Response to Rev. Rick Scarborough's Post Election Analysis

Did all these right wing nutcase preachers have a big conference call and decide to spread the insane notion that Republicans lost the elections en masse this week because they were too liberal and UNGODly?

Might there be a way Rev. Rick where we could knock some sense into your big narrow minded head?
p
Voters overwhelmingly rejected (1)this War that you so adamently support. Voter are sick and tired also of (2)the extremist Christian leadership's assault on America(3) your mean spirited and constant Gospel of Hate speech directed at LGBT people, an(4) your lobbying for legislation we do not neeed in America.

Before you blame Republican leadership or the President for not doing more to further your Hate Agenda and Assault on America, why not head to the nearest mirror and check out a major reason why Democrats are now in charge. I think much of your patriot pastor membership and your value voters coalition have finally started to see you and your group as the hypocrites that you are. The tragic Pastor

Further, why was there such a huge voter turnout of young Americans voting for Democrats this year? Same story. You are not men of God in their eyes, you are the definition of the word Hypocrite. They associate Baptists as homophobic, intolerant,and borderline pathetic.

Republicans were slaughtered this week sir in large part because of the guy you see in the mirror and all and your friends, like father of the year Alan Keyes and James Dobson and Janet Folger and James Kennedy and Pastor Ted and Ralph Reed and Tom Delay and Ms. Delay and Exodus and the AFA and Bishop Wellington and Justice Sunday and WN Otwell and Roy Moore and the Christian Coalition and Fred Phelps and the KKK and the Texas GOP and Jerry Falwell and Pat Roberson, etc etc.

Your Vision for America has been overwhelmingly rejected Rev. Rick Scarborough. Enough is Enough!


Today's email blast from www.VisionAmerica.us - Rev. Rick Scarborough's. [take a deep breath first![

+++
Rick Scarborough Special Report - Decision 2006 (clicklinkabove)





Rick Scarborough

Missouri Baptist Leader Seeking Brain

Editor, The Pathway
Missouri Baptist Coalition (or something)
http://www.mbcpathway.com/contactus
Don Hinkle
dhinkle@mobaptist.org
or call (573) 635-7931 ex. 230

Dear Don:
Maybe your churches are forced to lay off staff en masse because you are losing members, losing dollars in the plate every Sunday, losing your flock to other churches which might "get it" --something very few if any Baptist churches get.
Good riddance, may they all find a new job at gay friendly Wal Mart -your regions largest employer! Unlike your ridiculous hate campaign suggesting that Islam is taking over America, this one is easy to figure out. You are losing staff because you are a bunch of hateful old mean spirited idiots with no understanding of God's true message.



Your comments:

"Our SBC’s Baptist Press released an article Oct. 4 titled, “Study: 1,300-plus dismissed from Baptist church staffs in ’05.” What a tragedy to the name of Christ and the testimony of Christ to the lost world. It is not confined to smaller churches either. We know of two mega churches in a terrible situation in a neighboring state and numerous smaller churches of our state."

Yeah, Try Walmart or McDonalds. Apply online here >

“Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom."

On behalf of everyone of us who thinks you are a total moron, please leave the female hookers behind! Why can they inherit God's kingdom when the male hookers can not! Seems unfair to me.

Questions: Is masturbation considered immoral? Can I inherit the kingdom if I occasionally pull out Mr. Fun for a little non procreating fun?

Are hypocrite pastors Left Behind too? Greedy people will rule out most televangelists I am afraid. Adulterers too, yikes! Bad news apparently for Jews, atheist, Buddhist, Mormons, Catholics?,Witches,Divorcees, Rich Folks, Homos, Lesbos, Bisexuals, and those Transgenerationals! Will Rev. Lahayes homosexual son also be Left Behind?

Tiny little narrow minded kingdom you re looking at there, sir. Personally it sounds boring and we have had enough of your hate here already, so.....

.....Might it be possible for you and your flock of hateful assholes to Pre Rapture yourselves right out of our World NOW!

Just leave the damn female prostitutes! Buh Bye! Move Along. Be Gone With You!

Pastor Ted on John Paulk

How ironic that these Preachers,Closet Cases, Ex Gays, and Homo Obsessed Straight Men are working so hard to stop Gays and Lesbians from Adopting Children...offering them a home in many cases for the first time!

I want to interview the children of John Paulk, and Pastor Ted Haggard, and all these other "outed" self hating homopobic Marys. Your high school aged children will really understand the hypocracy and selfishness of their dads (or moms)

Should these children be removed from your home?

Dearest Mr. Dobson

FOCUS ON YOUR OWN DAMN FAMILY MR. DOBSON
(YOU ASSHOLE)

defcom on stem cell research

Stem Cells, Parkinsons, stupid Republicans.

Rev. Rick Scarborough and druggie Rush Limbauh both oppose stem cell research.

All About Rick

Rick Scarborough of Lufkin Texas based Vision America. Great story from Americans United.

Fright Plan
May 06, 2006
Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Fright Plan
Texas Preacher Scares Up A ‘War On Christians’ In Bid To Turn Out ‘Values Voters’ For The GOP In The 2006 Election
by Jeremy Leaming

The Rev. Rick Scarborough is on a mission to save evangelical Christians from what he claims is a cabal of left-wing forces bent on oppressing their values and ruining America.

At a Washington, D.C., gathering in late March sponsored by his Vision America organization, the Texas preacher and an array of invited speakers spent hours blasting the alleged enemies of Christianity and arguing that to save America from moral ruin more evangelicals needed to get politically active.

Even though Congress and the White House are controlled by people who have been friendly to the Religious Right cause, Scarborough and his cohorts maintained during their “‘War on Christians’ and The Values Voter in 2006” conference that animosity towards Christianity is on the increase.

“We are here in Washington, D.C., so we can bring a focus and hopefully initiate a national debate on this matter of the growing hostility to all things religious,” Scarborough told a sparsely attended opening session at a ballroom in the Omni Shoreham.

After two days of speakers, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), Phyllis Schlafly, Alan Keyes, Gary Bauer, TV preacher Rod Parsley and a string of panel discussions, it was hard to come away not thinking that despite all the bluster and overwrought rhetoric, the conference was nothing but a thinly veiled effort to rally so-called “values voters” on behalf of the Republican Party for the approaching elections and bolster Scarborough’s national profile.

As the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told Cox News Service, “This ‘war’ is nothing real. The fact is, Christians in America are a cultural majority, and they are an extremely powerful group. But what you have here are second-tier preachers who are hoping to hit the big time, desperately hoping for a national spotlight.”


Full Story:
http://www.au.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8185&abbr=cs_
Full Story:

All About Rick

Rick Scarborough of Lufkin Texas based Vision America. Great story from Americans United.

Fright Plan
May 06, 2006
Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Fright Plan
Texas Preacher Scares Up A ‘War On Christians’ In Bid To Turn Out ‘Values Voters’ For The GOP In The 2006 Election
by Jeremy Leaming

The Rev. Rick Scarborough is on a mission to save evangelical Christians from what he claims is a cabal of left-wing forces bent on oppressing their values and ruining America.

At a Washington, D.C., gathering in late March sponsored by his Vision America organization, the Texas preacher and an array of invited speakers spent hours blasting the alleged enemies of Christianity and arguing that to save America from moral ruin more evangelicals needed to get politically active.

Even though Congress and the White House are controlled by people who have been friendly to the Religious Right cause, Scarborough and his cohorts maintained during their “‘War on Christians’ and The Values Voter in 2006” conference that animosity towards Christianity is on the increase.

“We are here in Washington, D.C., so we can bring a focus and hopefully initiate a national debate on this matter of the growing hostility to all things religious,” Scarborough told a sparsely attended opening session at a ballroom in the Omni Shoreham.

After two days of speakers, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), Phyllis Schlafly, Alan Keyes, Gary Bauer, TV preacher Rod Parsley and a string of panel discussions, it was hard to come away not thinking that despite all the bluster and overwrought rhetoric, the conference was nothing but a thinly veiled effort to rally so-called “values voters” on behalf of the Republican Party for the approaching elections and bolster Scarborough’s national profile.

As the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told Cox News Service, “This ‘war’ is nothing real. The fact is, Christians in America are a cultural majority, and they are an extremely powerful group. But what you have here are second-tier preachers who are hoping to hit the big time, desperately hoping for a national spotlight.”


Full Story:
http://www.au.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8185&abbr=cs_
Full Story:

Rev. Rick Scarborough

Sorry Rev. Scarborough, but we don't "deserve to become the next example like Germany" --really no one does. Instead we will remember Hitler Germany and fight to make sure you Hitlers (yes, you Rev. Rick Scarborough and all your extremist Christian friends) do not jail and exterminate us again.


Full Article
Rick Scarborough, president of Vision America, also spoke at the dinner. Scarborough commented on how Catholics, Lutherans and Baptists were coming together to speak at this event, and said that if such a group “can’t get it right, then we deserve to become the next example like Germany of what happens when a people ignores their duty.”

Scarborough called on pastors to preach to their people, encouraging them to be the “salt and light” they are called to be. He also encouraged pastors to make sure their congregations are registered to vote, then lead the way in voting themselves.

“As the church goes, so goes the nation,” Dr. Scarborough told them. “As the pastor goes, so goes the church.”

“Apathy is wickedness,” Dr. Scarborough said when he got up to speak. “If ever there was an opportunity to see the tragedy of Roe v. Wade overturned, it is now.”

Scarborough discussed the moral downfall in the fabric of our society, stating in the span of just one generation, “We’ve moved from a nation under God to a nation at war with God. If you remove the foundations of God’s word, who’s to say what’s wrong and what’s right?”

Speaking of the intimidation of churches by secularists, Scarborough mentioned the letters frequently sent out by Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and said, “It’s time for preachers of this nation to throw off those shackles.”

Scarborough challenged people to get active in the fight against abortion and homosexual “marriage,” telling them, “We’ve been able to hide behind the judges, but on November 7 in the state of South Dakota, the people decide. To fail to vote is to vote for abortion.”

Small Win in New Jersey for GLBT Americans

How hateful that these Christian preacher fundies oppose even civil unions in America. Absolutely shameful Rev. Rick Scarborough and Vision America.

From NPR:

All Things Considered, October 25, 2006 · New Jersey's highest court rules that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual couples. Now, it will be up to the legislature to rewrite state laws to provide for gay marriage or some other form of civil union.

In handing a partial victory to supporters of gay marriage, the New Jersey Supreme Court gave the state's legislature 6 months to come up with a plan to enable gay unions.

Lawmakers can decide whether to change the laws of marriage or to create a new type of union that is equal to marriage. That stipulation makes the ruling more similar to a recent decision in Vermont.

The ruling could have an affect on upcoming elections: The entire New Jersey Assembly is up for re-election in less than two weeks, as are many state senators.

Robert Siegel talks to reporter Nancy Solomon.

Rick Scarborough on Judges

Full Transcript at: http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcriptNOW124_full.html
------------------
MORON:
moron (plural morons)
A term for a mentally deficient person whose mental age is equivalent to that of someone between eight and twelve years of age.
(Informal) A person who makes uncool, unfunny, uninteresting, or irrelevant (see lame) attempts to impress others and draw attention to himself; especially in a flawed attempt to act like someone else.

Rick Scarborough is a Moron, attempting to act like a Christian. Proof
---


RICK SCARBOROUGH: When a judge misbehaves, when he defies the will of the people and, I would say, defined by exceeding Constitutional authority, then simply remove his funding. Let him convene his court in his car with no assistance, no courtroom and I mean, he's appointed for life, let him live for life. Pay his salary, just don't pay his court.

JUJU CHANG: And who would be left to rule on-- contracts, conflicts and--

RICK SCARBOROUGH: We're not talking about all judges.

JUJU CHANG: So punish certain judges that you point out?

RICK SCARBOROUGH: Withdraw funding.

JUJU CHANG: Withdraw funding.

Rev. Rick Scarborough Moronic Fundie Quote #1

"An atmosphere of atheism is being forced upon us by the courts."

Rev. Rick Scarborough

I disagree. Fundamentalist extremist dominionist Christian Nationalists like Lufkin, Texas based Rev. Rick Scarborough of Vision America, Inc. and friends are doing much more to promote Atheism than are all the Courts combined.

Christian Extremists on "Torture"

Rick Scarborough of Vision America and his evangelical nutbag preachers of the Gospel of Hate amaze me more and more every day.

You can bet your ass that Vision America, Rick Scarborough, AFA, Focus on the Family, CWA, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, the Republican Party of Texas, cult leader Rev. Moon, and all the other clowns in the parade have a very strict game plan on most issues. They torture those of us who are Christian and homosexual every day. They spread messages of hate about gays and lesbian people which lead to acts of violence and murder every year. You might think that one thing these fanatics might be opposed to is TORTURE. Amazingly, they are not.

Rev. Scarborough - here is some History of the Christian Church in regards to torture:

"...But against all these powers were the words of Jesus, bidding men 'Love your enemies' 'Do good to them that despitefully use you!' and the like commands.working everywhere on individual souls, heard from pulpits and in monasteries, read over by humble believers, and slowly making their way against barbaric passion and hierarchic cruelty. Gradually, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the books containing the message of Jesus circulated among all classes, and produced that state of mind and heart in which torture could not be used on a fellow-being, and in which such an abuse and enormity as the Inquisition was hurled to the earth."

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/15634263.htm

Rev. Rick Scarborough of Vision America in Lufkin, Texas
--where do you stand on torture?

Rick Scarborough If you think torture (and hate and lies)are good values for any Christian, then you have been hanging out with creeps and liars like Mr. and Mrs. Tom Delay.

-------------------------------------------
Editorial by Randall Balmer
Professor of American Religious History, Columbia University
September 29, 2006
Philadelphia Inquirer

Here is an excerpt from the full article in the Philadelphia Inquirer
Similarly, the religious right has been silent on the matter of torture, conducted either by American personnel in Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay or by proxy in places like Egypt and Syria under a cynical policy known as "extraordinary rendition."

Several months ago, I canvassed eight prominent religious right organizations, including the Moral Majority Coalition, Falwell's group, for their views on torture. My query was straightforward: Please send me, I asked, a copy of your organization's position on the use of torture. These are groups that have detailed position papers on everything, including stem-cell research and same-sex unions, yet only two answered my query. Both of them defended the Bush administration's policies on torture. No organization associated with the religious right has yet, to my knowledge, summoned the will to issue a statement of unequivocal opposition to the use of torture.

These are people who claim to be "pro-life" and who profess to hear a "fetal scream." Yet they turn a deaf ear to the very real screams of fully formed human beings who are tortured in our name.

The religious right's indifference toward the ethical issues surrounding war and torture is hardly befitting those who designate themselves the moral arbiters of our society. If my fellow evangelicals aspire to be the conscience of America, they had better liberate themselves from their captivity to the Republican Party and to the morally bankrupt policies of the Bush administration.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Similarly, the religious right has been silent on the matter of torture, conducted either by American personnel in Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo Bay or by proxy in places like Egypt and Syria under a cynical policy known as "extraordinary rendition."

Several months ago, I canvassed eight prominent religious right organizations, including the Moral Majority Coalition, Falwell's group, for their views on torture. My query was straightforward: Please send me, I asked, a copy of your organization's position on the use of torture. These are groups that have detailed position papers on everything, including stem-cell research and same-sex unions, yet only two answered my query. Both of them defended the Bush administration's policies on torture. No organization associated with the religious right has yet, to my knowledge, summoned the will to issue a statement of unequivocal opposition to the use of torture.

These are people who claim to be "pro-life" and who profess to hear a "fetal scream." Yet they turn a deaf ear to the very real screams of fully formed human beings who are tortured in our name.

The religious rights' indifference toward the ethical issues surrounding war and torture is hardly befitting those who designate themselves the moral arbiters of our society. If my fellow evangelicals aspire to be the conscience of America, they had better liberate themselves from their captivity to the Republican Party and to the morally bankrupt policies of the Bush administration.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does Republican leadership see the Christian leader wackos as a bunch of "wackos" --sounds like it. Link to the Tucker Carlson comment.

National Coming Out Day - Remembering Rob Eichberg

Survey: 7 of 10 Americans know someone gay
published Tuesday, October 10, 2006
As gay men and lesbians celebrate another National Coming Out Day on Wednesday, a new survey reports seven out of 10 straight adults in the United States say they know someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
The nationwide Harris Interactive online survey of 2,932 U.S. adults also found that 83 percent of those who self-identify as gay or lesbian consider themselves out.

When LGBT respondents were asked if they considered themselves open about their sexual orientation, 92 percenet said they are out to their close friends, and 78 percent said they are out to their parents.

A majority also indicated they are out to other people in their lives, including grandparents, cousins, acquaintances and casual friends, and coworkers and colleagues.

"If seven out of 10 heterosexuals know someone who is GLBT, then many gays and lesbians are making their identity apparent as a natural part of their lives -- just like their age, height, hair color, or personality," said Mark Shields, director of the Human Rights Campaign's National Coming Out Project.
When we come out we win. When they know us, they support us. I am tired of waiting for all the homophobic old preachers to die off and be replaced by tolerant kids from the MTV generation. It is only a matter of time before we win .

Every NCOD each year I think of Dr. Rob Eichberg in Santa Fe who founded NCOD. Rob died of AIDS in 1994 and his lectures and mentoring and friendship back when I was living in Santa Fe, New Mexico is a great reason I am alive and out and happy today. I miss you Rob --thanks for what your leadership and vision.

From out.com

"For most people, coming out or opening up to someone starts with a conversation. And for those interested in fostering strong, deep relationships with their friends and family, living openly often allows for closer relationships with the people they care about most."

Still, more than half of those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender said that concern about being the victim of a hate crime remains a deterrent to coming out. Other concerns that LGBT adults cite as to why a person might not come out include rejection by their families and friends and the threat of losing their jobs.

The survey was conducted Sept. 7-14 by Harris Interactive in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the LGBT market. (The Advocate)

UCC's Rev. John Thomas Blasts Idiot Tony Perkins

Well God Bless America a Rev. makes the news and blasts Family Research Council's Tony Perkins. Tony is a shithead homophobic asshole spreading lies and misinformation about gays and lesbians on a daily basis.

Press Release from United Church of Christ's Rev. John Thomas.


In Wake of Foley Scandal, United Church of Christ Leader Criticizes Family Research Council's Perkins for Attacking Gays, Lesbians

10/5/2006 2:44:00 PM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk, Religion Reporter

Contact: The Rev. J. Bennett Guess of the United Church of Christ, 216-736-2177; 216-403-9862 or newsroom@ucc.org

CLEVELAND, Oct. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The leader of the 1.2- million-member United Church of Christ is condemning remarks by Tony Perkins, president of the right-wing Family Research Council, who is using the Mark Foley congressional scandal to scapegoat the larger gay and lesbian community.

"Perkins recent remarks are destructive to gay and lesbian persons and their families and distract the nation's attention from the real issue at hand, which is protecting young people from sexual predators," said the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president.

On October 2, Perkins issued a statement claiming "the real issue" in the Foley scandal was a "link between homosexuality and child sexual abuse." On Oct. 3, Perkins made similar accusations on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," where he likened homosexuals with "sexual deviants."

Thomas said the former congressman's sexual orientation should not be part of the public debate. The American Psychological Association, in addition to numerous other reputable medical and scientific groups, has found that "gay men are no more likely than heterosexual men to perpetrate child sexual abuse."

"To suggest that gay and lesbian persons should be barred from public service, as Perkins has implied, is akin to suggesting that white, straight males should be kept out of politics because of Bill Clinton's sexual misdeeds," Thomas said. "To attach this debate to sexual orientation is not only ludicrous, it's dangerous. Many gay and lesbian persons serve honorably in public office."

"If anything, this nation's culture of silence with respect to gay and lesbian people has taught us that hiding, shame and denial, as in Foley's case, are not healthy ways to live as a gay or lesbian person - not for them as individuals and not for us as a society," Thomas said.

Thomas also called for a full investigation into the unfolding scandal, saying the nation deserves to know if congressional leaders attempted to cover up for the sake of preserving political power.

"As we say in the church, those who care for young people must be committed to creating an 'envelope of safety,' where the systems of care include levels of accountability and oversight," Thomas said. "There must be a full investigation by the Congress, not only into Mark Foley but how the leadership handled reports of his behavior."

Thomas said the church's support of the gay and lesbian community is in keeping with its concern for the safety and well- being of young people.

"In the United Church of Christ, we have encountered this nation's culture of silence and shame with a distinctive Christian message about the need for "extravagant welcome," Thomas said. "And with that message of 'extravagant welcome' comes an attentiveness to the safety and security of children."

The Rev. Robert Chase, executive director of the UCC's Office of Communication, Inc., the church's historic media watchdog group, said the mainstream media should also be scrutinized for how it is reporting on the scandal.

"One of the tragic elements in the recent incident involving Mark Foley is the way the media give credence to those who make the unfortunate, salacious and inaccurate leap that Mr. Foley's behavior is rooted in his sexual orientation." Chase said. "Such characterization slanders an entire group of citizens and fuels the forces of suspicion and division that plague our country."

The United Church of Christ, formed in 1957 with the union of the Congregational Christian Church in American and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, has more than 5,600 congregations across the United States. The UCC's national offices are in Cleveland, Ohio.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-0-

/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

Piety and Politics

Piety & Politics The Right-Wing Assault on Religious Freedom

Read the latest book by one of our favorite authors, our own
Rev. Barry W. Lynn.

Piety & Politics is available at book stores, or save more than 30% off the regular price when you order from Amazon.com.

What people are saying about Piety & Politics:

“The rise of the Religious Right as a political force has placed the separation of church and state at grave risk. Perhaps never before in American history has a liberty so important been so imperiled. Piety & Politics offers a compelling analysis of both the gravity of the danger and the hypocrisy behind it that fanaticism is being practiced by the very people whose faith counsels tolerance. The Reverend Barry Lynn is a shining example of what it truly means to be an American of faith.”
-- Kate Michelman, former president, NARAL Pro-Choice America

“Piety & Politics summons the silent among us to rise up and, with a firm voice, support the constitutional separation of church and state. Barry Lynn reminds us that our own one-of-a-kind founding document is a powerful stiff arm against the tyranny of the righteous, the “called,” who insist on writing your child’s biology textbooks, public funding of private schools, placing Jesus on the wall of public buildings, condemning homosexuals, disallowing choice in family planning, and working every day to reestablish America as a nation of one faith, theirs.”
-- Phil Donahue

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Pick up a copy of Piety & Politics and discover again why we are all working so hard to safeguard separation of church and state.

Boycott the Salvation Army

If you havent read Michelle Goldberg's book yet, buy it! It is full of amazing and scary stories like the one below. I will never toss another penny into the Salvation Army bucket. Considering how often these cry baby "Christian" nutbags say they are a persecuted people, they sure are doing well lately with George Bush....who has handed them the farm and still not satisfied them. Tragic. Scary. Unchristian. Unconscionable. Turns many of us Christians off --take your religion back from the fanatics like Rick Scarborough and Vision America. Enough is Enough

Some of the resulting collateral damage has been tragic. Just talk to Anne Lown. She worked for 24 years for the Salvation Army in New York City before resigning due to the hostility she felt toward her non-Christian beliefs. The office she ran had hundreds of employees with an annual budget of $50-million, almost all of which came from public sources. Lown oversaw foster care placements, day care services, residential services for the developmentally disabled and many other programs.

In Lown’s experience, the Salvation Army had always in the past been meticulous about keeping its evangelical side from mingling with its provision of social services, but all that changed in 2003. She attributes the change directly to Bush’s policies. A lawsuit filed by Lown and another 17 current and former employees of the Salvation Army alleges that religion suddenly pervaded the agency’s personnel decisions.

Lown says she was handed a form that all employees were expected to complete, asking for a list of churches she attended over the last 10 years and the name of her present minister. Lown says she was told that indicating “not applicable” was not an option. A lawyer for the Salvation Army says the form was modified after complaints were received.

But Lown said that atmosphere was fear-inducing for the professional staff.

She pointed to a mission statement that all employees were required to support as a condition of employment. It stated that the organization’s mission “is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Margaret Geissman, who is also part of the lawsuit, claims that she was asked by a supervisor to point out gay and non-Christian employees, with the overt suggestion that there would eventually be a purge of sorts. The Salvation Army denies this.

Despite the Salvation Army’s disclaimers, Goldberg cites an internal Salvation Army document describing a deal struck in 2001 with the White House. In exchange for the administration passing regulations protecting faith-based groups from state and local antidiscrimination regulations relative to gays, the Salvation Army agreed to promote the administration’s faith-based agenda.

Forget the proverbial wall. Here it is, church and state working hand-in-glove, with tax money and the government-sanctioned intolerance as the prize.

Meanwhile, money is flowing into religious coffers without anyone watching. A June report from the Government Accountability Office found that few government agencies that award grants to faith-based organizations bother to monitor whether the recipient is improperly mixing religion into their programs or discriminating against clients on the basis of religion. A few organizations contacted by the GAO even admitted to praying with clients while providing government-funded services. As to kicking out non-Christians on the staff, the Bush Justice Department says that it is perfectly okay.

Just another example of how, under this president, I hardly recognize my country anymore.

Jesus, Enemy Combatant

Excellent op ed by Anthony Wade with mention to Rev. Rick Scarborough of Vision America. Click link to go view full article.

October 2, 2006 at 13:11:57

Jesus, Enemy Combatant. When the Christian Right Becomes the Christian Wrong

by Anthony Wade

full op ed: http://www.opednews.com

We are now just weeks away from the most important election of our lifetimes as Americans, and as Christians. Faced with sagging poll numbers and general unrest within the citizenry, the Republican Party is ratcheting up their usual trump cards, fear, loathing and divisiveness. The calls for fear are coming nearly every day, with new al Qaeda videos being released, designed to scare you to vote GOP. The loathing is also being driven home daily with the calls from GOP leaders to compare anything democrat with terrorism enablers and insisting they have "no plan" even though there own plan amounts to nothing more than rubber stamping an out of control executive branch and removing all checks and balances from our system of government. The divisiveness however is occurring at many levels, as the GOP seeks to divide America into halves; us versus them, liberals versus conservatives, republicans versus democrats, patriots versus cut and runners, and most offensively; Christians versus heathens.

Log Cabin on Foley

Shameful, hateful, unchristian [rick scarborough vision america]

News Release
For Immediate Release


October 4, 2006


Log Cabin Republicans Respond to Shameful Tactics of Anti-Gay Groups
(Washington, DC) – “Anti-gay groups should stop using the Mark Foley scandal to push their anti-gay agenda,” said Log Cabin Executive Vice President Patrick Sammon. “This is a political scandal and a personal scandal, but it should not be used to denigrate gay and lesbian Americans. The anti-gay groups appear more interested in using this situation to score political points than in figuring out exactly what happened in this terrible situation.”

“Millions of gay and lesbian people go to work, pay taxes, raise families, and make this country a better place to live. Their lives and character shouldn’t be demeaned because of Mark Foley’s disgusting behavior or the Congressional leadership’s response to it,” Sammon said.



Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Paul Weyrich from the Free Congress Foundation, “American Values” President Gary Bauer, and Pat Buchanan, among others, have been using this situation to push their anti-gay agenda. Tony Perkins said on “Hardball with Chris Matthews” that gay men are more likely than heterosexual men to molest young people. Also, Pat Buchanan made an identical claim on the same program. These claims are categorically false. In fact, in 1998 the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 98 percent of male pedophiles are heterosexual.



“These people should spend more much time holding our elected officials accountable for their behavior and less time scapegoating gay Americans,” said Sammon.

###

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest organization of Republicans who support fairness, freedom, and equality for gay and lesbian Americans. Log Cabin has state and local chapters nationwide, full-time offices in Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA, and a federal political action committee. www.logcabin.org

Is Rick Scarborough a Moonie?

So if Rev. Falwell is being financed by cult leader Sun Myung Moon and Falwell's people are funding Lufkin, Texas based Vision America run by [dr][rev]Rick Scarborough -- is Vision America being financed by a cult? Just wondering. Since Vision America doesnt seem to belong to any of the religious oriented non profit financial watchdog groups (none of them!) - you have to wonder where the HELL is all that money coming from? How much money is coming from Rev. Moon? Maybe Moon owns the Washington Times and Vision America? Yikes. Yikes Yikes.

Don't forget that foot in mouth syndrome poster fatcat Jerry Falwell was the guy pushing to have Moon's US Tax Evasion conviction pardoned in the 1990's.

And don't forget what a loony this moon(Y) man is! Great information from
http://www.rotten.com here:

It should be obvious to sensible persons that whatever fraction of Sun Myung Moon which isn't pure bullshit artist is necessarily raving lunatic. As the wacko billionaire who made his fortune off the backs of the Moonie cult (otherwise known as the Unification Church), Moon has established his niche in the world as the Korean version of L. Ron Hubbard.
Over the years, Moon's gargantuan wealth and legions of worshippers have evidently corroded away any sense of propriety or self-restraint he might have once possessed, leaving only a megalomaniac and his vast financial and human resources.

As evidence, consider the day in April 2002 when he received the latest in a long series of earthshattering religious visions. This one was especially noteworthy. In it, Moon learned that he had been selected as "the Savior, Messiah and King of Kings of all of humanity" by God. Also on the selection committee: Jesus Christ, Mohammed, and Buddha (in addition to several others, including the godless Communists Marx and Stalin for some mysterious reason).

Anyway, that's how Moon described it in his full-page newspaper ad, which ran in papers all across the U.S. (including the Los Angeles Times). It was a $720,000 print run, but it was worth every penny. Finally middle America would get the word and rally behind their messiah. Except it was a bit of a reach. Moon's captive congregation is accustomed to his indefatigable hubris, but the general public who have yet to send their mind through the laundry just find it repugnant.

But he can't help it. Moon has been claiming for decades (like The Beatles before him) that he is bigger than Christ. In a 1990 sermon, he reiterated this belief (note that Moon always addresses himself in the third person, usually as "Father"):


"Jesus never achieved a thousandth of what Father has done. In his two years and eight months of public ministry, [Jesus] didn't even establish the national foundation. Now, Father has established a foundation of worldwide power that is unprecedented in history."
Moon has a bad habit of comparing himself favorably to his predecessor, proclaiming that he will succeed where Jesus has failed, and so on. This kind of material kills with the home crowd, but it doesn't really do so great on the road. But apparently this is irrelevant, since Moon seems to have become utterly oblivious to the shocked reactions of his public audiences.
Case in point: an April 2001 appearance at a Methodist church in Las Vegas. It was just another typical sermon by Reverend Moon. There were about 600 people in the congregation when the sermon began. But for some reason, people kept walking out, well before he got on a roll about schlongs:


"The head of the love organ is shaped exactly like a poisonous rattlesnake. And just like a rattlesnake, it's always looking for a hole."
Oh yes, there was more. He went on to explain that 70% of all divorces result from the wife's inappropriate feelings of entitlement toward her husband's genitals. As Moon explained it, a man's "love organ" can only serve its master, and the spouse just needs to get used to it. He told the audience that these women, along with childless couples and homosexuals, are destroying the fabric of society. Offended churchgoers left in droves; some of them even heckled him on their way out. And this was by no means an isolated incident. He's been spouting that snake-genitalia lunacy for years and years. In April 1996, Moon preached:


"The Bible refers to the origin of free sex by using the image of a snake. Woman's sexual organ is like the open mouth of a snake filled with poison. Man's sexual organ is like the head of a snake. If you think of fallen love action in these terms you feel disgusted and so you should. It is poison to humanity."
In November of that same year, he was in Buenos Aires to celebrate the launch of his newest Spanish-language newspaper. At the ceremony (attended by guest speaker and former President George HW Bush for a reported fee of $100,000), Moon passed along this revolutionary insight:


"You use the bathroom each morning. When you defecate, do you wear a gas mask? This is not a laughing matter but a serious one. If you are near someone else defecating, you will quickly move a good distance away. But when you smell your own feces, you do not even notice it. This is because that fecal matter is one with your body. Therefore, you do not feel that it is dirty.

"When you were young, did you ever taste the dried mucus from your nose? Does it taste sweet or salty? It's salty, right? Since you can answer, you must have tasted it! Why did you not feel that it was dirty? It is because it was part of your body.

"Reverend Moon has figured out something that no one in the world knew."

Why would anybody (who isn't brainwashed or getting paid) sit through an entire speech by this screwball? Ever since 1954, Moon has made no secret of his nutball theology:

Eve bumped uglies with Satan and thereby consigned humanity to the Kingdom of Hell.
Jesus ruined his chance to purify mankind when he neglected to get married and father children.
Sun Myung Moon is succeeding where Jesus failed.
Worshipping Moon is now mankind's last chance for redemption.
Being the world's savior, Moon preaches that no one can enter Heaven without his explicit blessing. But he is only willing to bless married couples. Which is where those Guinness Book mass weddings come in.
In a Moonie marriage, the choice of a partner is handled for you. Church elders make the seemingly-random selections by pairing up photos of prospective brides and grooms. Maybe they shuffle Polaroids like a deck of cards. Sometimes the lucky couples wind up with a common spoken language. Sometimes not.

They meet for the first time during the week leading up to the wedding day, often on the day of the ceremony itself. The event is so big that it has to be held in a sports arena or stadium, complete with a closed-circuit video feed on the Jumbotron.

Because of these antics and his blasphemous theology, you might expect that Moon would be shunned by respected Christian leaders. Which he is. For instance, Jerry Falwell told Esquire magazine in 1978: "Reverend Sun Myung Moon is like the plague: he exploits boys and girls, and he should be exported. [sic]"

This negative general attitude poses a significant problem for the Unification Church. Its goal is the absorption of every national government and competing religious faith. Which is a tall order, considering the horrible reputation the church has earned over the years. But Moon is nothing if not determined.


"The democratic world has hated Reverend Moon until now, but from now on it will like the Reverend Moon. The time has already come when America will start to like Reverend Moon."
Moon's chosen tactic, which has been highly effective, is to purchase his legitimacy outright. In addition to United Press International (UPI), Moon is the owner of the Washington Times, a conservative newspaper devoted to right-wing causes. Every operating year, the Times loses tens of millions of dollars, but profitability has never been a priority. Its intended purpose was made clear when, during Watergate, the paper ran an endless stream of pro-Nixon editorials urging the American people to forgive and forget.

Ever since then, Moon has made substantial inroads to the Republican party by parlaying access to his media outlets and exorbitant cash contributions. For instance, it was $100,000 of Moon's money that initially kicked off the Nicaraguan Freedom Fund, a nonprofit organization conceived by Oliver North and headed by a group of conservatives including Charlton Heston. The NFF's mission in life was to raise private donations for the Contras, in the eventuality that Congress cut off funding. Also recall that former President George HW Bush was paid six figures to attend a 1996 ceremony in Buenos Aires. At the podium, Bush gushed:


"I want to salute Reverend Moon, who is the founder of the Washington Times, and of the new paper here."
Not to mention mainstream church leaders, like our old friend Jerry Falwell. The man who called for Moon's "exportation" in 1978 was singing his praises years later. Falwell changed his tune after one of Moon's front organizations handed Liberty University $3.5 million and otherwise forgave tens of millions in debts so he could bail out his college in 1994. Later, Falwell reciprocated by appearing at various Unification Church events and called upon President Ronald Reagan to pardon Moon's felony conviction for tax evasion.

Oh, that. Well, it turns out that the messiah didn't want to pay his taxes. So he underreported his income by omitting $162,000 and hoped that either the Internal Revenue Service wouldn't notice, or his high-placed friends in the government would squelch any investigation. But the IRS did, and his friends didn't. Moon was convicted in 1982. He fought his conviction all the way to the Supreme Court and lost, after which he announced that God evidently wanted him to go to prison. In 1984 he finally submitted to God's will and spent the next 13 months in the clink.

It's all part of the divine plan. As Moon himself might say: You just gotta trust Father on this one.