Americans should fear theology calling for believers to seize control of country

It is ironic to me how some in the religious right falsely accuse the LGBTQ community or the Muslim community of attempting a take over of America when some of them embrace a theology which actually seeks to seize control over the country.

Perhaps you have heard of it. It's called dominionism and while it's been around for quite a while, according to David Brockman of the Texas Observer, it's gaining influence in political circles:

Dominionism fundamentally opposes America’s venerable tradition of church-state separation — in fact, dominionists deny the Founders ever intended that separation in the first place. According to Frederick Clarkson, senior fellow for religious liberty at the non-profit social justice think tank Political Research Associates, dominionists believe that Christians “have a biblical mandate to control all earthly institutions — including government — until the second coming of Jesus.” And that should worry all Texans — Christians and non-Christians alike. 

 Dominionism comes in “soft” and “hard” varieties. “Hard” dominionism (sometimes called Christian Reconstructionism), as Clarkson describes it, explicitly seeks to replace secular government, and the U.S. Constitution, with a system based on Old Testament law. The father of hard dominionism, the late Presbyterian theologian R.J. Rushdoony, called for his followers to “take back government … and put it in the hands of Christians.”

It sounds like a conspiracy theory and I wish it were. But it's real, particularly in Texas:

Perhaps the most powerful dominionist in Texas politics is Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. In a 2012 sermon and again at the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival, he said that the United States was founded on the Bible. Patrick has also made it clear he believes the Bible should determine public policy. In 2014, Patrick said that elected officials must look to Scripture when they make policy, “because every problem we have in America has a solution in the Bible.” (Where the Bible addresses problems like greenhouse gas emissions or cybersecurity, I’m at a loss to explain, even with 20 years of biblical study behind me.) His call for a “biblically-based” policy mindset “doesn’t mean we want a theocracy,” he insisted. “But it does mean we can’t walk away from what we believe.” For Patrick, not “walking away” seems to mean basing policy on his own religious beliefs — as he showed when he opposed same-sex marriage on biblical grounds. (Patrick also did not respond to my request for comment.)  

 Another dominionist active in Texas politics is conservative firebrand-slash-medical-doctor Steven Hotze. Hotze is linked to Gary DeMar, a dominionist writer and lecturer. DeMar has called for the United States to be governed by Old Testament law, including instituting the death penalty for gay/lesbian sex. As recently as 2013, Hotze was an officer of DeMar’s dominionist think tank American Vision; its mission is “to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation.”

For those who don't remember, Hotze is the leader of  anti-LGBTQ hate group American Vision. In 2015, he testified at a state hearing on marriage equality.  In his testimony, Hotze compared LGBTQs to pedophiles, murderers, and alcoholics.

'Trumpcare ( ACA repeal ) would devastate LGBTQ community' & other Mon. midday news briefs

The Senate Health Care Bill Would Be Devastating for LGBTQ People - From The Center for American Progress comes yet another very GOOD reason to oppose Trumpcare. The loss of coverage coming from this awful bill and the scaling back of Medicaid is bad enough for the general population at large. But it would be like a tsunami of destruction for LGBTQ health. 

 All the Ways Donald Trump Broke His Promises to LGBTQ People - As longtime readers of this blog already know, I am a sucker for good documentation and this article is a wonderful way we can remind certain people about ALL of the ways Trump did dirty to the LGBTQ community. General anger at an elected official is a good thing, but PRECISE anger is deadly. 

Washington anti-transgender campaign fails for second year in a row - Don't lose your focus. You know these folks will try again.  

It’s Now Undeniable That LGBTQ Rights Are In Danger Of Being Rolled Back - One group which continues to support Trump in large numbers is the religious right because of madness like this. Get ready. It sounds like we are merely in the prelude stage.

  Just 11 Rainbow Photos That Will Make You Feel Good About The World - Simply because why not?

Texas father defends his transgender son in front of state legislature

Recently, the state of Texas has been a hotbed of homophobia and transphobia as legislators there have been carrying on a war against the LGBTQ community from issues such as marriage equality to transgender rights. In the midst of all of the nonsense are ordinary taxpayers who have stood up against the madness, like this man in the video.

 From LGBTQ Nation:

 Ken Ballard of Little Elm, Texas, spoke before the Texas legislature earlier this year about his transgender son. Equality Texas re-posted the video this week, and it has become an internet hit. Ken talks about how his son Ash attempted suicide twice while in the process of accepting that he was transgender, which was when Ken found out that his son was only playing the role of being his daughter and couldn’t keep it up. “Am I going to be his bully?” Ken asked himself. He instead became his son’s advocate. The Texas legislature has been trying to pass a bathroom bill this past year. The Republican speaker of the Texas house recently said that he opposed the bill because he didn’t want “a suicide on my hands.”

'Chechnya has restarted its persecution of the LGBTQ community' & other Fri midday news briefs

Activists Say Chechnya Has Restarted Its Crackdown Against LGBT People - And odds are that Trumpenstein won't say a word about it during his meeting today with Putin. If he does, color me shocked. 

This is what anti-LGBTQ housing discrimination looks like - Discrimination is always subtle, but it's always there.  

Chick-fil-A is still bankrolling anti-LGBTQ causes - The thing about the anti-lgbtq industry which I cannot control. I can call them out, cause behind the scenes chaos, but I can't touch where they can get their money. I don't think anyone can. 

 The homophobic baker case is about more than just cake - YES this case again. Because we simply have to drill the facts into people's heads. This about more than just a cake. 


Photo taken from here.

Religious right exploiting Charlie Gard controversy to fundraise & demonize LGBTQ community

Get a grip on your stomachs because the religious right has a new cause celebre.

In Britain, there is a sad situation involving a terminally ill infant, Charlie Gard.  His parents have been fighting to keep him on life support and try treatments even though they have been told that it could further harm him. Officials at the hospital where Gard is being housed, Great Ormond Street Hospital, won a court order to take the child off of life support and do what they can to make him comfortable as possible before the sad inevitable takes place.

Just like the situation with Terri Schiavo, it's case in which my heart goes to both sides of the argument.

But nothing but my contempt goes out to folks exploiting this tragedy for their own purposes. And almost at the top of the list is the Family Research Council, who have actually set up a webpage:

In a case that's caught the world's attention, Chris and Connie have fought the hospital all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled last week that the hospital is within its rights to "withdraw life-saving treatment" because "it was likely that Charlie would suffer significant harm if his present suffering was prolonged without any realistic prospect of improvement, and the experimental therapy would be of no effective benefit." Like most parents, Chris and Connie are beside themselves -- especially since more than $1.68 million has been raised to bring Charlie to the U.S. for an experimental new treatment. All they're asking for is the right to decide what's best for their own child. Speaking for pro-lifers, FRC's Arina Grossu called on "the British government, the courts, and the hospital to release Charlie. You are holding him hostage. This is a case about parental rights coming into conflict with socialized medicine. Who should decide what's in the best interest of Charlie? His parents. Not the courts. Not the hospital. Not the government." Hearing their desperate plea for help, both Pope Francis and President Trump have offered to intervene. In a statement on the crisis, the Pope said the parents' rights to treat their son "until the end" should be respected. "To defend human life, above all when it is wounded by illness, is a duty of love that God entrusts to all." The White House also stepped in the gap, contacting the family to see what can be done. As Donald Trump tweeted, "If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so." Even 37 members of the European Parliament have demanded the hospital step back. This decision, they write, "infringes [on] Europe's most fundamental values, particularly the right to life, the right to human dignity, and personal integrity."

It's odd that FRC is interjecting itself in the Charlie Gard situation while saying almost nothing about the possible appeal of Obamacare, which would eliminate healthcare in this country for millions, as well as negatively affect women's health in immeasurable ways. Ironically, when FRC does talk about the Senate bill to repeal of Obamacare, its hope is that Planned Parenthood's government funding gets completely eliminated because of the continuously refuted belief  that Planned Parenthood is a so-called abortion factory. In truth, the elimination of funding to Planned Parenthood would be even more detrimental to the women's health..

 It's very hypocritical to talk about preserving the sanctity of life in Britain when you are rooting for policies which would wreck the sanctity of life in your own country.

But believe it or not, the most disgusting exploitation of the Charlie Gard tragedy comes from former NOM president and now head of the International Organization for the Family, Brian Brown.

He decided to use the tragedy to fundraise while railing against the LGBTQ community:

The Charlie Gard case is unbelievably tragic, but it's reflective of what happens when the natural family is pushed aside and government social engineers are given control. When that happens, children are trapped in unsafe, failing schools with no parental choices; kids as young as pre-school are indoctrinated into a radical LGBT agenda with no parental opt out; young girls can obtain an abortion with no notification to a parent; the understanding of marriage as a life-long, exclusive, conjugal union of man and woman is abandoned and children are told they do not need the love of a mother and father; kids are fed lies that they can change their gender according to their desires, and that it's perfectly normal to have three or more moms and no dad; and the elderly ill are subtly encouraged to kill themselves rather than be a "burden" on society.

Seriously, what the hell? Words escape me.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch

'Marriage equality may soon be jeopardy' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Don't think the religious right won't try to overturn our right to marry.

Marriage Equality May Soon Be in Peril - Yes, marriage equality could be in danger very soon. The religious right doesn't have a decent argument against marriage equality. They never did and that is why they lost the battle. But who needs a decent argument against marriage equality when you have a long range goal of undermining it and possibly some Supreme Court justices who you know will rule your way even before hearing the case. The LGBTQ community and our allies shouldn't take this warning lightly in any regard. Don't let this crap happen in front of our very eyes.
 

One in three LGBT+ people have been harassed or bullied in the workplace - Even in the United Kingdom, the fight is still on.

GOP lawmakers rail against trans military service in committee - They tell so many lies and conveniently ignore the fact that transgender men and women are already serving proudly.

Why can't anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council stop distorting science? - My post from last night. In a poorly written article which was easy to refute, the Family Research Council makes a sad attempt to prove that the anti-transgender legislation that it supports couldn't lead to suicides in that community. What FRC actually does is prove yet again that it has no place in debates and discussions regarding the LGBTQ community without some type of disclaimer of danger not unlike the one on cigarette packages.

LGBTQ Leader Calls On Trump To Address Anti-Gay Chechnya Crisis With Putin - Hate to sound cynical here, but I'm betting that Trump won't.

Why can't anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council stop distorting science?

Old habits do indeed die hard. Particularly if one of those habits happen to be distorting scientific work to lie about the LGBTQ community. It's been quite a while since the Family Research Council has done this, so my guess is the group is attempting to make up for lost time.

FRC is angry at Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus for speaking the truth about the anti-transgender bill some in that state are eager to pass.  Straus recently said he was disgusted by the debate and implied that the bill could lead to the suicides of transgender men, women, and children.

Naturally, FRC posted a push back filled with distortions:

Lt. Governor Patrick, who’s led the charge for privacy, hopes Straus’s comments were misreported. “Obviously, no one wants to see harm to anyone as a result of any legislation that is passed,” his office responded. Of course, as FRC’s Peter Sprigg points out, the most harmful position may be the House speaker’s. Suggesting that protecting women and children would lead to suicide is a ridiculously false and disingenuous statement. Even the Left cites studies by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Ann Haas, who says, “Years and years of research has taught us that the overwhelming number of people who die by suicide had a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of their death.” In other words, people do not commit suicide because of the passage of legislation, or even because of “bullying,” but because of mental illness (which gender dysphoria, according to the APA, is!). There’s absolutely no evidence that which bathroom someone uses will cause them to commit suicide.

In an older article of the journal Pediatrics, the authors wrote: “….suicide attempts were not explained by experiences with discrimination, violence, loss of friendship, or current personal attitudes towards homosexuality.” A 2005 analysis of this article, by conservative scholar Neil Whitehead, Ph.D., is still available online. “So these last two points,” Peter points out, “that public hysteria about LGBT suicides may actually contribute to them, and that early self-labeling also increases them -- suggest that Straus’s own comments (reflecting fear of transgender suicides, and implicitly supporting self-labeling even by schoolchildren) might do more to cause suicides than passing the Privacy Act would!

Then, of course, there’s the important 2011 Swedish study, which showed that even AFTER having gender reassignment surgery, people who identify as transgender had a suicide rate 19 times higher than the general population. This undermines any suggestion that simply giving those who identify as transgender everything they ask for will do anything to reduce their suicide rate.

The American College of Pediatricians calls agendas like Straus’s child abuse. This week’s Daily Signal highlights one such pediatrician, who says that this ideology has infiltrated her field and offered a deeply-flawed narrative. Read why here. As for Texas, let’s hope leaders like the House speaker can set aside their own prejudices long enough to do what’s in the best interest of the state -- which research shows is not a gender-free existence!

There is just so many lies pushed here. Allow me to break them down: