NOM's warped version of The Nativity Story leaves out 'peace on Earth' & 'good will towards men'

And now here is the Nativity story according to Brian Brown of NOM:

Brian Brown of NOM

Recently, reflecting on the story of the birth of Christ, I realized something... When Jesus came into the world, it was with nothing. No money. They had to move to a new city. His father, Joseph, had to start a new business. They didn't even have a home to stay in as he came into our world. But the one thing God did give him — seemingly the one thing God thought His only begotten Son could NOT do without — was a loving mother and father to care for and protect Him. It underscores the foundational importance of the mission that NOM has undertaken – to defend marriage and work to ensure that every child in our society, as much as it is possible, enjoys the love of his mother and father. We are winding down our year-end, $200,000 matching gift campaign. To date we have raised almost $60,000 toward our goal. If you haven't yet made a gift that will be matched dollar-for-dollar, please prayerfully consider making a generous contribution of $35, $50, $100, $500, or even a major gift of $1,000 or more to help NOM close the year on firm financial footing so we can provide marriage with the best defense possible in this pivotal coming year. We tend to think of Christ magically moving from an infant to an adult, with only scant glimpses of him as a teen. But the reality is that in assuming the human form, Jesus experienced the unique contributions of a father and a mother in his life. For years, Jesus learned how to live, act, feel, work, care and love by absorbing the unique gifts of his father and his mother, who represent the two halves of humanity. The Holy Family is the perfect example for the human family — a man and a woman coming together in love for each other, and to provide the ideal environment for any children born of their union. That is what marriage is, and the story of Christmas perfectly models it for us. 

Brown's rendition of the Christmas story would almost make sense except for the fact that women who had children without a husband were mostly shunned back then.  And  according to the Bible, Mary was a virgin and not pregnant with Jesus via any type of intercourse with Joseph but through the Holy Spirit.

So technically, Jesus had two fathers.

But who cares about all of that. Whatever happened to the "peace on Earth and good will towards men" part?

'Gay rights will cause Jesus to return?' & other Monday midday news briefs

Five Moments From 2014 That Definitely Were A Sign Of The End Times - I'm angry. We should be at the top of the list. Why are we only number three?

 Major Cleveland Outlet Is Dead Wrong About The City's Transgender Non-Discrimination Law - Looks like a Cleveland newspaper outfit is deliberately pushing a war of misinformation against the transgender community. 

Judge asked to rule against florist who refused services for gay couple’s wedding - Sorry it has to go down like this but if discrimination on the basis of "religious freedom" is allowed here, where does said discrimination stop? 

 Ben Carson stands by claim that gay marriage leads to pedophilia and bestiality - Lord, give me strength . . . patience . . . alcohol . . . acid . . . anything! Why are black conservatives so damn crazy?

Ugandans Won’t Be Getting A New Anti-LGBT Law For Christmas - I vote for the lump of coal in their stockings.

Marriage equality coming to Florida!!!

By now, I am sure everyone has heard the wonderful news of marriage equality coming to Florida early next month. But watch this short video of a newscast announcing the fact. The family interviewed underscores what this fight has all been about.

'Michigan's so-called 'religious freedom' bill dies in Senate' & other Friday midday news briefs

Good news from Michigan:

Michigan House and Senate adjourned without final passage of license to discriminate bills! #MiLeg #MiStareDown pic.twitter.com/uLjb1345rc
— Equality Michigan (@Equality_MI) December 19, 2014

 
Transgender Student Files Federal Complaint Against School District For Banning Him From The Boys Restroom - If anything, this case points out the hysterical lunacy our transgender brothers and sisters face everyday. There wasn't a problem with him using the boys restroom until anti-gay groups got parents spooked.

Bigotry doesn’t pay: North Carolina anti-gay group $15,000 in debt - Oh the poor babies (extreme sarcasm alert).

 Anti-gay orgs continue to offend children of single parents, gay parents, more - Children DESERVE a family who will give them love and support and that does not come solely from the one man/one woman dynamic.

Richmond's Gay Community Strikes Back With 'We Are All Born To Love' Billboard - Now that the 'ex-gay' billboard has backfired spectacularly, let's throw some real love in the situation.

Good news for transgender community has anti-gay group spinning fear about children and churches

Excellent news for the transgender community. According to the Huffington Post:

The Justice Department will now interpret the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as protecting transgender government employees from discrimination, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Thursday.

In a memo, Holder wrote that the "best reading of Title VII's prohibition of sex discrimination is that it encompasses discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status." Holder said that while Congress "may not have had such claims in mind when it enacted Title VII, the Supreme Court has made clear that Title VII must be interpreted according to its plain text."

In a statement, Holder called the move an “important shift" that "will ensure that the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are extended to those who suffer discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status."

And leave it to the Family Research Council to distort Holder's statement and spin a little fear into the situation:

FRC Senior Fellow for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg released the following statement:
"Parents are deeply concerned that giving a special status to transgender persons will lead to troubling situations for their children, and religious leaders are left unsure how this arbitrary new rule will affect hiring within their ministries.  This is another example of the Obama administration circumventing the role of Congress in imposing its own radical re-interpretation of the law.  It seems safe to assert that not a single member of Congress in 1964 would have believed that they were granting special rights to people who want to reject or change their biological sex.

In other words:

Granted, the graphic above is by the Traditional Values Coalition but FRC is saying pretty much the same thing, albeit in muted terms.

It's still a vicious lie and an ugly stereotype.

Bobby Jindal sidesteps controversy about rally by playing 'war on Christians' card

Jindal

It is rather unbelievable the way Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is attempting to defend his upcoming controversial prayer rally.

According to Religious Right Watch, he actually sidestepped questions about how his rally is being funded by the anti-gay hate group the American Family Association and instead pulled the "war against Christians" card:

 Jindal has now been forced to personally address the issue, which he has predictably done by side-stepping criticism of the AFA's bigotry and instead accusing "the left" of attacking Christians:

"Let's be clear about what this is. This is an opportunity for people across denominational lines to come together to pray," Jindal said. "It's not a political event, it's a religious event." He said that while he respects the rights of protesters, religious groups have the right to express their beliefs and should not be barred from being able to hold the event on the LSU campus. A protest is planned while the event is taking place at the campus's Pete Maravich Assembly Center, and critics are urging LSU not to allow the prayer rally to happen. "Christians have the right to rent, to pay for a hall at a public university so they can come together and pray," Jindal told reporters at an economic development announcement in New Orleans. Asked if he agreed with the American Family Association's agenda, Jindal sidestepped that question and said, "The left likes to try to divide and attack Christians."

Doing so is a huge mistake by Jindal because it not only sullies him but Christians in general. His defiance gives the impression that the following statements by the AFA's Bryan Fischer (who will be attending and broadcasting the rally) is an example of Christian behavior:




Fischer has a long history of vicious rhetoric and all of it has been documented via video and on print. If Jindal considers himself a true public servant (and especially a Christian), he should address why he is teaming up with such voices of unbridled ignorance and hatred like Fischer and the AFA instead of attacking those who are merely pointing out his hypocrisies.

On second thought, maybe he shouldn't have teamed up with Fischer and the AFA in the first place.

The video Bobby Jindal probably doesn't want you to see before his prayer rally

Jindal

Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal is planning a prayer rally next month in what some say is an attempt to play up to the religious right because he intends to run for president in 2016.

Already there is much controversy regarding who Jindal's office's is partnering with.  Students and faculty members of Louisiana State University, where this prayer will be held, are already up in arms about it. According to The New Orleans Advocate:

LSU students, faculty and other activists have come out against the event, called “The Response,” largely because it’s being paid for by the American Family Association, a controversial conservative religious group that opposes gay marriage and other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights efforts. A protest has been planned in response to The Response, and a petition has gained hundreds of signatures in just a matter of days.  The Southern Poverty Law Center has described the Tupelo, Mississippi-based AFA as “some of the most hateful anti-gay voices in America” and has classified the organization as a hate group.

 Right Wing Watch has also pointed that the rally will have other controversial participants, including:

Jennifer LeClaire - LeClaire is the editor of Charisma magazine, where she routinely warns that Halloween is demonically evil and that gay superheroes are corrupting your children's souls. She has repeatedly told gay athletes to stay in the closet and repent and warned that the fight for gay marriage is a Satanic plot to send people to Hell.

 EW Jackson - a Religious Right activist and former GOP candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia who has asserted that the push for gay rights has killed more black men than the KKK and said that gay men and women are "perverted," "degenerate," and "frankly very sick people psychologically, mentally and emotionally." He has warned that gay marriage will lead to bestiality and said that there is a "direct connection" between homosexuality and pedophilia. The definition of marriage can never change, Jackson has declared, because "America was ordained by Almighty God." 

Jindal, who earlier called this prayer rally  “a time of prayer, fasting, repentance and celebration.” and a way to turn the nation back to God, seems to be sidestepping all questions about his partnership with the AFA.