Comments on: Review: ‘God Loves Uganda’ A Powerful Profile Of Religiously Fueled Intolerance https://staging2.theplaylist.net/review-god-loves-uganda-a-powerful-profile-of-religiously-fueled-intolerance-20131019/ Fri, 13 May 2016 08:48:11 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Another View to Consider https://staging2.theplaylist.net/review-god-loves-uganda-a-powerful-profile-of-religiously-fueled-intolerance-20131019/#comment-43086 Fri, 13 May 2016 08:48:11 +0000 http://www.indiewire.com/2013/more/uncategorized/review-god-loves-uganda-a-powerful-profile-of-religiously-fueled-intolerance-92453/#comment-43086 While I look forward to seeing this film and judging it on its merits, seeing the trailer and this review give me pause. Having lived in Uganda during the time the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was introduced, and being a Christian, though not working in a religious capacity while I was there, there seems to be a presupposition this movie is purporting that this bill was some type of spiritual colonialism, imposed on and duping the people in power in Uganda, while the majority of the population is opposed to such a law. [It's worth noting that view in itself belies an underlying colonialist mindset (Americans can dupe Ugandans, and other Africans, into adopting their views without much convincing but with some inflammatory religious language), albeit it couched in a self-righteous tone of indignation.] And as someone who vehemently opposed the Bill that was before the Ugandan Parliament while I was there, it is troubling to see Americans make the consistent mistakes of 1) assuming far more influence than they actually hold, and 2) a lack of consideration that these attitudes towards homosexuality did not already exist in Uganda, and throughout sub-Saharan Africa on a broad scale. While it does not mean the influence of western, and most specifically American, evangelicals did not help add fuel to the fire, there should be recognition and understanding of the values and views inherent in the culture before determining and demonizing Americans as inflicting and inculcating these views into the Ugandan culture. Maybe the filmmaker does that here, but from what the trailer and this review relate, it doesn't sound like it.

There are many other critiques to the documentary I could bring up by assuming conclusions vicariously through this review. However, the source material should be the source of the discussion. All that to say, I do look forward to seeing this documentary and hearing what the director has to say, giving it a fair shake and continuing the conversation.

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