Hate group (The Liberty Counsel) doesn't actually believe in religious liberty

Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel

Anti-lgbtq hate group The Liberty Counsel has made a name for itself via defending individuals like Kim Davis and others it claims are victims of religious persecution.  The organization would like for people to believe that it does these things because it stands for the so-called concept of religious liberty.

However, recent statements by the group regarding a church in Florida raises questions as to just whose religious liberty is the Liberty Counsel interested in preserving.

From the American Family Association's fake online news service, One News Now:

Northland Community Church in Orlando recently hosted the event, which was titled: "Elevating the Dialogue on LGBTQ Inclusion and Understanding of the Church." It was sponsored by The Reformation Project, founded by Mathew Vines, author of the book God and the Gay Christian. Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland Community Church, told Charisma News his church hasn't wavered on the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. But he said he invited Vines "because his organization helps churches – including churches that do not agree with him – have a conversation to increase understanding between the two normally adversarial groups." Hunter also told The Orlando Sentinel: "It's not about our church's position about homosexuality. It's about how we treat each other when we're different in our perspectives."

And here is where the Liberty Counsel comes in the conversation:

However, a litigation, education and policy organization based in Orlando has some concerns about the event. Roger Gannam is assistant vice president for legal affairs for Liberty Counsel. 

"It's one thing to host a conversation, a panel discussion, or a debate where different sides of an issue are presented," says Gannam. "But for a church to invite into its walls an organization led by a man who espouses basically heresy – something that is not biblical at all – it's very disappointing and it's very alarming." 

The founder of Liberty Counsel, Mat Staver, believes Pastor Hunter has fallen into a trap. "For him to host that pro-LGBT event is heresy," he adds. 

Liberty Counsel argues that the purpose of the event was to "distort the Bible and change theology in order to affirm an alternate sexual lifestyle as normative."

And there you have it. Under the guise of religious liberty, the Liberty Counsel will defend a government employee (Kim Davis) who discriminates against same-sex couples even though her salary in part is paid by their tax dollars.

Then the organization will make a 180 degree turn to criticize a church for having a simple dialogue about lgbtq issues.

Apparently the Liberty Counsel is more interested in preserving the religious liberty of those who would treat the lgbtq community as second class citizens rather than those who would treat us as human beings.

'VP Pence to speak at conference hosted by pastor who called gay equality 'demonic' ' & other Wed midday news briefs

Mike Pence To Speak At Conference Hosted By Radical Pastor John Hagee - VP Mike Pence will be speaking at a conference hosted by John Hagee, a guy who once said "that God sent Adolf Hitler to the world in order to be a “hunter” of Jews, advancing a divinely inspired plan to push Jews back to the land of Israel."  And of course Hagee is also homophobic. 

Cases in point:

AND my favorite:



Okay the following is also my favorite. Just go on youtube and google "John Hagee" and "homosexuality." It's a like a smorgasbord of homophobia:



Pence will practically LOVE it there at his conference.

 In other news: 

 Appeals court smacks down Wisconsin school’s anti-transgender discrimination - THIS happened yesterday. Sweet!!! 

 Russian retail chain puts up anti-gay ‘no entry for f*ggots’ sign - In Russia, of course. Ugh! 

18 Types Of People That Make Queer People Say "Oh Boy" - Probably controversial? Yes. Hilarious? HELL yes!

'It Gets Better' disputed, religious right overdoes celebration

Dan Savage

Dan Savage's monumental "It Gets Better" campaign recently fell under scrutiny via a study which questions its effectiveness.

According to LOGO Newnownext:

The It Gets Better projects was launched by Dan Savage and Terry Miller in 2010, in response to a chilling number of suicides by LGBT teens facing bullying. Sine then, it’s added more than 50,000 videos from people of all walks of life.

But a new study suggests imagining a better future may not be an ideal coping mechanism for struggling teens—and may, in fact, do more harm than good. University of Arizona professor Russell Toomey and his team examined profiles of 245 lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young adults to see how they coped with sexual-minority stress during adolescence. Three common strategies emerged: Cognitive strategies (the “It Gets Better” approach), alternative-seeking strategies (changing social circles or schools), and “LGB-specific” strategies (joining a gay-straight alliance). Young people who sought out LGB-specific strategies reported better psychosocial adjustment and were more likely to graduate high school. Cognitive and alternative-seeking strategies were associated with poorer adjustment, higher incidents of depression and lower self-esteem. Alternative-seeking strategies were even linked to lower likelihood of finishing high school. “Our findings question the ’It Gets Better’ narrative that’s been given to LGB youth,” said Toomey. “Asking youth to accept negative experiences as the only coping strategy potentially exacerbates stress.” 

 Personally,I think the study's premise presents an inaccurately simplistic view of the 'It Gets Better"  campaign. Regardless, it is a fascinating twist which will no doubt lead to debates, arguments, and unfortunately, groups and individuals who will  exploit the study to push their own anti-lgbtq agenda.

'LGBTQ community faces 'invisible' summer movie season' & other Tue midday news briefs

LGBTQ Community Faces An ‘Invisible’ Hollywood Summer Movie Season - Well this kinda sucks. Granted, we are probably being saved as Oscar bait pics, but I wouldn't mind seeing an action picture with a gay guy. Preferably black and wearing leather and knowing karate and holding a big gun in a few scenes . . . 

Anti-transgender legislation is still a threat as Texas considers a special session - A special session? For THAT mess? 

 Tank slammed online for performing at D.C. Gay Pride event - If this was a white artist, there would be more controversy over him receiving criticism. 

 Gay issues discussed at meeting of France and Russia’s leaders - Since a certain American leader didn't talk about it, France had to take up the slack. "Freedom fries," my ass! 

 32 Things Gay Asian Men Are Really Tired Of Hearing - Yes lawd!

Trump is bad, but Pence is the real drag

Pence

While folks are focusing on the consistent incompetence of Trump, they shouldn't forget the homophobia and false piety of his VP, Mike Pence. 

 Rolling Stone magazine didn't. In an article earlier this year, writer Stephen Rodrick blisters Pence.

It's so good that it's worth repeating :

During my travels across the self-proclaimed Crossroads of America, I learned that Mike Pence had once paid his mortgage with campaign funds, dragged his feet during an HIV epidemic and a lead-poisoning outbreak, signed an anti-gay-rights bill that nearly cost Indiana millions of dollars, lost his mind on national TV with George Stephanopoulos, and turned away Syrian refugees in an unconstitutional ploy laughed out of federal court. And he ended his gubernatorial term unpopular enough that his re-election bid in a Republican state seemed dicey at best.

 Pence is the nation's 48th vice president. Nine vice presidents have assumed the presidency as a result of death or resignation. That's a 19 percent ascendancy rate. Between Trump's trigger-happy Twitter persona, the ethical nightmare of his business empire, his KFC addiction and possible entanglements with Vladimir Putin, I'd say the chances for Mike Pence are more than 50-50.  

So what do we know about Pence? The governor benefited greatly from the wall-to-wall "Trump is a crazy monkey throwing feces" media coverage during the fall campaign, in that his record was undercovered, but it's out there and suggests that his impact as vice president will screw African-Americans, women, the poor and any other square peg in round America. His concerns for the parts of Indiana outside his comfort zone toggled between disinterest and disdain.  

 And here's the frightening thing: Unlike his boss, Mike Pence has an actual ideology. Pence proclaimed at the 2016 GOP convention that "I am a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." However, his actual record – including turning down up to $80 million in federal pre-K funding – is the antithesis of Jesus' "whatever you do for one of the least of my brothers, you do for me" theology.

'Republicans are targeting lgbtq students' & other Fri midday news briefs

Needs to be said repeatedly. No matter how many times these folks claim to be protecting the children, they obviously aren't talking about our lgbtq kids.

Anti-gay Chechyna purge is orchestrated by the government, new report confirms - Explains a lot . . .

Alumni of this anti-LGBTQ hate group are serving in federal, state, and local governments - The Alliance Defending Freedom has been busy, unfortunately.

 The Amazing Journey These Gay Dads Took To Build Their Family - We must NEVER forget our families.

 Meet The U.S. Religious Right’s International Friends - oh wonderful. An international legion of homophobia.

Anti-lgbtq hate group & allies want to 'transform America' by pushing the church into political arena

Watchmen on the Wall is another bit of false Christianity

When folks like the Family Research Council and their allies get together for one of their "conferences," they tend drop all pretenses and talk too much. It's as if they get psychologically drunk by coming together and overwhelming themselves with their talk of how holy and righteous they are and how they will get the country to see things their way.

Below is a report via anti-lgbtq hate group the Family Research Council from what it calls its 14th annual Watchmen on the Walls conference . Read this hot mess in its entirety:

"Work like everything is up to you, and pray like everything is up to God." That was Senator Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) advice to the hundreds of pastors who descended on D.C. for FRC's 14th annual Watchmen on the Wall conference. "The mission of our Watchmen on the Wall ministry is simple," said Dr. Kenyn Cureton, FRC's Vice President of Church Ministries, "We champion pastors to transform America... because the problems we face in America today... are spiritual at their heart and core, and the demand of the hour is for spiritual leadership to step up and engage."

A stellar line-up of spiritual and political leaders joined Senator Blunt, who reminded everyone about the importance of religious liberty. "The church house is the locker room, but the playing field is everywhere else." And that playing field includes Capitol Hill, as Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) made clear. "I've never started a day in Washington, D.C. that didn't start in the Word of God." That should come as a great relief to the men and women in the Hyatt ballroom, who've worked tirelessly to elect leaders who would exert Christian influence on government. After eight years of some of the most radical anti-faith activity, Fox News's Todd Starnes told the crowd, "We are surrounded by cultural bullies, the enemies of freedom are advancing. The time has come to stand resolute." After all, he went on, "We are to be civil lambs, but not silent lambs."

Thankfully, a majority of these pastors are no stranger to boldness. Rev. Mark Harris, who was a first-time attendee in 2012, reminded everyone, "You never know today, how God is going to prepare you for tomorrow." After his trip to Watchmen, he felt convicted to get more involved in the cultural battles of the day. Then, the Charlotte riots happened, and he was prepared. To those who ask should Christians be involved in politics, Frank Turek said, "Politics affects virtually everything we do." When people complain that you shouldn't legislate morality, Turek tells them, "I don't want to legislate your morality. I don't want to legislate my morality. I want to legislate the morality." If there's no standard, then there's no right or wrong, and everything is a matter of opinion. So, whose morality shall we legislate?

Rabbi Jonathan Kahn knew the answer. "America was uniquely founded on the word of God... It's time to become the Elijahs of our day!" Fortunately, most of these pastors are well on their way to achieving that vision. But please join us as we continue to pray for these pastors -- that they may be strengthened to stand and for the Spirit of God to move among us.

It's sad that these "God warriors" didn't talk about ways to improve the quality of life for Americans, particularly those 23 million uninsured people should Congress repeal Obamacare, Or anyone who would be negatively affected by Trump's attempt to cut monies from Medicaid or other programs.

They want so badly for people to worship the way they want and pray the way they want, they don't seem to care that the person praying could be a child who hasn't been fed because there is no food in the house. Or that the prayer could be for his mother who is sick and has no medical insurance.   They are so caught up in  having power and the desire to rule over everyone in the supposed name of God that they have forsaken the basic humility, and simple kindness which comes with being a true servant of God.

But, as nauseating as FRC's report of this event sounds, it's also healthy for those of us who oppose these "God warriors" to bear witness to their ecclesiastical bacchanalia.

It gives us a good reminder of what they really are. And it's something we can show the rest of the world.