NEW YORK — Two U.S. ambassadors hosted an event at the United Nations on Wednesday entitled “Decriminalizing Homosexuality in Solidarity with LGBTQ People.” The United States Mission to the United Nations released a statement outlining the event and noting President Trump’s commitment to the effort to legalize homosexuality worldwide.
Kelly Craft, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, along with Richard Grenell, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany and an open homosexual, hosted the meeting, during which time they — and a number of panelists — discussed the status of their mission to decriminalize homosexuality in at least 69 countries.
According to Fox News, nations on the list include Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon Antigua, Barbuda, Syria and Yemen. The outlet notes that 33 African countries recognized by the U.N. consider homosexual sex acts a crime. Punishments vary from nation to nation, from jail to time to the death penalty.
“We need to have 69 different plans of action because we are dealing with 69 different countries. It is a long road,” Grenell stated. “The U.N. should be a place to hold countries accountable.”
“I want these countries to be called out! I want these countries to feel the pressure! This list should be read here every day,” he said.
Others on the panel included Robert Destro, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Stuart Milk, the executive director of the Harvey Milk Foundation and nephew to Milk; and Johnnie Moore, commissioner for the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom and former senior vice president for communications at Liberty University.
“We need religious leaders to stand up and say, ‘This is not only a bad law that needs to be changed, but it is in defiance of the human dignity of an individual,'” Moore said, according to Fox News.
According to the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam), the ambassadors of Argentina and the Netherlands said that the effort was not enough because it did not include those who identify as transgender. One European diplomat remarked, “We should not underestimate the fact that it is often religious people that are a rather negative force when it comes to LGBT rights.”
As previously reported, in February, NBC News reported that Grenell would be leading the effort to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide.
It noted that “[t]he U.S. embassy is flying in LGBT activists from across Europe for a strategy dinner to plan to push for decriminalization in places that still outlaw homosexuality — mostly concentrated in the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean.”
Grenell also told Fox News in April that Vice President Mike Pence is supportive of the effort.
“I … want to just point out the fact that the vice president, Mike Pence, is fully on board with my push to decriminalize homosexuality around the world,” he said, as he sought to push back against assertions from Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg that Pence is “anti-gay.”
“Mike Pence is on board with decriminalizing homosexuality around the world,” Grenell repeated. “I think that speaks volumes.”
In May, President Trump posted two tweets in recognition of “Pride Month,” asking Americans to “stand in solidarity” with homosexuals who live in countries where such sexual practices are illegal, as well as for nations to join his administration’s campaign to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide.
“As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation,” he wrote.
“My administration has launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and invite all nations to join us in this effort!” Trump urged.
The Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) further notes that last year, “State Department representatives pressured governments to accept ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ in international law. Additionally, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council made an impassioned plea during the General Assembly for homosexual issues.”
The United States is also listed as a member nation of the UN LGBTI Core Group alongside Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, France and Israel, among others.
In its press release on Thursday, the United States Mission to the United Nations noted that Trump mentioned the effort to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide during his speech to the General Assembly in September.
“As we defend American values, we affirm the right of all people to live in dignity. For this reason, my administration is working with other nations to stop criminalizing of homosexuality, and we stand in solidarity with LGBTQ people who live in countries that punish, jail, or execute individuals based upon sexual orientation,” he stated.
As previously reported, The Bible teaches in Genesis 19 that the city of Sodom was full of various wickedness, including homosexuality. It states that as the men of Sodom saw angels enter into Lot’s home, “both old and young” surrounded the house and called out, “Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.”
“I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly,” Lot replied.
The angels then “smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness” so that they could not enter, and advised Lot, “[W]e will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.”
In the New Testament, Jude, the earthly brother of Jesus, pointed to the sorrowful fate of Sodom, writing, “Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
He later encouraged Christians in light of the rampant sin of the last days to “have compassion [on souls], making a difference, and others save with fear.”
“[Y]e, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life,” Jude urged.
Proverbs 14:34 states, “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
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