Mueller Report responses prove Trump evangelicals replacing Jesus with 'p-**y-grabbing messiah'

The anti-LGBTQ and evangelical right distort Mueller Report findings to praise Trump.

To the anti-LGBTQ and evangelical right, Trump represents the power to force their agenda on America. That's why so many of them discarded or recalibrated their tirades about values and morality to feature him in the center. And in many cases, replacing Jesus.

Their responses to the recent Mueller Report sadly cements this fact.

From American history professor John Fea:

Donald Trump is a liar who clearly obstructed justice. He has forced others to lie to the American people on his behalf. Some, like Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a self-professed evangelical Christian, lied for the president on multiple occasions. (That is a lot of slips of the tongue). Others refused to lie for him. The Mueller report reveals that Trump’s presidency lacks a moral center. He should be impeached. 

And what about the court evangelicals and all of those other white evangelicals who still support Trump? They will double down in their support for the president. He is God’s chosen instrument and his evangelical supporters will invoke biblical examples of how God’s anointed instruments will always suffer persecution. They will claim that the Mueller Report is biased (except, of course, the parts that say there was no collusion). They will continue to stoke the “witch hunt” metaphor. They will continue to take their marching orders from Fox News and claim that the report proves that Trump did not commit a crime. They will argue that the country should simply move forward as if nothing happened. They will ignore the parts of the report that show Trump’s immorality and lies. Court evangelicalism blinds one to the truth. For example 

Americans must demand that “no collusion, no obstruction” means NO MORE HARASSMENT of President @realDonaldTrump! — Dr. Robert Jeffress (@robertjeffress) April 18, 2019 

The attacks on @PressSec Sarah Sanders are disgraceful and pure politics. She does an outstanding job as WH Press Secretary and is a woman of character & integrity. — Ralph Reed (@ralphreed) April 19, 2019  

The #MuellerReport on whether President @realDonaldTrump colluded w/the Russians in the 2016 election is out. The answer is still NO. 1/2 https://t.co/JmoXvJjEKv — Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) April 18, 2019 

 . . .  AG Barr was masterful in his press conf. The lie of Russian collusion and obstruction of justice has been completely refuted. But the left won’t stop. They are addicted to the lie.#MullerReport #BarrPressConference #Barr #MAGA — Gary L Bauer (@GaryLBauer) April 18, 2019

The irony is these folks seem to forget that Trump isn't going to stay in office forever. How ever and whenever he goes,  if these Trump evangelicals think that they will be able to slide back into their unearned positions as self-designated arbiters of cultural morality, they need to make other plans.

No one is going to forget their behavior during the Trump years. Some of us are even taking notes.

'SF opens safe house for embattled transgender youth' & other Tue midday news briefs

The nation’s first transitional housing shelter for transgender youths opens in SF, filling an urgent need - Yes sir. We need actions like this and stories to draw attention to them.

Supreme Court takes up job discrimination cases that could settle whether LGBT workers are protected by law - Just in case you haven't heard . . . Some folks are scared. I have a wait and see attitude about it. 

New hope rises for would-be LGBTQ parents in New York - THIS is good news. 

Pelosi: Supreme Court review to have ‘no impact’ on Equality Act, floor vote in May - Let's NOT forget about the Equality Act.

Anti-LGBTQ discrimination in foster care, adoption suffers setback in Philadelphia and Michigan

Same-sex families have foster care, adoption victories in Philly and Michigan

Those who feel that faith-based adoption and foster care agencies should have the right to taxpayer dollars while discriminating against the LGBTQ community just received major setbacks in Philadelphia and Michigan.

From The Advocate:

The city of Philadelphia doesn’t have to contract with a foster care agency that discriminates against LGBTQ people, a federal appeals court ruled today.
The Philadelphia Department of Human Services last year ended its contract with Catholic Social Services after the agency refused to change its policy to comply with Philadelphia’s LGBTQ-inclusive anti-discrimination law. The Catholic group will not place children with LGBTQ parents. 

The Catholic agency sued, and last year a federal district court ruled that the city was within its rights to exclude organizations that discriminate. Today a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld that decision, saying among other things that the Catholic group’s religious beliefs do not exempt it from the city’s antidiscrimination law, the Philadelphia Daily News reports. 

“The City’s non-discrimination policy is a neutral, generally applicable law, and the religious views of CSS do not entitle it to an exception from that policy. ... [CSS] has failed to make a persuasive showing that the City targeted it for its religious beliefs, or is motivated by ill will against its religion, rather than sincere opposition to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” Judge Thomas L. Ambro wrote for the panel. 

The Becket Fund, a conservative legal group that represents Catholic Social Services, is reviewing whether to appeal the Third Circuit’s decision to the Supreme Court. However, the high court last year denied the Catholic group’s emergency petition to have its contract reinstated.

Also today, Bethany Christian Services, a faith-based foster care and adoption agency in Michigan,  announced that it will begin  working to place children in same-sex homes.  This reversal of policy comes after a legal settlement in March between Michigan and the ACLU after the state was sued by two lesbian couples and a former foster child. The settlement says that faith-based foster care and adoption agencies working with the state cannot use religion as an excuse to turn away members of the LGBTQ community.  Another faith-based foster care and adoption agency, St Vincent Catholic Charities, via a local couple, is challenging the settlement in court.

Last week, South Carolina state legislators turned away a bill which would have allowed faith-based foster care and adoption agencies to discriminate while receiving tax dollars. 

'Conservative group targeting trans community with distorted 'panel discussions'' & other Mon midday news briefs

Anti-LGBTQ group Heritage Foundation has hosted four anti-trans panels so far in 2019 - That's an average of one panel a month so far. Panels full of lies and ignorant people pushing anti-trans distortions. 

Health Department proposes nixing data collection on LGBTQ foster youth - More attention needs to be focused on this. What kind of mess is the Trump Administration doing anyway?

The Washington Post said Mike Pence doesn’t support conversion therapy. No one’s having it. - Sorry Washington Post, but the LGBTQ community knows that rascal better than you do. 

Actress Leyna Bloom Is Gonna Make Trans, Black, And Asian History At The Upcoming Cannes Film Festival - Any step forward is always huge.

University UMC votes 'overwhelmingly' in support of same-sex ceremonies, LGBTQ clergy - Wonderful!

RIPPrince

This Sunday marks the third anniversary of the passing of Prince, one of the greatest artists of our time. The videos featured here are a mere snippet of his vast work and influence.

'Fifteen states where it's legal to fire someone for being gay' & other Fri midday news briefs

15 States Where It's Legal To Fire Someone For Being Gay - Like the article's author says, it should be zero.

Soon you won’t be able to justify killing a gay man in Nevada by saying he hit on you - The "gay panic" defense is a travesty and should permanently eliminated everywhere.

License to discriminate: Religious exemption laws are trampling rights in rural America - It bears repeating that you can't tell people to "go somewhere else" when they are discriminated against. Sometimes there is no there place else they can go.

E.W. Jackson: Pete Buttigieg Wants to Turn the Country Into a “Homocracy” - Lawd hammercy! I just can't with this man today. 

Same-sex couples applying for a mortgage face more rejection and higher rates, a study says - Sad but not unexpected. 

Fox "news side" anchor Shannon Bream hosts Alliance Defending Freedom for fifth time in a year - Yet another way Fox News damages the LGBTQ community under the guise of having a "debate." Bream rarely, if ever, invites LGBTQ people on her show.

SC Senate turns away anti-LGBTQ adoption bill

Just got this message from my friends at SC Equality:

Moments ago, Proviso 38.29 (a bill that lawmakers were trying to sneak into the massive state appropriations bill (and) would allow private state-funded faith-based adoption agencies in South Carolina to turn away LGBTQ couples from adopting/foster children) was DEFEATED on the Senate floor  . . .  SC Equality would like to thank Senator Brad Hutto and other allies in the senate for standing strong with us on this issue and having it go down in a ball of flames.

There has been a nationwide controversy regarding faith-based foster care and adoption agencies wanting to discriminate against the LGBTQ community while continuing to receive tax dollars.  Last year, SC governor Henry McMaster issued an executive order which would have allowed faith-based foster care and adoption agency Miracle Hill Ministries to practice this sort of discrimination. And not just against the LGBTQ community, but other religious communities such as Catholics and Jews.  McMasters also asked for a federal waiver so that Miracle Hill could receive federal funds. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration granted the waiver.

Also this year Aimee  Maddonna, a Catholic mother from Greenville, filed a lawsuit against Miracle Hill because she was turned away for not being a "born again Christian."