Monday, May 22, 2017

'Evangelical' Trump supporters are gutting, destroying Christianity

 Tony Perkins is abandoning Christian integrity to shill for Trump. He's not the only one.

At least once a week, I can find an item on the Family Research Council's Washington Update worth using to demonstrate the group's distortions and hypocrisy.

Today, I have two and they speak to a larger problem regarding the evangelical right's support of Trump and how this support is debasing the Christian religion in general.

The first item has to do with Trump's Saudi Arabia speech. It's not so much of how FRC praised Trump,  but how the group lies about Obama's Middle East outreach:

The best part of President Trump's speech in Saudi Arabia may have been what was missing: an apology. After eight years of Obama-sponsored groveling, Americans probably forgot what leading from a position of strength looks like. And while a 34-minute speech can't undo almost a decade of servility, it was a good start to reasserting our place as the unapologetic leader of the free world.

Unlike President Obama, who offered reparations for every American act since the Revolutionary War, Donald Trump made it clear that the only thing he's sorry about is that the legacy of political correctness has gotten in the way of true problem-solving.

As it has been pointed out consistently, Obama never groveled in any of his speeches. Of course the truth never stopped FRC from repeating a juicy lie.

 The second item has to do with the recent walkout of Notre Dame students from their own graduation in protest of commencement speaker VP Mike Pence. Notice how FRC proceeds to smear the students, who had every right to protest Pence's past actions and support of anti-lgbtq policies

The Class of 2017's choice of a commencement speaker wasn't without its share of controversy, but Mike handled the situation with the kind of poise people have come to expect from the Hoosier. In fact, he used the opportunity to point people back to the problem -- political correctness on college campuses. That much was evidence when a few dozen LGBT activists walked out of the auditorium in protest. (Once again we see that all the talk about "tolerance" is just that. Talk.) "This university is a vanguard of freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas at a time, sadly, when free speech and civility are waning on campuses across America," the vice president argued. "I would submit that the increasing intolerance and suppression of the time-honored tradition of free expression on our campuses jeopardizes the liberty of every American," he warned. 
Unfortunately, it was a message some students never heard. A group of liberal graduates and their families stood up and left at the beginning of Pence's remarks, giving the media a juicy distraction that was fanned by far-Left groups like GLAAD, who applauded the students' supposed "leadership." To many Notre Dame alums, it was a sad commentary on the church's compromise on the cultural issues of the day. After all, this is a religious institution that was once rooted in biblical morality. Like a number of faith-based institutions, they've surrendered important ground on the question of sexuality, which history tells us is just a harbinger of further moral compromise.

FRC's items, coupled with a few things I saw on twitter last weekend, has come to make me realize that Christianity in America is changing. But not for the better.

'Texas begins legislative assault on same-sex families, lgbtq community' & other Mon midday news briefs

TX governor Greg Abbott, legislators declaring war on lgbtq community.

With All Eyes On Trump, Texas May Soon Pass Horrific Anti-LGBTQ Laws - And old story we know very well and fear. With all of their money, planning, and discipline, the religious right and their allies always manage to go too far. Such as the case in Texas: 

Amendments to bills would allow nurses, lawyers and pharmacists to discriminate on religious grounds and restrict bathroom use for trans students. 
Texas Senate Approves ‘Religious Refusal’ Adoption Measure - This awful bill is about to become law. Hopefully it will be stricken down but why sit on our asses and wait? Make no mistake that this is an assault on our families. And I don't expect for it to stop in Texas. 

 On Harvey Milk Day, Here’s How to Honor the LGBT Visionary and Rabble-Rouser - Happy Harvey Milk Day and it is so apropo.

 Police Detained More Than 140 Men After A Raid On A Gay Sauna In Indonesia - Our fight for fairness and dignity continues around the world.  

Trans people are being blocked from registering to vote in the UK - I reiterate the point.

Notre Dame graduates walk out own commencement ceremony in protest of VP Pence

On Sunday, several Notre Dame students walked out of their own graduation ceremony during VP Mike Pence's commencement speech.

 According to CNN:

 A group of Notre Dame graduates walked out of their graduation ceremony Sunday in protest against Vice President Mike Pence and his policies. Pence was delivering the commencement speech after receiving an honorary degree from the Catholic university, located in his home state of Indiana. Videos showed some students standing as Pence took the podium, then walking out of the ceremony and gathering outside Notre Dame Stadium, where they held a short alternative "graduation ceremony." The protest action was planned ahead of the ceremony, with activist group We Stand For saying Pence's policies as vice president and as former Indiana governor targeted marginalized people on the basis of their religion, skin color or sexual orientation. 

All I can say is "Good for them!"

 


Friday, May 19, 2017

Eight states now ban fraudulent 'ex-gay' therapy from being used on youth' & other Friday midday news briefs


Conversion Therapy Now Outlawed in 8 States - Eight down, 42 more to go.

  New study shines light on how to ‘make it better’ for queer youth - Wonderful study giving out common sense advice on how we can make things better for our lgbtq kids.

 Court: Transgender people can sue under ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) - I can just imagine how the religious right will spin this one. 

Despite Nigeria’s Laws, LGBTQ Acceptance Is On The Rise - A bit of good news from the Mother Continent.  

Chechen gay men hopeful of finding refuge in five countries- Really wonderful news. Fingers crossed.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Family Research Council's message on Trump's troubles fails to show reason, reeks of fear


Leave it to the Family Research Council to try to fake a reasonable analysis of  Donald Trump's self-inflicted problems:

With only an hour's notice, Deputy Attorney General of Justice Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller III as special counsel for the Russian investigation, given political blowback over President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. Rosenstein stated that his decision was not the result of any findings that crimes had been committed or any prosecution warranted, but rather due to the unique situation and that he felt that the public interest warranted a special prosecutor outside the normal FBI chain of command. The WSJ responded by calling it the "Special Counsel Mistake," arguing that Rosenstein caved to the political pressure from Democrats giving them the ability to "bedevil" the Trump administration possibly for the next four years.

President Donald Trump issued a short response late yesterday, saying: "There was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity. I look forward to this matter concluding quickly." 
The explosion in the media, particularly the leftist "mainstream" media, should be no surprise, as talk of impeachment is already being bandied about -- even though not a shred of evidence that a crime was committed on the part of the embattled president has been produced. Congress, of course, continues to want Comey to testify in their ongoing investigations into Russia's influence on the election due to Michael Flynn's admission that he had lied to Vice President Pence about having had contact with Russians. 
While investigation into any wrongdoing must be taken seriously, jumping to conclusions as so many Democrats have over the firing of Comey (do they not remember that only a few months ago many of them called for Comey's ouster?) is entirely and purely political. Speaker Ryan offered the right approach to this situation. While welcoming Robert Mueller as special counsel, he urged that ongoing investigations should "follow the facts wherever they may lead," and reiterated his confidence in the president. It's entirely presumptuous to talk of impeachment, as even two House Republicans Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) did. Democrat leaders such as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) who is the lead Democrat on the House intelligence committee investigation and no friend to the administration -- ironically has called for Democrats not to "rush" to talk about impeachment. That had little effect on members like as Reps. Al Green (D-Texas) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), who spoke on the House floor of the need to impeach the president. 
John Adams reminded us that facts are stubborn things, and a clear uncovering of facts in various investigations from the Clinton emails and server to Michael Flynn's admitted connections to Russia, and any effort to obstruct justice must be pursued and prosecuted, if that is what the facts demand. 
As House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) observed, we should always welcome examinations into facts and truth. Only those who don't want the truth have reason to fear such investigations. As Chairman Goodlatte also noted, perhaps the previous administration should have taken similar matters seriously enough to ensure they were independently investigated. 
Regardless of this special counsel appointment, I am confident that the Left will continue its apoplectic and irrational pursuit to undermine the president's pro-American agenda at any cost -- facts be damned. Robert Mueller is a respected former FBI director who served under President George W. Bush and even President Barack Obama. His challenge is daunting. Not only must he seek just the facts, he must ignore the political missiles being lobbed by anyone who doesn't like what the truth reveals about President Trump. He must also be thorough, but expeditious in completing the investigation so as not to become a tool of the Left to further hinder and hamper the change Americans demanded in November.

Nice try, but the stench of fear can't be hid. Poor FRC.  By hitching itself to such a corruptible, irresponsible choice for president and his administration, the organization has gained a front seat to the crash and thus the thwarting all of its plans to inflict its "morals" on America.

Did I say front seat? I actually mean a view of the coming disaster while strapped down in the cockpit.

Enjoy the view, guys. You've certainly earned it.

'Joe Biden - Americans must stand with worldwide lgbtq community' & other Thur midday news briefs

Former vice president Joe Biden stands up for lgbtq equality.

Joe Biden: Americans must stand with LGBT people around the world - I DEFINITELY miss Joe Biden as much as I miss Obama. 

Gay Russians Are Trying To Flee Kidnapping And Torture. The US Has Denied Them Visas. - And his column couldn't have come at a better time. 

 Activists Are "Really Scared" After Two Indonesian Men Were Sentenced To 85 Lashes For Having Sex - I mean seriously 

 Nevada outlaws anti-gay clinical therapy on children - SWEET!  

Pence faces walk-out at Notre Dame over his anti-LGBT views - This is a situation I almost missed.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

TX conservative leader wants God to punish lawmakers who support lgbtq equality & abortion

Steve Hotze
Please tell me again how religious right groups and spokespeople actually love the lgbtq community and our allies. Please tell me again how those who call themselves pro-life are actually concerned about preserving life.

But first read this prayer, courtesy of Steve Hotze of the Conservative Republicans of Texas:

 “Pray this imprecatory prayer for the wicked state legislators. In the Name of Jesus, I prophesy and declare: may all the individuals serving in the state legislature, and their staff, who support, promote and practice sodomy and other perverted, sexually deviant lifestyles, who support the killing of unborn babies, and who hate God’s Law and God’s Word, receive just retribution from God for their evil actions. May they receive what their unfaithful ways deserve. May they be consumed, collapse, rot and be blown away as dust from their current positions because of their wicked works, thoughts and deeds. May people scorn them and nations abhor them. May their punishment lead them to repentance and faith in Christ. May God’s will be done in their lives.” 

Lovely.

Last year, the Southern Poverty Law Center named the Conservative Republicans of Texas as a hate group.  According to journalist John Wright, the group and Hotze has a long, sordid history of homophobia.


 Hat tip to both Right Wing Watch and the Texas Freedom Network who both brought this item to my attention.