Family Research Council pastor has no problem with lying on gay community

Peter Sprigg

It never ceases to amaze me how religious right groups and spokespeople continue to lie about certain incidents even after these lies have been refuted. Case in point:

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The above document is from the Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg and it calls out the Obama Administration for supposedly "promoting the homosexual agenda."

Once you get rid of the semantic garbage code words (i.e. the phrase promoting the homosexual agenda), you see that the Obama Administration has done a lot of good things for lgbtq equality.

But then you have to get rid of the lies that Sprigg tells in this document. For example:

Appointment of a Homosexual Activist with Notorious Past: May 19, 2009 –
Kevin Jennings, notorious founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network(GLSEN), who once all but admitted that he covered up a case of child sexual abuse when working as a teacher -- to the Department of Education.

That claim is a straight up lie. Sprigg is talking how religious right organizations accused Obama appointee Kevin Jennings of covering up the alleged fact that one of his students had sex with an adult male.

'Maggie Gallagher called out for her many lies' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

An Open Letter To Maggie Gallagher - Pay attention those wanting to calling NOM's Maggie Gallagher out for her MANY lies. DO NOT attack her personally. THIS is how you do it. A sweet snippet:

When organizations that you have been key in guiding like the National Organization for Marriage plan to encourage children of gay parents to speak out against them, you hurt real families. When NOM planned to divide this country based on race, you hurt an even wider audience, opening wounds that are yet to heal and go back hundreds of years. Your words, however civil on their face, create fear, division, and distrust. When the affiliated Ruth Institute publishes snippets of essays by anti-gay folks like Michael Brown, and then link to stories hinting at gay men being pedophiles, you knowingly foment the prejudices of others far less "civil" than you. This is uncivil. This is monstrous.

You're like those sweet little ladies from Arsenic and Old Lace. So charming... and yet serving up poison in their tea. Their behavior was monstrous too.

 Does Gay Mean White? - This is a conversation our community needs to have.

 Catholic Church in Scotland Declares War on Marriage Equality - Not surprising.  

Pettiness Of Minnesota Marriage Inequality Amendment Evident In Dispute Over Its Title - Looks like the anti-marriage equality forces in Minnesota are having problems. 

NOM strategist harming same-sex families through his willful ignorance

Editor's note - It's a rare two post morning. After reading this piece, feel free to scan down and read how NOM is falsely claiming that support of marriage equality is costing Obama a victory in North Carolina. It's a lie, of course.

Schubert

So many of my lgbtq brothers and sisters have focused their anger towards Maggie Gallagher because of NOM's attack on marriage equality.

However, an article in the San Francisco Chronicle shows that perhaps we have been missing a key person in the attack on marriage equality. The Chronicle focuses on Frank Schubert, NOM's strategist in attempts to hinder marriage equality.

It's an interesting profile:

To supporters of same-sex marriage, Frank Schubert's name inspires a chill.

Few political consultants are as personally associated with their advocacies as Schubert, 56. The nationally lauded Sacramento strategist masterminded California's Proposition 8 and is guiding every similar ballot campaign to ban same-sex marriage, including measures before voters this fall in Washington, Maine, Minnesota and Maryland.

To Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which supports marriage as between a man and woman, Schubert "gives people hope that they're not alone." But to the gay blog Queerty.com, Schubert is a "marriage rights rapist."

Schubert is feared not only because he wins - voters have defeated same-sex marriage measures 32 times, including some campaigns led by him - but because he is able to seed doubt in swing voters with ads that show how legalizing same-sex marriage would affect children. Even if, as a former co-worker said, some ads contain "hyperbole."

In the article, Schubert paints himself as a devout Catholic who has made it his mission to supposedly preserve marriage:

Since voters approved Prop. 8 in 2008, Schubert has gone through a spiritual awakening that merged his personal and professional life. Defending traditional marriage isn't just a day job anymore; now he considers it a spiritual calling. Before Prop. 8, Schubert acknowledged that he "didn't spend five minutes thinking about marriage - not in a deep way."

In the months afterward, he began "really reflecting what I had been through. Was this an accident? That here I am, a political consultant who happens to believe in the cause, on the scene at the very moment that this debate is occurring."

But there is a sad contradiction to this man's nonsense.

NOM falsely claiming that Obama is losing because of marriage equality

The National Organization for Marriage is attempting to create a nonsensical meme that Mitt Romney is leading President Obama in North Carolina due to Obama's support of marriage equality:

Ben Knotts of the Examiner asks that question:

A current poll from Real Clear Politics has the presumed GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, consistently leading PresidentObama in the fall election, since May 15th, 2012.

Prior to May 15th, polls showed President Obama continually leading his GOP opponent in North Carolina., but since that day, Mitt Romney - the former Governor of Massachusetts - has not failed to carry the support of the state.

What caused the shift in numbers? The issue of same-sex marriage provides a reasonable explanation.

On May 8th, North Carolina voters banned same-sex marriage by amending their state constitution to only recognize marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

On May 9th, President Obama endorses same-sex marriage - putting himself at odds with North Carolina voters on the controversial issue.

On May 12th, Governor Romney addressed social-conservatives at Liberty University declaring that marriage is only between one man and one woman - putting himself in agreement with North Carolina voters on the issue.

By May 15th, Obama's lead has shifted to Romney, and Romney has held the lead consistently ever since.

It sounds like a good point, doesn't it? Think again. As a comment on NOM's blog points out:

Be mindful of the messenger. Real Clear Politics is a conservative and Christian and polling company. Their recent poll shows a two point lead which in statistical terms means a tie. You will notice that while NOM breathlessly reports Romney "consistently leading Obama" they never actually disclose the lead numbers:

RCP Average 6/7 - 7/1: Romney 47.3 Obama 45.3 Romney +2.0

Furthermore, this is the bio of Knotts, the man who wrote the piece:

Rev. Ben Knotts (M.Div., M.A.R., B.A.) is an alumni of Liberty University. He is a well-recognized communicator, pastor, reporter, commentator, and mentor. 

So basically NOM is citing a biased, anti-Obama source who has no proof of his claims except for a poll for which he holds back facts which destroys his premise.

Not surprising at all, is it?

Focus on the Family displays its ignorance and false 'religious entitlement'

This video by Focus on the Family (which by the way does not allow you to rate it or leave comments) is bad, but it makes several points as to problem of some people who think that their religion absolves them from accepting the rules which the rest of us have to abide by:




As inane as this video is, it underscores the audacity and entitlement that some feel that their religion should grant them.

If you own a secular business, you should have to abide by the same rules that others who own secular businesses should.

And if your church owns a business which rents out events which may not necessarily be religious in nature, then you should abide by the same rules that other rental properties should, specifically if you are receiving tax breaks on said property. 

If not, where does one draw the line with this? I know of churches who own rental properties where people live. Is is right for the church to deny someone the right to rent their property if said person is lgbtq or a part of another religion?

And I won't even talk about the little blip about public schools.

It's truly sad when some folks' religious beliefs blind them to the simple fact that they are not the only people existing in this world.


Hat tip to Right Wing Watch

'Supposed ex-gay pens awful letter to gay youth' and other Monday midday news briefs

One of the most reprehensible 'advice' columns you'll ever read. For shame, Matt Moore - This is an awful lie to tell a gay child. If I had read this when I was young, I hate to think what I would have done to myself. And I am not saying that simply for shock value.


Hate Group Leader Bradlee Dean Ordered To Pay Rachel Maddow's Defense Fees - This just in. Looks like somebody got smacked down in his lawsuit.

Arizona Governor Asks Supreme Court To Strip Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits - To what purpose would it serve to be so nasty to same-sex families.

Lou Engle Dreams Of 100,000 Ex-Gays And Ex-Lesbians Curing AIDS - There is a reason why I never talked that much about Lou Engle. Religious right liars is one thing. Religious right crazies is something entirely different.

“Ex-Gay” Leaders Resentful Of, Threatened By Alan Chambers’ Honesty - The 'ex-gay' industry is having serious problems right now. Good.

Catholic Church has no room to attack same-sex parenting

Bishop Cordileone

In spite of the myriad of problems with the Regenerus study on gay parenting (over 200 professors and therapists have complained about its errors), the National Organization for Marriage and members of the Catholic Church are busy pushing it to defame marriage equality and same-sex families:

The legalization of “gay marriage” in America, even on a civil level, is unjust to children and poses a threat to religious liberty, warned Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of Oakland, Calif.

“Marriage is the only institution we have that connects children to their mothers and fathers,” he said. “So really, the question is, do you support that institution?”

In a June interview with CNA, Bishop Cordileone, who leads the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, explained that Church teaching against the redefinition of marriage on a civil level as well as a sacramental level is a matter of justice.

“Marriage is about fundamental justice for children,” he said. “Children do best with a mother and a father.”

... Based on sound social science, this [New Family Structures] study complements common sense and “demonstrates what we’ve always known,” Bishop Cordileone said. “Children do best with a mother and a father.”

The bishop explained that this issue is of crucial importance because “we cannot have two different definitions of marriage simultaneously in the country.”

“Only one definition of marriage can stand,” he said. “This is not expanding the right of marriage. It’s changing the definition, or taking away something is essential to marriage – that it’s the union of a man and a woman for the purpose of the binding of the two and the procreation and education of the next generation of offspring.”

I know what you are thinking. Based upon the problems the Catholic Church has been having with pedophile priests, it is the height of hypocrisy for the bishop to attack same-sex families.

Recently, it was alleged that Cardinal Timothy Dolan (who has been very outspoken against marriage equality) paid suspected pedophile priests to leave the church while he was head of Diocese of Milwaukee.

And even more recent than that, Monsignor William Lynn was found guilty on one count of endangering the welfare of a child because he allegedly covered up a case of abuse.

With all due respect because I am not attempting to disrespect anyone of the Catholic faith, if we compared the two entities, just who has less credibility when it the harming of children:

An entity pushing a bad study while it's not covering up the activities of priests exploiting children as sex objects

OR

Same-sex couples, many who open their homes to children who need love and support:

Let me repeat that I am not trying to disrespect anyone's faith, but I simply don't think it's right for the Catholic Church to accuse same-sex parents of harming children when it has many skeletons in its closet when it comes to pedophiles in the priesthood.