Showing posts with label hate crimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hate crimes. Show all posts

Friday, October 27, 2006

Coretta Scott King on Homophobia

I am certain that both Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King would have a few words to say to several of the African American preachers of hate who reside in the Atlanta area. They just don't get it. They have been sucked in by the religious right extremist and the Republican Party, both who are desperately seeking non whites, Jews, hispanics in order to add more color into their big white tent organizations. One great example is "Bishop" Wellington of Atlanta who refuses to call gay people anything other than "sodomites." This black racists homophobe holds church in a surburban Atlanta strip mall location who frequently shares the stage with the same people who have purchashed KKK mailing lists in order to expand their base. How tragic.


"Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group."
- Chicago Defender, April 1, 1998

"We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy,"
-Chicago Sun Times, April 1, 1998


"For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people"

"Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement," she said. "Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions."
-Lamda Legal Defense and Education Fund Luncheon 25th Anniversary

"We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

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/

Saturday, October 07, 2006

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.

Friday, October 06, 2006

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.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

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.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Rev. Rick Scarborough re: IRS

Go ahead Rev. Rick Scarborough and Vision America -- tell those "patriot pastors" to go ahead and challenge the IRS, go right ahead and bark all you want. If these "patriots" are true "patriots" --they won't mind writing a check to the IRS as do most other "businesses" in the United States. Maybe it is time to tax the megachurches anyway -- it's not like the Country and/or local counties couldnt use some help filling the potholes created by your congregations.

In its “Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations” the IRS clearly states

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all IRC section 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and religious organizations, are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made by or on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise tax.



[F]or their organizations to remain tax exempt under IRC section 501(c)(3), religious leaders cannot make partisan comments in official organization publications or at official church functions.

The IRS even offers this example of prohibited political activity and it sounds exactly like the sort of activity Staver is advocating


Example 4: Minister D is the minister of Church M. During regular services of Church M shortly before the election, Minister D preached on a number of issues, including the importance of voting in the upcoming election, and concludes by stating, “It is important that you all do your duty in the election and vote for Candidate W.” Since Minister D’s remarks indicating support for Candidate W were made during an official church service, they constitute political campaign intervention attributable to Church M.

I 'll Bid a Dime!

Suggestion: Buy a Book, Read it, then toss it your fireplace this winter.

Book: Enough is Enough by Jerry Falwell, Jr aka Rick Scarborough

Current Cost on Amazon : 0.25 cents
Current Value: ZERO

Synopis: Unsigned copy of Gospel of Hate's [so called] "Christian" Texas Baptist megachurch reverened leader turned jetset politico with $100,000 plus salary from his Liberty, Texas based "Vision America." Book was distributed free to all Southern Baptist ministers a few years ago before they voted not to elect this clown to a leadership position. Reportedly funding for Vision America comes from extremist right wingers like Falwell, cult leader Rev. Moon and friends. Book is full of fabricated lies about gay and lesbian people, false Visions for America, and the separation of church and state.

Buyer Strategies 1. Wait til the book drops to a dime 2. Spend a quarter and buy now and read why it is important to say no to the hate speech of the extreme religious right 3. Email the Amazon seller and bid a penny 4.Mail a copy to RS's blow buddy Tom Delay and his thief wife Ms. Tom Delay at their new mansion in Virgina.

Expose the Gospel of Hate of Rev. Rick Scarborough and Vision America.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Leonard Pitts on Biblical Literalism

Biblical Literalists need to shit, get off the fence, or just shut
up. Leonard Pitts is almost always just right on. Here is a good one:

Full Article

Literalism blocks Bible's big pictureBy LEONARD PITTS JR.
lpitts@MiamiHerald.com
First Baptist Church of Watertown, N.Y., fired Mary Lambert for being a woman. They say the Bible told them to do it.

Nothing against women, says the Rev. Timothy LaBouf. The church is just trying to obey 1 Timothy 2:11-14, which says, in part, ``A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.''

So, after 54 years as a Sunday school teacher at First Baptist, Lambert was given the heave-ho a couple weeks ago. She and others have said the firing probably had as much to do with church politics as with scriptural injunctions, but let's stick with the stated reason as given in her letter of dismissal: The Bible forbids women taking positions of authority. There is, for the record, a similar injunction in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which warns that it is ''disgraceful'' for a woman to speak in the church.

So the church is scripturally right. It's just not right right.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Thanks Dick Armey

We agree. Rick Scarborough and Vision America are best friends with these nasty bullies. Rick Scarborough is a nasty bully himself.

Former Texas Congressman Dick Armey, once a stalwart ally in the culture
wars, appears to be turning his back on Christian conservatives and their
leaders.

The former majority leader of the House of Representatives
reportedly told Ryan Sager, author of a new book on the Republican Party, that
values voters and their leaders — especially Focus on the Family Action Chairman
Dr. James Dobson — are "nasty bullies."

In the interview, Armey responded pointedly when Sager asked why he thought Christian conservatives seemed more powerful now than in the 1990s.

"To a large extent, because Dobson and his gang of thugs
are real nasty bullies," Armey said. "I pray devoutly every day, but being a Christian is no excuse for being stupid. There's a high demagoguery coefficient to issues like prayer in schools. Demagoguery doesn't work unless it's dumb . . . These issues are easy for the intellectually lazy and can appeal to a large demographic."

Amen!


Thursday, September 28, 2006

Dear Mr. Mayor


Dear Mr. Mayor
An Open Letter to the Mayor of Jasper, Texas

Dear Sir:

While home two weeks ago at my parents place near Jasper, I decided to stop and place flowers on the gravesite of James Byrd, Jr.

At no other time in my life has this middle aged white guy been more embarrassed to be from East Texas than when the news of the death of James Byrd, Jr. hit the press.

As a child I remember the sign driving into Jasper that read "the jewel of the Forest." Mr. Mayor, the majority of the people on this planet who have ever heard of Jasper, Texas or Jasper County know of it unfortunately due to the horrific story of James Byrd, Jr.

The attached photo does not due much justice for how my blood pressure boiled when I walked through the City Cemetary that day. All I saw was trash everywhere, unmowed grass all over the place, discarded plastic flowers piled up everwhere. It was completely embarrassing to see.

I phoned your office that day but your secretary would not put me through to you. Maybe she sensed the angst in my voice. I did tell her that I would let others know of the condition of the city cemetary -- which is your responsibility to maintain.

It has now been three weeks since I placed flowers on the grave and walked through that cemetary. Have you done anything?

If you are trying to attract new business to Jasper County, if you feel the need to take control of the area CVB and their money --whatever you feel you have to do to show Jasper, Texas off to the World as a good place to live --why not start by properly maintaining the city cemetary in your own city. It is the right thing to do.

Respectfully,

A former constituent

cc: Jasper News Boy

(with full permission for the press to use the above photo granted by its owner!)

Sign Stem Cell Petition

The President is WRONG.
The Pope is WRONG.
Rick Scarborough and the Religious Wrong is Wrong.

Sign the Petition.

http://feinstein.senate.gov/stemcell.htm

Support Stem Cell Research

Learn why real doctors (i.e. physicians) seem to support stem cell research overwhelmingly while religious quacks with "Dr." in front of their names in many cases do not. I'd prefer that my families medical decisions be left in the hands of physicians, thanks!


Stem Cell Research Foundation: The Promise of Stem Cells in Medical Research

Parenting 101

How surprising that redneck Georgia rules for a lesbian parent versus the straight father who was in jail due to not paying child support. Just wait for the idiots to start screaming "activist judges" -- probably tomorrow.

Georgia appeals court rules for lesbian parent

Sue their ass

Go ahead and beat us up and attempt to kill us - - - we'll sue your ass! We'll take your ugly car and everything you own -- and if your underage -- we'll reward your parents for your stupid action(s) and take their house. We will not sit on our hands or return to the closet anymore, sorry.

PS : Fell free to blame it on those who taught you to hate and countersue them if you must -- did your preacher (Rev. Scarborough, etc) tell you to hate GLBT people ?

Man sues alleged hate bashers for damages

News-Leader.com | Local News

Sounds like Bigot Scarborough and "Father of the Year" Keyes are stirring them up in Missouri -- telling all who can make it to the local Baptist Church rally more nonsense. Forget what real doctors think!

I agree with Ms. Bentley's comment below.

"I really feel that God gave human beings the intellect to move forward and pursue breakthroughs to help people."

Full Story

News-Leader.com Local News

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

East Texas' Reverened Moron

The Rev. Rick Scarborough of Vision America is a moron in a clown suit. He thinks the church should run private charity, he thinks guns in church are a good idea, he thinks we should pull our children from all public schools, he thinks Tom Delay is a good Christian, he thinks liberalism "kills kids", gays like to eat and play with feces, he believes that the separation of church and state is a "bald -faced lie."

What do I think? Me thinks that this Jerry, Jr wannabe baptist preacher turned politco fatcat is more concerned with promoting himself (yes he does have an "image consultant" from what I read) and his Gospel of Hate Campaign against mainstream America, and especially the GLBT community.

Stop the Hate Rick Scarborough and Vision America. It is ugly, mean spirited, and very UNchristian.


The Wall of Separation:

"But not everyone got the memo. During a session later that afternoon, the Rev. Rick Scarborough, a Texas pastor and a loud proponent of the so-called “war on Christians,” blasted Lynn for opposing church-based politicking. For good measure, Scarborough called the separation of church and state a “bald-faced lie.” "

Popes and Apologies

Amazing that the Pope will apologize ten million times to fanatic Muslims but can't find it in his Bible to accept gays and lesbians in his own church who stuggle every day to keep their faith amongst all this anti gay rhetoric.

Gay groups plan to confront Pope