Using Churches to Recruit Voters

The title of this post is a phrase that makes me ill and angry at the same time, yet it's happening all over the United States. An organized effort toward that goal is going on right now in my home state of Maryland. A group calling itself "Association of Maryland Families" has started what they term a "Voter Registration, Voter Education, and Voter Turnout" drive in churches throughout the state.

How are they going to "educate" potential voters? Well, the fact that this is a cooperative effort with Focus on the Family offers a disturbing clue. They are also advertising the "Value Voters Summit" being held in September by another right-wing group, the Family Research Council. My state is clearly in the blue column, but even here there will be recruits eager to sign up and push the agenda of exclusion and hatred these groups push in the name of God.

Folks, people with this mentality can rationalize just about anything, including coming into facilities established for the worship of God to try and increase their political influence.

I found a like-minded piece written by Rev. Gerald Britt, the esecutive director of Central Dallas Ministries. Rev. Britt writes:

"Enough is enough. I have joined more than 100 other religious leaders from across our state in sending a clear message to politicians: Keep partisan politics out of our houses of worship and respect the faith of all Texans."

He adds, "But we must not blur the line between faith and partisan politics. Our houses of worship cannot be used as campaign props, nor our congregations deemed a "political base." We cannot allow those who disagree to be stigmatized. Religion should not be used to divide communities to win votes."

Rev. Britt is more open to inviting speakers into his church to share political topics, but he does not give up his pulpit and is determined to hear both sides on issues.

How many sides do you think the Association of American Families is interested in hearing? Not mine, I'm sure.

Who Do You Trust?

Who do you trust? That may seem like a simple question, but it often is not. Do you place your trust in your spouse or significant other? Your boss, co-workers, or employees? Family members? Friends? Church members? The news media? Yourself?

Answering yes to any or all of those choices is reasonable, and hopefully you have some level of trust in the people who occupy these roles in your life. Ultimately, though, everyone will let you down and fail to earn your trust. Then what are you supposed to do?

Click here to read the rest of the column on Gay Christian Outreach

More Insults to Gays in Kentucky

This report from The Advocate and Sirius OutQ News really aggravated me:

"A day after calling gays "the wrong kind of people," Kentucky state senator Richard Roeding continued his verbal barrage against gays, calling the Republican political group Log Cabin Republicans "a bunch of queers." After learning that the state Log Cabin chapter had called for his resignation, the northern Kentucky Republican used the derogatory term to describe the group in an interview with The Cincinnati Post.

Log Cabin called for Roeding's resignation after he said that the University of Louisville was wrong to offer health benefits to gay and lesbian domestic partners as a way to make the university competitive and attract talent. "I don't want to entice any of these people into our state," Roeding told The Louisville Courier-Journal in a story published Friday. "Those are the wrong kind of people."

After hearing of Roeding's "queers" remark, state senate president David Williams called Roeding, who then apologized to Williams for using the term. No word on whether he planned to apologize to the Log Cabin Republicans—or to gay Kentuckians"

Well, Senator Roeding, being a Maryland resident, I hope you stay in Kentucky or anywhere but Maryland. I wouldn't want any people like you enticed to my state. It is scary that people like that actually have a vote toward developing laws and spending tax money.

House Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment

On Tuesday, and U. S. House of Representatives rejected the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. This amendment also failed in the U. S. Senate several weeks ago.

Supporters of equality should not get too happy about that vote in my opinion. The amendment did win a clear majority, 236-187, but needed a 2/3 vote to clear the House.

According to this report in The Adovcate:

"Supporters said the vote will make a difference when people got to the polls in November. "The overwhelming majority of the American people support traditional marriage," said Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Republican from Colorado, sponsor of the amendment. "And the people have a right to know whether their elected representatives agree with them."

Recent national polls hardly show an "overwhelming" majority of people in favor of this initiative, but many of these supporters don't let a little thing like facts slow them down.

More from The Advocate:

Opponents dismissed the proposal as both discriminatory and legislatively irrelevant because of the Senate vote. The measure is "all for the purpose of pandering to a narrow political base." said Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a gay Democrat from Wisconsin. "This hateful and unnecessary amendment is unworthy of our great Constitution."

Well put, Rep. Baldwin.

"Real Christians Don't Gay Bash"

I ran across this wonderful column on The Huffington Post written by Rev. Jim Rigby, the pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. The title pretty well tells you what he is trying to say. He writes:

"Not that long ago, it was considered consistent to be a Christian, and yet, hold slaves.
The day came when slavery was understood as an affront to the gospel itself. I want to suggest that the day has come when Christians must declare that gay bashing is an attack on the gospel and that real Christians do not participate in any form of discrimination."

He closes by writing, "If Christianity is love, then cruelty is the ultimate heresy."

Amen to that, Rev. Rigby! I would emphasize that even more then the cruelty is done in God's name.

Misrepresenting In God's Name

This article from Planet Out is ostensably about a group of GLBT families who are marching on the Colorado Springs headquarters of Focus on the Family. Further into it, though, it raises a very important issue which is one of the primary motivations for this support.

Focus on the Family is not truthful.

The article goes into some detail about how the organization has misrepresented data in a way to support their ideology. Politicians do it all the time, and I think most people have lowered the bar far enough to expect that on both sides of the isle.

It's a LOT worse when it is done with God's name attached to it, as is everything Dr. James Dobson's band of right-wing spinmeisters does.

Can Dr. Dobson, or any bible scholar for that matter, show me one instance in the Bible where Jesus misrepresented ANYTHING to make a point? Where did He "spin" anything to make it more paletable or to trick someone into believing anything He said? I don't see the slightest hint of that in my Bible.

How angry do you think God gets when political zealots like Dobson and his ilk do that in his name?

I'm confident He is very upset and that He will take that up with those folks on judgement day.

Let 'em try to spin that!

Florida Gay Democrats Looking Beyond Gay Issues

The Florida GLBT Deomcratic Caucus met on Saturday, seeking equal rights and focusing on electing Democrats even if they don't support all of the gay issues.

According to this AP report posted on Southern Voice, "Gay activists believe they need to support Democrats opposed to gay marriage for the sake of seeking change on issues that affect a broader range of Americans. 'This is not the time to take our marbles and go home, there are too many issues at stake,' said Brian Bond, executive director of the Democratic National Committee's Gay & Lesbian Leadership Council. "

This flies in the face of rhetoric often used against those proported to supoort "the homosexual agenda." I think this is a wonderful example of at least one group of political activists that can see beyond their personal goals and embrace the big picture of what is happening in the entire United States. It's too bad this is increasingly rare on both sides of the isle.

As the AP reports, "Republican Party of Florida spokesman Jeff Sadosky disputed contentions that Republicans use the issue like gay marriage and flag burning to divide. 'I have a problem with defining them as wedge issues when the majority of Americans feel just the same,' he said. 'We welcome anyone and everyone, the Republican Party is a big tent party, but at the same time we do believe certain things and one of those things is that marriage is a commitment between one man and one woman."

What Mr. Sadosky fails to address, though, is that in a recent poll conducted by FOX News, people think the most important issues facing the country are Iraq, the economy, and health care. That hardly seems to justify all the energy spent on trying to constitutionalize a ban on same-sex marriage.

I'd also like to see a gay person stroll into that "big tent" uninvited. I wouldn't recommend it.

Gay Parents and Gender-Bending Children

This article in The Advocate talks about two parents who sought out family therapy because their five-year old son likes to play with dolls and dressing up in little princess gowns. The twist to this story, though, is that the little boy has two lesbian momies. This quote is the crux of the story:

"We need to ask ourselves, as LGBT parents, what it is that we fear for our children who cross gender boundaries. Cross-gender behavior can be very anxiety provoking for parents; we may be embarrassed or frightened by a son’s overt femininity or a daughter’s masculine expression. Indeed, we also might be more fiercely protective of our children, living as we all do with the ghosts of our own queer childhoods. We are often torn between wanting to give our children room for self-expression and wanting to protect them from being teased. It is a rare LGBT parent that does not succumb, at least sometimes, to the fear that we are hurting our children because we are queer, especially regarding the development of their sexual and gender identities."

Some same-sex parent families apparently so closely resemble "traditional" ones that they also have a similar phobia about rasing a gay child.

Which Traditional Marriage?

Stephanie Coontz, the Director of Research and Public Education for the Council of Contemporary Families, has a fascinating article up on the organization's website. She asks the question "Which Traditional Marriage?"

It is an intriguing question. One of the main arguements in favor of banning same-sex marriage is to "protect traditional marriage."

The Catholic Church did not make marriage a sacrament until the year 1215, and their were no official wedding ceremonies until 1563. There was not even a marriage license in England until 1754. It was only 130 years ago that husbands still had the legal right to physically beat or iimprison their wives. Would our society really be better off if it had protected THAT traditional marriage?

"The Cooptation of Christianity"

The following article first appeared in The Sacramento Valley Mirror, in Dr. Jerry Maneker's column "Christianity and Society", on July 1st, 2006. It is reprinted here with Dr. Maneker's permission. Dr. Maneker write the excellent blog "Christian LGBT Rights.org" and, I'm proud to say, is a regular visitor here. I appreciate his sharing this article with me so I can share it with you. I strongly agree with his thoughts.

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” (Psalm 118:8) This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9).

One of the definitions of the term, “co-opt” is the following: “to assimilate or win over into a larger group.” (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, 1997) It is quite easy to be co-opted by all sorts of rewards for conformity to the status quo, to the ways and means of virtually all institutions in secular society. Indeed, to its detriment, the Church may be seen to have gladly allowed itself to be co-opted resulting in the great loss of members in mainline churches, and the loss of many intelligent, sensitive people both from the Church and from even the likelihood of them taking Christianity seriously enough to even consider it as a viable way to have a relationship with God. Indeed, the cooptation of Christianity, frequently resulting in no Christianity at all, may well have had the effect of having many people not even want to consider God at all in their daily lives!

Rhetoric that is called “Christian” is frequently a downright embarrassment in its hateful stupidity and studied ignorance where godliness is considered to be synonymous with rank prejudice, xenophobia (fear and/or hatred of foreigners, and anyone or anything viewed as different from the person him/herself and his/her ways of doing things) and, increasingly, blatant advocacy of discrimination.

For example, as you know, I have a burning passion for full and equal civil and sacramental rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. That passion mirrors that which I had in the 1950’s and 60’s in regard to the rights of Afro-Americans. When I read and hear hateful rhetoric, which contributes to suicides, bashings, and murders of our gay brothers and sisters, I can’t help but recall the naked hate on the faces of professing Christians who carried placards and screamed at little black children going to a hitherto white elementary school, all the while citing select and distorted biblical passages to justify their prejudice and hate.

What makes the current climate of hate, as with the climate of hate that existed during the civil rights era, so tragic and shameful is the brutal fact that the major impetus for that hate, the rhetoric that fuels that hate, is largely coming from the leadership and their blind followers in most of Christianity’s denominations. Clearly, some denominations are much more moderate than others in their hateful rhetoric and animus. However, apart from the United Church of Christ (ads for which the major networks won’t air because they are deemed to be “too controversial”), I am not aware of any mainline denomination that seeks full civil and sacramental rights for gay people.

Jesus seems to make it very clear that divorce is only to be had in cases of fornication, and that when one divorces and remarries, he or she is committing adultery. (Matthew 5:32) Yet, if “the sanctity of marriage” and “the well-being of the family” are the real concerns of clergy and others who rail against same-sex marriage, why don’t they deal with the actual threat to those institutions: our very high heterosexual divorce rate, and not deal with same-sex relationships that have absolutely nothing to do with these institutions? The reason they don’t spew their rhetoric (nor should they) concerning this rational reason for the threats to marriage and the family is that many in their congregations are divorced and have re-married and the clergy don’t want to bite the hands that feed them when it comes time for the offertory.

Diverting our attention from the real threats to marriage and the family by scape-goating a minority group that, by any stretch of a rational imagination, has absolutely nothing to do with those threats, are tactics that most clergy use to please most of their constituents, just as many politicians scapegoat gay people to hustle votes and for purposes of diverting attention from a failed foreign policy and innumerable domestic fiscal and other policies that have considerably eroded quality of life and civil liberties in this country.

The Church is called upon to be the voice of the poor, the displaced, the marginalized, the hurting, and be a vehicle of compassion and ministry to see to it that our light so shines that God is given the glory for our ministries of love. However, the “Church” has allowed itself to be co-opted by opportunistic politicians and clergy where the name of God is used to hurt, demean, condemn, discriminate, ostracize, and even kill others.

That co-optation has ignored the prophetic voice of the Holy Spirit who puts love in the hearts of all those who have Jesus in their hearts, and that is one reason why I strongly feel that we are entering a post-denominational age where God’s love will trump the Church’s co-optation by the most reactionary forces in our society, and where Christians worthy of the name will, once again, not be embarrassed by the selling out of Christianity by those who have eagerly sought to align themselves with opportunistic and reactionary secular and “religious” forces in society.

"Bringing the Church to the Courtroom

Today's Washington Post contained a front-page story about the Alliance Defense Fund. If you have not heard of them, you need to. This was a group founded by, among others, James Dobson and James Kennedy, two men who are sworn enemies of GLBT equality.

The ADF fancies itself as the answer to the American Civil Liberties Union, defending their view of the Bible and trying to get that enforced in the United States court systems.

Gary S. McCaleb, the director of the ADF's litigation team, who perceives "clear hostility to Christian thought," says "What we see is an overarching agenda from the left wing and the pro-homosexual groups." That right GLBT community--they want to be your worst nightmare.

Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, says, " They're not for some form of generic religious freedom. They're for Christian superiority, that Christians take over the courts."

Make no mistake folks, the ADF and people who support their agenda, are not seeking an equal voice in the courts--they want to be THE voice. Those like me who support equality for ALL people need to get behind the ACLU and any other group who will pick up the sword and fight for the GLBT community.

Two Different Takes on "Liberal Christianity"

CBS News ran this piece on their Evening News broadcast called "Religion Taking a Left Turn." They talk to several leaders of the emerging "religious left" including Tony Campolo and Jim Wallis. Their focus appears to be on issues like poverty, child care, the environment, and ending the war in Iraq. Let's see, that's helping the poor, caring for children and our natural resources, and promoting peace. Sounds like good Jesus stuff to me, and certainly a lot better then what is being spewed by the Religious Right.

Taking another approach is Charlotte Allen, an editor for Beliefnet, a conservative religious news source. In an op-ed piece she wrote for the Los Angeles Times, Allen states her belief that the declining membership in more moderate-to-liberal denominations, such as the Episcopals and Presbyterians, is due to "blurred doctrine and softened moral precepts."

If the majority rules in the United States, which is what I believe she is implying (and is also an increasingly common Religious Right arguement), then why worry about proselytizing nations where Islam and Hinduism is practiced by the overwhelming majority? These days, a majority in popular opinion often points more to the resources that side has to make their point and influuence people than it does the merit of what they are saying.

The Top Ten Religious Right Power Brokers

If you visit this blog regularly (thanks if you do), you notice I don't go very long without writing about one of what I think of as the "unholy trinity," Pat Robertson, James Dobson, and Jerry Falwell. There are times I wonder if I actually do focus on these men and their organizations too much, but then I see something like this, a listing of the top Religious Right power brokers.

Those three men account for six positions on the top ten as ranked by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network is #1 and his American Center for Law and Justice is #6. Dobson's Focus on the Family is #2 and his Family Research Council is #7. He was also one of the founders of the #4 ranked Alliance Defense Fund. Falwell's ministry is ranked #8 and one of my other favorite targets, the American Family Association, is ranked #5.

It strikes me that the top ten organizations, which were ranked according to reported 2005 income, accounted for nearly $450 million combined. That kind of money will buy a lot of broadcast time, print a lot of books and pamphlets, and hold a lot of conferences.

There is a good summary of each organization in the report I link to, including James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries (#3), Concerned Women for America (#9), and the Traditional Values Coalition (#10).

Tim and Beverly LaHaye founded the CWA, but LaHaye is probably better know for his "Left Behind" series of novels and the growing media empire based on them. Tim LaHaye used to be an associate pastor at a church I belonged to in the late 1980's--Montrose Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland. He was a dynamic preacher, but needless to say my view of life and Christ have grown since then. LaHaye's bank account has grown dramatically during that time too.

BTW, did you know that all you homosexual activists have Mao Tse Tung as your hero? The Rev. Louis Sheldon, founder of the Traditional Values Coalition, does. Can he really believe all of the crap he says?

Typical Religious Right Rhetoric

Dr. Jerry Falwell was celebrating the ruling against same-sex marriage in New York in his most recent weekly e-mail message. To sum things up, he wrote this:

"But I have a question: if “every couple in a loving and committed relationship” should be afforded the right to marry, then do we not need to also allow bigamists, polygamists, Man-Boy Love Association members and all others in “alternative” relationships to marry? And if we do not afford them the same right, who are we to bar their inclusion into a diverse society? Of course, this is a nonsensical argument, but no more so than the attempt by homosexuals to gain the right to marry"

Isn't that typical. When you can't win a logical or intellectual arguement, you try to reach into the raw, base instincts of people. You try to promulgate fear, even if the assertions you use to do so are not based in fact. It doesn't matter if that is actually the nonsensical arguement itself as long as it makes people afraid and, out of that fear, they act the way you want them to. That is often the policy of the Republican Party in this country just as it is the Religious Right (often the standard bearers for the Republicans; or is the other way around? It's hard to tell anymore).

As effective as this approach is, just imagine if that's how Jesus had presented the gospel to people. Think how many more people would have accepted Him.

Think of how that would have diminished Christianity.

Look at how these modern day fearmongers diminish Christianity. Fortunately, they can't diminish Jesus.

A Very Personal Struggle

My fellow blogger Peterson Toscano is sharing the struggle his friend Marvin is going through with his sexuality. Marvin has reached the point where he is moving to Memphis so he can attend Love In Action, one of the more notorious ex-gay groups.

Marvin has contriubted a number of audio blog posts giving some insight to what is going on in his heart and mind as he moves toward this crossroads in his life. Peterson wrote what I felt is a warm, loving letter of encouragement to him, sharing his own experneices in an ex-gay camp.

I share this with you because, if you are interested in what leads someone to submit themselves to the ex-gay treatment, this series of posts will certainly shed some light on it.

NY Court Rules Against Gay Marriage

The supporters of equal rights for the GLBT coummunity lost a round in that ongoing battle today when the New York Court of Appeals ruled that same-sex marriage is not allowed under state law. The opinion was written by Judge Robert Smith. In it, he wrote "We do not predict what people will think generations from now, but we believe the present generation should have a chance to decide the issue through its elected representatives."

I can't help but wonder if all the rhetoric put out in the public domain by right-wing opponents of same-sex marriage about "activist judges" may have affected one or two of the votes on the court, which voted 4-2 on this ruling. In dissenting, Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye wrote, "I am confident that future generations will look back on today’s decision as an unfortunate misstep.”

Alan Van Capelle, Executive Director of Empire State Pride Agenda, responded to the ruling with this challenge, "Today's decision is far from the end of the battle for New York's lesbian and gay families. The Court has had its say, and now it is time for our elected officials to stand against discrimination and support marriage equality. Today, the Pride Agenda begins a campaign to press Albany to pass a marriage bill in 2007. For two years, legislators have waited for the Court to rule on this issue. It's now time for Albany to lead."

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese was resolute, "“Every couple in a loving and committed relationship should be able to obtain the legal protections that only come with marriage. We know that the struggle for equality is never quick or easy, but history has taught us that with determination, debate and devotion — the side of progress ultimately prevails. We will continue to move forward.”

Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, lashed out at the court, “Today’s tortured and intellectually strained decision is beyond disappointing. It is insulting to gay and lesbian people and our families. It is an egregious departure from the New York Court of Appeals’ long and proud tradition of advancing liberty and dismantling discrimination. It is a disgrace to the constitution and the people of New York.'

The Family Research Council's Vice President for Policy, Peter Sprigg, on the other hand, was feeling rather chipper, "The New York court reasonably concluded that the legislature has a legitimate interest in promoting responsible procreation and can 'rationally' believe that children need both a mother and a father. The court's well-reasoned ruling is a shining example for other courts across the nation. As we await rulings in several other states, we can only hope that other courts will exercise similar judicial restraint and avoid substituting their own social policy preferences for those of the legislatures and the people."

American Family Association Center for Law and Policy chief counsel Steve Crampton sees the decision as a "major blow” to the “radical homosexual effort to reconstitute the moral framework of our nation.” He added, "“For years the homosexuals have used the courts to get what they could never get through the democratic process; in New York, at least, they will have to seek change the old-fashioned way.”

Remember, courts that agree with the right wing are good, those who disagree are radical activists. Or are the radical activists on the right wing side and courts who disagree with them concerned about equality and fairness? Sadly, I could probably quote the response to that question from each of the officials I quoted here nearly verbatim.

"Vote for Jesus"

Given that today is Independence Day in the United States (for those of you who saw the movie, it's always a bit of a relief when another one goes by without alien attack) I thought linking to this column was appropriate.

The writer, a Baptist pastor in Alabama whom I have linked to before, talks about how Jesus and faith are now tools to be used by politicians, especially when their poll numbers need a bump.

Mr. Evans writes:

"With the Marriage Protection amendment to the Alabama state constitution, marriages in our state are now secure from the ravages of the so-called "gay agenda." We haven't figured out yet how to save marriage from what actually threatens marriage—I guess that will require yet another amendment in some future campaign."

"I wish more candidates in political races would invoke the name of Jesus by championing the causes he cared about most."

".....there is a danger, from all segments of the political spectrum, of so politicizing Jesus that we empty him of his true significance in our lives."

There is wisdom here for candidates and voters regardless of political party affiliation.

Sports: Times are a Changing

I ran across this interesting feature in the New York Daily News that chronicles several items regarding the place of homosexuality in the sports world.

The article was motivated by the passive denial by New York Giants' defensive end Michael Strachan to accusations by his soon-to-be ex-wife that he was having a romantic relationship with another man. They compared this to New York Mets' star cather Mike Piazza calling a press conference to deny that he was gay.

The piece also talks about the head lacrosse coach at the University of Missouri. He recently came out, and the school responded by offering to extend his contract. His players, at least initially, weren't too thrilled with it and the coach, Kyle Hawkins, is still considering whether he will stay at the school.

There is also a summary of the history of "the gay issue" in sports.

The piece also references a site called Out Sports, which is the best site I have found covering gays and sports. If that is something you might be interested in, I recommend you check it out.

"Progress on gay rights leaves politicians in the dust"

That's the title of this essay by Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign. He points out that for the first time, a majority of Fortune 500 companies are now offering domestic partner health insurance benefits to their employees. Here are some excerpts:

"The private sector continues to be far ahead of the political debate. While elected officials continue to dwell on the "politics" of equal protections and rights, business leaders are encouraging fairness for their employees."

"America's workplaces and schools are a microcosm of the country. They are places where people from different walks of life -- all religions, races, income levels, sexual orientations and gender identities -- are thrown together and told to make it work. They're doing just that and these policies and benefits are helping employers and employees succeed."

"Unfortunately, many political leaders are far behind business leaders in promoting and implementing fair and equitable policies for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Sadly, we see some politicians attacking our families and exploiting anti-gay prejudice for political purposes -- which results in fueling that prejudice and dividing our country."

The comments posted on this piece are also worth reading and span a wide range of viewpoints.

Gazette Column on Gays Called Vile, Hateful, Ill-informed"

Earlier this week, I commented on a column in the local (for me) Montgomery County, Maryland Gazette newspaper where their political columnist, Blair Lee, compared gays to pedophiles and serial killers. I expressed my outrage and I had plenty of company doing so. I directed my thoughts to Mr. Lee (I have not received a reply), but plenty of Gazette readers contacted the paper to express their outrage.

Here are a few I found particularly interesting:

"Just what is it about gays and lesbians that threaten Mr. Lee so much?"

"His ill-informed, ignorant, bigoted rants are an exact equivalent to the cases he makes about hostile speech directed at women and blacks. It is pitiful that he does not realize or understand the comparisons."

"As most extremists do, Mr. Lee excuses his condemnation and vilification of a group of American citizens by wrapping his argument up in religion. If it’s about religion, it can’t possibly be bigotry, hatred or discrimination, can it? "

"If such a vicious piece were written about any other minority group, would they be published?"

There are many more good thoughts the Gazette posted that are worth taking the time to read.

Know That You Can Hear the Call of God

In my latest essay for Gay Christian Outreach, I use the scripture of 1 Samuel 3:2-10 as my text to show how ALL of us can hear the call of God.

Dobson: Media Provides Cover For Assault on Traditional Marriage

Dr. James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family and an arch-enemy of GLBT equality, has written an essay that was posted on CNN.com.

There is actually one point where I agree with Dr. Dobson. He referred here to the recent vote in the U. S. Senate that failed to bring the Marriage Protection Act to the floor:

"As for the senators who voted against the amendment, the excuses they gave were pitiful. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-Rhode Island, Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minnesota, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire, and many others thought they had the perfect alibi. They claimed that the issue should be handled at the state level. What hypocrisy!

All of these senators are smart enough to know that, first, it would create utter chaos to have 50 different definitions of marriage in one country, where every state is required by the Constitution to support the laws of the other 49. Come on, Senator McCain and company. You and your colleagues know better than that."

I totally agree with that point. If same-sex marriage is okay in Massachusetts, it should be okay in Texas. Expousing states rights is often congressional code for not having enough guts to take a stand on an issue.

Most of Dr. Dosbon's justification for prohibiting same-sex marriage is public opinion polls. If we allowed all of society's issues to be decided by a public vote, I doubt we would like the results. For example, there would probably still be slaves in the south and women would not have the right to vote, or many rights at all. I'm also very confident that Dr. Dobson won't feel the same way when opinion polls shift in favor of same-sex marriage, but by then he'll blame the media, as he does here for the Senate vote.

Dobson and others of his ilk keep talking about the "destruction" or "weakening" of the institution of marriage if men are allowed to marry other men, or women marrying other women, but they seldom if ever tell us why. If two gay men having the right to marry weakens my marriage to Brenda, that would say a lot more about the weak foundation our marriage had than it would the gay men.

CNN.com also posted some comments to Dobson's article. As usual in public forums, the most thoughtful responses came from those who favor same-sex marriage. This again, in my opinion, shows just how little substance there is to the arguement against other than quoting tradition.

Of course, Dr. Dobson would probably find a way to blame the media for that too.

Responding to Stupdity and/or Bigotry

The good folks at Equality Maryland alerted me to this column written in the local Montgomery County, Maryland Gazette newspaper.

The writer, Blair Lee, is a longtime pundit on area politics. He was upset about Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich removing Robert Smith from the local Metro transportation board because he referred to homosexuality as "deviant behavior" based on his Catholic faith.

Lee believed this was simply a case of opportunistic Democrats trying to cause trouble for a Republican governor who is up for reelection, and he is certainly entitled to that opinion. He is not entitled to this one, however:

"But the homosexual lobby is desperately and relentlessly trying to parlay the public’s tolerance into the acceptance of homosexuality as normal. After all, if God made homosexuals then homosexuality must be normal, right? Sorry, just because God created you doesn’t mean you’re normal. God created pedophiles and serial killers, too."

I expressed my outrage at this statement directly to Mr. Lee, and I'm publishing that e-mail here:

Dear Mr. Lee,

I have read your columns over the years in the various newspapers where they have appeared and respect your take on local politics. Even when I have disagreed with you views, I found them to be clearly stated and well supported.

Unfortunately, in your 6/23 column in the Gazette, you strayed from your area of expertise and showed ignorance at best, intolerance and bigotry at worst. You wrote:

But the homosexual lobby is desperately and relentlessly trying to parlay the public’s tolerance into the acceptance of homosexuality as normal. After all, if God made homosexuals then homosexuality must be normal, right? Sorry, just because God created you doesn’t mean you’re normal. God created pedophiles and serial killers, too.

Comparing homosexuals' place in society to pedophiles and serial killers is offensive and repugnant. I happen to be straight myself, but my brother and several members of my church family who I love very much are homosexual. I deeply resent you grouping these wonderful people in with murders.

Just so you know, many of the "perponderance of American religions" you refer to once treated women and blacks as lesser citizens. They grew beyond that as hopefully they will grow beyond their condemnation of homosexuality today.

I hope you show better judgement in your future columns and stick to politics. Leave the larger issues to those who have a grasp on reality.

Jim Johnson
www.straightnotnarrow.org

I encourage anyone who reads the column and agrees with me to send Mr. Lee an e-mail. His address is at the bottom of the page.

BBC: Do You Have the Right to Be Gay?

Thanks to PageOne Q, I saw this posted on the BBC (British Broadcasting Corp) website. Some Nigerians living in London were hosting an international day of prayer in support of gay and lesbian people living in Nigeria. Motivated by this, the BBC posed the question, "Do You Have the Right to Be Gay?"

An interesting cross-section of people responded with the predictable mix of answers. Here are a couple that I thought were noteworthy:

People (whether heterosexual, homosexual or asexual) should exhibit their sexuality (or lack of it) within their bedrooms. By the same token, governments have no business peering into people's bedrooms. However, there should be zero tolerance for discrimination when a person's sexuality becomes public knowledge, for whatever reason. Governments, particularly those in Africa, have more pressing problems, e.g., healthcare and poverty reduction.
Akpan, Kent, UK/Nigeria

Of course people have a right to be gay. It is a basic matter of respect for the individual. Those who would stop homosexuality or punish gays, anywhere in the world, are simply evil. We must not compromise, or allow for cultural relativity. That would be as bad as compromising with Al-Quaeda.
Richard, London, UK

I am an African lesbian. My sexual orientation is me, how can there be any debate about whether I have a right to be what I am? Heterosexual Africans should wake up to the truth.
Chris Smith,

Then, from the other side.....

The culture of Africa forbids same sex marriage. The fact that it is practised in other continents does not make it right. Africans, let's respect and defend our culture.
Daniel Bassah, Accra - Ghana

The bible says that it is an abomination. It is a dirty game. It is dangerous to humankind. The first time I saw a man kissing another man on Tv, I vomited the whole day.
rickie89, USA

Anyone has a right to be gay, lesbian or even bisexual. It's based on individual preference. What bothers me about the whole ordeal is the gay and lesbian community's eagerness at shoving their adopted lifestyles down our throats. Homosexuality and lesbianism shouldn't be gathering as much momentum as the media has accorded them.
Lara Ladejobi, USA

The debate goes on worldwide.

Not Everybody Loves a Parade

I love my satellite radios (yes, I have BOTH XM and Sirius, what a radio whore I am), but occasionally some really aggravating noise comes out of it. That happened today, when I was surfing and ran across Fox Talk Radio.

The host was someone named Spencer Hayes, who was substituting for John Gibson. He was sharing the trauma he experienced this past weekend when he saw part of the Gay Pride parade in San Francisco. He kept going on about how he had to cover his five-year old son’s eyes because of, among other things, someone dressed as a dancing vagina.

The point Hayes was trying to make was how he felt “displays” like that set gay rights back 20, 30, even 50 years. He claimed to be a supporter of gay rights, at least before this weekend, but he made two statements that clearly exposed his prejudice to the contrary.

First, he questioned why anyone would be proud of being gay and need a day to express it. After all, he reasoned, he didn’t wake up every morning bursting with pride about being heterosexual. Of course, he probably never had anyone call him a sinner destined for hell because he was hetero. Hayes has probably never had political campaigns designed to limit his civil rights or restrict his rights to marry the person he loves. If so, he would probably have understood how important it is to the gay community to express pride in who they are despite what many of them have been told all of their lives.

I called in to the show and was put on the air, where the host again showed how oblivious he was to anything relating to GLBT people. I made the point that the exhibitionists at the Gay Pride parade weren’t any more representative of the gay community than Mardi Gras was of heterosexuals. I felt he was holding all gay people accountable for the actions of a few, which I equated to my having to answer for the debauchery in New Orleans. I also reminded the host that there was no more such thing as the “homosexual lifestyle” as there was a “heterosexual lifestyle.”

Hayes said that all you see at Mardi Gras was some girls lifting up their shirts and exposing their breasts while at the parade he saw two men wearing tutus, which was clearly worse. What! The only difference is, I suppose, is that he likes women’s breasts but doesn’t much care for men in tutus.

The worst part of Mr. Hayes’ ranting is that he was not entirely wrong. There are plenty of people who use events like the Pride parades and the exhibitionists who practice outrageous behavior in them to discredit the entire homosexual community. When a minority movement is trying to improve its traction, activities that strongly alienate a sector of their target demographic are not helpful.

Clearly, some of the participants in these events aren’t worried about anybody’s rights except their own opportunity to act out in whatever way pleases them. Unfortunately, behavior like this is not limited to any specific sexual orientation.

Muslim Gays Seek Lesbians For Wives

Apparently Christians aren't the only ones who feel pushed into marriage to hide their homosexuality. According to this article from the Washington Post, this is also a trend among Muslims, even those in the United States.

"Marriages of convenience are the result of gay Muslims wanting to avoid emotional and physical harm to themselves," says Muhammed Ali, a board member of Homan, a Los Angeles-based support group for gay Iranians.

Yes, there is a support group for gay Iranians. I bet you didn't know that, did you?

The article states, "Homosexuality is a crime punishable by death in much of the Islamic world. In Iran last year, two gay teenagers were publicly executed, while in Afghanistan, the Taliban government would torture homosexuals by collapsing walls on them. Though gay Muslims in America don't have such fears, they still seek out marriages of convenience as a way of staying in the closet. Many of them worry about being ostracized from their families if their secret is revealed."

Here is a quote for you, "Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption. . . . No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer," he said. "People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education."

No, that's not James Dobson or Pat Robertson talking. The quote came from Muzammil Siddiqi of the Islamic Society of North America.

I wonder if Dobson can line up Siddiqi for his next "Love Won Out" conference?

GLBT Sensitivity Creeping Into the Sports World

Ozzie Guillen, the manager of baseball's Chicago White Sox, got himself into some hot water this week. Guillen, who led the White Sox to the World Series championship last season, has proven to be a goldmine for reporters looking for quotes because he'll say just about anything regarding just about any topic. It was a comment he made to one of those sportswriters that has caused Guillen to get into trouble.

In a fit of anger last Tuesday night, he called Jay Mariotti, long-time sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, a "fag." I find it interesting that the reaction has been swift and fairly harsh toward Guillen. He has been fined by baseball Commisioner Bud Selig and ordered to take sensitivity training. Guillen was also suspended for one game. According to 365gay.com, this was not Guillen's first time throwing around that particular "f" word

In a statement, Selig said, "Ozzie Guillen used language that is offensive and completely unacceptable. Baseball is a social institution with responsibility to set appropriate tone and example. Conduct or language that reflects otherwise will not be tolerated. The use of slurs embarrasses the individual, the club and the game." Good stuff from a "leader" who often can't get out of his own way.

Later comments from Guillen show his resistance toward taking any sensitivity training, blaming the outrage on the allegedly different meaning of the word fag in his native Venezuela (coward instead of homosexual). He also gives a laughable explanation of why he does not hate gays, stating that goes to WNBA games, has attended a Madona concert, and plans on attending the upcoming Gay Games in Chicago.

Whatever. I know most of the readers here don't give a rat's tushie about Ozzie Guillen or the Chicago White Sox. I tell this story, however, to point out that mindsets are changing toward acceptence of GLBT people, even in the testosterone-laden world of professional sports. There's a long, long way to go, but the needle is slowly moving in the right direction.

Do You Want Your Lesiglator to Preach?

Think about that question. How comfortable would you be if someone representing you in either your local or the federal legislature stood up at the microphone and started preaching the Gospel of Jesus? What if he wrote a devotional in his newsletter originating from the state or U. S. Capitol? Even if you agree with what was said, I suspect most of you would share the same type of discomfort I would feel.

Let's flip that scenario around. Why is it then okay for church officials to push for specific legislation from the pulpit and/or in their church's newsletters? I don't think it is okay, yet the most recent example of that is occurring right now in Colorado.

According to this report on 365gay.com, Roman Catholic churches throughout Colorado will be working to collect signiatures for two ballot measures, one that would restrict the rights of same-sex couples, the other that would amend the state Constitution and ban same-sex marriage.

My point here is not to adress the speficic initiatives, but rather condemn the Catholic Church in that area for stooping to the level of a political operative. I understand their position on these measures are consistent with the teachings of the church. I respect their right to share that view from the pulpit in the same way that they would preach about various sins that we can all agree about, such as violence and adultery. Adressing the fact that there are almost certainly some closeted gay priests doing the church's bidding here is another issue.

I don't want to see any political initiative debated from the pulpit of my church, even if it is one that would favor the GLBT population that largely makes up our congregation.

Let the politicians and political organizations stick to lobbying for political issues (and hopefully staying away from preaching). I want pastors, priests, and anyone else standing behind a pulpit claiming to represent Jesus Christ's church would stick to that and not try to run a political campaign.

I attend church to worship God, not take sides on political issues. I wish everyone else took the same approach.

Don't Waste Time With Stereotypes

It’s easy for people to pick up a few characteristics about someone and categorize them into a stereotype.

For example, allow me to describe some traits and qualities of a man I know:

Likes romantic comedies
Enjoys snuggling
Has written poetry
Has platonic women friends
Cries openly, both out of sadness and joy
Doesn’t like working on cars or using tools
Is comfortable being a passenger in a car with a woman driving
Expresses his feelings without a gun pointed at his head or other threats
Has a gay brother and gay friends
Enjoys musicals
Enjoys decorating his home

Here are characteristics of another man I know:

Loves sports
Enjoys sex with his wife
Takes out the trash every weekend
Does work around the home that requires heavy lifting
Is an assertive leader
Sneaks a peek at other women when his wife isn’t looking
Doesn’t get the iconic status of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Enjoys science fiction and super hero movies
Has been “the provider” for most of his adult life
Did I mention he really enjoys sex with his wife?

Now let’s slot these into stereotypes. The first person is gay and the second is clearly a flaming heterosexual, right? Yes and no.

If the first person was gay, my wife would have some issues to deal with because I was describing myself. I’d also have to change the name of this blog, wouldn’t I?

I don’t have to worry about that however, because the second group of personality traits also describes me. My new friend Dennis, who recently began attending our church, says he believes everyone has some parts of being both straight and gay as part of their nature. If we limit our perspective to those classifications, I believe he is absolutely right and I put myself out there as an example of the truth in that.

Why have we fallen into the trap of trying to fit everyone into a slot? If we go back to the example of Jesus, we can see that he clearly did not do that. He ministered to sinners, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, man or woman. He still does. Paul also shared some inspired wisdom in Galatians 3:26-29:

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

That’s the only category we need to worry about fitting into.

Pentagon: Don't Ask, Don't Tell, They're Nuts

That's only a slight exaggeration according to this AP report. Astonishingly, a Pentagon document has been uncovered that classifies homosexuality as a mental disorder. This is contrary to the findings of a group that is probably better qualified to make that judgement, the American Psychiatric Association. That organization dropped homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973. In fact, they issued a press relase today asking the Pentagon to update this instruction.

Along with their "don't ask, don't tell" policy, it is painfully obvious the Pentagon don't get it.

Happy Birthday to This Blog

One year ago today, I made my first entry in this blog. I had no idea if anyone would read it or, if they did, care about what I wrote. All I knew was that I had something to say. A year later, Straight Not Narrow has been visited over 13,000 times, almost 7,500 of them within the last three months. People from 84 different nations have found this tiny corner of the blogosphere, and over 100 sites are linked to this blog.

Most importantly, many of the visitors here have contributed to the discussion of important issues or spiritual topics. I frequently think that the comments are better that what I write, and that’s fine with me. I’ve learned a lot over the past year…..

I’ve learned that there are many people in the GLBT community that are deeply, deeply wounded. Sadly, much of that pain has been administered by their families, both biological and within the church, often in the name of love.

I’ve learned there are a lot of people with a lot of money that will do or say ANYTHING to influence people to hate homosexuals as much as they do.

I’ve seen the Holy Spirit manifest in gay and lesbian women. I know for a fact that anyone who says that is not possible is wrong.

I have been reminded that there are few politicians who have the courage to take a stand that might not be to their direct political benefit.

I have learned that there are no limits to how much Jesus loves ALL his people and wants to bless us. If we don’t feel that in our lives, we are the one limiting Him.

I have seen things said and done in the name of God that I cannot imagine he is remotely connected with.

I have experienced a great enrichment in my life by getting to know and love gay and lesbian leaders and members of my church. I also treasure their love for me.

I have seen the power of people with different gifts and different perspectives getting together to work for a cause they all believe in.

I have learned that I still have a lot to learn about the GLBT community, but that it’s worth the effort.

I hope you will help me, or allow me to help you, work for GLBT equality in the political arena and Christ’s church in the next year and beyond.

Comparing Notes

I've signed to receive e-mail notices from a number of organizations, some on the political left, others on the political right. It's interesting to compare notes when more than one of them send a release on the same news item.

That heppened this week regarding comments made by a Washington DC Metro Board Member Robert J. Smith. Metro is the transportation system, including subway and buses, that serves DC, Virginia, and Maryland. The three juristrictions share the cost and governing of the system, and Smith was appointed to the board by the governor of Maryland, Robert Ehrlich.

For reasons that escape me, Smith was on a Montgomery County (Maryland) cable show and said, "Homosexual behavior, in my opinion, is deviant. I'm a Roman Catholic."

Frankly, I don't really care what a transportation official believes about homosexuality, but a public official making this kind of remarks on television, even local cable, is newsworthy.

On Friday, Governor Ehrlich responded to the situation by removing Smith from the board.

That action prompted two press releases I received in my e-mail.

The first, from Equality Maryland, said:

“All fair-minded Marylanders should appreciate the action taken by Governor Ehrlich in swiftly and seriously addressing these repugnant comments by his appointee. It is good that he recognized that such hostile and hateful comments about any group of people makes him inappropriate for public service,” said Dan Furmansky, Executive Director of Equality Maryland.
According to a statement released by Governor Ehlrich, “Robert Smith’s comments were highly inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable. They are in direct conflict to my administration’s commitment to inclusion, tolerance and opportunity."

Later, the American Family Association sent out a press release titled, "'Tolerant' Governor fires 'Intolerant' Christian.

"Gov. Ehrlich said he is intolerant to any view that opposes the full social acceptance of homosexual behavior and its promotion in government. He said Smith's comments were "highly inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable. They are in direct conflict to my administration's commitment to...tolerance." Gov. Ehrlich contradicted his own statement! He is promoting tolerance toward homosexual practice while being intolerant to Smith's Christian beliefs and the teaching of his church. "

The AFA release continued, "Smith was fired not because he wasn't doing a good job. He was fired not because of his practice, but because of his thinking! He was fired because he held different beliefs. So much for tolerance! If this firing stands, it means that any Christian who states publicly that homosexual practice is morally wrong does so at the risk of being fired. "

The AFA loves for people to send e-mail to people the organization think has done something wrong, so they were nice enough to include the governor's e-mail address.

My position is to agree with Equality Maryland. Even if someone is just responsible for running the trains and buses, he should not be on the public record condemning any part of the general population.

The AFA used a common tactic of the religious right by making their side look like the victim. It's okay to condemn people publicly, in their slanted view, but wrong to hold them accountable.

Then again, the religious right isn't good at holding themselves accountable, just others.

Pruning Dead Branches

In my latest column for Gay Christian Outreach, I examine the concept of Jesus being the vine of life, and we are the branches that grom from Him. In that context, I examine the branches that grow from our lives that take us away from the path God wants us to follow and how we need to resolve that.

A Report From Inside the "Love Won Out" Conference

I've written about the scene and views expressed outside last Saturday's Love Won Out conference in Maryland, and thanks to the folks at Ex-Gay Watch here is a report from inside the conference itself.

The writer, Eve Tushnet, adds further observations on her blog. According to Ex-Gay Watch, Tushnet is a conservative Roman Catholic who is not considered a friend of GLBT equality issues. Despite that viewpoint, she is quite sceptical about many of the claims made in the conference.

It doesn't take much objective thought to understand that there is not therapy in existence that will turn a homosexual straight. The most they can generally accomplish is teach someone how not to act on their same-sex attractions, not how to quit having them.

In his outstanding book "Anything But Straight," Wayne Besen chronicles what happens to some of these folks after they leave ex-gay therapy. They often wind up back in gay bars, which seems like a lot to go through for nothing. The most frequent result according to Ex-Gay Watch, Besen, and others is continued or even intensified self-loathing and self-destructive behavior of people who have it drilled into their heads that they are filthy sinners if they act in the way God made them (they don't tell them that last part though, it might hurt business).

I'll be interviewing Wayne Besen in the near future about his book and his new organization, Truth Wins Out.

God and Gays: Churchgoers Divided

This issue got the national treatment from USA Today. Here are some excerpts I found particularly interesting:

Barbara Brown Taylor, 55, left the Episcopal priesthood, observing that "human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God."

Surveys have shown that most of the growing denominations and non-denominational community "Bible churches" are theologically conservative, with no openly gay clergy or no same-sex unions blessed.

Once, black people, women and homosexuals were viewed the same way by the leading theologians of the times: "They were all cursed by God in Scripture, inferior in moral character and willfully sinful and deserving punishment," says the Rev. Jack Rogers, former head of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and author of a new book, Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality.
Eventually, most churches found a biblical basis for changing their stance on race and gender but not on homosexuality.

"Young adults today can't understand what the fuss is all about. Their lives are colorblind. They have gay friends and straight friends. They have good values, but they don't stay with the church," he says. "The gay-rights battle isn't the main reason, but it's one of them. They don't see in their church a lens to see the world." And people of all ages "are really tired of all this" fighting. "Most people just want to get on with thinking about Jesus."

Overall, this was a well balanced piece that's worth taking time to read thoroughly.

Naming Names

The Boston Globe has a story about the work of a website called KnowThyNeighbor.org. They put together a serchable database containing names of people who signed the petition for a Massachusetts constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage. The group is now working on a similar data base in Florida.

I like it!

Why shouldn't people be accountable for their actions. The activists who are working very hard to promote GLBT equality are putting their names out there for the cause. I could write this blog anonymously, but I choose not to because I'm perfectly willing to stand behind what I write and be accountable for it.

It's easy to hide behind the shroud of anonymity and discriminate against someone else's rights, but it might not be quite so easy when your name gets attached to it.

Be Transgendered At Your Own Risk

The Yahoo group "Teach The Facts" posts a lot of interesting articles that I wind up linking to, and this one regarding transgendered people especially moved me.

According to this story, the murder rate of transgendered persons is 17 times the national average, the highest rate of any minority group.

"It's ignorance, more than anything else, that creates fear," said Vicky Ortega, who founded LOTUS and also works as a health education specialist at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Los Angeles. LOTUS is the League of Trans-Unified Sisters, a support group of transgender people working to change society's attitudes toward them. I was not able to find a website for them, but if anyone knows of one, I would be happy to post it here.

I'm not going to pretend to have any more than the most cursory understanding of transgender issues, but I do know that they are people too and deserve every right that I enjoy and should be treated with no less respect than anyone else. The problems here are a lot worse that name-calling and discrimination and need to be taken very seriously.

Media coverage of "Love Won Out" Conference & Protest-Updated

The Washington Times ran this story about yesterday's event. From a paper known for a strong right-wing slant, this piece was reasonably well balanced.

The Washington Post did not run anything (at least not that I could find online) but they did have a story about today's Gay Pride festival in downtown DC. Perhaps they have a quota of one gay story per day.

Bruce Garret, whom I also met yesterday, has a brief writeup and photos from yesterday's protest up on his blog. Fortunately for you readers, I'm not in any of the pictures.

As Bruce mentions in his post, Steve Boese attended the conference and has the first in a series of posts up where he will share his impressions of the event. Boese is apparently open to the ex-gay concept and shares this about the rules regarding the conference:

"I was aware that conference organizers do a bag search as attendees enter the premises, and folks found to be carrying gay-affirming pamphlets, cards, or tracts may either have them confiscated or be asked to leave. Registration requires attendees to agree that LWO organizers reserve the right to remove anyone from the event without cause, and that any behavior perceived to be disruptive (including offering a gay-affirming pamphlet to a fellow attendee) would trigger removal."

There was only one point of view offered to people inside the church, which made what went on outside the church even more important.

Demonstrating Against "Love Won Out" Conference

As I was driving toward today’s vigil to protest the “Love Won Out” anti-gay conference being held in Silver Spring, Maryland, I wondered what kind of turnout I would find. After all, it was not quite 8:00 AM on a Saturday morning, a great time to sleep in and recover from the week just ended.

I was thrilled to see dozens of colorful signs lining both sides of the road in front of Immanuel’s Church as I pulled up. Some of them said:

“Another Marylander Against Demonizing Gay Americans”
“Love Welcomes All”
“Reparative Therapy is Neither”
“Homosexuality Is Not a Disorder”
“Focus on Fairness”
“Straight, But Not Narrow” (obviously a personal favorite)

By the time the press conference began around 9:30 AM, well over 100 people had gathered to support fairness and equality and condemn the practice of trying to “change” homosexuals promoted by the conference ready to begin only a few yards away.

Dan Furmansky, the director of Equality Maryland, opened with a few comments and introduced each speaker. At one point, he said “James Dobson, (the conference was sponsored by his Focus on the Family organization) you are not welcome in Maryland! Go back to Colorado!” I would agree with that except I don’t have anything against the GLBT population of Colorado.

One of the speakers was Harry Knox, the Director of the Human Rights Campaign’s Religion and Faith Program. Knox is a former pastor of a United Methodist Church in Georgia. He was also the Executive Director of Equality Georgia and program director of Freedom to Marry. Knox told the crowd and cameras (two local television stations shot footage), “God made me gay and called me good.”

A representative of National Black Justice Coalition (I did not catch her name) added that the group across the street was representative of a “cult of the annihilation of the authentic self.”

Maryland State Delegate Gareth Murray, who represents the district where the conference was being held, pointed out “Today it’s the gay community. What community are we going after next?” Murray sharply condemned the purpose of the conference, speaking from his background as a minister and a mental health professional.

Dr. Stephen Eckstrand, a member of the local PFLAG chapter, spoke about his two children; a lesbian daughter and a left-handed son. He pointed out that, “until the latter half of the twentieth century, people considered left handed individuals to be unlucky, clumsy, and even abnormal.” Fortunately society has moved beyond that, and Dr. Eckstrand expressed his hope that society would also grow past its failure to love and accept gays and lesbians.

I also had the pleasure of meeting writer and activist Wayne Besen, author of the book “Anything But Straight.” Besen just this past week announced the formation of the organization “Truth Wins Out and was there to support the vigil. Like his book, Truth Wins Out is dedicated to refuting the lies groups like Focus on the Family propagate to wrongly influence people. Besen wrote a piece earlier this week about the conference where he said, “Unfortunately, it will be a bastion of misinformation that flies in the face of modern psychology and presents a distorted picture of gay life filled with stereotypes in the guise of science.”

The final word is this post goes to Dr. Lise Van Susteren, whom I also ran into at Equality Maryland’s Lobby Day back in February at the state capitol in Annapolis. Dr. Van Susteren, a forensic psychiatrist, offered this profound thought, “Religion must not be used as the fig leaf to hide prejudice.”

How about it, Dr. Dobson?

"Christians Must Do More to Combat AIDS, Comfort Victims

That's the title of an essay written by Kay Warren for CNN. She is the wife of Rick Warren, author of the wildly popular "The Purpose Driven Life." Kay Warren is executive director of their home church's HIV/AIDS initiative where she has learned quite a bit about dealing with the disease and the attitudes of her fellow Christians.

She writes, "Twenty-five years into the AIDS pandemic, being HIV-positive still carries stigma and shame. But God cares for the sick and so must we. It's not a sin to be sick. The Bible tells us Jesus was repeatedly "filled with compassion" as he encountered broken bodies and broken minds. While polite society vigorously avoided contact with those they considered diseased outcasts, Jesus responded in a radical way: He cared, he touched, he healed."

Here we go again with Jesus and all that compassion stuff.

I just hope it catches on more in His church.

FMA Defeated.....For Now

Today the U. S. Senate voted 49-48 on a motion to end debate on the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, 11 votes short of the 60 needed to bring it to a vote on the floor of the senate.

This was an important victory for those who are fighting to avoid making discrimination a part of the U. S. Constitution, but it's merely a battle won. The war will continue and perhaps intensify.

Think I'm exaggerating? Check out these quotes:

"We're going to continue to press this issue," Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard said. "If it's up to me, we'll have a vote on this issue every year."

"We're making progress, and we're not going to stop until marriage between a man and a woman is protected," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas.

Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said failure to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage would be "a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions for children" in a Monday radio broadcast.

President Bush, in a 10-minute speech on Monday, said "An amendment to the Constitution is necessary because activist courts have left our nation with no other choice."

Of course, the right-wing defines "activist courts" or "activist judges" as ones who don't support their views.

Regarding the Senate vote: "It is true what this vote will do will be to help the voters identify who is and is not supportive of the family," said Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. "And I think those that are not are going to have to answer for it."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), "Marriage ranks as one of our most important social institutions," he writes. "Americans have made it clear that they want to protect it against activist judges like those who sit on the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts."

Folks, these people are not going away just because they lost a vote. Some of them truly believe they have the moral high ground and that they are charged with protecting their version of God's will from being violated. Others are seizing this issue as their ticket to power and wealth. Either way, they're not going to quit.

It is critical that those 47 senators who voted against bringing the amendment to a vote know that their constituents have their backs, and their vote.

It is also cricital that people understand that the attidute of treating homosexuals as second-class (if that high) citizens is NOT reflective of all Christians. There are people who love God with all their hearts and feel the leading of the Holy Spirit to strive for equality for ALL his people. We need to continue to raise up our voices and speak to God's love, not this spirit of exclusion the religious right wants people to think he is all about.

"Ex-Gay" Leaders Invited to White House

When President Bush announced his support for the constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage yesterday, he did it with in the company of Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas from Exodus International. Exodus is an organization at the forefront of claiming to "lead people out of homosexuality."

In this outstanding column by Michelle Goldbert of The Huffington Post, the writer offers this thought:

"If, as virtually all mainstream experts believe, Exodus is wrong, then Bush's attempt to rally support against gay families is simply gratuitously cruel. But mainstream experts carry little weight with this administration. Once again, Bush is using his position to symbolically subvert science in favor of a faith-based parallel reality. Gay people will suffer the most from what he is doing, but truth itself is also a casualty. "

Wide-Ranging Takes on Same-Sex Marriage Ban

If you're even an occassional visitor to this blog, you know where I stand on the issue of same-sex marriage and the proposed Constitutional amendment currently under consideration in the U. S. Senate that would ban it across the nation.

Courtesy of the political blog "The Moderate Voice," I found one of the best aggregations of opinions that I've come across regarding this issue, so I'm linking it here for your perusal.

Will Bush's Push for Gay Marriage Ban Backfire?

There are even some conservatives that are seeing through this as nothing more but a shallow political ploy, and there is some thought that even this won't galvanize the Religious Right to support the President or the Republicans?

Where else can they go? How far away could we be from a new political party with them as the base?

"Ex-Gay" Conference Coming to My Area

I am very disappointed to report that one of Focus on the Family's "Love Won Out" conferences is being held on Saturday, June 10 only a few miles from my home. It is being hosted by one of the larger independent churches in the area, Immanuel's Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. For those of you who haven't heard of them, this is where homosexuals can go to get "cured" of their same-sex desires. At least that's what Dr. Dobson and his folks want everyone to believe.

I am pleased, though, that there will be an organized opposition vigil in front of the church both before and after the day-long conference. It is being put together by Equality Maryland, the DC chapter of PFLAG, Teach the Facts, a group promoting education about homosexuality in Montgomery County Schools, and Christ Congregational Church, a UCC member.

I'll be participating in what is promised to be a silent and respectful vigil. I believe it is important for GLBT people and their allies to demonstrate their opposition to these farcical exercises whenever they come to town. Anyone in the DC area that is interested in participating in the June 10 vigil can contact Rev. Sandy Dodson at sandy@christ-ucc.org.

For more information on "Love Won Out," click here.

It's About Protecting Votes, Not Marriage

There is an excellent column on EthicsDaily.com about next week's Senate vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment that would restrict marriage to one man and one woman in all 50 states.

I've linked to columns by this writer, Jim Evans, who is a pastor in Alabama, and he again nails it with this one:

"The Marriage Protection Act is not about protecting marriage. It's about getting out the vote.
Never mind that it demonizes a segment of our population in a legislative effort no one believes will really happen. It works, and that's what matters, apparently."

I have yet to see any pundits on either side of the isle who think this Amendment will come close to receiving the 60% vote it needs to pass. Even if it did, 35 states would need to ratify it before it became a part of the Constitution.

It is painfully obvious that conservative Republicans are pandering to their dissatisfied religious right constituency. Could those voters actually be so shallow and narrowly focused to fall for that ploy? Anyone who is gullable enough to be influenced by this maneuver should have their right to vote taken away until they get a clue.

One God, One Body, In Service to Christ

In my latest column for Gay Christian Outreach, I share my thoughts about the divisions in the church caused by divergent views on homosexuality, and what each side can do to bridge the gap and move closer to God's will for our lives.

Brotherhood: Better Late Than Ever

This is my contribution to a special event, Blogging for LGBT Families Day. To see others, check out Mombian.

I was born into a LGBT family, but it was well into adolescence before anyone let me in on it.

My brother Michael was born in Washington, DC in June, 1950. Our mother was only 18 years old when he was born and did not stay with his father for very long. As a result, Michael was adopted by my aunt and uncle. By the time I was born in December, 1958, also in Washington, DC, my mother had remarried and I was raised as an only child in an allegedly “normal” home. My aunt and uncle had relocated to Florida, and later Georgia, while my family was anchored in the DC suburbs.

When I was a youngster, my aunt and uncle would come for visits with their three children. To avoid upsetting the perception of normalcy, Michael was always referred to, like the other two, as my cousin. Even as a naïve child, however, I could tell he looked nothing like his “siblings” and bore a striking resemblance to my mother and to me, but I never questioned it.

Michael had a tumultuous childhood (imagine that) and by the time he was in his teens had become quite rebellious. I had my first opportunity to spend extended time with him in the summer of 1966. He stayed with my grandmother (whom he grew very close to) in DC to take some advanced placement classes at Georgetown University. I thought my “cousin” was the coolest guy in the world! He was a lot of fun to be around. Michael was so smart, had a sharp sarcastic wit (one of the few traits we share) and showed interest in taking me under his wing.

During that summer, our mother taught me that Michael, although he was smart and fun, was NOT someone I should seek to emulate. He was a “troubled young man” who was “going to find trouble.” Once Michael graduated high school, he moved out on his own. He had long been chafing under the strict fundamentalist views of my aunt and uncle. Michael had been told repeatedly he was heading for a life that would bring him nothing but pain and unhappiness and he eventually found plenty of both.

Michael continued to visit my home, and we savored our time together. In some ways, we seemed to be kindred spirits. It was just so natural, so easy being with him and hanging out, just like having a brother. Little did I know I truly had one.

I had noticed something different about Michael, though, as I grew into adolescence. He didn’t seem to be very “manly.” I had been taught that men were supposed to like sports, tools, and cars. Michael, however, liked visiting art galleries, watching foreign films, and loved Barbara Streisand. I was sheltered enough not to connect those dots myself, but my mother finally told me the whole story about Michael.

It wasn’t one of those scenes out of a movie where she sat me down and said, “There’s something you need to know.” It was on a Saturday afternoon following a particularly nasty fight she had with my father. Mom was feeling sorry for herself and wanted my sympathy too. She walked me through some of the lowlights of her life and eventually told me about how she gave up Michael when he was born and that my aunt and uncle had adopted him. Least I get too excited, she also pointed out that he was destined to burn in hell because he was homosexual.

Neither of these facts was shocking. They actually helped some things make more sense. While my 15-year old mind was trying to get a grip on this newly clarified reality, I was instructed in no uncertain terms that this was the deep, dark secret of the family and NEVER to be uttered to another living soul. We had to maintain our family’s reputation after all. As I later learned, Michael had received the same instructions from our mother years earlier. She was a woman not to be trifled with, so we both toed the line. He later defied her enough to talk to me about our brotherhood, but it went no further while she still drew breath.

For the next two decades, Michael popped in and out of my life. Once free of the shackles placed upon him growing up, he sought out his niche in the world and began discovering who he really was. That journey led Michael to DC, San Francisco, Baltimore, New York City, Cincinnati, Toronto, Buffalo, and finally Rochester, NY. Unfortunately, he explored some of the darker sides of being a gay man. Michael made friends across North America, but drifted in and out of relationships.

He finally slowed down and planted roots in western New York State. That was not a result of any new clarity of purpose. Rather, he was fighting cancer and was too sick to keep traveling. This led to his final move, from Buffalo to Rochester because it turns out that Rochester is a great place to be if you are seriously ill.

While my brother struggled with his health and was completely out of touch, I had my hands full acting as caregiver for our mother. She was admitted to a nursing home in 1991, had a brief upturn, then passed away in October, 1992. Our grandmother had passed away only two months earlier, and my father had been gone for several years, so I was left to lean on the support of my closest friends to bury mom and move on with my life. This began a chain of events that finally brought Michael and I together as brothers.

Shortly after my mother’s death, I met Bette and we decided to get married. It was the first important decision I had made without mom’s direct influence, and it led to the second one. I decided it was finally time to break through the thick fog of dysfunction that had engulfed both Michael and me. I wanted my brother to be part of my wedding, the day that would begin a new and happier phase of my life.

I contacted my aunt and obtained an address for Michael in Rochester. I sent him an invitation and included my phone number. A few days later, Bette answered the phone and said “It’s Michael.” For the first time, we spoke not as kids still under our mother’s thumb, but as independent adults, man-to-man. He asked me how I would introduce him. That was a fair question since at my first wedding, my mother had deftly avoided identifying him as anything more than a miscellaneous family member.

I’m happy that I did not hesitate in replying “As my brother.” It was interesting telling my friends that, contrary to what they had always known, I had a brother. It seemed like something one would see in a soap opera. After the wedding, Michael entertained my friends and in-laws with bizarre (but true) stories about our family, some of which I had never heard myself. Later on, we had the first face-to-face adult conversation of our lives. In one amazing weekend, I had gained a wife and a brother.

It took us awhile to get used to our new relationship, and we didn’t contact each other very often. After about two years of sporadic communications, Bette and I traveled to Rochester to spend a weekend with Michael, and he reciprocated by visiting us the next year. We built upon the bonding that had begun after the wedding and started to understand what being brothers was all about.

Bette and I never made it back to Rochester, but Michael tried to visit us at least once a year. Bette, who was truly an only child, grew to love him like the brother she never had. As time moved along, Michael no longer came alone. He had met a wonderful man named Mike, and we grew to love him too. They just made such a darned cute couple we could hardly stand it.

It warmed my heart so much that Michael had finally found someone to love and be loved by just like I had. He and I had broken through the boundaries of dysfunction and narrow-mindedness that engulfed us growing up and made our own little family. Bette and I knew we could turn to them if we were in need, and I believe they felt the same way about us.

That theory was tested on October 11, 2004, when Bette suddenly passed away at the young age of 53. Along with the shock, I felt empty and alone. I called Mike with the horrible news that night (I always talk to him on the phone because Michael’s hearing is severely damaged), and they were on my doorstep the next afternoon. The memorial service for Bette was in Illinois, and Mike and Michael made the round trip with me, taking a week out of their lives with no warning to be with me and give comfort and support.

One moment I will never forget was when I came out of the funeral home with Bette’s remains (she had requested to be cremated upon her passing). Mike and Michael had waited in the car, prepared to begin the trip to Illinois. As I approached the car, Michael met me, put his arms around me, and held me while I cried like a baby on his shoulder. We always love joking around, but when it was time to get serious, my brother was there big time, both physically and emotionally.

Isn’t that what the whole concept of family is truly about?

As I write this, I am returning home from a visit to Rochester with my wife Brenda (God richly blessed me with a new partner after calling Bette home). Mike and Michael were the first people I knew to meet Brenda when they visited Maryland shortly after we started dating. I even got the big brother talk from Michael about not rushing into a new relationship. They both see how happy we are and have accepted her into our strange little family with open arms.

When I hear all the rhetoric about “preserving the traditional family,” I cringe. I think we should strive to do a lot better than that! Michael and I both grew up in “traditional families” and spent much of our adult lives recovering from it. What we have now, that’s a family!

As long as you’re still on this earth, it’s never too late to have a family, even if you have to wait for it like Michael and I did.

"Thorns In the Rose Garden"

Wayne Besen is one of my favorite writers regarding GLBT issues, and his column this week again knocks it out of the park.

Besen discusses the political strategy President Bush is following. The master planner is Karl Rove, and he has been successful enough to get Bush elected twice, but Besen believes the bloom has come off the rose.

A cornerstone of Rove's strategy has been to smear opponents and promote fear, and the GLBT community has been a favorite target. He will go to that well again on Monday, when President Bush is scheduled to hold a press conference restating his support for the Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit same-sex marriage on the eve of the scheduled vote in the senate.

Besen writes, ".....it has always been easier to scare than to care. Rendering people blind is simpler than providing a positive vision. To me, Rove is a cheater - the Barry Bonds of politics. Homophobia and hysteria are the steroids and he injects the poison into the body politic at every opportunity."

Please contact your senators and let them know that if they fall for this tactic, they are at risk of losing your vote.

Strong Opposition to Federal Marriage Amendment

I'm back from a wonderful refreshing trip to visit my brother and his partner in Rochester, NY. It was great to get away, but it's time to get back to business.

Last week, the Washington Post printed a strong editorial (free registration required) opposing the federal constitutional amendment that would prohibit same-sex marriage all across the United States.

The Post did not opine of the merits of same-sex marriage, focusing its opposition on the process of amending the Constitution. The Post feels that there is absolutely no reason to take this matter out of the hands of the individual states. Here's the key point:

"On the merits, there is simply no case for an amendment that would write into the Constitution an express command to every state and federal official to discriminate against a class of people."

Well said. Hopefully some senators will consider the wisdom of this arguement and forego pandering to the Religious Right by voting against this grievous amendment that would make discrimination a part of this nation's fundamental laws.

Gone Fishin'

Actually no fish will be harmed on our trip, but I'll be away for a few days visiting my brother in beautiful Rochester, NY. I'll be back blogging on Monday night.

For all my American readers, have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. For everyone else around the globe, have a wonderful time doing whatever it is you normally do.

"Even deep in Dixie, gays sense acceptance"

I ran across an interesting Associated Press story via USA Today. It focuses on the state of the GLBT community in Alabama.

On the one hand, things aren't so good. The state is certain to overwhelmingly vote to strengthen its prohibition against same-sex marriage in early June. A national gay magazine says Alabama is the worst state in America for gays and lesbians. A gubanatorial candidate has called homosexuality evil.

Not so good.

Despite that, however, the GLBT community has made some progress toward acceptance and eventually equal rights. There's a long way to go, but there is a growing feeling that more opportunities exist for gay and lesbians to have a full, happy life in Alabama. Check out the article to find out why.

A Look Inside the "Double Closet"

As many of you know, it can be challenging if you are a GLBT person living in the United States these days. Imagine in this post-9/11 society being Arab-American AND GLBT.

That, folks, in an open invitation for harassment and discrimination in today's America. This story from AlterNet tells the story of a few individuals who are dealing with that on a daily basis.

Of course, it would probably be even tougher back in their families' native lands. There are some horror stories told in this piece about treatment of GLBT people in the Middle East.

The story also tells us about a group named AL-GAMEA that has been started with the goal of acting like a PFLAG organization for Arab-Americans.

They clearly have their work cut out for them.

June 1: Blogging for LGBT Families Day

I want to let you know about a grass roots blogging event that I will be participating in on June 1. It is called "Blogging for LGBT Familes Day." The event is being driven by the blog "Mombian" (Sustenance for Lesbian Moms) and is designed to raise awareness about LGBT families. You can click through on the link for more background and details.

It's actually very simple--those of you who blog can post an entry on or before June 1 and let the folks over at Mombian know so they can get it linked up. What should you write about? Quoting from Mombian:

"The choice of topic is up to you. If you are part of an LGBT family, and normally blog about your family’s activities, you may simply do so again. You may also choose to write on broader issues of LGBT family rights, acceptance, your personal path to parenthood, being the child of an LGBT family, what you’ve learned from the LGBT family down the street, or anything else that supports the goal above. Regardless, please let me know you’re participating."

If you don't have a blog and still want to participate, you can e-mail me your piece and I'll be glad to post it under your byline, or you can contact Mombian directly.

As part of the event, I'll be sharing a very personal story about my family. I encourage all of my readers to consider participating.

"The DaVinci Code" Fact vs. Fiction

As far as I know, there aren't any gay folks running around in "The DaVinci Code" movie just released this weekend, but I still wanted to post on it since this blog is ultimately about Jesus Christ.

I have not read the book or seen the movie, so I don't have any great depth to add to the national debate about both, but this column by Dr. R. Albert Mohler does.

Mohler is part of the "fundamentalist" leadership I write about often, usually not in a flattering way. That doesn't mean they are wrong about everything, though, and I felt Dr. Mohler knocked it out of the park with this address he gave regarding "The DaVinci Code." Oddly enough, he was speaking only a few miles away from my home in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mohler's talk was very informative and thorough and I think it is definately worth reading if you have any questions at all about the issues raised by this book and/or movie.

Just keep in mind that if you have a choice between what a novel and movie teach about Jesus Christ vs. what the bible says, stick with the bible. The bible shows the path to the Holy Spirit, not Tom Hanks, especially not with that funky haircut.