Politicians in Uganda have been discussing the death penalty for gay people in their country. They have been emboldened by three American evangelicals who went to Africa to spout their hate. Let's meet these men.

According to an excellent article by Jeffrey Gettleman in the New York Times, Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, and Dan Schmierer gave a series of lectures to people in Uganda for three days last March about the evils of "gay" (they like to put it in quotes as if doing so makes it easier to cure) people.

The visitors discussed how to make gay people straight, how gay men often sodomized teenage boys and how "the gay movement is an evil institution" whose goal is "to defeat the marriage-based society and replace it with a culture of sexual promiscuity."

It seems like being huge in Africa for evangelists (especially of the homophobic variety) is like being huge in Europe for DJs. It's hip and much less likely to earn you the label "bigot" back home. After their lectures filled the Ugandan people with the fantasies that gay people can be "reformed" and that they try to recruit children with Judy Garland sing-alongs, the bill got drafted. Now they are trying to distance themselves from both the conference and the bill in Uganda. Sure, "gay" people are loathsome enough that they should be fixed, but not so bad they actually want them killed. Their visit was like "a nuclear bomb against the gay agenda in Uganda," but it had nothing to do with the proposed legislation, nosiree!

And it's not like these guys are Fred Phelpses or Jerry Falwells either, people famous for their hatred of the homosexual. No, these are the even more potent enemies, the ones who fly under the radar, spewing their false information to devout Christians around the world. Let's meet the haters, shall we?

Scott Lively
 Home Base: Citrus Heights, California (sounds fruity, no?)
Occupation: Founder and president of Abiding Truth Ministries and director of the Pro-Family Law Center.
Books written: Seven Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child, The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party, Redeeming the Rainbow: A Christian Response to the Gay Agenda
 Fun Facts:

  • According to his own bio he was a "drug addict from the age of 12 until his miraculous deliverance during prayer at age 28."
  • Africa isn't the only place he's a hate-mongering rock star. He's done this in Russia too!
  • Though he is distancing himself from the proposed policy in Uganda, just today he posted a link on his website about how homosexuals are supposedly recruiting children in that country.


Statement about Uganda: From NPR, "While I was there I had the opportunity to address members of the Ugandan Parliament regarding this bill that was proposed at that time...And my advice to the parliament was to go the other direction from what they did to actually go on a proactive positive message promoting the family, promoting marriage, etcetera, through the schools, and that if they were going to continue to criminalize homosexuality that they should focus on rehabilitation and not punishment. And I was very disappointed when the law came out as it is written now with such incredibly harsh punishments."

Caleb Lee Brundidge
 Home Base: Phoenix, Arizona
Occupation: Sexual Reorientation Coach for International Healing Foundation and a leader of Extreme Prophetic Evangelism Department for Extreme Prophetic Ministry
Fun Facts:

  • Is the inventor of Club Mysterio, a DJ-led electronic music ministry.
  • He helps men deal with "same-sex attraction" by counseling them over the internet. We assume it is not on Manhunt.
  • Used to be gay, but was healed by God and house music.


Statements about Uganda: From the International Healing Foundation website: "Caleb Brundidge shared his testimony of transformation while in Uganda. He taught about the many causes of [same-sex attraction] and the wonderful opportunity of healing for those conflicted over their homosexual feelings. His message was that of love, understanding, and compassion."


Don Schmierer
Home base: Lockeford, California
Occupation: Board member of Exodus International, which tries to "reform" gay men, and founder of His Servants, a Christian youth ministry.
Books written: An Ounce of Prevention: Preventing the Homosexual Condition in Today's Youth
 Fun Facts:

  • Has been married to his wife Diana for 50 years, a privileged gay people in this country aren't afforded.
  • Was in the navy, which, well, hello.


Statement about Uganda: From the Times, "I feel duped. [The bill is] horrible, absolutely horrible. Some of the nicest people I have ever met are gay people."