It Get's Better

Mission

The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline [1-866-488-7386], digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.

Via The Trevor Project: "It Get's Better"

Condescension theater, with Dr. Michael Brown

From Box Turtle Bulletin:

Speaking of Condemnations of Tel Aviv Shootings
Jim Burroway
August 4th, 2009

We would be remiss if we didn’t also point out that Charlotte, NC-based pastor Michael Brown was first out of the box with this statement early Sunday morning while most of Americas were waking up to the news

I left a comment there that I wish to expound on.

--Dr. Michael Brown… …has "categorically and unequivocally denounced" the murderous shootings

--he was "shocked and saddened" to hear the news of the killings

--"…this has all the markings of an act of raw hatred, and as such it must be utterly renounced.”

--“Whatever differences any of us may have… …we must maintain those differences with civility and respect.”

--“…it behooves us as leaders to set an example of civility and respect in the midst of our differences…”

It’s a relatively short article, yet he made good use of it.

The song and dance goes a little something like this: Denounce violence and hatred, plead for civility and respect, rinse and repeat.

Violence and hatred = bad
Civility and respect = good

Or so the story should go.

My favorite paragraph:

Brown points to the non-violent example of Jesus who instructed his followers to put down their swords and to take up their crosses – meaning, to renounce violence and to practice self-denial – noting that it was this example that inspired the non-violent social movements of Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

And voilà, he is now associated with not only miraculous peacemakers, but also martyrdom.

And what does civility and respect look like in the land of Brown?

From his PDF Diversity or Perversity?:

In any debate over “gay rights,” the word “diversity” is sure to occur, and over the last decade, the word has been used brilliantly by gay activists and educators. After all, who would oppose diversity?
---
Recent developments in the Netherlands confirm the semantic association between diversity and perversity,
---
Specifically, the NVD [Neighborly Love (or, Charity), Freedom, and Diversity] wants to allow “individuals, from the age of 12, to vote, have sex, gamble, choose their place of residence, and use soft drugs. . . . They also intend to eliminate marriage in the law, permit public nudity anywhere . . . and to legalize private use of child pornography and allow non-violent pornography to be screened on daytime television” (as cited in Wikipedia). They also want to encourage bestiality, as long as it does not result in the “sexual mistreatment” of animals. All this in the name of maximizing diversity! One must ask again: Isn’t this perversity rather than diversity?
---
Let us learn a lesson from the Netherlands: Once “diversity” is associated with sexual behavior the sky – or, more accurately – the gutter is the limit. Now would be a good time to redefine our terms, and the sooner we desexualize “diversity,” the better. This is now a term behind which homosexual activism can no longer hide.

Just one of the many “civil” and “respectful” articles on his Coalition of Conscience website.

A couple weeks ago he compared SSA to gangrene.

Oh, and also:

Brown to commenter Dan: I’ve actually interacted extensively with Patrick in the past and understand his points and his methods quite well. He has also written more than one article attacking me and my statements, so I think there’s actually more of a “connect” — and strong disagreement — between us than you realize.

“Strong disagreement” is an understatement. IMNSHO, he’s a sociopath, or at the very least, his sociopathic tendencies are in full bloom. I also put him in the Barber / LaBarbera camp when it comes to longing for the day that LGBT Americans can be legally put to death. He’s just a bit more refined about hiding it.

Further, to the extent that his statements are unwarranted attacks, they are worthy of attack. And to that extent, so too is his behavior.

So, yes, I’m attacking his character and his statements, but he ain’t no victim.

Gaslighting: [I]s a technique used to either scare a person, or to cause them to appear to discredit their own judgment or even sanity in front of others.

In this case, he gets a royal kick out of convincing members of the pro-LGBT community that his stated motives are genuine. Double points if he can persuade someone to make a 180º turn around. The prize is getting us to second guess ourselves in the face of his hate speech.

Hate speech = hatred = hate crime. You’d have to be stupid to not see that hate speech leads to violence, and I’m sure there are many people who are that stupid, Brown, however, is not one of them. He oozes cunning, and all we degenerates are just pawns in his world, to be toyed with for his amusement.

From “The Sociopath Next Door”:

“The most reliable sign, the most universal behavior of unscrupulous people is not directed, as one might imagine, at our fearfulness. It is, perversely, an appeal to our sympathy.”

And as we all know by now, poor defenseless little Dr. Brown is under assault by we big bad “militant homosexual activists”…simply because he has deeply held “moral” beliefs...which he holds…deeply.

Like the belief that it’s a noble and Christlike thing to portray every LGBT person on the planet as a drug-abusing, child-molesting, bestiality-loving pervert.

“this has all the markings of an act of raw hatred, and as such it must be utterly renounced.”

You have your work cut out for you, Dr. Brown.

Alan Chambers in paperback.

Leaving Homosexuality: A Practical Guide for Men and Women Looking for a Way Out.

By Alan Chambers

Alan Chambers is the President of Exodus International. His own decision to leave homosexuality more than fourteen years ago gives him tremendous insight as he addresses this difficult issue in churches, colleges and various public forums around the world. Alan has been interviewed by Time magazine, ABC’s 20/20, MSNBC’s Buchanan & Press and ABC’s Nightline. He was listed in Charisma magazine as one of the top Christian leaders who represent the future of the American church. Alan and his wife, Leslie, make their home in Orlando, Florida and are the parents of a son and daughter.

(Excerpt PDF)

In this accessible book Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, explains the process and clarifies the expectations for those who are skeptical of change or frustrated by an ongoing struggle with same–sex attraction.

Readers will learn how to

--enter into a new life in Christ
--set realistic and healthy expectations
--build authentic community
--learn to forgive
--overcome the power of sexual addiction

You can also get it at Amazon. They have 2 1 left in stock. (unless you want a "used" copy with someone's prayer prints all over it...not that there's anything wrong with that...)

How hate speech leads to violence - Frank Schaeffer: "We knew full well"

This conversation between Rachel Maddow and Frank Schaeffer is about anti-abortion extremism in regard to Dr. George Tiller's death. But it could be in regard to any extremist language that leads to violence.

The anti-gay industry and it's employees always say they're against violence against us, especially in response to well publicized hate crimes. This interview articulates quite otherwise.

June 1: Frank Schaeffer, author, Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of it Back” explains to MSNBC’S Rachel Maddow how hateful speech leads to violent acts.



You can find the full transcript to this segment, here.

Paraphrased:

@3:45 And when you look at what happened to Dr. Tiller, there‘s a direct line connecting the rhetoric that I was part of as a young man and this murder. And so, people, like me, are responsible for what we said and what we did and the way we raised the temperature on this debate out of all bounds...

@4:40 But I also think that pretending that you can call abortion murder and Tiller the baby killer, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera—and that these worlds don‘ words don‘t have an impact, is crazy.

So, this is what helps unhinge a society, talking like this.

@6:15 ...we took the movement from its early stages when it was more a moral concern, not so much about politics and not so much about changing the law, and radicalized that movement. I follow the step by step process...

And what we did is we talked one game to the large public and we talked another game amongst ourselves… …tonight, there are people who are publicly saying, “This is terrible, we never advocated killing, abortion is murder, but we didn‘t mean people to take us this seriously.” But in private, you know, if these folks popped champion bottles, they would be drinking a toast to this murder tonight.

I know that this is the case because of the fact that I was part of the movement... ...on a private side, we also were egging people on to first pick at abortion clinics, then chain themselves to fences, then go to jail.

We knew full well...what we were also doing was opening a gate here...We live in a country in which guns are all over the place. We have plenty of people with a screw loose, plenty of people on the edge. It only takes one.

And what scare me is that I see the rhetoric of the Republican Party right now…about our newly elected African-American president…Some Christians in the same groups that are pro-life groups are running around saying he‘s the anti-Christ.

They also know full well that we have people out there who will take it to the next step and say, “Well, gee, if he‘s the anti-Christ, if he‘s anti-American, if he‘s a communist, maybe the best thing we can do is pull another trigger some other day.”

James Dobson: "We are shocked by the murder of George Tiller, and we categorically condemn the act of vigilantism and violence that took his life."

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council: Scripture could not be clearer: "For anyone to intentionally murder another human being is wrong," he wrote to supporters. "...We strongly condemn the actions of this vigilante killer

Al Mohler: "But violence in the name of protesting abortion is immoral, unjustified, and horribly harmful to the pro-life cause."

Carrie Gordon Earll of Focus on the Family Action: "It was shocking news to find that this man was murdered in the foyer of his church, it has to be condemned. It is the sort of act that you hear about and you just almost go into shock, so it must be condemned."

A few "unrelated" quotables for the road:
Peter LaBarbera Americans For Truth About Homosexuality: "While we certainly don’t condone violence against anyone..."

Scott Lively: “We do not promote or condone violence.”

Watchmen on the Walls: "We are the Watchmen on the Walls…We do not promote or condone violence."

People for the Way, Truth and Life does not condone persecution, harassment, violence or disrespectful behavior...In no way does PWTL condone violence or ridicule towards homosexuals.

Randy Thomas: Each time we visit an office, our team was very clear that we do not condone violence.

And our winner...

James Dobson, Marriage Under Fire, P68: “In twenty-seven years I have never said anything hateful about homosexuals on our broadcasts, and I do not condone violence or disrespect for anyone.”

So it's true when they say they love us, they just love to hate us to death.

Another “Christian” endorsing mass murder.

(this is from ‘08 but just turned up as a Google alert)

From BabbaZee, who puts the Leviticus 20:13 death threat as a permanent feature on their homepage:

BEHOLD as I break the law in Colorado:

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

~ Leviticus 20:13

Which links to a post entitled: “Leviticus 20:13 Now a Mind Crime in Colorado”

After 400 years of religious freedom for those who wanted to own and distribute Bibles on their own property in America, the Governor of Colorado has put an end to it. SB08-200, signed into law last week will prohibit the issuing, circulating, and distributing of Leviticus 20:13...

That link leads to the bill summary, and as usual, has nothing to do with the reading of minds or the distribution of Bibles, or Biblical hate speech. It has to do with prohibitions against discrimination:

The committee returned to order. Representative Judd presented Senate Bill 08-200 concerning the expansions of prohibitions against discrimination. The bill adds the prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation to nondiscrimination statutes for 23 areas, including housing, employment not covered by House Bill 07-025, education, public accommodations and health care. It also allows for the appointment of people who have been, or might be discriminated against because of sexual orientation, to the Civil Rights Commission. Prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sex, marital status, disability, age, national origin, ancestry, and religion, are added as necessary for consistency in all nondiscrimination statutes including consumer credit transactions, jury service, issuance of a license to practice law, and public accommodations. Violations of anti-discrimination laws are misdemeanors subject to fines up to $5,000, two years imprisonment in a county jail, or both.

As you may have noticed, BabbaZee’s a bit dull. So BabbaZee's description of this image should come as no surprise:

"THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

WITH "BIBLICAL HATE SPEECH" REDACTED."

First of all, that’s a picture of THE CONSTITUTION!

Secondly, I find the open admission defending “Biblical Hate Speech” refreshing, yet simultaneously revolting.

Also, did I mention...

Thank God everything's fine now, eh?

Inspiration for this post and lyrics courtesy Zoe Brain.

Tom Lehrer - National Brotherhood Week


Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks.
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
See Cassius Clay and Mrs. Wallace dancing cheek to cheek.
It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don't let 'em in your school.

Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks,
And the rich folks hate the poor folks.
All of my folks hate all of your folks,
It's American as apple pie.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans 'cause it's very chic.
Step up and shake the hand
Of someone you can't stand.
You can tolerate him if you try.

Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics,
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Muslims,
And everybody hates the Jews.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
It's National Everyone-smile-at-one-another-hood Week.
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you.
It's only for a week, so have no fear.
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!

Don't hate me because I love hate speech.

(Reposted from the Vigilance blog (Teach The Facts))

Theresa said...

"You are right Jim.

Nuts including Canadian Baptist ministers who dare to declare their faith in the public square. That homosexuality is immoral.

$7000 fine by the HRC. (The HRC is the same orgnanization that will enforce our gender identity law here […]) Freedom of religon directly in conflict with gay lesbian advocacy movement."
--
I see you also mention this story on the notmyshower site under "Religious Liberty At Stake."

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission. AKA, the “HRC.”

About the Commission:

"In Alberta, the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act (HRCM Act) protects Albertans from discrimination in certain areas and on certain grounds. The purpose of the HRCM Act is to ensure that all Albertans are offered an equal opportunity to earn a living, find a place to live and enjoy services customarily available to the public without discrimination."

Those protected citizens include:

From the Preamble on the HUMAN RIGHTS, CITIZENSHIP AND MULTICULTURALISM ACT page:

"WHEREAS it is recognized in Alberta as a fundamental principle and as a matter of public policy that all persons are equal in: dignity, rights and responsibilities without regard to race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income or family status;"
[...]
Discrimination re publications, notices:

"No person shall publish, issue or display or cause to be published, issued or displayed before the public any statement, publication, notice, sign, symbol, emblem or other representation that

(a) indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate against a person or a class of persons, or (b) is likely to expose a person or a class of persons to hatred or contempt"
--
Clearly, this Canadian code is NOT the result of the GLBT equal rights advocacy movement, as you would have us all believe.

As far as the Canadian pastor who was fined $7000 for 'daring to declare his faith in public that homosexuality is immoral,' you've brought him up before, and I posted extensive excerpts of his letter at that time.

If you're so concerned about the suppression of free speech, why not print his (Rev Stephen Boissoin's now illegal) letter to the editor, so that we can all get a glimpse of just what it is, and whom you're actually defending?

Allow me:

Homosexual Agenda Wicked
From the Jun 17, 2002 issue of the Red Deer Advocate:

"The following is not intended for those who are suffering from an unwanted sexual identity crisis. For you, I have understanding, care, compassion and tolerance. I sympathize with you and offer you my love and fellowship. I prayerfully beseech you to seek help, and I assure you that your present enslavement to homosexuality can be remedied. Many outspoken, former homosexuals are free today.

Instead, this is aimed precisely at every individual that in any way supports the homosexual machine that has been mercilessly gaining ground in our society since the 1960s. I cannot pity you any longer and remain inactive. You have caused far too much damage.

My banner has now been raised and war has been declared so as to defend the precious sanctity of our innocent children and youth, that you so eagerly toil, day and night, to consume. With me stand the greatest weapons that you have encountered to date - God and the "Moral Majority." Know this, we will defeat you, then heal the damage that you have caused. Modern society has become dispassionate to the cause of righteousness. Many people are so apathetic and desensitized today that they cannot even accurately define the term "morality."

The masses have dug in and continue to excuse their failure to stand against horrendous atrocities such as the aggressive propagation of homo- and bisexuality. Inexcusable justifications such as, "I'm just not sure where the truth lies," or "If they don't affect me then I don't care what they do," abound from the lips of the quantifiable majority.

Face the facts, it is affecting you. Like it or not, every professing heterosexual is have their future aggressively chopped at the roots.

Edmund Burke's observation that, "All that is required for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing," has been confirmed time and time again. From kindergarten class on, our children, your grandchildren are being strategically targeted, psychologically abused and brainwashed by homosexual and pro-homosexual educators.

Our children are being victimized by repugnant and premeditated strategies, aimed at desensitizing and eventually recruiting our young into their camps. Think about it, children as young as five and six years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system; all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights.

Your children are being warped into believing that same-sex families are acceptable; that men kissing men is appropriate.

Your teenagers are being instructed on how to perform so-called safe same gender oral and anal sex and at the same time being told that it is normal, natural and even productive. Will your child be the next victim that tests homosexuality positive?

Come on people, wake up! It's time to stand together and take whatever steps are necessary to reverse the wickedness that our lethargy has authorized to spawn. Where homosexuality flourishes, all manner of wickedness abounds.

Regardless of what you hear, the militant homosexual agenda isn't rooted in protecting homosexuals from "gay bashing." The agenda is clearly about homosexual activists that include, teachers, politicians, lawyers, Supreme Court judges, and God forbid, even so-called ministers, who are all determined to gain complete equality in our nation and even worse, our world.

Don't allow yourself to be deceived any longer. These activists are not morally upright citizens, concerned about the best interests of our society. They are perverse, self-centered and morally deprived individuals who are spreading their psychological disease into every area of our lives. Homosexual rights activists and those that defend them, are just as immoral as the pedophiles, drug dealers and pimps that plague our communities.

The homosexual agenda is not gaining ground because it is morally backed. It is gaining ground simply because you, Mr. and Mrs. Heterosexual, do nothing to stop it. It is only a matter of time before some of these morally bankrupt individuals such as those involved with NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Lovers Association, will achieve their goal to have sexual relations with children and assert that it is a matter of free choice and claim that we are intolerant bigots not to accept it.

If you are reading this and think that this is alarmist, then I simply ask you this: how bad do things have to become before you will get involved? It's time to start taking back what the enemy has taken from you. The safety and future of our children is at stake.

Rev Stephen Boissoin"

"Homosexual rights activists and those that defend them, are just as immoral as the pedophiles"

And there you have the "morality" of Rev. Stephen Boissoin - adult gay relationships, and anyone who supports them, are exactly the same as child rapists.

Now, despite the fact that you defend this definition of "morality," Ms. Rickman, you use the above example to say that "Freedom of religon directly in conflict with gay lesbian avocacy movement," and that "the GLBT movement is winning. Which means "all churches who don't agree with us doors will be closed"."

What you neglect to mention is that Egale Canada ((Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) a national organization that advances equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families across Canada) refused to take up the case against Reverend Boissoin. Meaning that one of, if not the leading gay rights organization in Canada actually STANDS WITH YOU in supporting Rev. Boissoin's right to public hate speech.

Personally, and for the record, I concur with their position:

"We think the best course is to expose his misguided views to public strutiny. We believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant."

But who do you choose to blame? Not the individual, Darren Lund, who brought the complaint, but the ENTIRE GLBT equal rights movement.

And who do you choose to defend in all of this? Paul Cameron supporter Stephen Boissoin.

Paul Cameron, fan of Nazi war criminal Rudolf Höss, believes gays should be imprisoned for "sodomy," and is an open advocate of genocide for anyone living with HIV.

Boissoin also uses the "Dutch Study" to depict gay relationships as inherently non-monogamous. A study which EXCLUDED MONOGAMOUS COUPLES!
--
This is obviously NOT about "religious" freedom for you, it's about the "freedom" to impose your "religion" on others.

And for whatever reason, it seems that you are either unable or unwilling to admit this. Yet despite this, you have the temerity to complain that you, and those like you, are the ones who are truly being persecuted.

This also isn't about "free speech" for you. It's about the protection of "hate speech."

You have literally come here in expectation of sympathy for your defense of hate speech, and you wish for us to feel sorry for you.
___
Also see:

Randy Thomas, VP of Exodus International.

D.L. Foster's Gay Christian Movement Watch.