religion may not be the root of all evil, but evil has many uses for it
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:28 am
Another psycho who uses religion as a way to promote his wacko views, with the usual sheeple-like followers. Too bad he won’t set an example by seeking martyrdom for himself.
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:40 am
I’m sure there is a padded cell somewhere awaiting his return.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:15 am
Graham Martin-Royle said:
“How would fasting stop a disaster and the resulting suffering of the people?”
It wouldn’t. However, after not eating for three weeks, Engle knows that his audience would be conveniently delusional and prone to hallucinations.
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Seems to me there needs to be some serious praying from “prayerful folk” to curb the Gulf of Mexico Oil Rig catastrophne. Engle seems a bit of a macho and confident type. Could he be down there doing something to help. Louisiana is a rich source of fundie loonies. How long before we hear that this is god’s punishment because:
a. They employed homosexuals on the rig;
b. There were semi naked women sunbathing on the shores of Louisiana. This is a version of the explanation for the tsunami.
c. God is angry because Obama is President and not Crazy Sarah Palin.
d. Maybe a human sacrifice would help. God likes these. He had Isaac well lined up. Any suggestions? Could begin with that nutter Engle.
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:46 pm
@Brian
Well, judging from the 2 pictures I can see that and I will be the first one to say that it is not the right thing to do. After all the Truth is supposed to set us free. I guess someone out there does not like fanatics who hide behind a mask. Hard to believe , isn’t it?