Agence France-Presse reports that Nigerian lawmakers are moving ahead with a bill to ban most things gay in the African country.

The legislation would not only make gay marriage a crime, but would also make the public display of same-sex affection illegal, and would also outlaw gay rights groups, which puts into question whether Nigeria’s AIDS organizations would now become illegal.

Nigeria has its share of Christian nutjobs, sadly aided and abetted by the Anglican church and by America’s religious right, including the infamous Rick Warren, who helped pass Prop 8 in California (along with the Mormons), and who has supported extremist anti-gay leaders in Nigerian and the rest of Africa.

One of the neat things Nigerian “Christians” do is kill children who they deem to be “witches.” From the Guardian:

Evangelical pastors are helping to create a terrible new campaign of violence against young Nigerians. Children and babies branded as evil are being abused, abandoned and even murdered while the preachers make money out of the fear of their parents and their communities.

Isn’t that neat? These “evangelical Christians” in Nigerian are killing small children for profit. And they’re buddies with our evangelical “christians.” Isn’t that special.

Oh but there’s more. Rick Warren’s little evangelical buddy (whose an Anglican, and the Anglican church refuses to repudiate the man) in Nigeria has written a letter calling gay marriage “a holocaust.” He also is in favor of banning gay churches (interesting that Rick Warren hasn’t spoken out on why his buddy is in favor of banning other Christian churches):

And here’s the end of the letter:



Good job, Rick Warren! Can’t you just feel God’s love?

A bit more on how (white) American evangelicals have poisoned the African mind, including this great expose from the Post. And how other westerners, like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair have stood by silently when given the chance to defend gays being oppressed in Africa.

At least US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been a beacon of hope on this issue (as has the President). And the UK’s David Cameron has also said he’ll decrease aid to anti-gay African governments.

What’s going on in Nigeria, and much of Africa really, is a testament to the toxic effect of the worst of religion, be it the haters like Rick Warren, the Mormons, the Anglicans (who turn a blind eye to their own hate in Africa), and the evangelicals. Or our own problems at home with the Catholics. So many religions feed on so much hate. It’s just not what I was taught in church growing up. And these faiths wonder why they’re losing adherents.